When you think of torque, you probably think of POWER. Because the right amount of torque gives you the power to do your job faster and easier.
To be more precise, torque is a rotational power (or force). When we talk about torque in a vehicle, we’re talking about the rotational power available at the wheels.
So, when you’re using an impact tool, you need torque to get the rotational power to remove or tighten lug nuts, brake caliper bolts, etc.
So, the more torque you have, the better, right? Well… no. Not exactly.
You can easily reach a point where you have too much torque for the job at hand, which can cause a lot of problems that will make a relatively simple job much more complicated and time-consuming.
“Some mechanics apply too much torque, and they don’t even know it,” says Joshua Johnson, Ingersoll Rand Power Tools Engineering Director. “An application like lug nuts may only need 80 ft-lbs., but unknowingly you can apply 300-400 ft-lbs. on the lugs if you’re using the wrong tool or using the right tool incorrectly. This can be dangerous because it can cause the wheel studs to fail.”
In the article below, we’ll look at torque recommendations for various jobs and the torque capacities of some Ingersoll Rand impact tools - all to help answer the key question, “How much torque do you need?”