When working for an airline in Atlanta, GA, we called that approach
using the SWAG Method combined with the calibrated wrist. Guys with a
little arthritis in the wrist were the best, they got a double click
every time.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

"G.M.Bulley" wrote:
>
> Mechanics develop what some jokingly call "torque arm" after some months
> of using a torque wrench. You get a feel for what 25 lb/ft feels like
> versus 8, versus 18 versus 80. If you get to the point in using a torque
> wrench that you can set it to 2 lbs over, close your eyes, and tighten
> the nut to the exact torque without it clicking, I'd say chunk your
> torque wrench in the bottom of your tool box.
>
> Until then, I wouldn't do ANYTHING on a VW without a torque wrench. The
> staggering mix of alloys, thread depths, thread pitches, and heat/cold
> environments just makes torquing by intuition far too risky. Unless you
> just like doing the Helicoil thing...
>
> Bringing your ideas to life,
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett
> Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
> AIM = IExplain4u
> Phone: +1.919.658.1278
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
> Of Marla Stelk
> Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 11:30 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Torque Wrench
>
> So just how important is it really to use a torque wrench?  A mechanic I
> spoke to once said he never uses one for tune-ups.  But the Bentley
> tells you to use one for almost everything.  I've got to take the top
> off my thermostat - do I really need to go buy a torque wrench to put it
> back on?  The buggers are pretty expensive.....
>
> Thanks,
> Marla
> '87 Westy Van "Morrison"Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer
> download : http://explorer.msn.com