New tool: Torque wrech. Can I use it to build PC's?

[Peter80]

I got a new tool for my birthday; A set of 2 torque wrenches.

A big one; 28 to 220 Nm, that I have to use to put my car back together.

And a small one; 4 to 24 Nm.

 

My big wrench has a purpose, and now I found myself wondering if I can use the small wrench to tighten the cooler on my CPU just right now.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the torque specs for different motherboard-CPU-cooler combinations?

Does the lab have any information on that topic? Will we be able to apply the exact amount of torque that's necessary to our CPU-coolers?

[BrandonLatzig]

I was joking when I said that, you know that right?

[Agall]

1 minute ago, Peter80 said:

I got a new tool for my birthday; A set of 2 torque wrenches.

A big one; 28 to 220 Nm, that I have to use to put my car back together.

And a small one; 4 to 24 Nm.

 

My big wrench has a purpose, and now I found myself wondering if I can use the small wrench to tighten the cooler on my CPU just right now.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the torque specs for different motherboard-CPU-cooler combinations?

Does the lab have any information on that topic? Will we be able to apply the exact amount of torque that's necessary to our CPU-coolers?

Most CPU coolers use dead stop screws with a spring and retainer, so you simply bottom them out.

 

Other than that, I'd generally recommend using a standard driver and going to 'within reason' hand tight for any screw. The problem being the hardness of the steel/aluminum/plastic most of those screws thread into isn't that great. Its really easy to strip out a lot of screws while even going hand tight for a normal person, especially worse if you're someone used to torquing to heavy torque specs or workout.

[Zando_]

Most CPU coolers assume you don't have a torque wrench. Thus why they commonly use a screw with a set length of threads and a spring. You bottom out the screw, compressing the spring, and the spring then applies the correct tension. Some HEDT/Server CPUs require a torque wrench to install, but they include said wrench with the chip. 

 

You can use the tiny torque wrench on many kinds of vehicles though, bicycles and motorcycles especially will have a bunch of low-torque fasteners. Shop manuals will list specific torque for most bolts and also generic safe values based on the size of the fastener. 

[Lurking]

4 minutes ago, Peter80 said:

I got a new tool for my birthday; A set of 2 torque wrenches.

A big one; 28 to 220 Nm, that I have to use to put my car back together.

And a small one; 4 to 24 Nm.

 

My big wrench has a purpose, and now I found myself wondering if I can use the small wrench to tighten the cooler on my CPU just right now.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the torque specs for different motherboard-CPU-cooler combinations?

Does the lab have any information on that topic? Will we be able to apply the exact amount of torque that's necessary to our CPU-coolers?

I don't think most fasteners in a PC provide a torque rating (like a car or bicycle would). Without a torque specified, the most accurate torque wrench is useless. And in a PC, tightening by feel is good enough. You don't need to keep moving and vibrating parts together.

[Hairless Monkey Boy]

25 minutes ago, Peter80 said:

A big one; 28 to 220 Nm,

And a small one; 4 to 24 Nm.

Hmmm  What happens if you need to torque something to 26 Nm?

[Supersonicwolfe]

1 hour ago, Lurking said:

I don't think most fasteners in a PC provide a torque rating (like a car or bicycle would). Without a torque specified, the most accurate torque wrench is useless. And in a PC, tightening by feel is good enough. You don't need to keep moving and vibrating parts together.

The only system I heard of using a torque rating (with included torque wrench) are HEDT systems.

Intel have one comes with included cooler (it uses the cooler to hold the CPU in socket) and you have to torque it properly other wise you end up with missing channels etc.

[Zando_]

5 minutes ago, Supersonicwolfe said:

The only system I heard of using a torque rating (with included torque wrench) are HEDT systems.

Intel have one comes with included cooler and you have to torque it properly other wise you end up with missing channels etc.

Yep, AMD TR/EPYC chips also use a torque wrench to mount to the socket itself, they include it with the CPU: 

[Peter80]

17 hours ago, Hairless Monkey Boy said:

Hmmm  What happens if you need to torque something to 26 Nm?

I'll probably try to borrow my buddy's wrench.

[Peter80]

16 hours ago, Zando_ said:

Yep, AMD TR/EPYC chips also use a torque wrench to mount to the socket itself, they include it with the CPU: 

Cool picture! I hadn't seen the wrench they include with the package yet. While googling torque specs for CPUs I came across posts that mentioned that Threadrippers need to be screwed down at a specific torque. But indeed no consumer CPU's.

 

I recently heard Linus mentioning a torque-adapter for the LTT-screwdriver (Apparantly it's not going to happen yet).

 

Thanks for the great reply! (Counts for everyone replying, of course!)

 

[HenrySalayne]

23 hours ago, Hairless Monkey Boy said:

Hmmm  What happens if you need to torque something to 26 Nm?

You obviously tighten it with 13 Nm twice!

 

23 hours ago, Peter80 said:

And a small one; 4 to 24 Nm.

That's too much for most screws used in a PC.

Here is an overview for common screw types:

 

E. g., M.2 uses M2 screws you have to tighten with 0.1 to 0.35 Nm.

[Peter80]

1 minute ago, HenrySalayne said:

You obviously tighten it with 13 Nm twice!

 

That's too much for most screws used in a PC.

Here is an overview for common screw types:

 

E. g., M.2 uses M2 screws you have to tighten with 0.1 to 0.35 Nm.

Nice one!

Do you have a link to the source you got it from?

[HenrySalayne]

35 minutes ago, Peter80 said:

Nice one!

Do you have a link to the source you got it from?

Here you go:

https://www.dsm-messtechnik.de/schrauben-drehmoment-tabelle/

 

You will find similar tables in any standard literature for mechanical engineering.