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 Posted: Aug 18, 2017 02:26AM
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Armycook and Malsal: Not to worry: The torque wrench I used is self - "calibrating" in that it is an old school beam type with a long pointer and scale, 3/8" drive. If I recall correctly it maxes out at 60 ft. lbs.
I do have one of those fancy new ones, 1/2" drive, 200 ft lbs, but have never used it. I bought it on sale in case I needed to do repairs needing higher torque than my old one.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Aug 17, 2017 09:53AM
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Not much use if they are out of spec. I always set mine back to zero before putting it back in its case.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Aug 17, 2017 07:42AM
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I hope youre not using your torque wrench to break those lugnuts. Here at work we will get written up or get fired (at worse scenarios) if we misuse and abuse torque wrenches by dropping it and reusing it, using it to break bolts or using it after the cal due date. 

 

 Posted: Aug 17, 2017 06:04AM
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O K Dan, that clarifies it perfectly

My idea of a Breaker Bar is a 3 foot steel pipe that slides over my lug wrench to remove those "welded on" trailer wheel nuts

Nothing worse in the world but finding yourself sitting beside the road and not being able to change a wheel

Big AL

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Niagara Ontario Canada

 Posted: Aug 17, 2017 04:57AM
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Update: all my wheel nuts are properly re-torqued to 40 ft lbs.
The flex handle "breaker" I keep in my toolbag for the wheels is actually only 8" long. I could use it to loosen the nuts at 45 ft lbs. Anything longer and I would probably have broken something!

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Aug 15, 2017 07:21AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldminimover49
A breaker bar for a mini stud ? Big AL
Okay, maybe "breaker bar" is the wrong term. How about "3/8" drive flex handle".

In my defense, I tend to view most tools as "breaker" tools, given my propensity for breaking bolts - as a youth I succeeded in breaking the head bolts of a 37 Plymouth flat head six whilst trying to remove its head. Yes, I was turning the bolts the correct way and using a purpose-made wrench made by my grandfather, a machinist who would make a tool if he didn't have the right one. 

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Aug 15, 2017 04:26AM
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Must l repeat my story of my local tire shop that torqued my lugs to 100

Just asked out of curiouser you what they torqued them to and just about fainted, the tech said just like the chart called for,he was looking at a BMW BINI chart

Thankfully the splines did not disintergrate

Big AL

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Niagara Ontario Canada

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 07:42PM
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40 will work. Don't go higher than 45. Even that shouldn't be necessary. Different manuals listed different numbers.
And as Dan has pointed out, not all the lugs are the standard size of 11/16". I can think of at least four. Even the last, horrible ones with the aluminum cap were sold in two different sizes under the same part number. It's very important to use the right size; especially, with the later ones, or you'll end up creating two more sizes!

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 07:36PM
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3/8" UNF studs 40 ft. lbs.

Problem is folks think a little more will be better.  Excessive torque stresses threads...to failure.

At MMEMW 2004 in Rockford, where the Autocross was replaced by a hot lap of Blackhawk Raceway, I had chaps break front wheel studs twice on one Cooper S.  Told them replace all 8 studs or you are not out on track.  Fortunately, someone had a set of 8 new studs.  They got out on the track.

Do not overtorque studs/bolts & nuts.  Example 5/16" UNF Grade 8 with nyloc nut (e.g. through tie-rod & lower front suspension arm).  The nylock nut will barely take 20 ft. lbs. let alone 22 ft. lbs.

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 05:41PM
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The manual I was given with my Mini said some where in the 45lb range.  I would have to check for sure, but I know it was in the 40's somewhere.  My manual is for the last of the Rover carbs around 1990 through the SPI.

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 03:03PM
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A breaker bar for a mini stud ?

Big AL

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Niagara Ontario Canada

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 07:41AM
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Thanks, Steve.

When I took the wheels off, I used a torque wrench on some of the nuts to see what I had them at "by hand" ... Generally close to 40.
I used the torque wrench to re-install the wheels, using 45.

The caps are actually in decent shape and not distorted (they will rattle a tiny bit). When I got the car, none of my usual wheel wrenches fit, so by trying various socket, I found that 18mm (the car was built for Germany, if that made a difference) fits best. I got an 18mm deep 6-point 3/8 drive socket and an extra 10"(?) x 3/8" breaker bar to carry in the car. With that, I can get to around 40 ft-lbs by hand.

One "advantage" of getting older is that i don't break as many bolts as I used to!

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 07:16AM
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Everything else says 41 and is what I have used for years. The nuts you have seem to suffer if over torqued. The covers are often damaged from not using 6 point tools. Steve (CTR)

 Posted: Aug 14, 2017 07:07AM
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I have the 12" rover style alloy wheels with the proper nuts - tapered face and the chrome over-caps.
Mid 80's car with stock 8.4" disks.

Haynes says 45 ft-lbs but it seems a bit excessive from my "armstrong" experience.

I need correction and/or reassurance.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."