Old timer told me my torque wrench technique was trash

Guy with 30 years at Delta watched me click a bolt and said you gotta pull smooth and steady, not jerk it like you're starting a lawnmower. Anyone else get corrected on something basic that actually made a huge difference in your work?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_david24d ago

Man, tell me about it. I had a guy at a shop years ago tell me the same thing and I thought he was just being a grumpy old dude. But honestly, pulling smooth instead of yanking on it really does make the bolt more consistent. It's one of those things where you don't realize how much you're messing it up until you actually try it the right way. Like, who knew the whole point of a torque wrench was to NOT treat it like a caveman tool.

jesseb2024d ago

Gotta push back on this one. I've been slamming the wrench like a gorilla for 15 years and never had a bolt strip or snap. If you're using a quality torque wrench and know the feel of the tool, the "caveman" method works fine. Half the time I see guys going all slow and smooth and they end up overthinking it and still miss the mark. It's not about technique, it's about knowing your tool and the metal you're working with.