Torque settings for R&D coupling

[Kathymel]

Good evening,

 

I’ve just received a replacement R&D coupling along with instructions. Seems very straightforward except there’s no way of getting a socket on to the bolt heads to get the torque right. I can’t find a torque wrench that takes open ended spanner heads that doesn’t require me to mortgage the boat. 
 

So my question is, how important are the torque settings and is there a guesstimate I can use?

 

Cheers, Kathy

[Tracy D'arth]

Tighten by hand with 2 normal size spanners as tight as you can, always seems to work. Self locking nuts will be a good idea, or Loctite on the threads.

[Slim]

Sorry but you're complicating matters. Take 2x 17mm ring combination spanners, tighten until you feel that they are tight, job done.

[Kathymel]

19 minutes ago, Slim said:

Sorry but you're complicating matters. Take 2x 17mm ring combination spanners, tighten until you feel that they are tight, job done.

I was trying to comply with the instructions. If the instructions are over complicated, that’s hardly my fault. 

21 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Tighten by hand with 2 normal size spanners as tight as you can, always seems to work. Self locking nuts will be a good idea, or Loctite on the threads.

Thanks very much Tracey. Much appreciated. 

[Tacet]

Try putting the torque wrench on another bolt somewhere else.  You will then have a reasonably good feel for use with the open ended spanners. 

 

 

[Slim]

1 hour ago, Kathymel said:

I was trying to comply with the instructions. If the instructions are over complicated, that’s hardly my fault. 

Thanks very much Tracey. Much appreciated. 

Instructions are often over complicated. That's  a consiquence of todays nanny approach to things. There are situations where torque settings are essential ie tightening down a cylinder head. 

[Guest]

52 minutes ago, Tacet said:

Try putting the torque wrench on another bolt somewhere else.  You will then have a reasonably good feel for use with the open ended spanners. 

 

 

?

 

I'm not sure that would work at all.

 

The differential in length and leverage between a spanner and a torque wrench is significant.

 

Best as has been suggested just to tighten them as much as poss. with a spanner.

[WotEver]

1 hour ago, Slim said:

Instructions are often over complicated. That's  a consiquence of todays nanny approach to things. There are situations where torque settings are essential ie tightening down a cylinder head. 

I was following a procedure on my car and the manual even said what torque setting to use when reconnecting the battery terminal!

[Phoenix_V]

I remember being  impressed when reading a manual for a sabb boat engine for the torque setting for  tightening the flywheel nut something along the lines of  use a spanner and a 5kg hammer, ah found it here it is;

 

Edited May 24, 2020 by Phoenix_V

[Murflynn]

7 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

I remember being  impressed when reading a manual for a sabb boat engine for the torque setting for  tightening the flywheel nut something along the lines of  use a spanner and a 5kg hammer, ah found it here it is;

 

 

what a horrible description, unless intended only for a skilled mechanic who will know to tap the spanner, not take a big swing at it.

a mate of mine once worked as a construction plant mechanic and had in his toolkit a 56lb sledge hammer.

how long is the swing of the hammer?

how strong is the arm swinging the hammer?

5kg is a very heavy hammer, usually known as a lump hammer.

what PPE should be used to protect the face and body when the spanner snaps and pieces fly?

 

 

9 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

?

 

I'm not sure that would work at all.

 

The differential in length and leverage between a spanner and a torque wrench is significant.

 

Best as has been suggested just to tighten them as much as poss. with a spanner.

    DUHHHH  !!!!

 

use your imagination - tighten with a pair of spanners and then test with a torque wrench.  you should 'get the feel of it' as a result.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

    DUHHHH  !!!!

 

use your imagination - tighten with a pair of spanners and then test with a torque wrench.  you should 'get the feel of it' as a result.

Hope you didnt hurt your head what with banging it and everything.

[Alan de Enfield]

The instruction re fitting a stock-bolt from an 'old style' armourer were as follows :

 

"...…….. How tight do you tighten the stock bolt? I cannot find a specific torque figure but if I said to you xxxxing tight would be about right, then we won’t fall out ……….." 

[WotEver]

27 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The instruction re fitting a stock-bolt from an 'old style' armourer were as follows :

 

"...…….. How tight do you tighten the stock bolt? I cannot find a specific torque figure but if I said to you xxxxing tight would be about right, then we won’t fall out ……….." 

The guys who fitted a tow bar for me a few years ago described it as FT. That is only exceeded by EFT, which involves using an extension bar on the socket handle. 

[Phoenix_V]

59 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

what a horrible description, unless intended only for a skilled mechanic who will know to tap the spanner, not take a big swing at it.

a mate of mine once worked as a construction plant mechanic and had in his toolkit a 56lb sledge hammer.

how long is the swing of the hammer?

how strong is the arm swinging the hammer?

5kg is a very heavy hammer, usually known as a lump hammer.

what PPE should be used to protect the face and body when the spanner snaps and pieces fly?

 

 

 

I think that engine design is at least 50 years old they did things different in those days

[Tony Brooks]

9 hours ago, WotEver said:

I was following a procedure on my car and the manual even said what torque setting to use when reconnecting the battery terminal!

That's not as daft as it seems to a practical person. I have seen far too many posts wrenched out of batteries by gorillas with spanners.

[ditchcrawler]

9 hours ago, Phoenix_V said:

I remember being  impressed when reading a manual for a sabb boat engine for the torque setting for  tightening the flywheel nut something along the lines of  use a spanner and a 5kg hammer, ah found it here it is;

 

The technical term is "Flogging" Again something we did all the time offshore with bolts about an inch and a half diameter in pipeline flanges and vessel inspection doors working at 2500 psi