[Lost81]

I was installing new bar ends on my bike and decided to use a torque wrench just for the heck of it.

Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance stated between 105 to 140 inch lbs.
Now, I needed to use Ti Prep as the bar ends were titanium (the bolt was some sort of coated metal as well: yellowish green in color).
And so I decided to be on the safer side, and set my torque wrench to 12 Nm.
The wrench never "clicked."
After a few turns, I kinda freaked, and so I stopped and resumed to the old "wrist-tight" with the allen key method.

Anyone out there had the same experience?

I know from my auto mechanic classes that torque wrenches cannot be trusted when you put anti-seize lube on the threads, and I am wondering if the same applies for Finish Line Ti Prep.

Thanks again.

-Lost81

 

[Gazz]

I was installing new bar ends on my bike and decided to use a torque wrench just for the heck of it.

Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance stated between 105 to 140 inch lbs.
Now, I needed to use Ti Prep as the bar ends were titanium (the bolt was some sort of coated metal as well: yellowish green in color).
And so I decided to be on the safer side, and set my torque wrench to 12 Nm.
The wrench never "clicked."
After a few turns, I kinda freaked, and so I stopped and resumed to the old "wrist-tight" with the allen key method.

Anyone out there had the same experience?

I know from my auto mechanic classes that torque wrenches cannot be trusted when you put anti-seize lube on the threads, and I am wondering if the same applies for Finish Line Ti Prep.

Thanks again.

-Lost81

When wrenching on my old decrepit vehicles, I've found that specified torque values are sometimes a bit too high for my comfort. Sometimes the heads of older bolts snap off before reaching specified torque.

On the bike, I don't use the torque values at all. With small bolts and soft aluminum, judgement and feel are your torque wrench. Especially because there are so many variables - whether the threads have been chased, whether you used prep, varying manufacturing tolerances, the accuracy of your torque wrench, etc.

Even when replacing the cylinder head on an engine - arguably the application requiring the most consistent clamping force from the bolts - tapping/chasing and cleaning the holes and using a torque wrench is NO guarantee of even clamping force, even though the torque wrench tells you that it is. This variation is why many manufacturers use torque-to-yield bolts.

Actual licensed mechanics may feel free to correct me if they see it differently...

 

[Gazz]

To babble on further - cause I'm bored - the only bike bit I would consider using a torque wrench on would be square taper cranks. These are easy enoug to kill if you get them too tight or leave them too loose.

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

hand tight and a little past snug...works well for me