Old 03-17-24 | 01:57 PM
  #11  
Mtracer
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Joined: Jan 2022
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From: Albuquerque NM USA
Concerning wet or dry, I too would like that information. But The generally accepted 40% derating when wet (lubed), while significant, isn't orders of magnitude. I tend to err on the low side of any range of specs given. So, if it is meant dry, then I'm not necessarily exceeding it if lubed, if it has a wide enough range. Or not exceeding it by much.

Also, many of the specs printed on bike parts are a maximum. So, I always tend to stay well below that. Basically I use a torque wrench but if the spec is 5 N-m Max., I'll use 4 N-m unless I have a reason not to. I can't think of anything that has ever become loose on my bikes. So, this approach has been working well for me. I ride mostly road, so might be a different story if I were riding a lot of MTB in rock gardens.

The only time I got bit was tightening some aluminum chain-ring bolts. The aluminum bolts snap VERY easily. The Shimano spec is 12-16 N-m (I know super high). I now know this is a dry number, but didn't at the time I snapped one. There's a lot of debate whether to lube or not lube chain-ring bolts. Many if not most opinions I saw people lubed them to avoid seizing issue later and to perhaps avoid noise. But they torqued to 8 N-m Max.

It also seems a lot of things on the bike are lubed. I try to find manufacturer's specs whenever possible. But sometimes I can't find anything. So, that where a table like the one I linked is way better than nothing.
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