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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Torque ratchet - whats the knack?

Hi,

I'm replacing a head gasket in the midget to see if that fixes by lack of power problems!
I took the head off, cleaned it all up, and and now reassembling..however;

I set the torque to 46 lbs/foot but the never seems to give or click and just eats the threads of the nuts. Is there a knack to use one - I've never used one before.

I've checked the setting, however the ratchet never seems to give - even when I try an the wheels (and I've tried 3 of them,so I'm guessing it might be how I'm using it).

Cheers
M Andrews

Fasten a bolt in a vice -- set the torque wrench low, and play till you get the feel of it!!
Mick - I have started painting!!!

Faulty item perhaps?
Try setting it low, say 30 ft lbs and try it on your wheel nuts. You should feel a definate click. You are using the ft/lb range I assume?
Guy Weller

some of them are reversible, sure you are not 'doing up in the undoing mode' ?
David Smith

Another trap is if you have inherited under-spec nuts on the head as sometimes happens. Standard 3/8" UNF nuts will strip at that tourque, the correct ones are about 50% longer than standard.
Paul Walbran

I first bought a cheap torque wrench to do exactly the same job. After not reading the Haynes manual as closely as I should I stripped one of the bolts that is lower torque than the other. To get the right torque out of the wrench, I had to hold it on the end of the wrench, rather than all fingers wrapped around the handle.
I think there are some tools that you should not buy cheaply and this is one of them.
ADJ Jacks

Thanks for the replies. I brought a draper one and tried it in a vice (thanks for the tip) - got the click so not I know what 46 lt/ft feels like and the click! I also think I may of inherited some duff nuts as the pressure I was applying when tightening up the nuts wasn't this hard and their thread has just gone - so I've ordered 10 replacements from mgspares!

Many thanks
M Andrews

M. Chris Betson, of Octarine Services, has posted some tips on how to verify the values of a torque wrench. These should be available under the "MGB Technical BBS" in the archives.

I have received both bad nuts and bad studs which stripped out their threads when being torqued to the correct values with an accurate torque wrench. With so much manufacturing being shipped out to the third world, concepts like "heat treatment" and "quality control" are becoming highly erratic.

Les
Les Bengtson

Don't forget that the torque figure for the narrower rocker pillar studs is alot less.
Jeremy Cogman

Yes, Toby and I found that out once.
G Lazarus


Also, not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, but you should lubricate the nut before doing them up, otherwise the friction in the thread reduces the actual clamping force.


MarkH

This thread was discussed between 19/07/2008 and 21/07/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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