RE>RE>Big Sockets

["Chao, Harvey" <harvey.chao@xxxxxxxx>]

Scott Miller's post in V9, #169 on loosening high torque large fasteners
reminded me of the other side of the problem - how to properly torque the
nut on reassembly - since high rated torque wrenches are not commonly had.

An acquaintance of mine via the webb who is well known in the world of VWs
has a really simple solution for accurately torqueing those big nuts.

He calculates the lever arm of the breaker bar to know how much force (lbs)
must be exerted by pressing down on the end of the lever.  He then puts a
bathroom or similar scale to stand on.  It reads his body weight.  As he
presses down on the lever, he is transferring body weight from the pressure
of his feet on the scale to the end of the lever.  So, if for example he
weighs 250 lbs and needs to apply 150 lbs to the lever, when the scale reads
100 lbs. he has applied the necessary torque.  (He also works it the other
way, by pulling the lever to add weight to the scale - the exercise is left
to the reader.)

Harvey

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