OldGuyNewJeep
Well-Known Member
Used my Tekton sockets and torque wrenches all weekend doing fluid changes. Great quality tools for the money. You won’t be disappointed.Just ordered along with a ratchet set! Thanks for the link.
Sponsored
Used my Tekton sockets and torque wrenches all weekend doing fluid changes. Great quality tools for the money. You won’t be disappointed.Just ordered along with a ratchet set! Thanks for the link.
Nearly 30 years in Army and Coast Guard aviation here, and also concerned about torque wrench calibration. A variance of 130-170 ft lbs for a bolt that needs to be 150 ft lbs can be catastrophic, depending on the component you are attempting to secure. Even torque wrenches with light use should be tested every year or so, and there are several DIY methods explained on Youtube and elsewhere online. Beware though, as many of those DIY methods have been widely criticized by actual calibration experts over the years, because they could actually make your torque wrench worse. Any auto or machine shop will tell you the same thing, so if you care enough to use a torque wrench instead of any old ratchet, you'll want to maintain its accuracy as much as you feasibly can.Cool. I just ask because I spent eight years in Army Aviation. We calibrated our torque wrenches every 90 days. Of course we were constantly using them as well.
True story here...Nearly 30 years in Army and Coast Guard aviation here, and also concerned about torque wrench calibration. A variance of 130-170 ft lbs for a bolt that needs to be 150 ft lbs can be catastrophic, depending on the component you are attempting to secure. Even torque wrenches with light use should be tested every year or so, and there are several DIY methods explained on Youtube and elsewhere online. Beware though, as many of those DIY methods have been widely criticized by actual calibration experts over the years, because they could actually make your torque wrench worse. Any auto or machine shop will tell you the same thing, so if you care enough to use a torque wrench instead of any old ratchet, you'll want to maintain its accuracy as much as you feasibly can.
All that said...I have no idea where to get wrenches calibrated since most hardware stores stopped providing the service years ago. I had an old friend who used to do this professionally in his machine shop, but since he's no longer with us, I'm looking for other alternatives. Been told that local Mac Tools or Snap-On dealers provide a calibration service, but they usually have to send the wrench out to a service facility which can take 3 more more weeks and cost about $100 per wrench (yikes!). Just curious if anyone can share their experience or recommendations on where to get this done.
Amazing...but not surprised. Seems like the tool room might not have been a good place to put this guy in the first place! Unfortunately had to assign several to "landscaping and janitorial staff" over the years as well. Most notable, was the E4 who left his brand new NVGs in a standard 6'x6'x6' .50cal position that was filled back in when we left the field site, and then lied about about its whereabouts when we returned to garrison. So....after a 4-hour trip back to the location, 2 hours of digging, and 4-hour return trip, we came back with a very dirty set of goggles. Needless to say, the poor kid probably mowed a swath from here to the moon before he DEROS'd!True story here...
We had a E4 UH1 Crewchief that was pretty damn bad at his job. So bad he was sent to the tool room to stay out of trouble.
One day he was ordered to inspect and calibrate all of the torque wrenches. He laid them all out on a workbench. He removed each wrench from its case and removed every inspection tag from every wrench. He then filled out new inspection tags and taped them on all of the wrenches.
At that point he could have just taken each wench over to the jig and tested them. He would have been ok. Instead he put each wrench back into their cases and put them away.
That wasn't even his biggest mistake.
His biggest mistake was not noticing the Battalion Commander in the hallway quietly watching everything he just did.
The now E2 lawnmower pusher spent the last year of his Army term mowing the entire airfield.
Very nice @Chocolate ThunderWanted to put this out there as a big thank you to @Chocolate Thunder for his super generous nature.
I honestly should have the police called on me as I stole these, I reached out to him on his offer and for a meager price and I mean meager I was gifted three wrenches.
I can now at least get things to the proper torque instead of just guessing on how tight things are supposed to be.
1/4” drive 20-200 inch lbs
3/8” drive 120-960 inch lbs
1/2” drive 0-150 ft lbs
I used to be a tank commander and was always jealous of the money and resources that went to the Aviation folks. I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.Cool. I just ask because I spent eight years in Army Aviation. We calibrated our torque wrenches every 90 days. Of course we were constantly using them as well.
On the right day, it turns into a 72ton oven. I sat in a powered down M1A2, holy moley that was hot.I used to be a tank commander and was always jealous of the money and resources that went to the Aviation folks. I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.
.....which is just as dangerous because it becomes a 72-ton stationary target!I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.
To update, I eventually found a great resource for this, AND they sell some very nice torque wrenches at a reasonable price: hytorctools.comI have no idea where to get wrenches calibrated since most hardware stores stopped providing the service years ago. I had an old friend who used to do this professionally in his machine shop, but since he's no longer with us, I'm looking for other alternatives. Been told that local Mac Tools or Snap-On dealers provide a calibration service, but they usually have to send the wrench out to a service facility which can take 3 more more weeks and cost about $100 per wrench (yikes!). Just curious if anyone can share their experience or recommendations on where to get this done.
So true...been boiled to death in an M113, BFV, 155mm SP howitzer, and an M1A2...and they all suck. Those days made me want to use my jump wings full time instead of just being a 5 jump chump!On the right day, it turns into a 72ton oven. I sat in a powered down M1A2, holy moley that was hot.
On the flip side, the UH-1H gets cold as all hell. I camped in mine during an exercise in Hokkaido. It wasn't even super cold but I froze my Cajun ass off. Would have been worse if I didn't have a cold weather flight suit.So true...been boiled to death in an M113, BFV, 155mm SP howitzer, and an M1A2...and they all suck. Those days made me want to use my jump wings full time instead of just being a 5 jump chump!
They drove from Texas to California?To update, I eventually found a great resource for this, AND they sell some very nice torque wrenches at a reasonable price: hytorctools.com
A tech literally drives up to your home or other desired location in a mobile testing facility (van), you hand over the wrenches, and they calibrate them on the spot. In my case, I had a new Harbor Freight wrench that was way out of limits and no way to calibrate, so they sold me a much better replacement (with warranty) right out of the van. The tech was super professional and helpful, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. This proved that we have to be really careful about what we're buying from Harbor Freight and other discount stores, and I feel much more comfortable wrenching on my Jeep and other vehicles now. Highly recommended.
No...they have franchises all over the country. There's one only a few minutes from my home in CA. Super easy and convenient.They drove from Texas to California?