Torque settings for brake calipers

Felix · 8 Jan 2014 at 10:01

I have the workshop manual for a Hyundai i20 and I am looking at the torque settings for the front brake calipers. It gives the value for the pins as 21.6 ~ 31.4N.m.

Why have they given a range rather than a fixed value? So what should it really be?!?

Thanks

Frozennova · 8 Jan 2014 at 10:21

Not sure why it specifies a range but as it does I'd be going roughly in the middle so I'd go for 26nm

Felix · 8 Jan 2014 at 13:19

That's my thinking!

rodenal · 8 Jan 2014 at 13:23

Middle should be fine. Tbh anything other than "Jump on a 2 foot bar to release" tight will probably suffice!

lemonade · 8 Jan 2014 at 15:04

Very odd to have a range, just dont overtighten it as you will crossthread the pins, I learnt the hard way once!

Felix · 8 Jan 2014 at 15:06

Thanks. On the same vein, how many people here use the correct torque when fitting wheels?

rodenal · 8 Jan 2014 at 15:26

Rarely on my own car, usually just do them up till they are suitably tight using an extended bar.

I never buzz them on though as that just causes pain all round next time the thing needs to come off

sovietspybob · 8 Jan 2014 at 16:34

i tend to do them by hand using a 2ft breaker bar, i have used a torque wrench in the past but the 100ish nm they were meant to be never seemed that tight to me especially doing track days as they tend to work lose quite easily with the temperature changes to the wheels.

shauncr91 · 8 Jan 2014 at 16:56

I just do it as tight as I can with a normal socket set and my hands, wouldn't bother with the torque rating just use your judgement.

Dogbreath · 8 Jan 2014 at 17:25

lemonade said:
Very odd to have a range, just dont overtighten it as you will crossthread the pins, I learnt the hard way once!

You could strip the thread by over-tightening, but not cross thread it.

lemonade · 8 Jan 2014 at 19:23

Dogbreath said:
You could strip the thread by over-tightening, but not cross thread it.

Oops I meant stripping the threads!

I don't torque my wheels up, just use a 1/2 breaker bar, although it is good practice to torque them, but for the actual bolts of the brake parts I would use a torque wrench, because the the reason why I stripped the threads of my caliper pins is cos I tightened them with a breaker bar as I left my torque wrench home on the day and ended up over tightening the bolts! It was only on one side but the parts came as fours only.

sovietspybob · 8 Jan 2014 at 20:29

I think its especially important if you have aluminium callipers, brembos etc as a lot of them aren't helicoiled from factory so its very very easy to strip the threads, i know as i've done this on one of the threads on the front of my scooby