Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds
Race Director
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
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Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (Pacin'California)
Using dimensional analysis, I would guess 120 in-lb = 10 ftlb
120 in-lb x (1 ft/12in) = 10 ft-lb
-Stteve
120 in-lb x (1 ft/12in) = 10 ft-lb
-Stteve
Le Mans Master
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From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (foundvettelifeisgood)
One inch pound is the force applied one inch away from the center of the bolt. One foot pound is the force applied twelve inches away. So twelve inch pounds = foot pound. Don't ask about Newton meters!!
Melting Slicks
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From: Sodertalje/Sweden
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (silvervetteman)
One inch pound is the force applied one inch away from the center of the bolt. One foot pound is the force applied twelve inches away. So twelve inch pounds = foot pound. Don't ask about Newton meters!!
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
So the answer is obviously simple and simply obvious. However, it is still very important to keep the units straight, use the correct units, and not get them confused. I have seen instructions for screwing down a carb that were given in lbs/ft rather than lbs/inches, and I sure hope nobody followed those directions! :eek: MJ
Le Mans Master
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From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (BB wowbagger)
Newtom meters are a metric measurement of torque that is seen in a lot of manuals on newer cars and even a lot of new torque wrenches have a NM scale. ........That's what I know about Newton meters. :rolleyes:
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (Mike Ward)
Did I really just ask how many inches in a foot? :yesnod: Believe it or not, I knew there were 12. I just couldn't believe it was that simple. Did the torque wrench maker come up with this so you'd buy an inch pound and a foot pound torque wrench? Why would my Corvette assembly manual point to one bolt and tell me in foot pounds and one right under it in inch pounds, especially if they're telling me 120-180 inch pounds?
:bs
:bs
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (foundvettelifeisgood)
Most ft-lb torque wrenches don't start reading below 20 foot lbs so if they call for 10 ft lbs how do you read that on a ft-lb torque wrench. So instead they call for 120 in -lbs expecting you to go to the proper torque wrench.
I keep both in my tool box.
I keep both in my tool box.
Le Mans Master
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From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (norvalwilhelm)
Smaller items require accurate torque to avoid over torqueing so we need smaller increnments . There are even inch oz. torque wrenches. Likewise for measuring vacuum. Inches of mercury (hg") is common but for finer measurements we use inches of water. Kinda like dollars and cents or miles and feet. :sleep:
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (norvalwilhelm)
Norval and Silver--Thanks for making sense of this. My torque wrench dips down to 10 pounds, so I'm good for 120 inch pounds. I guess if I wasn't doing the front suspension, I'd have some lesser torque values and would need the the smaller wrench. No doubt that day will come.
:smash:
:smash:
Pro
Joined: May 2001
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From: watchung N.J.
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (foundvettelifeisgood)
One other thing to note is that a torque wrench is most accurate half way between its range thus the accuracy drops off towards the extremes low and high, this is why a inch pound wrench is more preferable on lower torque settings.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Chester Virginia
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (spokewrench)
:iagree:
Don't bother to use the torque wrench if it is right at the bottom like you say yours is. Accuracy does not exist at this point. Hanging a 10 pound weight from a 12" wrench would probably more accurate.
Roger
Don't bother to use the torque wrench if it is right at the bottom like you say yours is. Accuracy does not exist at this point. Hanging a 10 pound weight from a 12" wrench would probably more accurate.
Roger
Le Mans Master
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From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (RMS73)
Breakaway or snap torque wrenches are convenient .. but the old beam type is just as accurate if not more so and they do not need to be calibrated. ;)
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Re: Inch Pounds versus Foot Pounds (BB wowbagger)
How abot that "Newton meters" then? :jester
Professor:
A newton is roughly 1/4 pound.
What weighs a 1/4 pound?
Class (together)
A quarter pounder! :skep:
Professor:
No...well, yeah, but not that.
A medium-sized apple weighs about a 1/4 pound
Class (mumbling):
Well, so does a quarter pounder.
.
.
.
(The rest of the story went on to compare a meter squared to a tabletop. So slice up an apple, spread it around the tabletop and that immense pressure it exerts is ONE Pascal. Now you know why stuff happens in MEGA Pascals for engineering :yesnod: )
Anyhow...
Newton: 1/4 lb
Meter: 3 feet (roughly)
Newton meter: 3/4 ft/lb
Foot lb: 1.25 Nm
Not exact, but close enough :yesnod: