I was torquing down a Chris King headset cap for years before a customer pointed out my mistake

I always used my Park Tool TW-5 wrench and just cranked it down until it felt snug, you know, like a stem bolt. Then last week, a regular who's a machinist watched me do it and said, 'You know that's only supposed to be 5 in-lbs, right? You're probably over by triple.' I looked it up, and he was totally right. How many other small parts have I been over-tightening without even thinking?

3 comments

3 Comments

jesse_west2mo ago

Remember that torque spec is for the top cap bolt only, not the stem clamp bolts. Those still need proper torque, like 5-6 Nm usually. It's easy to mix them up since they're right next to each other. The top cap just removes play, then you tighten the stem.

thomas.piper2mo ago

That "felt snug" standard is a real trap. I see it with people installing their own toilet seats, cranking those plastic bolts until they crack the porcelain. We default to a general sense of tight, not the specific light touch a lot of small hardware actually needs.

shane_nguyen1mo ago

...and honestly, I still don't see why it matters so much. I mean, yeah, the spec says 5 in-lbs, but I've been cranking mine for years and never had an issue. My headset never loosened up, never got damaged, and the bearings still feel smooth. It's like when people say you have to use a torque wrench for spark plugs, but half the old school mechanics just go by feel and their cars run fine. Sometimes I think the real mistake is making people scared of a little extra tightness when the parts are way more forgiving than the internet wants you to believe. If it works and nothing breaks, who cares if you're over by a couple in-lbs?