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A plumber's torque comment changed how I seat compressor bolts
Was on a fridge compressor swap in North Jersey last Tuesday when the plumber on site said I was over-tightening, just like he sees on water heaters. He showed me how a 1/4 inch drive with a 6 inch extension gives you better feel than a big ratchet. I started using that trick on all sealed systems, has anyone else switched to smaller tools for compressor work?
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the_richard1mo ago
Funny enough, the real lesson here might not be about feel at all. Smaller tools force you to slow down and pay attention to what your hand is doing, and that alone prevents most stripped threads. Big ratchets make you rush because they feel powerful, so you muscle things home without thinking. The plumber basically gave you a built-in speed bump, and that's worth more than any torque spec. Ever tried counting the turns instead of just the snap of the clicker?
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