To torque or not to torque...what say you?

Hi folks,

This is just curiosity, what started as looking up torque specs led to reading threads & posts (not on this forum) that eventually had people claiming they never use a torque wrench. People boasting their calibrated elbow and that they've been wrenching for 40-plus years & have never used a torque wrench cuz they're just that good. Some of these people even claimed to be professional mechanics, and the icing on the cake is that some of these threads were about galled threads.

I myself am a fan of the torque wrench. I'm pretty sure no one at Honda or BMW or KTM ever said, 'meh...just crank it down, it'll be fine' while developing their machines. Anywhere aluminum and/or a through-bored, load-bearing steel shaft is involved I think those numbers become pretty important.

Yes, I understand there are minor cases where a torque wrench just isn't practical (who the hell decided that the body panel screws need to be set to 1 Nm??), especially on a motorcycle where things are very compact. Yes, I also understand there are cases where a recall or bulletin is necessary becuz some torque spec is incorrect, it's rare but it can happen. But for my money, in general if it's powertrain or structural I trust the spec and the 'click'.

 

Of course you use a torque wrench. And a real mechanic believes that and knows when it is mandatory, and when it is not.

Things like heads and single sided swingarm nuts... yes.

Things like bodywork... no.

And of course there are the inbetween things that decades of experience does come into play. Like crankcase cover bolts. I know what 7 ft/lbs feels like on my T-handle or 1/4" drive, and I don't strip aluminum threads or have leaks. I'm not bustin' out a tiny torque wrench to properly run a cover and gasket down. But some people should. I have worked on their bikes.

 

If a failure can cause an incident..I torque! Wheels, brakes, steering, engine mounts, etc.

 

My hands are dangerous on their own. I own three torque wrenches in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" size.

 

If it wasn't important, it wouldn't be a thing.