Everyone knows that for a bolt and nut to be effective, they must be tightened correctly. The force exerted that corresponds with this tightening is known as torque. Here are some facts about torque specification for bolts that you may not have previously known.
How It’s Measured
Torque is measured in the following manner. The force is multiplied by the distance. For instance, if a bolt has a torque value of 150 lbs, it would be akin to a 1-foot wrench having a 150 lb weight at the end of it.
Proper Tools
The only proper tool to get the correct force needed for each nut or bolt is known as a torque wrench. These are mainly digital nowadays but also still exist in analog form. They are very sensitive since they have delicate parts within them. Unlike tools such as manual wrenches or heavy-duty screwdrivers, they should not be misused as hammers.
Unique Torque
The torque needed from bolt to nut and back again varies widely between sizes and between types of bolts or nuts being worked upon. Nuts and bolts will always have different torque values simply because they have different surface areas. There is also the matter of different materials being used to manufacture these parts. All of these factors will come into play when determining the torque specification for bolts.
Manuals
To quickly figure out what the torque value is for any particular part, check out a shop manual to get these crucial numbers.