Steve
GS Whisperer
There are some people that will obsess and claim that they torque EVERY fastener on the bike. For some items, yes, it's rather critical that the proper torque is applied. However, after using a torque wrench a couple of times to properly set a fastener, you can develop a 'feel' for what is proper and get rather close without it.
Probably the hardest part of that process is realizing just how LITTLE torque is proper for some fasteners. One example is the cylinder head cover bolts (or just about any M6 x 1.0 bolt). The proper torque range for them is 6.0 - 7.5 lb/ft, and you can just about do that with an oily screwdriver handle. The first time I used a torque wrench on those bolts, I realized that I had probably been wrenching them down to 15-20, just trying to get them "tight".
What I would suggest for your axle bolt is to pull the shocks, let the wheel drop to the ground so you can access the axle nut. Use a torque wrench a few times to get the feel, then put it back together and feel comfortable with the spanners.
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Probably the hardest part of that process is realizing just how LITTLE torque is proper for some fasteners. One example is the cylinder head cover bolts (or just about any M6 x 1.0 bolt). The proper torque range for them is 6.0 - 7.5 lb/ft, and you can just about do that with an oily screwdriver handle. The first time I used a torque wrench on those bolts, I realized that I had probably been wrenching them down to 15-20, just trying to get them "tight".
What I would suggest for your axle bolt is to pull the shocks, let the wheel drop to the ground so you can access the axle nut. Use a torque wrench a few times to get the feel, then put it back together and feel comfortable with the spanners.
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