When One Casually Uses the Word "Torque"

"Berang" (berang) 07/26/2015 at 06:51 • Filed to: torque, rambles

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In relation to reciprocating engines - particularly in cars, it is generally understood they are speaking of a measurement of torque in foot pounds. Or is this not the case?

I didn’t know this casual use of the word “torque” was so irritating to pedants. I wonder how they feel inside when Jeremy Clarkson speaks of “torques”. Torque is not force itself, but a particular application of force of course, and torque can be measured and quanitified in many different ways - but when a car guy says “torque” or “pounds of torque” or “many torques!” they’re generally not talking about what torque is, they’re talking about measuring torque.

And when us car guys talk about torque, we’re usually talking about that measurment from the engine. Once you bring in gearing, rolling resistance etc. You’re getting into the territory of tractive effort, or tractive force. And that is something far too complicated to be discussed casually in the manner of engine torques.

Perhaps we could muddy the waters with some new arbitrary units of measurement for torque. Kilogram miles of torque anyone?

davedave1111 > Berang 07/26/2015 at 06:58

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Let’s talk torque. Maybe we could get Torch in on it.

Berang > davedave1111 07/26/2015 at 07:00

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Torch is a force. Applied twistingly, from a distance.

JustWaitingForAMate > Berang 07/26/2015 at 07:04

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Newton meters.

Metric system is best system.

Berang > JustWaitingForAMate 07/26/2015 at 07:09

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Replace newton with a standardized unit of potato. I would like to see torque quantified in “potato meters”.

Tohru > Berang 08/02/2015 at 16:19

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Every car has a lot ot torques. GM’s have a lot of Torx. Some of those Torx have a lot of torques. When was the last time you tried to take out a seat belt bolt with nothing but a T50 socket and a 1/2” inch ratchet in the middle of a field on a 90 degree day?

Berang > Tohru 08/02/2015 at 16:23

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If you use a torch you won’t need to use any torques to remove that bolt.

Tohru > Berang 08/02/2015 at 16:25

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A liberal application of Torch, however, would have just left the bolt sticky and embarassed.