How To Torque Without A Torque Wrench

If you plan to do major tightening of bolts and nuts on your own, you need a torque wrench. What if you do not have a torque wrench in your toolbox and do not know anyone who owns a torque wrench. In this situation, you must need an alternative method to torque without a torque wrench.

You can use a few tools to tighten the nuts and bolts. These tools are commonly used for repairing and are easily available. Tightening with a torque wrench is easy, while alternative methods require effort and hard work to torque without a torque wrench.

We will discuss the alternative method to torque without a torque wrench below in this article, so continue to read!

How Can You Torque Without A Torque Wrench?

According to their specific torque values, torque wrenches are specially designed to tighten the fasteners (nuts and bolts). Many automotive, structural engineering, and aerospace industries use a proper torque wrench to torque the fasteners perfectly.

It is vital to tighten bolts and nuts correctly; under-tighten or over-tighten can cause serious damage and accident. To protect ourselves from accidents, we use torque wrenches. A torque wrench is a specialized tool that measures the torque in foot pounds. One of the best types of torque wrench is the click torque wrenches, which has innovative features and often performs accurate torque settings.

Remember that, torque without a torque wrench is not impossible, but it is a difficult job. The person should be experienced and have good access to the joint to torque without a torque wrench. There are some steps generally used to torque without a torque wrench

·  Step-1

Tighten the fastener by hand using your fingers. Keep twisting the nuts and bolts until it is finger-tight.

·  Step-2

The second step is to fit the wrench. Place the wrench on the nuts for tightening. You can use any basic wrench which is commonly used for repairing.

·  Step-3

Hook the spring balance into the end of the wrench, which is free. Hold the wrench on the bolt head and start pulling gently to tighten the nuts.

·  Step-4

Perform the task smoothly. Once you are done, remove the balance and wrench. The bolt is now torqued to the specified torque value.

Use this method to torque in case of emergency and if you are torque without a torque wrench, always check your car’s nuts and bolts before hitting the road.

How Do You Torque A Wheel Without A Torque Wrench?

You can use a couple of tools to torque wheels as torque wrenches. Some alternative tools, which the car owner commonly carries, are used to perform tightening of lug nuts. Tightening lug nuts without a torque wrench might sound like something impossible. But it is possible and very easy to execute. It requires some experience to handle the tools perfectly and some effort to torque the lug nuts correctly.

One of the most common alternative tools is an extendable breaker bar. Let’s discuss how to torque by a break bar.

1. Contract the brake bar to its shortest length to prevent over-tightening.
2. Place the bar on the nuts and tighten them as hard as possible.

Other alternative tools are crossbar wrench and lug wrench, and another alternative method is the mathematical method. The mathematical method is a little bit complicated. You can also use your hands to torque if you have enough strength in your arms.

All the alternative tools and methods are recommended in case of emergency; it is very difficult to torque correctly using other tools. The best tool to torque a wheel is the torque wrench.

how to torque without a torque wrench: Frequently Asked Questions

1.  Do You Need A Torque Wrench?

The answer is yes; a torque wrench is needed to torque correctly. You need a torque wrench if you plan to torque fasteners (bolts or nuts). Measuring torque value and then torquing perfect is only possible with a torque wrench. Over-tightening and under-tightening of some important bolts like cylinder head bolts can cause extreme damage.

Every car owner must need a torque wrench to torque. Torque without torque wrenches is not impractical, but it is not a good option. If you want to torque the bolts and nuts accurately, you should own a torque wrench.

2.  What Happens If You Don’t Torque Bolts Properly?

Loose bolts while driving are a very common problem. It is essential to torque bolts properly whenever you hit the road. People are surprised at what will happen if they do not tighten bolts properly. The bolts and nuts that are not torqued properly can cause your car’s engine to be serious.

It will lead to other issues like incorrect belt tension, belt damage, and many other problems. Also, it can cause a leak of fluid or gas while driving in case of loose bolts. The most serious disadvantage of improper torque bolts is catastrophic accidents.

3.  Is it Better to Over Torque or Under Torque?

It is definitely much worse to over torque a screw. Over tightening a screw can result in snapping of screw heads, damaging of pre-tapped threading and it can even cause stripping of screws.

Conclusion

So you have learned how to torque without a torque wrench and what if you don’t torque correctly. We have a basic method of tightening the fastener without the torque wrench, which will help you. Usually, nuts and bolts do not torque correctly without a torque wrench. Sometimes it gets over-tighten, and sometimes it gets under-tighten.

Too tight has similar consequences bad as not being tight enough. Even the most experienced technicians use a torque wrench. You can tighten the nuts and bolts with approximated torque value, but this is not a good method to torque.

If you want to drive safely and smoothly, you should use a torque wrench for tightening the lug nuts. But if you have the guts to deal with all the damages caused by incorrect torque, you can tighten the bolts without a torque wrench.