Check the torque on your bolts regularly!

To add to this a little, a torque wrench that is out of calibration can be a bloody dangerous thing to have in your toolbox.

In a previous job I worked for a Calibration comapny and we did a lot of torque wrenches (UKAS accredited for them) so I took my old wrench in that hadn't been used for years and it FAILED in spectacular fashon, set to 100 N:m it clicked off at something like 70, it was halfords* branded but a no-name POS that is religated to ratchet cracker-bar duties. I now have one of the medium sized Halfords wrenches and a small Norbar, which was eye-wateringly expensive.


*Halfords now sell re-branded torque wrenches that look and feel suspiciously like Norbar's, which are very, very good although I still think Britool are the most manly and reliable (you can see bits of metal moving about and they make a very strong clunk)

I'd say there are some things you torque and some things you don't, but again this 'knowing what to and what not to' use a torque wrench on only comes with experience. An RAF Chinook has a torque listing for every single nut and bolt on the aircraft. And, at first, I would get out a torque wrench whenever I worked on one. But, over the years you get to learn which needs doing and which can be done by hand and by 'feel'. On the other side, nearly every nut is either a nyloc or get's split pinned or wirelocked so you have that extra bit of confidence.
A (possibly to some) interesting fact for all you who know about torques...The big nut that holds on each rotor head (2 in total) is torqued to a figure of 5952 Lbft...

[yorkie_chris]

You wouldn't want that bugger coming undone though!

What an experienced fitter does and a complete novice is what I was trying to distinguish against,and I think a novice would do less damage using a torque wrench.
I admit that many fixings can be done without torque settings but certain things are better done with them e.g. pressure fittings such as clutch,end caps and heads where a conformity is required

P.S. YC and I don't always disagree but where is his expertise is small engines I am happier with 14-16litre diesels which is a different ball park but many things are transitional

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

You wouldn't want that bugger coming undone though!

You'd think so wouldn't you, I remember being told by the Boeing rep that a yank went to undo the hub nut cover on top of the rotor head and found the nut handtight! apparently the gyroscopic forces of the head spinning against the shaft were the only thing holding it on.