Bolt Torque Considerations And Procedures
Quick Tips To Help Improve Overall Quality In Motor Repairs
By Kirk Kirkland
Electrical Repair Service Co.
Birmingham, Alabama
Technical Education Committee
Member
Many progressive end users require
validated precision in the manufacturing
of new motors they purchase as well as
with the motors they have serviced.
As repair service providers to these
end users, EASA service centers are
often required to comply with the
standards as implemented by the original
equipment manufacturer. This holds true
for the most basic components of an
electric motor: the bolts.
The basic motor assembly and
the integral parts are normally se-
cured via a specific type and grade of
bolt. Therefore, validated bolt torque
procedures and referenced bolt torque
values are necessary to address general
compliance issues.
Definition Of Torque
As generally defined, torque is
a twisting or wrenching effect, or
moment, exerted by a force acting
at a distance on a body, equal to the
force multiplied by the perpendicular
distance between the line of action
of the force and the center of rotation
at which it is exerted as commonly
expressed in units of measure such as:
inch pounds, inch ounces, foot pounds,
Newton meters or Centi Newton
meters. See Figure 1. Therefore the
objective is to have a procedure in
place that addresses the compliance
issue for bolt torque and resultant
clamping force.
Controlling the torque applied in
tightening threaded bolts is the most
commonly used method for the ap-
plication of clamping force. There are
many factors that may affect the rela-
tionship between torque and clamping
force of threaded bolts. These include
8 EASA CURRENTS
items such as lubricated
threads, the material from
which the bolt and receiver
are made, the type of wash-
ers used, the class and finish
of threads and various other
factors.
It is impossible to
establish a definite relation- Figure 1. Torque wrench to measure the force
ship between torque and applied at a specific distance.
applicable clamping force for
all conditions, situations and size, thread condition and the associ-
specialty requirements. In general, a ated clamping necessary to secure the
minimal part of the torque applied to components.
a bolt contributes to clamping force. The mathematic relationship be-
The remainder, which can be as much tween torque applied and the resulting
as 90% of the total applied torque, is force in the bolt is the formula
used to overcome friction under the T=KxdxP
bolt head (or between washer and as defined by the following:
receiver) and friction in the thread T = Torque required (inch pounds,
engagement. Newton meters, etc.)
K = Coeffi cient of friction factor
Importance Of Torque
d = Nominal thread diameter (inches,
The importance of torque in many
millimeters)
applications cannot be overempha-
sized. There are critical applications P = Tension (clamp-load or pre-load)
in which the bolt torque is very sensi- induced in the bolt (pounds, kilo-
tive to the manufacturers design. Be grams)
aware of the special design situations Most of the torque/tension tables
such as vibrators, shakers, crane/hoist that have been developed and pub-
applications, etc. and contact the lished over the years utilize this
manufacturer for details. formula.
Under-torque can result in un- Continued On Page 9
necessary wear of compo-
nents and may contribute Table 1. Establishing K factor for coefficient
to premature mechanical of friction.
failure. When insufficient
clamping forces are ap- Bolt/Fastener Finish K Factor
plied, uneven loads will
be transmitted throughout Plain steel (dry) 0.2+
the assembly, resulting in
Zinc Plating (dry) 0.21 to 0.33
the potential for excessive
or premature wear and fa- Cadmium plated (dry) 0.15 to 0.20
tigue failure. Over-torque
can over stress the bolt, Black Oxide treatment 0.16 to 0.19
bolt receiver and loading (lightly oiled)
of the clamp area. Torque
Moly-disulphide, 0.10 to 0.15
requirements should be
white lead, wax
determined by bolt grade,
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 Bolt Torque Considerations And Procedures
Quick Tips To Help Improve Overall Quality In Motor Repairs
Continued From Page 8

The value of K can range from In summary, the torque applied or lubricated threads. Lubricated
0.30 for a rusted assembly to 0.10, is simply a measure of the amount of threads call for a lesser torque
or less, for a clean well-lubricated energy required to spin the bolt along target value than dry threads.
assembly using a proven thread lubri- the threads, whereas tension is related Torquing a lubricated bolt to a
cant. Make note that the K factor is to the stretch or elongation of the bolt dry torque value may result in the
subject to application variables; the that provides the clamping force of a failure of the bolt or bolt receiver.
industry accepted K factor for clean joint. 4.) Use a calibrated torque wrench
plain bolts is 0.20. However this fac- The following are quick reference for tightening only. The calibrated
tor is reduced to 0.10 should the bolt tips for bolt tightening: torque wrench should be properly
be well lubricated which will result in 1.) Know the bolt grade and type to sized for the bolt to be tightened.
an entirely different torque figure. be used. Do not use a cheater (exten-
Table 1 below lists generally 2.) Reference a bolt torque table for sion) bar as this will invalidate the
accepted figures for the K factor target values. torque reading resulting in non-
based on industry standards. 3.) Determine the torque target value compliant bolting procedure.
A commonly asked question and special considerations such as
is: What torque should be used to whether you are working with dry Continued On Page 10
tighten Grade 5 bolts?
Table 2 considers the
above listed torque formula
and ASTM standards. Notice
the dramatic reduction in
torque applicable to lubri-
cated threads.
Note that the torque values
suggested in the table above
are presented as a general
guide only. Torque is a very
indirect indication of tension;
there might be other factors
involved such as friction, lu-
brication, surface texture, rust,
material type, the use of wash-
ers or prevailing-torque nuts,
thread conditions, debris, etc.
that may affect the outcome.
Charts For Other Types
And Grades
There are additional bolt
torque charts available for
other bolt grades and types;
please be sure you have the
appropriate chart. A properly
tightened bolt is one that is
stretched so it pulls mating
surfaces without exceeding
the design rating of the bolt or
components.

EASA CURRENTS March 2009 

 Bolt Torque Considerations And Procedures
Quick Tips To Help Improve Overall Quality In Motor Repairs
Continued From Page 9

5.) Tighten the bolts in a balanced pattern
when possible to reduce preloaded
clamping of the joints to be secured.
Conclusion
Implementing proper bolt torque
procedures is a quality issue that reli-
ability and precision oriented custom-
ers are demanding. There is a culture
change that may need to take place on
the service center floor. This requires
a move from using an impact wrench
or an extension bar to get the bolt as
tight as possible, to the implementa-
tion of a bolt torque procedure. The
ultimate objective is that the motor
has been assembled to a specification
that will add to the overall quality of
the motor rebuild.
v v v v v v v
Editors Note: A PDF of this article is
available in the Members Only sec-
tion of www.easa.com. If can be found
in the Design/Theory/Application
section under Technical Articles.

10 EASA CURRENTS www.easa.com