This has been bugging me since I disassembled my engine. On a few of the connecting rod nuts, my 14mm socket won't fit. It fits the nut just fine, but there isn't enough room between the rod itself and the side of the nut. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

My concern is now how to get a good torque reading when I put it back together. I've got a set of crow's foot sockets, but I'm worried this will throw off the torque reading.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it. But it still doesn't make sense to me why the socket won't fit...

Some six point sockets are thick wall, while most but not all 12 points are thin wall. Just try a different brand/style of socket.

I ground mine down on the bench grinder. HF socket so no loss. You can get away with just doing a bevel on the end. Be sure it is clear of the side when you torque it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I have found that the thinnest walls are 1/4" drive 6 point deep sockets.
If you cant find one of those that fits, use the above suggestion and grind a cheap one down.

9/16

Crows foot attachment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

The torque will be wrong if you use a crow's foot. The lever arm will be the wrong length.

--DD

... but if you do it the correct way, it's not an issue:

"If you are using a crow foot open end wrench on a torque wrench, position the crow foot so it is 90 degrees to the tool handle. This will minimize any change in leverage that could affect the accuracy of your torque wrench reading.

If you position the crow foot so it is straight with the tool handle, it will extend the length of the tool slightly and increase leverage slightly. This, in turn, will increase the actual amount of torque applied to the faster over what your tool indicates. The difference can be 4 to 5 percent depending on the length of your tool.

To compensate, you need to reduce the amount of torque applied by a corresponding amount (4 to 5 percent)."

Learn more about torquing Here ...

Thanks for the link on proper use of torque wrenches! Should be required reading for anyone that plays with cars!

I hadn't thought of that. It won't quite be 100%, because the length of the effective lever won't be the same as the length of the wrench, but it should be close. Given a calculator with trig functions, though, it shouldn't be that hard to work out the settings on the wrench for any given angle...

--DD

I had to be certified in torque wrench use (& Torque witness at work).
To use a crows foot, there is an equation based on the size of the crows foot:

http://www.engineersedge.com/manufacturing...ue_wrench_1.htm

And for those that could not do the math, there was a table for all of the crows feet that we typically use already filled out.

In fact this reminds me of an idea I had last year when I went to buy a larger torque wrench to tighten something too big for my "regular" torque wrench.

WHY dont they just make a "torque multiplier" tool that would just make the torque arm longer by a fixed amount so you can just multiply the torque wrench setting by X to get the final torque?
Then we wouldnt need two separate torque wrenches to work on our cars.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/pro...23947_200623947
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Nice, but kind of overkill for 35# fasteners.

That would be great for VW flywheels and rear axle nuts though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)