The pros and cons of rebuilding your own regulators...

[Aquamaniac]

EAN32 will be just fine...........


I said....."within a few foot pounds"

 

[Dryglove]

joens once bubbled...
If there is anyone out there who can tighten a fastener to
20 inch pounds + or - 10 % by feel you come to my shop in hartley texas and demonstrate and I will give you your pick any single tool out of my snap-on tool box I know I cant do it and I have been a mechanic for 15 years and I am shop foreman now

joens

but you have to go diving with me after I have full tanks ready
let me know ahead of time if you need a specific nitrox mix

Your right on that one.Inch pounds are very difficult to replicate by hand.About the only time i used inch pounds were on items like automatic transmissions,carbs,things that had small fragile parts that were not rated in torque ft lbs or where a torque wrench isnt rated for a lower torque in ft lbs,then the inch lbs wrench comes in.

What i was referring to was mostly torque taken in ft pounds.

 

[Aquamaniac]

joens once bubbled...
metric fasteners are stamped onthe head with a number indicating the hardness, standard bolts have a series of hash marks indicating the hardness. example 3 marks = grade 5
If there is anyone out there who can tighten a fastener to
20 inch pounds + or - 10 % by feel you come to my shop in hartley texas and demonstrate and I will give you your pick any single tool out of my snap-on tool box I know I cant do it and I have been a mechanic for 15 years and I am shop foreman now

joens

but you have to go diving with me after I have full tanks ready
let me know ahead of time if you need a specific nitrox mix

Hardness of the fastener is only one component to consider when torquing a bolt,
Example: ICBT G316EV Spindle bolts 2.5" dia TPI 20 grade SAE8
Torque to 280 ft/lbs.
The same torque as the cambox mounting bolts that are only 3/4" TPI 16 grade 5

Dave

 

[joens]

A previous post implied that the manufacturers dont say to torque regs I looked through the manufacturer published repair manuals and found torque specs in all of them but first I will agree that it is not always necessary for instance in one of my Aqua-lung books they gave a torque spec of 40 inch pounds for the low pressure port plugs I have never seen anyone torque the port plugs but the spec is important because it gives you an indication of how tight it needs to be 40 inch pounds is not much I would bet most portplugs are severely over tight.now forthe examples
Poseidon- valve cover -22 foot pounds
Apeks - yoke or DIN connector-12 foot pounds
Zeagle- diaphragm cap- 25-30 foot pounds
Aqua-Lung - spring retainer -25 foot pounds
Abyss -valve cover -40 foot pounds

If someone is not using torque specs on critical parts they better be able to prove they can do it by feel.
joens

 

[Aquamaniac]

Very well stated joe.

Now about that dive, should I bring my own lunch?.........

 

[joens]

if you are coming all the way from australia lunch is on me

 

[Aquamaniac]

Nah, unfortunatly for you, your immigration dept have failed you again and let me into your country (will they ever learn?)

Im in Atlanta Georgia, so it looks like its Vegemite sandwiches all round!

Dave:bonk:

 

[joens]

well I snuck in from Manitoba Canada
chris joens

vegamite will be fine

 

[Genesis]

that ALL fasteners need to be torqued, even though all DO have some kind of spec for their maximum torque (and yes, as noted, its not just the bolt - its also what its bolted INTO!)

But here's the point I was attempting to make - I've yet to see a dive shop WITH a torque wrench. And on most if not all regs there are at least a couple of critical fasteners that require torque-wrench use - and on which the penalty for improper torque can be a catastrophic failure down the road while in use.

IMHO assembling a reg without using one on these critical areas is like tightening cylinder head (or rod!) bolts without one.

Foolish at best.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Totally agree,
EVERY shop should have a torque wrench, especially those with undertrained techs.