About Torque Sticks

[Chuck Newman]

JC and everyone,

You triggered a related but slightly off topic question:  Can someone give me the formula for calculating the increase in fixed weight of an object relative to a fixed point, as the distance from the fixed point increases?  

Example using JC's model of 170 lbs at 3 ft = 500 lbs.  What would be the formula to calculate 170 lbs at 6 ft = ?  Or 170 lbs at 10 ft = ?

For a slightly different application.

Thanks all,

Chuck

[bevans6]

The formula is feet times pounds.  10 pounds at 10 feet is 100 foot pounds.  170 pounds at 10 feet is 1,700 foot pounds.

Brian

[Chuck Newman]

Thanks Brian.

[kyle4501]

I recently had my rears R&R'd.  There used the "torque stick" to install the wheel.  The following day I put my Bud Wrench on a rear nut and it twisted easily off.  Maybe 50 pounds of force on a 2 foot bar.  NOT GOOD!
John

Exactly the point of my descriptive post. Far too many assume torque sticks are magical devices that can apply the rated torque regardless of the impact wrench used or the air pressure / volume supplied to it.

During 'calibration', if you can't get enough air pressure to achieve the rated torque, then you know you aren't using a suitable impact wrench.
Of all the tire shops I've seen using torque sticks, not a single one knew anything about the need for 'calibrating' their impact wrenches. Sad & disappointing to say the least.

'Clicker' torque wrenches can be misused too, so you have to pay attention. The instructions that came with mine say to reduce the setting to the minimum setting when not in use. I wonder if everyone does that?
The deflection beam torque wrench with a pointer & scale is the most accurate - but it is also the hardest to use - hard to see the scale when you are struggling to hold pressure on the handle. 


BTW, tort law is no excuse for not educating yourself when possible. It may be nice to have tort law to fall back on AFTER you have been wronged, but, I find life to be so much easier when a little knowledge allows me to avoid being a victim & the mess associated when you have to get lawyers involved.


You can lead a horse to water, but not even tort law can make him think. 

[bevans6]

Click type torque wrenches also have to be rated for use in reverse.  Just because it has a reversible ratchet, it may not be rated to be accurate in reverse.  I've found several wrenches that I passed on since I need to be able to apply and measure torque in both directions.

My snap-on wrench that is up to 250 ft lbs doesn't even have a reversing ratchet head.

Brian