<VV> Torque Specs

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

Old John worked around behind the station, in the "back shop" on the big 
jobs.  He was about 75 then and had started working professionally on 
cars when he was about 12 -- never used a torque wrench (didn't have 
them in Kansas in 1912) -- differentials, engine bearings, heads, 
whatever -- just a big long breaker bar, he said it was not for the 
leverage, but "the feel", so we talked about it a bit, and I believe 
him.  John didn't have "come backs", he was a Fixer.  I still have and 
use torque wrenches, just bot one of those little inch-poundy things 
(how cute).

But, when it comes to using those three dollar each, use once, stretch 
to limit, Isuzu headbolts, well, if you have an idea of what a bolt 
feels like as it approaches a proper torque, you can reuse them and save 
a bunch of money on a car some guy gave you because he didn't think the 
repair shop's price fit with the cost of a replacement vehicle.  There 
isn't any normal torque spec to start with on those bolts (other than so 
many turns, back a half a turn), let alone on used bolts.

Isuzu! They also gave us the hydraulic slave thowout bearings -- a sorta 
neat idea until you have to change one on a 4x4 -- those stretch to 
limit bolts are finding more and more uses in critical applications -- 
easier for robots to install accurately, I think.

Granted,  the price of learning "the feel" may be a few aggravations or 
so, but there is nothing like taking your time, paying attention, and 
torquing with a beam style torque wrench everyday to get an idea of "the 
feel".  (clickers are faster, for sure, but you don't get any feel that 
way)  Someday you may have to tighten a critical bolt, and maybe that 
clicker malfunctions -- are you going to know it is haywire while you 
still have your hand on the wrench, or later, while out on the road?

If you are paying attention, and know  what to feel for, you can stop 
pulling those threads out of Corvair cases before it happens, leaving 
you something in the hole to center the drill for the repair kit.  Oh, 
don't y'all have those fancy Heli-Coil taps with the starting threads -- 
just taps the hole, no drilling?  Oh well ...

Thanks for the learin' John!

Bill Strickland