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Old timer said I was chasing torque specs not feel. Changed how I work.
Dude was rebuilding a 350 small block next to me at the shop. Watching me torque rod bolts to the book. He said "you ever actually feel the stretch?" Dismissed it at first. Then tried his way on a set of old heads. Used a beam wrench and went slow. Caught two bolts that were about to strip before they hit spec. Now I always check the first few by feel before trusting numbers. Any other mechanics here mix seat of the pants with torque specs?
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young.emma3d ago
Torque specs are a starting point, not the final word. Feeling the fasteners is the only way to catch a bad bolt or a thread issue that numbers alone will miss.
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ivan8733d agoMost Upvoted
Man, you're absolutely right. I've seen brand new bolts with perfect torque readings still let go because the threads were galled or dirty. Numbers on a clicker wrench don't tell you about that slight drag or the sudden give when a bolt starts to strip. You gotta develop that feel in your hands, especially on critical parts. I always tell people to clean and lube the threads first, then torque to spec, but back off and feel it again if something seems off. What's the worst fastener failure you've run into from someone just trusting the numbers?
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