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Just realized my old method for torque checking bolts was off by miles
I was talking with a buddy who used to work on Gulfstreams down in Savannah. He noticed I was using the same beam torque wrench I'd had since trade school. He told me those things drift after a few years of use and I should get it recalibrated or just buy a newer clicker type. I laughed it off at first but then he pulled out his own calibrated wrench and we tested mine on a test fastener. I was off by almost 8 foot-pounds on a 50 foot-pound setting. That really hit me because I've been chasing weird issues with panel fasteners and I bet a lot of them were just me not getting the right torque. Has anyone else had their torque wrench tested and found it was way out of spec?
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elizabethn5612d agoMost Upvoted
Whoa, maybe it's just me but isn't 8 pounds off on a 50 pound bolt kinda acceptable?
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Agreed with you completely man. I used to think my old beam wrench was bulletproof, just a hunk of metal with a spring. Then I checked mine against a buddies digital one after hearing a similar story and I was off by 10 pounds on a 70 pound setting. It totally changed my mind, now I treat them like any other tool that needs maintenance. That explained why some of my engine mount bolts felt loose or tight even though I was using the same settings, really frustrating when you think you are doing it right.
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