28
Guy at the co-op told me I was over-torquing my stem bolts... he was right
I snapped a bolt on a brand new Thomson stem last month because I thought tighter was better. He showed me his Park Tool torque wrench and now I have one of my own - has anyone else ruined a part this way?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
james_singh71mo ago
The guy at the co-op saved you from a bigger headache honestly. I snapped a bolt on a brand new Thomson stem last month because I thought tighter was better. Felt like such a rookie move but hey, we all learn the hard way sometimes. Torque wrenches are one of those things you don't realize you need until you wreck something expensive. Glad you got one now, it really takes the guesswork out of tightening stuff.
5
james_kim1mo agoTop Commenter
Guess I used to think torque wrenches were just an extra tool for people with too much money or time... but hearing about your Thomson stem snapping changed my mind completely. I always figured if you're careful and have a good feel for tightness, you'd be fine. But that's exactly how I've probably damaged a few bolts over the years without realizing it. That horrible crack sound you mentioned is something I never want to hear on my own parts. Now I'm actually thinking about picking one up before I mess up something expensive. It's wild how something so small can save you from a big headache later.
5
kimreed1mo ago
Totally agree with you @james_singh7 but I just gotta say Thomson bolts aren't really prone to snapping unless you're cranking way past spec. Its more the cheap alloy stuff that gives first. That said your point stands - torque wrench is the way to go once you've felt that horrible crack sound. Did you have to drill out the broken bolt or were you able to get it out easy?
4