Question about torque

[DorothyGale]

I bought a cheap torque wrench at Harbour Freight and I'm torquing the CV axle bolts to 33 foot pounds.

Now, I'm 3/4 finished so I probably should have asked this sooner - but is 33 foot pounds super tight? The wrench isn't clicking until the bolts are about as tight as I can possibly get them, which seems wrong?

I know I'm not the world's strongest person, but I'm worried these bolts will never come loose again!

[greebly]

It depends on how strong you are, how much you weigh, and how much mechanical advantage the wrench (I.e. tool) provides. As in the length of the handle. Probably 12". They are moderately tight. Be sure to use locktite, serated washers and recheck the torque in a few days.

[insyncro]

Strength has nothing to do with it.
If the wrench clicks, it is at the set torque.
Having all of the book,ts at the same torque will help keep them in place.

Keeping grease off the threads will help them not back out.

Using Loctite helps, but if you use red, make sure to to label that somewhere or use a paint pen to Mark the bolts.
Heat will be needed to remove them.

[dhaavers]

[greebly]

[randywebb]

At minimum test that cheap, cheap torque wrench from Harbour Freight. I would not trust it all, but it might happen that it is ok at 33.

Your strength has nothing to do with when the wrench clicks.

Be sure you hold it correctly also.[/i]
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1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[greebly]

The OP's username Dorthy indicates to me someone of the female persuasion, athletic enough to crawl under a van indicates she is probably between 95 and 125 lbs . 33 ft/lbs probably seems like a lot more to her than to one of you who probably weigh 180-200 lbs and perhaps have a little more upper body strength to boot. If strength plays no part in when the wrench clicks try getting your 60 lbs 7 year old to get the wrench to click on a 100 lbs torque setting.
Dorothy, if you need some leverage put a longer pipe over the end of the torque wrench, it will be easier to achieve the torque setting, and remove them later as well.

[jackbombay]

Text below from ----> http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1304_torque_wrench_testing/

They did make one notable error, you are not supposed to leave spring type torque wrench set to more than %25 of it highest torque setting for more than a hour or so, the toruqe output dropping off is exactly what should be expected when leaving the wrench set to 70 pounds of a couple months, my $120 Craftsman will do the exact same thing, only beam type TW's can be left at a high setting without affecting their accuracy.

[jackbombay]

[DorothyGale]

I'm just worried that the wrench is totally wrong.

On one side I have the 12 point bolts, and those did okay with me torquing them that tight, but on the other side I have allen key hex bolts and the socket started slipping and rounding out the head before I got it to click. These are all brand new bolts and I'm using 3/8 sockets with the two different types of ends on them.

On the side with hex bolts I just went with as tight as I could get them.

FWIW I weigh about 140, I know I'm not strong compared to a guy, but I feel like I was putting a lot of force on that wrench to get it to click. Mind you I would have a really hard time lifting 33 pounds with one hand, so maybe that is correct. I would say that is about what it felt like. Hmm, did the lightbulb just go on?

Ah well. The real comedy of errors started when I blew a coolant hose on the way home. Luckily it was a hose that I already had in the van waiting to install. After the engine cooled off, I pulled off the old hose and was surprised that very little coolant came out. Thought that was pretty cool, but then halfway through installing the new hose GUSH out pours a gallon or so.

Okay, fine. I get the clamps all tightened up and jack up the front of the van to bleed it. Fill up the reservoir as instructed and get ready to go start the engine when the coolant in the reservoir starts overflowing all over the place. WTF? Run around the van to start it, keys are in the back, sh!t! Run back, get it started, okay, overflowing stopped. Sigh.

So that was fun. I don't quite understand what causes the system to vomit coolant at random times, but lesson learned. I only wish there was somebody there to see me, because I'm sure it was quite hilarious.

Oh, and in other news I'm pretty sure I heard CV clicking on my way home. Which means the new axle that I just installed is defective. Not really a big surprise, I was warned not to buy the cheap one from China. So much for taking a shortcut. This van is trying to teach me something. I guess I will have to get a puller and get the CV off the old axle (one just fell off, but the other was stuck and I gave up and bought the complete unit.)

Diana

p.s. I just googled how to test a torque wrench, so I will give that a try. I don't know why I didn't think of that before.

[bdcain]

hang 33 pounds on handle 1 ft from bolt center to test wrench
if i remember correctly
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It looks just like a telefunken u-47

[djkeev]

Get a beam wrench. No fancy ratchet or clicking, simply a metal bar distorting at a calculated rate.
Adjustment is not needed, i is consistent, it is cheap. Not dead accurate but yo aren't left with a Lingering doubt.

Torque is a highly inaccurate way to measure fastener stretch but we don't have many AFFORDABLE Better alternatives so we still us this system today.

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[randywebb]

Diana - do what the post above says - you can clamp the square part in a bench vise.

What sort of tools, garage setup do you have? Do you have a bench vise for example?

It is a false economy to buy cheap, crummy parts. Good CV joints will last many years if the boots are not torn. Anyway, know you know that, so while you don't need to gold plate things, you do need to make sure the parts are of decent quality.

Be sure to use brand new Schnorr washers - CV bolts can be reused if you carefully inspect the threads and the wrenching fixture on the head to make sure those are ok.

How old are your tires, rubber brake hoses, and rubber fuel hoses BTW?
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1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[MarkWard]

In answer to your question, 33 foot pounds is correct, but yes, is a ton for an 8mm bolt. That torque is about double for the other 8 mm bolts on the Vanagon. If the bolts are the proper grade, they will take that torque, but yes it is alot. I am concerned that you have both types of bolts though. I have seen supplied bolts not up to the grade necessary and snap and pull. If you are really wanting to do this job correctly, I would get all new bolts and serated washers. I think Van Cafe sells them. If the 6 point heads are rounding off during torquing, there are one of three things going on. The allen socket is not seated completely in the bolt head, the socket is a poor fit, or the bolts are a subgrade. In other words too "soft".

[Vango Conversions]

For what it's worth, I check my harbor freight click type wrenches every once in a while with a good beam type wrench and they've always been acurate. Don't leave them set to a high value though.

Make sure you aren't set to 43 ft/lbs though, sometimes the setting isn't clear.

If you're rounding off fasteners, just go to 25 ft/lbs then get some better bolts

[t3 kopf]

you guys are all forgetting that with the extension she has to be using to reach the outer cv bolts, it is gonna affect the setting of the wrench. with her wrench set to 33 foot pounds and an extension on there of however long it is, the bolt will not be getting torqued to 33 foot lbs. id have to look it up in the book when i get to work tomorrow as i cant remember right now off the top of my head exactly what the percentage is, but i believe for 6 inches, you need to add 10%.
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'90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion

[?Waldo?]

Only angle or wobble extensions affect the torque reading. Straight extensions do not affect the reading.

[t3 kopf]

my tech manual wont let me copy and paste and im not gonna type the thing out, but extensions do affect torue value as per the navy manual for structural repair of aircraft
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'90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion

[snowsyncro]

[greebly]

I heard it from my second cousin's ex-wifes's brother that the Navy uses Craftsman torque wrenches that are calibrated to the US National standards Mil-spec and only cost $2000.00 each. Be sure not to use a cheap $3.00 extension on it though as it will magnetically alter the spring tension.
Dorothy, you are using a Pittsburgh tools harbor freight special which means you can put any length of straight extension you wish and use a cheater pipe without affecting accuracy of the torque applied.