Torque for Nuts and Bolts

[boatbuilder]

So I'm putting my suspension and brakes back together, following the torque settings in the Bentley.
Managed to strip the threads off one of the new M10 bolts on the lower ball joint support - I'm guessing it makes a difference that I had copper grease on the bolt.
So what do people do when reassembling? I'm using Nyloc nuts on most new bolts - should I install them dry or with a bit of lube and what torque settings should I use?
I'm tempted to abandon the torque wrench and just tighten stuff by "feel" as you can't really properly feel the tightness as well using the torque wrench due to the big leverage you have...
I'm using one of these fellas....

[Bubble Meister]

The suspension, steering and brakes are safety critical. I'd be using a torque wrench every time. Maybe you have mixed up lb.ft with lb.in? Or maybe a poor quality bolt? I don't remember copper grease being specified in Bentley or Haynes.

[itchyfeet]

adding grease ups the rotation and stress in the bolt before a torque level is reached thats why you should not lube critical bolts such as wheel bolts.
Nylocs may also affect correct torque so shouln't be used on safety critical parts unless manufacturer states, the torque is set to stop them coming loose, you don't need nylocks.
Don't use stainless either where the origional bolt was high tensile, i.e marked 8.8 and above

[boatbuilder]

adding grease ups the rotation and stress in the bolt before a torque level is reached thats why you should not lube critical bolts such as wheel bolts.
Nylocs may also affect correct torque so shouln't be used on safety critical parts unless manufacturer states, the torque is set to stop them coming loose, you don't need nylocks.
Don't use stainless either where the origional bolt was high tensile, i.e marked 8.8 and above

I supposed I could copper grease the shaft of the bolt and clean the grease off the threads with brake cleaner before tightening...
I'm using 8.8 bolts as I can't find 10.9 around here anymore so thats probably not helping as well.
I read somewhere that to get the correct torque, you test the nylock nut to see how much "drag" it causes and then add that to your specified torque value.

[itchyfeet]

if your origional bolts were 10.9 you MUST replace with 10.9, thats probably more the reason you snapped them.

Come this is important you could kill somebody messing around changing the spec of brakes and suspension without knowing what you are doing.

[boatbuilder]

Please accept my sincere apologies. *goes away with tail between legs*

[CovKid]

Used to use a torque wrench in the early years but soon discovered that this equated to tight as possible by hand then a clout with the club hammer on the end of the wrench to bite home. Its light pressures like rocker nuts and cylinder heads that need more accuracy lest you strip them but even those I found a technique that matched torque settings. Practice and experience in the end but definately wise to use a torque wrench if you're unfamiliar with the pressures involved.

[kevtherev]

For me any tightening into aluminium I would use a click torque wrench.
Anything steel it's just tight and then a grunt.

[CovKid]

Thats the one

[itchyfeet]

I bet you can tell your tyre pressures by kicking the tyre too

[CovKid]

No but I can tell how much water is in the washer bottle by rocking the camper.

Kev can tell you the voltage in the battery by divine thought.

[ghost123uk]

Practice and experience in the end but definately wise to use a torque wrench if you're unfamiliar with the pressures involved.

Agreed, without lots of previous experience as to the "feel" of various torque settings and different metals / applications, the use of a click torque wrench is recommended. Also +1 on the "don't use anything other than the recommended bolt / nut types on brakes and suspension".

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Aside = Raplh, I too have a mental block on the spelling of definatly definitly definiatly defininately no joke, that was me trying it without using the spell check, it's definitely definitely.

[CovKid]

You're too quick John. Always struggled with that one.

[Bubble Meister]

Based on the advice on here I'll bin the torque wrenches at work, instead I'll just hammer the ratchet. Torque settings are completely over rated in the aviation industry!

[Titus A Duxass]

Based on the advice on here I'll bin the torque wrenches at work, instead I'll just hammer the ratchet. Torque settings are completely over rated in the aviation industry!

Torque pfft. Completely overated!