Mountain Biking - Torque isn't for dorks anymore

Well, I got my new Deore V-brakes. While I was reading the installation manual I noticed all the torque measurements,I thought," Man, only a dork would follow this, and besides, I have a steel frame". But I found out the hard way that you have to pay attention. I put the calipers on but they still felt loose, so I decided to crank'em on a little harder. I popped the top right off one of the bolts that secure the caliper. I was very lucky that I was able to get the threaded part of the bolt out of the fork, and then I was even luckier to have a spare bolt. So the moral, DON'T tighten things to much!! And if you don't have a torque wrench, go till it feels snug, and then just a little further.

Yup, I've been there, too, Fubar.

This could start a rehash about lightweight materials...Pop! goes the bolt head!

This is why we have torque wrenches.

Well, I don't have any torque wrenches. I don't nkow what I'm gonna do. I guess I'll have get some.

Sounds like a job for tork-grip:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tork-grip.html

Fubar,
I would not sweat it dude. If you get it on and it does not vibrae, or fall off, and it is safe, you are fine. Tourque guidelines are established as a reccomended setting for safety purposes. It is purely a legal matter at its truest form. I have never used a torque wrench for bikes, and have NEVER had one fail or anyone crash on bikes I built because of improper torque.

And for the truly retentive:

common torque values for bike parts (http://www.faqs.org/faqs/bicycles-faq/part2/section-35.html)

Big Disclaimer! I've never used these values, nor do I own a torque wrench. But I may order Sheldon's.....;)

P.S. I've never seen anybody use a torque wrench in a shop. My most trusted mechanic buddy is agreement with Hunter on this.

In the UK we used to have a toy called Meccano. It was a system of metal strips with holes, pulleys, hinges and tiny nuts and bolts. Kids could build almost anything with it.
One of our top engineers says that the quality of British mechanical engineering students has gone down since kids stopped playing with Meccano. They just dont have a feel for the characteristics of materials.
In my own company , you can always tell if an engineer grew up with Meccano . The Meccano kids can torque a bolt just so, the others tend to strip threads and damage screws.

Ahh, those were called Erector Sets here in the U.S. I would wear out the Sears Christmas catalog thumbing through that section.

I understand that Brio is reintroducing Erector Sets/Meccano to the U.S. market this summer. I know what my niece is getting for Christmas!

A little finess and feel go a long way in this world in just about everything. But....Ain't nothin' wrong with using a torque wrench if you got it :p

ah yes! the erector set. i still own one after all these years. (well considering im only 14, thats not much of an accomplishment) but i loved making things out of little trips of metal, nuts and bolts. Now and then i still do for my tech. ed. class. And i totally agree with MichaelW about being able to tighten bolts, just right, but cycling, like the automobile industry, has become a prescision sport. if i werent a novice and actually did repairs on my bike myself without having to say things like thingymajig, and dohickey, then i would definitely use a torque wrench.

yep- stripped the threads out of a brake post on my fork once doing just that same thing. Luckily it was the ones on the fork and not the ones brazed to the rear. Ordered a new one from Answer.

My advice, tighten until it feels snug, and use blue Loctite.