You're Using a Torque Wrench Wrong: MythBusting 10 Do's & Dont's

[@TorqueTestChannel]

Episode 2 now out, your guys' suggested myths tested! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGK8ZJR4bpmfrbc *For the Anti-Seize* this only applies to threads that spec being dry. The opposite is true for a bolt intended to be lubed but is torqued dry - or for example rusty, even if effort in is the same it understandably results in being less tight. And higher doesn't guarantee failure, simply means the bolted joint will be much more clamped, the bolt twisted and threaded more and closer to its point of no return. There's known formulas for this. Always consult the spec 1st. *For resetting your TQ wrench* we showed it's POSSIBLE on our oldest/cheapest wrench. So not a myth, but that's not to say some aren't barely effected by it. We don't have the data.

[@Dood_]

Would like to see the follow up on this with threadlocker, if it throws the real torque too

[@larryseibold4287]

Another fantastic video. As torque is simply a surrogate for bolt tension, it would be nice to always know the friction of the threads, and have a specification for that friction. As dry friction is really hard to know (a lot of variability, especailly if not perfectly clean), it is best to use wet/lubricated threads (and the torque value for that lubricant), as it it much less variable. One thing that is almost always forgotten, is that this toque to tension conversion is only valid for sliding friction (dynamic), not static. In reality, what this means is that all of those people that check a bolt after it has stopped turning, are in reality not doing anything useful at all, as that is static friction. This is not to say that the similar practice of backing it off slightly and then tightening the bolt slowly and smoothly is the often recommended way to tighten things, sometimes in a pattern with multiple steps, like an intake manifold. Note: Dynamic friction is always lower than static friction. This is one big reason that it is often hard to use some digital torque adapters vs click, as the sound is not well timed to the stop point in sliding.

[@juliansowa7622]

Yeah you make a great point. The wrench torquing the same bolt with and without the anti-seize produced the same amount of torque, it’s just that when they lubricated the treads with the anti-seize it generated more force. It shows how variable torque as a fastening method is!

[@juliansowa7622]

But I hope people don’t think that anti-seize is bad or makes torque wrong. You just have to use what the manufacturer states should be applied.

[@TorqueTestChannel]

Nothing wrong with Anti-Seize, we use it in plenty of places it's not spec'ed to go. Just to make the next guy's life easier. It's just good to keep in mind you might need one or two less ugga duggas on like a suspension component when using.

[@Nixbizy]

You can't film torque wrenches, cause the camera adds 10lbs

[@lordginger636]

Man that's a good one 😂😂😂

[@starastronomer]

😳

[@NickMango]

😂😂😂

[@Its_Bucio]

Womp womp 😂

[@JakeScott-ke3sh]

Nice one dad

[@peterides9568]

I've calibrated a lot of torque wrenches in the last 2 years. Here's my quick notes for users; Crappy click wrenches are usually terrible at their lowest marked value. Go above 40% for a bit more chance of getting near spec. Click wrenches have about 3° of movement befor they start increasing in torque again. Sneak up on it if you can! The checkers report the "first peak" value, not the final value. Wind up to a setting, not down to it. That's to avoid hysteresis. Deflecting beam tools are great, you ahould have one for the the fastners you care about getting 'right on'. Don't lend torque tools.

[@royharkins7066]

I once did , the woman I leant it to promised to set zero , I just happened to be passing her landrover ….not only was my expensive Norbar wrench in the dash it was reading 100ft pounds in a heat wave !! What a fkin bitch !! That all happened yrs ago, I don’t know that anybody will read this I don’t particularly care 😂 it is good to off load my pain I feel better now .. And now he’s lol

[@drumbrakes]

That last line is so important! But I get to buy a new tool now.

[@peterides9568]

@@drumbrakes Treat yo'self!

[@MichaelHigginsJR]

Thank you brother.

[@Caderic]

First, from my experience, this all make great sense. Some I am very familiar with other are just, "ok, lets do that". One question, though... "The checkers report the "first peak" value, not the final value." What does this mean?

[@dorhocyn3]

Wow, the 100 foot pound setting with 200 foot pounds equivalent clamping force because of the anti-seize blew my mind

[@TorqueTestChannel]

You wrote that sentence better than we explained it

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

That's why you have to use ARP lube when installing ARP head studs. People use random oil and then snap their studs, then blame ARP when it was their own fault. Diesel guys also snap head studs all the time because they use Detroit Diesel #2 "peanut butter" lube on their threads which was specifically designed to drastically reduce torque specs on large diesel engines. All the light duty diesel guys like to think they drive semi trucks, so they use that lube and over torque their bolts until they snap off.

[@michaelgleason4791]

Yeah that was crazy. Glad I watched this because I had no idea.

[@MrBOOM546]

our spec in the mines says it affects torque by about 30% guess they were a little off lol

[@TorqueTestChannel]

@@MrBOOM546 it can be all over the place based on size pitch and condition

[@rotarydoc]

Finally, real proof of what I learned about 3 decades ago, when I decided that since I swapped wheels on my drag race car frequently, a bit of anti-seize might be a good idea, so I don't "wear out" the wheel studs and nuts... and, that is exactly the same time I started breaking off wheel studs while torquing them to the same torque value I did before, and was left scratching my head!? I even went out and bought a new torque wrench to replace my suddenly "inaccurate/broken" one! Finally realized that the ONLY thing I changed was adding anti-seize...once I took the anti-seize off the wheel studs, the problem went away! This was in 1987 or so. No KZbin, no internet (at least not for most folks). Just learned the hard way. About a year later, GM released a TSB warning against the use of anti seize on wheel studs. 🧐

[@-tr0n]

I remember the hours....DAYS...sometimes even weeks we spent researching things before the internet. Trying to pin out an '80s german wiring harness, finding rare parts by spending 4 hours at the local speed shop going through greasy catalogues...blegh. And now all we use it for is arguing with people.

[@rotarydoc]

For sure... I was (trying to) fly R/C helicopters in 1989....when they were in their infancy. All I had was one well written book, and some magazines...and chit chat with a hobby shop guy. Talk about trial and error! Amazing the information at our fingertips/keyboards these days, so many people take it for granted! @@-tr0n

[@1pieman]

It's unreal what you can learn on BoobTube I also had the same problem with lug nuts earlier 80's

[@alro2434]

Sounds like GM, going for rusty/seized instead of a spec for lubed threads only!

[@tom6493]

@@alro2434because each type of grease/anti seize will have different friction properties and they have no idea what grease, an idiot is wrongly applying so safer to just go with a dry torque. 🤷‍♂️

[@envisionCamusa]

TTC: that was the most informative 20 minutes on KZbin. The amount of research and work that went into this video was well worth it. We all thank you.

[@Hazardous_Fabrication]

Yea next watch the oil additives video from the motor oil geek. Just watched that then this one now my brain is sore

[@mann_idonotreadreplies]

Cool story bro

[@jrose7849]

@@mann_idonotreadreplies Not sure what you're going for but your snark counts as engagement and feeds the algorithm. Either way, Good Job!!

[@YeOldeTowneCryer]

I had a class in auto mechanics in high school. Taught by a man who was an aircraft mechanic during WWII. He stressed the torque wrench should only be pressed from the defined handle and pressure should be slow and steady not snapped. He demonstrated snapping the wrench could result in being off 20 pounds when wrench is set at 120. This was a very good video, many thanks. I'm glad you showed how the wrench with twist dial should be stored unloaded. He explained the necessity of accuracy with torque. Most bolts are designed to slightly stretch sort of like a rubber band. That stretch is what keeps them tight. It is not just the friction of the surfaces that touch.

[@equilateralsquare]

Thanks for that info.

[@3rdGenGuy]

what I've learned from Aerospace work. 1. Double clicking makes no difference. but should be avoided not to piss off QA. 2. TR should be stored at 20% of the maximum torque. (exe:100lb max on a wrench, so 20lbft store setpoint) 3. As long as the crow's foot or extension is at a 90 deg to the wrench, torque ends up being accurate. 4. Set your TW in the middle of the acceptable range when using. If the bolt spec is 15-20lbft. set the wrench on 17lbft. that way even if the wrench is off 2-3% you are still in the right range.

[@TWR358]

I learned the same exact stuff at the US Army Aviation school house. For me, it was the AH64 Apache platform.

[@nomercyinc6783]

who cares what qa thinks and under 5 ft lbs doesnt make any kind of difference. bolts dont fail that simply

[@3rdGenGuy]

@@nomercyinc6783 You obviously don't work on aircraft my friend. 5lb off on a 20lbft fuel tank nozzle for example is 20% off the torque spec.

[@Low760]

Double clicking does make a difference, because you're trying to overcome the resistance again.

[@schwuzi]

My Goodyear torquewrench goes up to 200Nm at the top and 40Nm at the bottom. I was always unsure if I should turn it back down below 40 but your 20% rule makes sense.

[@strykerentllc]

Can't state the number of times we were called out as being "dead wrong" with everything this episode covered and confirmed. The only hope is those heathens will stumble upon this data one day and realize we actually do know what we're talking about. And a well deserved shout-out to Tools Tested was definitely in order. The man does no-nonsense videos that are short and to the point. Cheers!

[@ABoringTool]

Wow someone is actually verifying my college physics textbook wasnt gaslighting me. Thank you.

[@ItchyKneeSon]

...and sharing it with those who didn't take physics in college.

[@johnsmith7676]

Fear not...in most cases, they absolutely WERE gaslighting you in those "textbooks".

[@MyJp1983]

That's the problem with gaslighters, they'll show you something real just to keep the charade going. That book can't hurt you anymore. You're safe

[@kamilb8232]

​@johnsmith7676 Oh you're "that" guy.

[@Caderic]

@@kamilb8232 I have a question... Did you just type "@johnsmith7676" to reply to him?

[@richardhorstketter6574]

Good information overall. I'm not going to scroll through and respond to anyone else's comments, some of which are very intelligent and thoughtful. I'm just sharing what I know as an old engineer. I'm probably repeating what a lot of others have said, if so I'm confirming they're right. (Because I'm always right, of course.) Your dyno (which it's not by definition) is not directly measuring torque! You know this and should have been clearer about that. It's measuring tension, and calculating torque based on inputs and assumptions. As you touched on, friction is a very significant factor in the calculations. It's obvious when you change the friction you get different tension from the same torque. The tension is what matters, the torque and other variables are just how you get there. You want it tight enough to handle the load, and to not vibrate loose, but obviously not yielding (in most applications.) There are differing schools of thought on what the tension should even be as a percentage of the yield strength of the bolt. For instance, API says 80%. I don't 100% agree it's the optimum but it works well enough. I'm retired and I'm not going down that rabbit hole. They specify torque targets and tolerances for moly paste (basically anti-seize) and for API spec oil (basically motor oil but with more specific requirements.) They do not specify torque for dry threads. Someone mentioned thread locking compounds. They do lubricate the threads, and will increase the resulting tension if you use a 'dry' torque spec. We know (within a range of variability, whole 'nother topic) what the friction factor is for moly, and more accurately for that API oil, I don't know what it is with threadlockers. I don't know if different ones have different friction factors, probably so. That would be something interesting for you guys to investigate. A properly tensioned bolt or stud generally doesn't need it, so if you're torquing based on a 'dry' spec you're better off dry. Interesting anecdote: Mitsubishi globally specifies motor oil on wheel lug nuts. They had some fatalities in their Fuso OTR trucks and did extensive testing, and found that to be the most predictable way to get the right tension. I agree, based on other sources I've read over the years. So being Japanese, they made that an absolute rule and allowed for no exceptions. Lug nut, use oil, period. BUT: on warehouse forklifts with very hard, thin rubber tires, the vibration is horrendous. And the way they were attached was a little different from an automotive wheel. From experience, the assembly shop and I determined the only way to keep those wheels on was red Loctite. We didn't tell Mitsubishi. Bottom line, in many applications a precise torque is not critical. Since the tension resulting from a given torque can vary anyway, a well-designed bolted joint is fairly tolerant of variation. Of course there are cases where it is critical to get the right torque AND the right bolt AND under all the right conditions. Someone mentioned aviation, that's a good example. On blowout preventers I followed the API rules, and meticulously calculated whenever there was any question on a specific case. In my garage at home I use my judgement, based on over 30 years of engineering experience and more like 50 years of hands-on. I usually don't use a torque wrench. I sure as hell don't run all those calculations, I'm retired. On my motorcycle I'm more persnickety than on my Tacoma, it's more sensitive to variation and a failure has greater consequences. Sometimes I use threadlocker, sometimes I use anti-seize. Sometimes I use nothing. It depends. Judgement and experience and gut feel. My recommendation in general is, if you're working on something that can get someone killed, know what torque (and min/max range!) is specified and meet it. Know whether the spec is for dry or lubricated (and what lube if applicable.) If the spec is for dry, do it dry and CLEAN. Dirt, or greasy grunge, can have a huge effect on the tension (repeating, the tension is the only thing that really matters.) On the other hand, if you have years of experience on the same type of equipment, and you just know what never comes loose and never never breaks off, and that bolt is not life and death critical, your calibrated wrist is gonna be quite good enough.

[@johnbull5394]

@richardhorstketter6574 Thank you. Your comment explains what I was missing regarding the 'dyno' and the wrench not agreeing on the torque if the thread is lubricated. If the 'dyno' is measuring tension not torsion (and displaying hypothetical torsion equivalents) then it all makes perfect sense.

[@ryanhall3689]

For the anti seize myth. Glad to see it in action. From working with big machinery. There's a metric bolt chart for tightness depending on hardness and wet v dry

[@berrymacokener4393]

Working at shipyards, we lubricate every fastener. Our torque specs require anti-seize to be to legitimate.

[@dwaynepenner2788]

Yep, follow the work procedure re wet vs. dry torque. There are reasons why one or the other is specified. In automotive applications it is usually dry unless otherwise stated, but the front matter of the service manual is a common place to find that info.

[@joey9511]

​@@berrymacokener4393 this is how it shoud be either everything needs anti-seize or nothing does lol

[@williambartholomew5680]

​@@joey9511small correction, everything should have anti-sieze unless it needs thread locker/sealant

[@jobicek]

@@williambartholomew5680 I guess it depends on the terminology, but anti-seize is used in high-temperature applications. There is a big difference between bolting an exhaust manifold and a door hinge. How about just following instructions? In many applications, dry connection is just fine. And personally, I would rather default to mild thread locker (i.e. non-permanent) unless higher temperatures are involved as vibrations loosening fasteners is more dangerous than fasteners getting stuck (that's just expensive and annoying). But still, I need to know whether the torque specified is wet or dry.

[@derekkuhl]

The change in torque values using anti-seize is mind blowing. On bicycles, especially with carbon fiber components, torque settings are very important to prevent breaking of components. It is generally recommended to use a lubricant on those threads. However, the manufacturers do not necessarily specify if the torque settings are lubricated or not. At very low torque settings, in the 5 to 8 Newton meter range, it would be interesting to see how much lubrication changes the torque values.

[@sbccbc7471]

That's the thing, many companies aren't that technical. Going in dry is a way of saying "I want seized fasteners." unless the instructions specify to torque dry, like SRAM's UDH bolt.

[@mandytuning]

When i was a Disney attraction mechanic they gave us a class showing all this miths, another one pretty interesting was reusing a bolt , comparing clamping force vs torque ,the new thread porous surface act as a bearing with less contact surface, so everytime you torque and lose the bolt it polish the threads giving more surface contact and reducing camping fir e at same torque, but out a drop of oil clamping went back exactly as new bolt.

[@lucionsrandom5195]

Would definitely like to see TTC do an additional test with just a drop of oil instead of anti-seize.

[@commonsenseisdeadin2024]

I believe the head stud and TTY bolt videos they did covered that.... It's been a while though

[@ace7912]

So was that proven to be a myth?

[@brianblithe2271]

"but out a drop of oil clamping went back exactly as new bolt" did you mean to write, put on a drop of oil ?

[@mandytuning]

@@brianblithe2271 lubricating the bolt,using same torque, bringed back same clamping force as when the bolt was new without any lubricant

[@ellokaherror9714]

This is the nerdy nerd content I love KZbin for. Thank you for answering so many questions I'm carrying with me since day one working with tools. Simply awesome.

[@Intabih]

17:00 I even look at anti-seize wrong and I turn into the Silver Surfer.

[@cujoedaman]

It's more like the Venom symbiote, it gets everywhere and you can't get it off.

[@hughbrackett343]

I swear that stuff sneaks out of the bottle by itself.

[@SupremeRuleroftheWorld]

@@cujoedaman sounds like my first wife.

[@matthewweaver1123]

And you should smell the crap at 600 degrees Frankenstein. It is a smell like no other 🤮

[@butchphillips873]

Brake clean. Brake clean everything, every where. Use bath if necessary follwed by steam clean. Hope this helps.☢

[@gerikbensing]

Glad to see someone test the storing a torque wrench above the lowest setting myth. A bunch of keyboard warriors flamed me when I explained that on another video saying “they do it all the time and it works fine.” Time for them to actually check their calibration.

[@danr1920]

I got a new digital torque adaptor, I tested out my cheap old click type and T type as well. With practice I consistently got under one pound. When I first started I was 3 or 4 pounds off. Basically, go slowly and you will get better results,

[@TorqueTestChannel]

We usually set digital around 3ft-lbs low and go until the beep and then check the display and it's fairly spot on from going over a bit, just as you say

[@MidwestSirenProductions]

I'm glad I tuned into this video, myth #9 was pretty eye-opening to me. I work for a manufacturer of heavy equipment and we slather pretty much everything in anti-seize (including hub studs, got me to chuckle when you mentioned us in th Rust Belt). I'll have to consult with engineering to see what spec they're following because nearly doubling a 100 ft-lb reading could have an impact depending on our application.

[@SvdSinner]

As an engineer who is really good at math, I'll admit that I thought that is how using an extension would work, but never was sure enough to try it on anything important. Thanks for confirming what I was never totally sure was correct.

[@TorqueTestChannel]

I'm with you, except for the good at math part. I've always been "well it's obvious it shouldn't change" meanwhile my brain is like "Right? I'm pretty sure"

[@gpaull2]

How do you know if someone is an engineer….

[@nasonguy]

As a dude who never got past algebra 2 in community college, I figured extensions would work this way too. The extension might twist... But it's still going to transfer the same amount of torque unless you twist the extension past the metal's plastic deformation point (I think that's what it is...).

[@aussiehardwood6196]

​@@gpaull2I think the answer is the same as Q: how do you know if a man is a pilot? A: He'll TELL you!

[@Sevalecan]

Can't say I ever had any doubt about the extensions. This is pretty simple static system. The dynamics are what complicate the behavior of impact wrenches. Though there was someone who claimed to be a technician at a nuclear plant or something and they were taught to never place a hand on the head of the torque wrench while tightening. The reason I do is usually when I have extensions, otherwise there's enough wobble in the line it'll move to the side, or it'll knock the socket off the nut or bolt. Personally I think putting the hand there is fine and won't hesitate to continue doing it, but would be curious to see it measured. Maybe in a YT short rather than making another long form video. I'm guessing when all the extensions were on TTC was already using his hand on the head otherwise I doubt he could keep the line of extensions straight.

[@Skylinef22]

One of your best videos yet. All of my torque wrench questions answered. Thanks for all of the hard work, learned an incredible amount today. When using anti-seize I always reduced my torque by about 30 percent, but wow, double is crazy

[@brianwelch1579]

One of my favorite moments working at a uhaul repair shop was when they sent the shop a torque wrench calibration tool, and my $10 harbor freight was the most accurate one in the entire shop! Even after they calibrated the other guys (and shop) tools, mine still had the tightest range.

[@zacharymorris9917]

I was just as surprised to find this out after buying Snap-on duplicates of all my cheap torque wrenches. Pretty upsetting to have wasted so much money.

[@dwaynepenner2788]

Not uncommon at all, even with precision measuring equipment like calipers and micrometer prices doesn’t equal accuracy. Even more surprising mechanic who regularly uses torque wrenches can be within 10% without a torque wrench.

[@maxscott3349]

​@@zacharymorris9917That doesn't mean it's a waste of money. Your Snap on may not be as close now, but give it 6 or 7 thousand bolts before you make your judgement for sure

[@rhetorical1488]

@@maxscott3349 he can buy one a year at harbor freight for 6k bolts and sill be saving $

[@zacharymorris9917]

@maxscott3349 I've given it at least 10 years so far. The Snap-on are definitely more user-friendly, ergonomic, and comfortable. Using them correctly is definitely more accurate than the others being used incorrectly.

[@robworrall6832]

This is great! Glad to see someone finally properly demonstrating how lubricating threads throws off torque wrench accuracy wildly. I think this is why many car manufacturers changed the cyllinder head bolts tightening operation to be angle torqued rather than by torque wrench - deep threads that have random fluids on them are going to mess up head torquing badly otherwise. A lot of good repair manuals will tell you to make sure that everything is clean and dry from oil for this reason if a torque wrench is to be used. If a very long bolt is flexing from the friction of it's tight or dry threads then the angle torgue will be innacurrate too lol - you can't win until you get very fussy and consistent with everything!

[@mountaindweller4514]

Double the torque using anti-seize is insane. I use anti-seize quite a bit on bikes and had no idea I could be torquing the fasteners with up to double the force. In fact if anything I thought it would result in less torque I'll definitely keep this in mind going forward. The problem is a lot of the time bike manuals don't specify any lubricants for fasteners, just a torque value. And you know that if you don't put anything on the threads it's gonna seize and be a nightmare to remove. You should do a video looking deeper into torque values when using different lubricants, e.g. different types of grease, loctite, anti-seize. Would be interesting to see the effect. Also the effect of putting more or less lubricant on threads.

[@sickofthebullshit1967]

I agree. The anti-seize is something I've never taken into consideration.

[@ShaunHensley]

There are charts you can reference to convert dry torque value to wet, but you are assuming liability

[@williambartholomew5680]

Some applications will specify what lubricants to use - engines for example often require oil on threads when torquing, some engine bolts require thread sealant, so the manuals state different specs for both. So for anti-sieze or oil, those should only be applied to fasteners you don't need a torque wrench for - tighten to what you're comfortable loosening at. Anti-sieze on my lug nuts tightened as hard as I can get them with my 12" diameter 4-way lug wrench will result in no damage and the wheel won't fall off nor will the lugs naturally loosen either. But anti-sieze on an axle bolt that needs a very specific torque spec and you shouldn't be touching frequently? Definitely do as manual describes

[@sickofthebullshit1967]

@@williambartholomew5680 you should NEVER put anti-seize on lug nut threads ever ! And tightening them down as hard as you can with your 4 way wheel brace is insane. If you do that to either alloy wheels or steel wheels you will fck up the studs on the hubs and alloy wheels will eventually crack from over tightening. There’s a reason why lug nuts are torqued to specific foot pounds or newton meters ! False information people,never put anti-seize on lug nut threads.

[@sickofthebullshit1967]

@@williambartholomew5680 all this coming from a guy that assembles Lego 😆 dude you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.

[@williamdavis4542]

I live in New England, where it used to snow more and I used snow tires every winter, so I used anti-seize, but only on the centering hub. As you say that stuff can follow you home, so I use small dabs squeezed onto an acid brush to apply it sparingly. The main concern was keeping that stuff off my brake rotors. As for the lug bolts, I cleaned the rust off them with a wire wheel in a bench grinder. Yes, I know there might be something carried over from other things I have previously cleaned. I supposed I should clean the threads with brake cleaner after wire-brushing. I am not surprised the anti-seize drives the actual torque values way up. You might as well oil the threads as lubricate them with anti-seize! In my last post, I forgot to thank you for this video, so thank you!

[@ritesaidme]

Thank you for testing Myth #8, I'm an HVAC mechanic and I use the adjustable wrench head torque wrench for tightening the flare fitting on mini split units. Luckily I have one that was made only for adjustable wrench head, but something to look out for in the future should I need a new one.

[@1stsarge86]

So bought a TW a few years ago (as a new guy) and was immediately told to store the TW at zero or at 10. Seems it was legit advice. Thanks for the informative video. Quick to the point and informative. Now I subscribe.

[@pacman_17]

Very informative video. The anti-seize myth confirmed is mind blowing that it double the torque.

[@TorqueTestChannel]

Doubled the bolt tension, basically clamping force. Torque and bolt tension have always held a loose relationship, and using a lever stick and measuring how much effort you're using is still practically cave man era tech. For example engine builders measure bolt stretch on a rod with a micrometer to determine proper bolt tension. But I agree, the anti-seize blew our minds. We probably tested it a dozen times because DOUBLE sounded like it would be hard to even sell you guys on being real. K factor is no joke.

[@GroovesAndLands]

@@TorqueTestChannel Yes. This is why ARP is **adamant** you only use **their** thread lube when tensioning their fasteners to to their torque specs.

[@zachroberts1988]

@@GroovesAndLands I work maintenance at a refinery, we had a company come in about 10 years ago and show us just how crazy torque can get depending on what coatings, lubricants or loctite are used. it definitely blew my mind!

[@truracer20]

It didn't double the torque, it doubled the clamping force. I use anti seize on damn near everything, I've never had a bolt or wheel stud break. I have an old f250 that has been sitting since 2017, the lug nuts were torqued to 150ft/lb. I bought a Hercules 20v compact impact gun a month ago (April 2024)and it has no problem with removing the lug nuts. So if doubling the torque was happening these lug nuts would be over 300 ft/lb, that Hercules doesn't do 300, It does 250 at best.

[@crisnmaryfam7344]

​@@truracer20 Exactly. If this was true, Putting oil on head bolts/studs before torqueing them to SPEC would be erroneously taught and Required by every manufacturer on the planet. ... Interesting. Out of all the engines ive built this way, Ive NEVER had one come back for a head lifting off, or being over torqued and warped, leaking gasket ect.. Never.

[@dante240sx]

wow you really set the bar high for quality for these videos, knowing you spent at least six months on this video just so you test one thing shows your dedication

[@fogartyfreaks17]

If you ever do a torque wrench part 2 myth, I would love to see if the wrench needs recalibrated after being dropped at all, and if being dropped while in the case does anything

[@MarkTrades__]

6 minutes in and this is already the single most educational & practical video on torquing something to spec I have ever seen.

[@chevyinlinesix]

Watching TTC on a Friday at work, life ain't so bad.

[@MikeyMobes]

Same!

[@dominikstratford1456]

always watch it on my lunch, and I work maintinence so it's "research" if anyone asks

[@elijah3807]

Except for those of us without clerical jobs like your probably is. Some are busy using the tools instead of watching

[@adriancarey7848]

Torque channel to de-stress 😂

[@ThriftyToolShed]

​@@elijah3807 At least you had time to look at the comments! 😂

[@stevenslater2669]

Excellent segment! I still use my old (bought it in 1966)**beam-type torque wrench as a “last word” reference. It has a scale at the handle end, the handle is pivoted at its center. As long as I keep the handle floating around the pivot there can be no length error. The indicator rod is fastened to the 1/2” square drive, and even if it gets bent it will still read against the scale if you note the offset and adjust the final reading. That goes for the beam itself. If you permanently deform the beam just note the offset before applying force and adjust the final reading. The only thing it doesn’t do is click, which is handy if you are torquing fasteners in an awkward position or in the dark. **I ordered the wrench from Sears from a tool catalog that was out of date. About an hour after I placed the order I received a call-back to give approval for a small price adjustment. The operator read the name as a “Tool Crunch”. Every time I pick up my Took Crunch I wonder what mental picture that Sears rep had for it.

[@martinswiney2192]

Just found your channel and since you confirmed two of my fathers commandments about his now 50+ year old Craftsman torque wrench I am a new sub. Old man was right about relieving the tension after use, I always set it back to zero even over short periods of non use. And he was also correct about anti seize.

[@bonespec]

Left Dad's 1971 Craftsman set at 85 ft/lbs for wheels, he taught me is was a bad thing. I had it tested on a snap on truck, and was with in the standard 3%. 3 od the 5 digital Snap-off wrneches, new in box, were out of spec by 10% or more. Sorry Dad, but it didn't matter. I bought a kobalt replacement and the craftsman needs a paw replacement.

[@barnett25]

Really cool video! The one myth I am still curious about is the one that says that if you loosen fasteners with with a torque wrench (like it's a breaker bar) it destroys the accuracy.

[@8180634]

Many wrenches work in both directions, so it probably depends on whether you have to keep pulling on it after it "clicks". If you keep pulling after the click, I can see how something might get bent or distorted and affect the accuracy. Otherwise it should be fine in either direction, for wrenches designed to work in both directions.

[@sssnipercoyote60]

Click type torque wrenches, contain moveable mechanical parts. So using a torque wrench as a breaker bar will only succeed in adding additional wear to those movable parts. Most torque wrenches that I have seen and used, do go both ccw and cw rotation. After all there are left hand threaded fasteners. Irv.

[@8180634]

@@sssnipercoyote60 there are some that only go one direction, I've got one. In it's a bigger one, I don't remember the range off the top of my head but it's a 1/2 drive

[@GTStuning-]

Oh like in this video haha

[@awboat]

My new torque wrench says like 5 times to never use it to remove a fastener.

[@AHDBification]

I'm so glad you made this video! Every time someone said "An extension will throw off your torque readings" I thought, how?

[@kaneshillingford]

At 14:21 you confirmed that leaving a torque wrench wound all the way up is bad, which is why everyone says to unwind them. Most people say to unwind them all the way, but all the manufacturers say to either wind them down to the lowest setting on the scale, or 20% of the max. The explanation I've heard is that unwinding all the way can cause the sitting mechanism to unseat, and shift, therefore affecting the calibration.

[@stickyfox]

All the clickers I've owned say in the manual to store it below 1/3 or 1/4 the max setting.

[@foxwood67]

I’m not sure that is correct if you have a 10-80 lbft wrench you would store it at 10 lbft not 20% which would be 16 lbft.

[@Smegheid]

I know my Tektons have instructions stamped right above the scale that indicate the storage setting in ft-lb. On all three I have,this happens to coincide with the bottom end of the scale, but that doesn’t mean anything for other manufacturers. Handy that it’s consistent across models, and that it’s easy to remember.

[@derekparent752]

I was always cautious about getting any anti seize on the lug nut threads, this video definitely confirms why I was hesitant. I still use it on the rims and the rotor where they make contact, this has helped with changing out tires tremendously.

[@aussiehardwood6196]

I couldn't count the amount of posts I've read to do with storing your TW at whatever setting. Many many many folks would all tout the same advice that springs don't deform or change over time so therefore u need not set it to zero. I've heard it from machinists, engineers, spring steel experts, long time mechanics, just about everyone. BUT...the manual always said, 'when storing your TW reset to zero'. 🤣 This is an information lesson where often the 'expert' offering advice is just Jo Blow who is repeating something he's read. And that happened like thousands of times. This happens on the internet in communities where the gene pool of 'original' information is small. Good job TTC!!

[@GigsTaggart]

Keep in mind this was a cheap harbor freight spring cranked all the way in. It's just one data point. For example leaving your wrench anywhere other than cranked all the way in may not matter. The tool designer could also design a little more leeway in how compressed the spring actually is at full adjustment as well. All it confirms is that it can happen in a worst case scenario with a cheaper tool.

[@PassiveDestroyer]

@@GigsTaggart I'm gonna chime in with more anecdotal evidence, USGI AR-15 magazines stored loaded work less reliably when stored full of ammo, than when kept empty. Springs are springs after all, and the magazines we had that were kept loaded for months at a time would not feed the first 2-3 rounds as reliably as the magazines that were allowed to decompress. Yes, they were cheaper magazines with a single coil spring, however they were bad. Also to note, US Army doctrine used to be that those magazines had a 5 year expiration date from manufacture, but that wasn't followed much of the time since magazines come out of the unit budget. If you still had them, you kept using them until they were bad.

[@loki91t]

@@GigsTaggart I agree with you here. I've got an SK click torque wrench 1/2 drive (25-250ftlb range I believe) that I leave at 80ftlbs for the lugs I torque most often. I've had it set this way for more than a decade. When I periodically test it versus my Mac digital torque wrench (that I have sent out for calibration) it's spot on. I think where the adjustment is left at and the quality of the spring probably makes a big difference.

[@mattlitton8066]

@@loki91t Doesn't really matter the quality of a spring, they will all hold memory eventually. even just using them as intended and zeroing will deform with time doesn't matter what spring steel was used, nothing lasts forever. it may make a difference but doesn't make it immune to deformation so the info in the video is still valid.

[@loki91t]

@@mattlitton8066 I would argue that it *does* matter as there are quite a large variation in steels and alloy qualities. Materials science comes into play here (part of mechanical engineering field of study), and there is such a thing as an edurance limit for steel that means it stays in an elastic range of strain and therefore does not yield plasticly.

[@jawojnicki]

INCREDIBLE! I have been DYING for this video for decades! THANK YOU TTC!!! 😊

[@Eddie07S]

Great video. One comment/caution about resetting the torque wrench to zero. Be careful the handle does not come apart as mine did once. I used to set my old Craftsman click type torque wrench to “zero” (there is not actual zero setting on it) until I found that the adjustment twist handle had come loose and moved, changing the calibration. Now I leave it at 20 ft-lbs, which is the lowest setting. Keeping it at that low level is just enough to keep the parts together but it is not enough to put a set into the spring. I took the wrench apart and found nothing that I would consider to be a defect. I think this is just a flaw in the design, which causes the handle to come apart. If you ever want to cover even more torque wrench myths, I can think of 2 more. One is how fast a person raises the torque to and past the click, and then quickly does several more clicks to “ensure it is good” (I guess?). The other is to go past the “click” and keep applying force to the torque wrench handle. Does it continue to raise the bolt torque? I have found that to be a yes.

[@loki91t]

Going past the click I've seen someone do after I handed them a torque wrench only to find out they had never used one before and didn't know what the click meant (hard to fathom I know). I also wonder if it damages the accuracy of the torque wrench doing that.

[@sproutpits]

I've actually only ever heard to leave it at the lowest setting, not zero. Sounds like you found that out by accident :))

[@toiletgaming2005]

i dont think the handle coming apart changes the calibration has happened to both of my cheap 20€ wrenches and the torque still seems to match i think the adjustment "handle" just screws onto the usual black nut which is what drives the innards to adjust the torque setting

[@8180634]

I had the same exact thing happen, also with an older Craftsman clicker type wrench. The handle and calibration bolt just came loose when turning it down to zero. The wrench had been re-calibrated by a 3rd party company before that happened, so maybe the company who calibrated it didn't snug the bolt down very much, I don't know.

[@Eddie07S]

@@toiletgaming2005 Actually it did change the calibration. When turned, the handle would alternately engage and then disengage from the internal part that actually changed the setting. This resulted in a change in the setting. It was a bit of an effort to get it back into calibration.

[@JohnHare-ec8ws]

This video got me looking closer at a torque wrench I just bought. The Yellow Jacket Digital Torque Wrench 60648 (mine came with the smaller adjustable wrench end vs the ratchet end and large adjustable end). In the manual the following text appears: WHEN CHANGING THE TYPE OF HEAD If you use the different head of the wrench, the reading on the display will be different for the different length of the head. See explanation below. Applied torque at setpoint = Entered Torque Setting * • For ratchet head 1 • For adjustable head 0.782 • For large adjustable head 0.75 So I’m reading this to say that if I want to torque a flare nut to 25 N-m with the adjustable head I need to set the wrench to 25 * 0.782 = 19.55 N-m to get a torque at the wrench end of 25 N-m. I just used a Quinn 3/8 drive digital torque adapter to test, and it does appear that 10 ft-lbs on the Quinn lands close to 7.8 ft-lbs on the yellow jacket. Could someone confirm this or correct me if I’m reading this wrong. I’m very disappointed that I must constantly calculate a different setting based on the head I’ve got in the wrench. Shouldn’t the software allow me to set which head is in the wrench and do the math for me? I thought about just re-calibrating it to match the head I’ve got in the wrench but I’m not sure the sensor is a linear relationship with the geometry of the head. Any comments on this?

[@ThriftyToolShed]

Lots of myths covered in a short time. Impressive! The never seize suprised me. Excellent video!

[@siriusa7916]

We were just talking about torque adapters at the shop today. I had recently heard that they didn't affect the readings at 90° but we weren't sure about it. A lot of digital torque wrenches have a head offset feature built into them so you measure the offset then input that data into the wrench and you're set. This is at least true with Snap-On ones. I also liked the anti-seize portion of the video. Overall an amazing video with a lot of great information!

[@Jabberwocky918]

I knew about the dogbone 90° angle concept and that micrometer torque wrenches need to be reset after every use, but I did not know about the swivel adapter error, or that split beam torque wrenches don't need to be reset. Thanks for the education!

[@andyveenstra773]

Aviation guy here. Thank you for giving the torque arm adjustment formula, covering lubricant on threads, and click style resetting. The amount of times I've had to school new guys fresh out of college who think they know everything about this stuff is ridiculous. Since every torque device is tracked for cal in aviation, this shit matters. Glad to have a thing I can show them to prove I'm not blowing smoke out my ass

[@elliotkane4443]

I knew the anti-seize 'myth' wasn't a myth because every torque spec I've ever seen for heavy truck axle options lists a dry and a wet torque spec. It definitely wasn't this severe though, I think wet spec is about 1/3rd-1/4 less applied. I suppose this is based on a specific amount of anti-seize applied and is probably less severe with larger thread sizes. Come to think of it I had a job where we replaced all of the intake and exhaust pipe on a navy ship. I, along with big buddy Dave personally torqued almost all those bolts on those big pipe flanges, 200nm, stainless M16 or M20 bolts with copper anti-seize. 200Nm isn't a picnic but it seemed like a pretty big 200Nm... We stripped out and snapped a bunch of those bolts, I never really considered applying wet torque to those specs, lesson learned, hopefully she holds up.

[@benj7829]

I guess that's the thing they mentioned on 18:36, it's all over the place depending on content of anti-seize, application (thick, thin, dot, etc.), bolt and nut conditions.

[@dwaynepenner2788]

Stainless steel is a somewhat unusual. Depending on the exact ally It galls very easily and strip easily. The other problem is torque wrenches are less accurate at the edges of their range. I have had a few cases where the wrench didn’t click before the bolt did.

[@benfosque6820]

Also worth mentioning that the reason the wet torque spec isnt that much lower is because when the bolt is lubricated you actually want a bit more tension on the bolt (which is what the dyno measures) to keep it from backing off (since the lubricant makes that process a little easier).

[@thomasives7560]

Great video and info on anti-sieze. Lived in Oregon as a kid (the rustiest rust belt state), can confirm that AS will bust fasteners 250 lb-ft on a Cat drive wheel bolt that's been AS'd will result in a broken off bolt. In industry, the big bolt guys use something called a 'bolt tensioner' that precisely stretches a bolt to a specified length, the nut is hand-tightened to meet the surface, thus you always get the same bolting force (pressure on the joint). Since coatings, temperature, humidity, corrosion, and other factors can significantly change bolt tension, that is the 'best' way to measure bolting force - although your tester is doing just that, measuring bolting force and back-calculating twisting torque based on the basic formula. It is all a bunch of math and assumptions that get us to the solution. Love the channel and the content - Cheers!

[@MrShobar]

"... Lived in Oregon as a kid (the rustiest rust belt state)..." Not even close, and NOT a "rust belt state".

[@connivingkhajiit]

@@MrShobar he should come take a look at wisconsin lol. We got vehicles driving around with half their body panels missing and frames welded back together from the salt. I drive one of those vehicles.

[@blackrifle6736]

*So true. When fastened correctly, lubricated nutted connecting rod bolts are tightened to a stretch dimension spec not a torque spec. A tedious micrometer process but absolutely necessary.*

[@CarsSimplified]

The offset of the adaptor altering the torque made intuitive sense to me (not the math of it, just that it would happen) but I wasn't expecting the effect of leaving it tightened in the box to be so dramatic! I always bring mine to the resting position, but now I know I'm certainly not wasting my time doing it for tenths of a percent of accuracy. Great topic, and excellent video!

[@2233redwing]

How about testing torque wrenches at room temperature (75F*) vs a torque wrench at freezing temperatures. That would be great information for mobile mechanics in various weather conditions

[@Asto508]

Probably not much difference for spring wrenches. The spring constant slightly rises with lower temperature, which means the wrench will stop at a lower Nm. However, it will also heat up quickly due to the compression, so it may counter the ambient temperature by itself.

[@robertsmith2956]

@@Asto508 Maybe, but you can't adjust it when the handle is frozen in ice. I think the heat is worse. I have the numbers tattooed on my hand from when the sun shifted and the torque wrench was out in the sunlight when I grabbed it.

[@TheDrunkardHu]

The fact that the conversation is being had at all, is just pure benefit. Thanks for sharing!

[@MegaWillinator]

The Old Heads on Facebook are gonna HATE this one! Love the work TTC you're giving all of us tradie plebs a look behind the curtain at the Cal Lab and Physics at work

[@at_3831]

This video was an 8 hr class back in 96 when I was in tech school for the Air Force learning how to be an aircraft mechanic! Well done very accurate information I honestly knew all the information covered if you want to be trained as the best mechanic possible working on military aircraft is the pinnacle next to NASA.

[@Trickster_24]

love you calling out tools tested. much like project farm they have made alot of informative content nobody else seems focused on. They were the only one who i could find with a video load testing ridgid batteries. The octane mid torque impact you tested in its original video with a 2ah battery had abysmal results then later with a 4ah with substantially better results. this was reflected in tools tested video where they found the 2ah to produce less voltage than it probably should. the 4ah was much more inline with what you would expect, same with the high output 2ah. but the 8ah stood above as you may expect being both large and the only 21700 cell battery of these 3. i know it may be too much to ask but id very much like to see this old octane (perhaps the high torque aswell) tested with an 8ah, i use the octane midtorque and the ridgid subcompacts at work, the subcompacts certainly enjoy the 8ah but dont seem to get the same bump in power the octane midtorque gets(perhaps because it was originally designed for octane batteries some of which used 21700 cells) i know theres likely not many who care for the smaller brands but it seems interesting and it makes me wonder if your score doesnt make the most of this tool

[@djsi38t]

Hats off to TTC...For doing what they were designed to do.Excellent work guys...Carry on..

[@saturnmedia1]

Will you please check if using just a little bit of the high temp copper anti-sneeze makes as big of a difference as the silver one. To see if just a little bit can mess everything up. You guys SLATHERED it.

[@djsi38t]

It is obvious that less anti seize is going to give less of an erroneous result.The more you use,the worse it gets.That why when putting anti seize on spark plugs....you use just a little and adjust the torque...just a little.Honestly with plugs...you can feel it when the plug is properly torqued..

[@VorsprungDurchNik]

​@djsi38t Modern plated plugs should not have any anti-seize used on them, period. And you really shouldn't be running cheap, unplated plugs on modern engines either.

[@ronhaefner7833]

Great video. Torque on a fastener is not necessarily tension. There is a great video by applied bolting. They are related and the best example is Myth #9 with th K factor. That changes with different lubricants and thread condition and finish applied to the bolt. Myth #10 is true. Except for one fact, some applications will need that torque certification documentation. Mostly business and industry where documentation is needed. Click style wrenches should be stored at the minimum setting (not zero as some may try to do). Again, great video.

[@Dusdaddy]

I remember the instructions for using a dog-bone to TQ starter mounting nuts on a turbine engine: "Use documented TQ setting but ensure the dog-bone is at a 90 or less angle." Apparently, slightly under-tq'd was better than over'tq'd.

[@eclectichoosier5474]

Under -torquing is (usually) okay on shear applications and where the part can be distorted and damaged by over-tightening, or where you risk tearing out threads. But you do not want to under-torque a bolt in a tension application when there will be frequent loading, such as a head-bolt in an engine. Repeated stress beyond the preload of the bolt can cause fatigue and failure. If the engineers say it's okay, then you can take their word for it. But it is dangerous to apply an application-specific allowance as a general rule!

[@SleepyMongoose]

The anti-seize is wild, I always knew it was a difference and I always cleaned the anti-seize off lug nuts that all these backyard mechanics love to use, but I would not have expected that it could DOUBLE torque. This is valuable to know so I can more accurately explain to customers how dangerous it is to put anti-seize on car bolts.

[@M.A.T.T.A.L.I.A.N.O]

The BEST video I’ve seen on the subject of torque wrenches

[@StevenDow-z2p]

Thanks for testing these ten statements. Note that most thread lubricants have the same effect as never-seez; they lower friction and create more tension on the bolt. The torque is not increased (100 lb-ft is still applied). It’s the resulting bolt tension that increases, as less torque is “wasted” overcoming friction. It’s the increased bolt tension that can cause the bolt failure later. When using thread lubricant of any kind, verify what bolt torque reduction factor is required.

[@thomasives7560]

One more comment: How about a shootout for bolt tension vs. joint tension for various bolt coatings and surface treatments? Zinc-oxide, chromate, black-oxide, bare metal, sputtered Al, etc for coatings. Anti-seize, grease (several types), graphite, vacuum grease (Braycote, Kluberalfa, etc), PTFE, silicone? I've heard tell of some bolts busted on a particular space station that were done up with vacuum grease and torqued to spec - they would never publicly admit such foibles, but it does happen to the 'best' of us. Cheers!

[@geraldrossouw4425]

Came here to ask the same thing.

[@blackrifle6736]

*Vacuum Grease. Haven't heard that term in a long time. Still have a tube of DowCorning 976V from my Cal Lab days. Thanks for the memories.*

[@chrisjones6002]

Looks like I need to buy a luggage scale. My cheap HF torque wrenches have been left at 80 or 100lbs for years. I didn't know you were supposed to turn them down to zero. I've also used mechanic glitter on my studs in the past so I'm glad I watched this one. Thanks.

[@davesup5059]

Not zero. About 15%

[@LizardKing907]

What a ridiculously good channel. The closest comparison is Project Farm, which is great, but TTC is another level.

[@cliveramsbotty6077]

Project Farm is totally unbearable to watch and hear

[@Supaasian14]

Amazing results! As an apprentice up in Canada I often wondered about several of the myths. Great and informative video

[@Dexter_Solid]

one common issue you didnt test here was a dropped torque wrench. Also some people keep torque wrenches in their cars. Exposing them to temperature fluctuations, vibration and moisture.

[@bonespec]

and they were still fine and with in 3% spec. when tested by Snap-on TRuck. 1971 Craftsman left set on 85...sorry Dad, but it doesn't matter.

[@Blackadar56]

One other thing worth mentioning is what I learned from a torquing course was not to do the quick lunge pull to get your torque. A lot of guys do this especially in an awkward position. This sends the torque or clamping force way over the desired setting. This can be easily demonstrated by covering the tension gauge while snapping with quick force then reviewing the tension gauge outcome.

[@shanerorko8076]

With the anti-seize, I remember people telling me this when I was younger, my objection was and still is, if the thread is rusty then the torque figure will be wrong too. So when working on old cars the torque wrench is pretty much useless because the values will be all the place, this is why the hand is more accurate. Yes if you are working on a plane or shuttle, you would use a torque wrench, but you also get all new fasteners, so that is an apples and oranges comparison.

[@8180634]

If the threads are bad, on a fastener that you care about, clean up the threads before tightening.

[@eclectichoosier5474]

You are correct. In aviation, we discard important fasteners after a few uses because on worn fasteners, the preload changes even when a properly calibrated torque wrench is used. Some fasteners are less important. The ones holding on the propeller? Pretty important. (And pretty expensive.) The ones holding on the inspection panels? I think some of ours are factory original (from the 1980s.) On the other hand, we don't actually torque the panel screws. If you get them too tight, the nut-plate they screw into breaks, and you have to replace it, which is annoying and time-consuming. You learn pretty quick how tight to make them to avoid breaking nutplates and still keep them from falling out on the ramp and puncturing tires. (These are small, slow planes. When I worked on airliners, we definitely did torque the panel screws, and we replaced them often.)

[@JoeJ-8282]

Very useful information in this video for torque wrenches! Thank you for taking the time to test all of this stuff IRL!

[@Rollplayinggrenade]

I have no idea why I am watching this I don't even own a torque wrench.

[@zombies1231000]

Knowledge is power

[@Retro_Musings]

All of the anti-seize products I've worked with contain (or are, moly for stainless on stainless, say) a lubricant and we always treated them as such, same as if there was a light coating of oil on the threads. The equipment I work on, we have a standard torque table by bolt size and grade, both dry (typically with a thread locking compound) and lubricated. Not sure how much it matters on smaller fasteners but all our lubricated torque values were calculated with lubrication between the bolt head and the surface it will be tightened against as well as on the threads, since this can be a significant amount of the total friction. It's just super critical to know what the spec is. We also pretty thoroughly clean and dry re-used fasteners and threaded holes in parts, and de-grease. Anything that increases friction on the head/threads will of course reduce joint clamping force at the same torque reading. Often work on hydraulic lines and fasteners in tight spaces that still need precise torque control, thought the 90-degree-and-any-length trick was more well known. I did work with one extremely stubborn guy who made me actually diagram it out and show the math though, so maybe not.

[@AsGames-g1k]

test more lubricants or even thread lockers effects on torque readings

[@baja-automotive]

I'm glad you talked about the "torque wrench extensions" and their "clocked position". Too many times have I seen people use an extension but at 45 degree angle; resulting in their target torque failing.

[@4GibMe]

Thanks for the Tools Tested mention.

[@TorqueTestChannel]

Legend

[@jasonlee5317]

Your video convinced me to buy the dewalt impact and now I’ll be saving my money on torque wrenches. This channel rocks!

[@tulmar4548]

It literally says in the manual for your click torque wrenches not leave them tight and to back them off till they are loose. It says if you dont then over time your torque settings will be wrong. Does noone read their manuals. Mine are all in bold writing as a warning. So thinking its an old wives tale when the manufacturer has it as a warning in the manual is quite possibly the dumbest thing I've heard..

[@notsam498]

I can promise you that's not the dumbest thing you've ever heard.

[@hootinouts]

Excellent video. Been using torque wrenches for many years and it's good to learn something new. I work for a defense contractor and we were directed by our customer to refer to a NASA specification MFSC-STD-486B for torque values. It contains charts that give torque values for various grade screws and either wet or dry. The spce is pretty old (1992) but can be a good reference anyway. It references cadmium plated hardware. Well cadmium plated has been banned for years. Perhaps zinc plated has about the same K factor.

[@Dane-bootsNcatsN]

The anti seized one was a mind blown thing for me. I couldn't believe it was double

[@GrandePunto8V]

Nothing new. It's "mind blowing" for uneducated folks only.

[@Promethium666]

I have sealey premier click micrometer torque wrenches and in the instructions they say if you've not used the wrench in a while you should use it at lower settings and gradually increase it to maintain the accuracy and to help regrease the internals, they dont provide step by step instructions just that sentence, ive had my two for 7 years now and im going to get a torque adapter from acdelco to see just how accurate they are when i've stored them both at 0 for many years. Thanks again for another very informative video! I can't wait for the next one.

[@originalpineapplemojo]

Lmao you guys are noobs. You don’t need a torque wrench when you have a calibrated wrist.

[@TorqueTestChannel]

My wrist is on point, the damn tool length just keeps changing

[@T_bone]

You guys are so much appreciated. I review your videos when I am buying tools and able to make informed choices.

[@wfodave]

First of all, fantastic episode. I didn’t understand how clicker type torque wrenches worked until now. But that also makes me want to suggest something for the next myth test. Springs are not supposed to lose tension when compressed; cycling up and down is what causes them to lose tension. That’s why you can keep magazines loaded for years and the springs don’t take a set. The catch is that you need to use the right steel for the springs. I’d love to see a higher end clicker type tested for comparison to the HF one. Maybe a better quality spring would mean no change after leaving it dialed up for six months. PS. I’m no HF hater; I have a Pittsburgh torque wrench and a Quinn digital among my torque wrenches.

[@ravenovatechnologies6554]

I was wondering this exact thing myself!

[@KyleRepinski]

It is worth mentioning that most bolts in automotive application are a zinc-flake coating which has a lower k-factor than standard shiny zinc coated fasteners, so the addition of anti-seize won't be as drastic of a change. Different anti-seize compounds will have different effects on k-factor as well, copper and nickel formulations respectively being on the "slick" end of k-factor.

[@fredericlewin721]

I just watched your related vid first. I have those old fashioned steel knitting needle in front of a scale, non click wrenches. I am going to presume that if they are correct from the factory, they stay reasonably close to spec if you do not step on them.. The needles seem to rest on the zero line when I am not applying force. I tested one against a previously calibrated clicker and they seemed to agree. I have not tried them on a calibrating instrument. I see why people buy the clickers, as it is tough to get into a position where my eye can look straight in on the scale. I appreciate your lessons on extensions and crowfoot wrenches. I have been careful to use a single extension squarely on a right angle because it seemed the right thing to do. You have explained why. I have a set of crowfoot wrenches. You have explained that they add a centimeter or more ( depending on size) to the leverage of the torque wrench if used in a straight line. Conventional wisdom says wheel lugs/lug nuts should be assembled clean and dry, so the torque is measured is based on metal to metal contact. I clean off heavy dirt and corrosion with a soft wire brush. Wipe with a clean dry cloth or use compressed air. Avoid using taps or re-threading files which may result in a lower percent thread contact. If the impetuous kids at the tire store did not hand start your lugs/lug nuts back on, but used the impact wrench, you may have lost a thread or 2 and have metal shavings in the threads. Do kids do dumb things? You bet! Too cold to work under the van in the cold weather, I went to the dealer for an oil change. I ran from the service desk across the room when I saw and heard him using an air ratchet to put the plastic cap on the plastic oil filter housing. His defense: "but it's torque limited." That housing is continuous with the oil cooler in the bottom of the V in the V-6 engine. Housing leaked. Cost me several hundred dollars - at a different dealer. No reason to use any power tool for so few turns of the plastic cap! And the new dealer did not think I needed to change the spark plugs while he had all the tubes and wires off the top of the engine at 150,000 miles because he was not getting a "code" for that from the computer. The plugs are in deep narrow tunnels in the heads. That job looks worse than on my V8 Aurora where the front four are easy and the back four just mean loosening the throttle so you can reach down where you cannot see. I did the plugs on my Aurora 150,000 miles ago and it is time again. We will see whether anti-seize does any good for all those miles and years. Great vid folks!

[@gregkimura5906]

Wow, some of the results were not what I expected. Thanks for another great video!

[@cheezyllamba]

One of the cool things with the expensive torque wrenches during Myth 3. This applies to Snap on because I read the instruction manual, but they have settings you go in and adjust and you can add the the length you’re adding on. And the snap on torque wrench will auto account for the extension you add on

[@fmphotooffice5513]

Excellent presentation. Aside: Torque wrenches are now a "thing" in bicycle maintenance since the advent of alloy and aluminum components and frames. Great info for that industry.

[@coder0xff]

I did not expect the lubrication to have an impact, especially such a large one. I didn't think friction was a major factor. Fascinating stuff! Thanks for educating me.

[@mikeyp916]

Something I might add to the value aspect as I own a SnapOn digital torque wrench. There is a setting on it to compensate for when you are using an adapter that adds additional length. I would never recommend one of these to the average DIYer or home mechanic. As you've shown, even a cheap wrench gets you in the ballpark close enough for that purpose. But if you are a professional mechanic, these tools are worth their weight in gold. They save you so much time over their lifespan that they pay for themselves. And as any flat rate mechanic will tell you, time is money. Whether that's time saved using the tool, or warranting it.

[@jacobstrutner8232]

When working at a John Deere dealer I was told to ignore the decals and manual book when torque wheel bolts for combines. John Deere wanted lubed threads, if you do you'll stretch the bolts and possibly snap them in the hub before ever getting the torque spec. Quite a disaster if you lose a set of combine tires because you followed the instructions

[@jeanphilippepoirier6130]

Anti-seize is a lubricant. The side effect is that it prevent rust. The marketing guys thought it would make a good name for the product. All torque wrench have scale calibrated for dry connection. There are charts for lubricated connections. When you have large fasteners, it could be a real advantage to reduce the tightening torque to achieve the same bolt/screw tension.

[@claytondennis8034]

As a quick anecdote. The Navy's Joint Fleet Maintenance Manual, requires that adapters used with a torque wrench MUST be used at a position perpendicular to the wrench. If that is unable to be accomished, your required to use the torque wrench equation to calculate the indicated torque for the required torque of your actual setup. I.e. if used parallel (straight) from the handle, your indicated torque will be lower, but required torque will be met. Side note, fasteners larger that 5/8" must add running torque to required torque because you have unaccounted for torque from thread friction. There are also rules for lubrictaed fasteners vs dry fasteners.

[@SpenceStan888]

Love the math !!! excellent work, especially demonstrating the anti-seize and 6 months storage of loaded wrench

[@davidbwa]

Thanks. The one that really surprised me was that handle extension / where you hold on the handle changed actual torque. I figured it would just change how much force I had to apply to get to that torque. And I'm guilty of storing my snap style wrench without zeroing the setting. I'm familiar with the spring fatigue concept for other things (gun clips for example) but never thought about it on my torque wrench.

[@productdesign9626]

That result with the anti-sieze helps explain why I just read the Australian Standard for structural steel no longer accepts torque wrench readings as a primary means of tensioning. They are just too variable in construction settingd where one bolt may be corroded and the next may be nicely lubricated form the factory. You need to eitiher use the part-turn method or a load indicating washer

[@DK-vx5co]

I'm a new fan of the channel. These are SO many of the questions I have had and never found an answer for. Thanx

[@LiveType]

Always used the wet torquing method on car stuff exposed to the harsh elements. It's also why nasa doesn't use torque for bolts/fasteners. They use strain as that's what you actually want to measure. 1. Clean the fastener and bolt hole to be free from rust to best of ability. 2. Torque it down to spec. Mark 3 lines all at not even intervals (something like 1 at 30deg, 2 at 180deg, and 3 at 190 deg so you can't mess up the alignment later). 3. Coat those threads in anti-sieze. Tighten it down until aligned. I have done this for every car I've ever owned and it's always a joy to do maintenance on them later. No more rust welded bolts. EVER.

[@jcbro86]

I haven’t even watched yet and I’m thankful for this video. There are a lot of questions around these things and I hope this helps.

[@IGoProEVERYTHING]

I like how you do your home work. I have seen so many videos of people being scared of torque sticks because they do not understand how they work.

[@TJ-dh2sr]

About your test with the torque wrench kept under tension for 6 mobths and now shows much lower readings: This part i already knew (just not the extend of the inaccuracy), but what would be quite interesting is what happens if you leave it be for a while (maybe another 6 month ir something around that) without tension and then test to which extend (if at all) this inaccuracy is reversible