Chain adjustment without a torque wrench

[epoxy.guy]

Probably bad on my part, but recently I've been counting the notches on the rear bolt (the one with the cotter pin) as I loosen it prior to the chain adjustment nut.   I would just count the number of notches back (usually 4) as I tighten up again.   I'm suspecting that the bolt is moving as well, so either I'm over tighten or haven't tighten it enough.   I'm going to check it this weekend with a torque wrench to see how much I was out.

Does anyone else do this for chain adjustments?

[Twism86]

Tighten it till it goes no further. I never torque and it stays put. Can be a pain to remove though.....

[redhawkdancing]

Adjusted my alignment yesterday. Torque on that nut is suppose to be between 50 and 80 on the american model. I set my wrench at 65. Wrench stopped the nut exactly where it was marked before.

[pandymai]

like you've been, get it tight enough to sit. that's what the cotter pins are for, to keep the nut where you tightened it down to. it wouldnt hurt to get it torqued.

just in case you care to get one though.. if you have a harbor freight near you, a half-inch torque wrench is about 12 bucks. it's always good to have more tools =P

[twocool]

When I don't have a torque wrench, I tighten by "feel" rather than position..........I am sure this is not very accurate, but probably accurate enough......

Overtightening is probably worse than under tightening.........(in most cases)

The rear axle cannot slip out because the chain adjuster will not let it.........

When you tighten a big nut like that without a torque wrench you "feel" three stages of tightness....

First stage is very, very easy to turn the nut with a wrench......

Second stage the nut begins to feel tighter and tighter with each turn of the wrench, more resistance on wrench

Third stage, the nut seems to hit bottom.....suddenly much greater force on wrench and nut does not move hardly at all

Stage three is probably the correct torque!

If you whale down too hard after stage three, you will cause damage to threads, or nut or something........

Another thought..........most box end wrenches are made to a length which helps get the correct torque....In other words an 8mm wrench is going to be short, while a 19 mm is going to be like a foot long..........just giving a good shove on a foot long wrench, (like 65 lbs worth) will give the right torque.   

But why not invest in at least a low cost torque wrench?  Like the beam type?

I did 30 years ago..........actually two, one for small range and one for big range...........

I have never been sorry for buying a good tool........

Cookie

[Jared]

You push on the wrench til your teeth almost touch together...
Kidding.....

On the not kidding part... some people are a bit stronger than others and have different ideas of "hard to turn"...

Yeah too much on the axle is a little worse than not enough (too much side load on the bearings...).

Buy a torque wrench.....Harbor freights stuff is ok usually..... (I have a Husky...). I'[m sure their TQ wrench is close enough for axles given the range.
Who doesn't love having more tools....

[twocool]

Yep...torque wrench is the way to go..........that is why they give a torque spec and every decent mechanic has a torque wrench or two or three in his box.........no guesswork!

But the question was can you do the axle nut without a torque wrench.........I can think of scenarios where this would be necessary.........

The answer is yes, if you use certain techniques, you can get "close enough", not perfect, but at least safely rideable untill you can get to a torque wrench...

Cookie

[ohgood]

When I don't have a torque wrench, I tighten by "feel" rather than position..........I am sure this is not very accurate, but probably accurate enough......

Overtightening is probably worse than under tightening.........(in most cases)

The rear axle cannot slip out because the chain adjuster will not let it.........

When you tighten a big nut like that without a torque wrench you "feel" three stages of tightness....

First stage is very, very easy to turn the nut with a wrench......

Second stage the nut begins to feel tighter and tighter with each turn of the wrench, more resistance on wrench

Third stage, the nut seems to hit bottom.....suddenly much greater force on wrench and nut does not move hardly at all

Stage three is probably the correct torque!

If you whale down too hard after stage three, you will cause damage to threads, or nut or something........

Another thought..........most box end wrenches are made to a length which helps get the correct torque....In other words an 8mm wrench is going to be short, while a 19 mm is going to be like a foot long..........just giving a good shove on a foot long wrench, (like 65 lbs worth) will give the right torque.   

But why not invest in at least a low cost torque wrench?  Like the beam type?

I did 30 years ago..........actually two, one for small range and one for big range...........

I have never been sorry for buying a good tool........

Cookie

i like your three stages idear. that part about the tensioners isn't correct though. a few people here can testify that an incorrectly tensioned axle nut will allow the axle to move, and destroy the adjuster in the process. they're pretty wimpy things, if you look @ em. brake hard enough, or pop the clutch in 1st, and if the axle isn't torqued enough, it will move.

[twocool]

When I don't have a torque wrench, I tighten by "feel" rather than position..........I am sure this is not very accurate, but probably accurate enough......

Overtightening is probably worse than under tightening.........(in most cases)

The rear axle cannot slip out because the chain adjuster will not let it.........

When you tighten a big nut like that without a torque wrench you "feel" three stages of tightness....

First stage is very, very easy to turn the nut with a wrench......

Second stage the nut begins to feel tighter and tighter with each turn of the wrench, more resistance on wrench

Third stage, the nut seems to hit bottom.....suddenly much greater force on wrench and nut does not move hardly at all

Stage three is probably the correct torque!

If you whale down too hard after stage three, you will cause damage to threads, or nut or something........

Another thought..........most box end wrenches are made to a length which helps get the correct torque....In other words an 8mm wrench is going to be short, while a 19 mm is going to be like a foot long..........just giving a good shove on a foot long wrench, (like 65 lbs worth) will give the right torque.   

But why not invest in at least a low cost torque wrench?  Like the beam type?

I did 30 years ago..........actually two, one for small range and one for big range...........

I have never been sorry for buying a good tool........

Cookie

i like your three stages idear. that part about the tensioners isn't correct though. a few people here can testify that an incorrectly tensioned axle nut will allow the axle to move, and destroy the adjuster in the process. they're pretty wimpy things, if you look @ em. brake hard enough, or pop the clutch in 1st, and if the axle isn't torqued enough, it will move.

Yeah, I just read of one with the flat plate bent in........I always thought the tensioner assembly was also a safety device.....to keep the wheel from pulling forward......maybe not really strong enough........

It's obvious that they but the big nut, with pretty big torque spec., on there for a reason!

Cookie