pfbz

Nice! Glad it worked out...

In general, be very careful with torque wrenches, especially with lower torque fasteners! Home mechanics often use them 'to do the job right', but at least several times a year, I hear about a friend or friend of friend who really screwed things up after busting stuff when using a torque wrench.

It most often happens when using a medium or large size clicker-type torque wrench on a relatively low torque fastener...

25 ft/lbs isn't much... but if you were tightening it with a standard hand ratchet that is 8" or so, you'll feel still have pretty good feel for how tight it is getting, and it takes some work to snap a bolt.

Slap on a 16" long torque wrench, and feel for a bolt with low torque is completely gone... If the wrench isn't set right, or broken, or you don't hear the click, or the bolt is lubed when the torque setting is for dry, or whatever, SNAP!

Lastly, using the very low end of a torque wrenches settings are the most inaccurate, particularly if the wrench hasn't been stored properly. If you really want to tighten low-torque bolts (25 lbs and under) with a torque wrench, get yourself a specialty wrench designed for that purpose, or just skip the torque wrench completely and do it by feel!

Invius

Great job, glad you were able to get it sorted out on your own, job well done!!!

CJWessing

That's exactly what happened to me, these bolts called for 25 ft-lbs and that's the lowest my large clicker torque wrench goes. Definitely need to be careful!

pfbz

Yup. I'd rather see somebody use an extremely inexpensive torque wrench with the right torque range than a great torque wrench at the very bottom of the settings...

A cheapie beam-type torque wrench is fine for those kind of low torque fasteners if you don't want to invest in something better with a low torque range. They are clumsy to read, which means users go really slow and sneak up to the torque reading instead of just pulling on it waiting for the click (or snap).



I personally like the old-school dial type torque wrenches for low torque fasteners...

PelicanParts.com

Glad this ended well for you Chris! Hope it does not discourage you from future projects - great pictures and updates by the way.

Mark/Pelican Parts

maor

+1

broken same connector

Imo000

Over time you will develop a feel for what is tight enough for a bolt. Now days I only use a torque wrench for head bolts and that's about it. The rest I do by feel but not to the point that the bolt gets soft. Hard to explain but after a while, you can look at the size of a bolt and know how much is enough.

KrazyK

Amazing. I almost posted the exact same thing. I only use a torque wrench on critical fasteners. If you have had that sick feeling as you overtighten a bolt into aluminum then feel the threads pull, or feel a bolt slowly twist in half, you never forget it.

If you simply must use a torque wrench for everything, get an inch pound one too. Also never use the "click type" torque wrench for small fasteners.

JMLavoie

Not sure where I got it but I believe the torque value for that bolt is 20 ft-lb, not 25. That's what I used when I changed mine.
Might explain why you broke it.
Congrats on your recovery nonetheless.
Martin

fpb111

Just torque them down till they strip/snap and then back 'em out 1/4 turn. It's a feel thing.

5CHN3LL

Amazing. I almost posted exactly the same thing. Sometimes I use a little Elmer's white glue to glue the heads back on sheared-off bolts so the next owner doesn't notice.

dmw996

So glad everything turned out OK!

ECS Tuning

Great job and glad you got everything worked out

Mhenry

+1 I broke that same stupid connector lastnight. Home Depot to the rescue with a more permanent fix.

Hurdigurdiman

I thought engine mounts was a very easy DIY. Oh yeh Right. It is if things go according to plan which they never do most times. lol