Just saw a guy in the shop using a 3/8 drive on a 1 inch bolt. He said 'it's fine, I'm just snugging it'. That's how you strip heads.

3 comments

3 Comments

That "feel right" method is the real problem. Your hand can't tell the difference between 40 and 80 foot-pounds on a big bolt. It just feels tight, and then it's too late.

matthewdixon3d ago

That's the kind of confidence that leads to a real bad day. Been there, done that, got the rounded-off bolt to prove it. Thought I could "just snug" a caliper bracket bolt with a tiny ratchet. Spent the next two hours drilling out the remains. The sound of that final crack still haunts me.

betty_kelly93d ago

What was the actual torque spec on that bolt, though. I've seen guys strip grade 8 hardware trying to get it to "feel right" with the wrong tool. The click of a torque wrench is cheaper than an extractor kit every time.