Do techs use torque wrenches to do repairs?

[SCUBASailor]

I just saw a post from a tech in which he said that although the manufacturers state recommended torques when assembling regulators, techs don't use torque wrenches when they are working. He was very clear regarding the general disregard for torqueing specs. He even stated that in his training class, the instructor told the students that no one uses torque wrenches in the real world.

Is this true? It's scary to me that manufacturer's specs would be widely ignored. Should I be concerned? Should I question my LDS about whether their techs bother using torque wrenches?

 

[ScubaSteve]

I have seen and posted in that thread and I think that this person is in the minority. So are the techs that I have taken my regs to recently. I have had nothing but problems with two shops and will no longer take any of my equipment to them. This however, has not turned me off. If I had regs that were serviceable by the shop I frequent, I would not hesitate in the least to put trust in them. I do believe more techs follow the rules than ignore them.

 

[halocline]

Some torque specs are more critical than others. The old scubapro MK5 had a brass turret bolt that was easily damaged by over tightening; later MK20s had a yoke bolt that could damage the body if they were over tightened. In both cases SP changed the part to make the reg more "idiot proof" for servicing. It's pretty scary when the scuba gear companies insist that consumers leave the servicing to the certified "experts" and then consistently modify the regs because they lack faith in the ability of those "experts."

Other torque specs, like for port plugs, are not crucial and nobody I've ever seen uses a torque wrench to install those.

 

[herman]

I suspect that a lot of techs don't use them. I don't unless the amount of torque is critical but I am not working on others regs. After turning a wrench for a lot of years, you can come close enough on a lot of things. Over tightening is the main problem with not using them on regs, unlike some applications where warping of surfaces can occur if you don't torque something equally.

 

[redacted]

I watched a boat mechanic install spark plugs in my engine and asked him why he was not using a torque wrench (steel plugs in an aluminum head with a spec of 17 ft-lb). He said he had done it so much he didn't need one. I checked the torque on all the plugs when I got home. Torque ranged from about 10 ft-lb to almost 25 ft-lb. He lost a customer.

Dive shops that do not have a torque wrench definitely do not use them. Ask your shop to see their torque wrenches.

 

[NAUI AL]

Sadly, it is true. Find a shop that services gear correctly or suffer the consequences. I only use one shop now days for this reason, but the two shops I've used in the past 15 years both took the time to show me their work bench. I usually ask in a sneaky way to see them in action with my reg when I have it "looked" at.

 

[Peter_C]

Lets take a mechanical device for instance. Could be a car. EVERY bolt has a torque spec. If you expect someone to hand torque everything you are going to be sadly mistaken. Most just hit the lug nutss to whatever their impact gun can generate. Others use torque sticks and some actually break out a torque wrench. Half the cars built today you could not get a torque wrench onto the spark plug socket and get an accurate torque without pulling the engine.

How accurate is a torque wrench? I own 4 torque wrenches with three of them from Snap-on Tools (That is around $700 in torque wrenches). I couldn't tell you if they are within accuracy specs unless I send them out and have them tested. That might get done once in their lifetime.

So how does this pertain to scuba? Well if you "expect" your reg tech to torque everything I think you will be sad to learn they rarely use their torque wrenches. They use the torque wrenches to learn the "feeling" then proceed with this knowledge wrench in hand.

I just installed a new burst disk in my tank (Slowly doing all of them as they get used)...yup it got torqued. There is a torque spec for the tank neck valve. The tank valve itself was only hand tightened into the neck, which is what we find works great. Would I torque a hose or other fitting? Nope! Don't worry I will not be working on your regs only my own.

 

[kgault]

I just saw a post from a tech in which he said that although the manufacturers state recommended torques when assembling regulators, techs don't use torque wrenches when they are working. He was very clear regarding the general disregard for torqueing specs. He even stated that in his training class, the instructor told the students that no one uses torque wrenches in the real world.

Is this true? It's scary to me that manufacturer's specs would be widely ignored. Should I be concerned? Should I question my LDS about whether their techs bother using torque wrenches?

When I became a tech I bought a bar style torque wrench. After over 10 years, I now have 4 different torque wrenches with different ranges and applications. I have a 5th arriving sometime this week for really low torque applications (10 inlb).

Most of the other techs who worked at the same shops that I do, never used the torque wrench even when it was close to hand. Some of these techs did not continue working after repeated damage to customers regs from over-tightening. I still get many Oceanic and USD 2nd stages with cracks in the cases where the inlets get inserted, that were last serviced by someone else.

Some regulators are not sensitive to damage by incorrectly torquing, while others can be easily damaged. It is a rare regulator service class that brings out the torque wrench, as most regulators are only assembled hand tight during the classes.

I would be worried by a technician that claimed to never need a torque wrench when working on customers regulators.

Keith

 

[HenrikBP]

I couldn't tell you if they are within accuracy specs unless I send them out and have them tested. That might get done once in their lifetime.

<snip>

... they rarely use their torque wrenches. They use the torque wrenches to learn the "feeling" then proceed with this knowledge wrench in hand.

Torque wrenches should be sent out for calibration at regular intervals - I know ... they usually aren't ...

However, don't let anyone kid you into thinking they can accurately torque a fastener by feel. We (yes, me too ...) can get away with hand "torquing" some fasteners such as port plugs and hoses, 'cause really - they just need to *not* come loose. So as long as we err on the the side of caution and don't over-tighten we're ok. But for critical fasteners there's no way I'd do it - or accept it done - without an accurate torque wrench.

... which is exactly why I'm gradually learning to wrench my own

Henrik

 

[fireted]

I always use a t-wrench with breaking down a reg to see if the last tech/customer did the job correctly. When putting everything back together same thing, I use the T-wrench and not the torque value on the work order. IT covers my butt legally and if the MFG. ever questions the service done I have a leg to fall back on.

Sure this is a huge "Err on the side of caution", but there is no really safe and accurate way to "GUESS" at the torque settings.

As for torquing the hose, wrench snug is good enough for me, seeing that most of my customers will change there hose routing.