A bolt’s torque specifies how much force is needed to produce a desired rotational speed on the bolt. Too much or too little torque can result in an ineffective connection and potential damage to secured parts. In this blog post, we will explore the factors that select the correct torque for a bolt and provide some tips for achieving it.
Why Use Torque Specification for Bolts
Bolts are held together with threads that form a helical pattern. The pitch of the bolt is the distance between the centerlines of two successive threads. When a nut is screwed onto a bolt, it pulls its fibers together. If the pitch is too great, or if the load on the bolt exceeds its specification, it will strip its threads and fail.
Benefits of Using the Right Torque Specification
Additionally, torque specification for bolts is essential for two reasons. The first is to ensure the bolt will be tightened to the correct tension, which is critical for safety. Secondly, tightening a bolt too much can cause permanent deformation or fracture of the bolt and fastener components (particularly in aluminum). This means that over-tightening bolts may cause an unsafe situation and result in expensive repairs. That’s why it’s vital to use torque specification for bolts to ensure that they’re not over-stressed.
How to Tighten Bolts for Proper Torque
Rule-of-thumb says anything less than 100 inch-pounds should be tightened using fingers only while everything above 90 inch-pounds is best applied with either an adjustable wrench in between 70 – 140 Nm range OR two predetermined sized socket head cap screws as well extra deep sockets from 10mm up 15/20 mm depths holding securely before turning counterclockwise by 180 degrees once fully seated against target surface when installing into newly installed seat belt webbing