torquing bolts, nuts

[Paul Moir]

Re: torquing bolts, nuts

There is no such thing as a 'marine' torque wrench. But you're not using the right torque wrench for the job. At the far end of the bottom scale, most wrenches are hopelessly inaccurate - it could be off by 50% easily. Going beyond the bottom end of the scale makes a bad situation worse.<br />Invest in a 0-250 inch/lb (0 - 21 ft/lb) or thereabouts torque wrench and use it for all the fasteners in it's range. The big one is good for the flywheel nut, connecting rods and such but you'll need the little one for other things.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: torquing bolts, nuts

While in the Service, we were going to take a CH-46 ( a medium sized tandom rotor helicopter) from Okinawa to Japan. Its about 6-700 miles over the ocean.<br /><br />We were loaded to the max takeoff weight with nothing but us, and full internal fuel tanks.<br /><br />The bird had just had a new rotor head put on it a few days before. One of the pilots, while doing his walk around pre-flight inspection, asked the Crew Chief, "You guys did torgue that new head down right didn't ya"?<br /><br />Quick as a cat, he said, "Yes Sir. Somebody else was using the big heavy one, so I used the new lightweight 'audio torque wrench'."<br /><br />The young Lt. got a puzzeled look on his face, "Audio torque wrench? I'm not familiar with it".<br /><br />"Oh yes Sir,,,, It looks like a big bar. You just tighten a bolt down until it 'chirps'. Then back it off 1/8th of a turn. Works great, and its fast too". <br /><br />It was real hard for the others on the crew to keep a straight face. <br /><br />And he was one nervous Lt. worrying about that, and realizing he was going 700 miles over open water with a crew of crazy people in a trashed out bird.