Difference between a snug tight and a fully tensioned bolt?

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A snug tight bolt is achieved by turning it until it stops, resulting in minimal gap and no rattling, often referred to as "finger tight." In contrast, a fully tensioned bolt is tightened to a specified torque setting, ensuring it meets engineering specifications. Proper pretensioning enhances a bolt's ability to resist fatigue from repeated loading, which is crucial for structural integrity. Understanding the difference between snug tight and fully tensioned bolts is essential for effective fastening. The discussion emphasizes that bolt tensioning is more complex than it may seem.
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anyone knows the difference between a snug tight and a fully tensioned bolt?
thanks in advance:thumbs:
 
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Turn the bolt until it stops, there is little or no visible gap and does not rattle when you shake it - a low-to-nil setting on a torque wrench for eg or just "finger tight". This is "snug tight".

The bolt will turn further than that - when it is turned to a non-zero setting on the torque wrench, it is a tensioned bolt. When it is tensioned to the enginerring spec, then it is "fully tensioned". Above or below the spec then it is over or under tensioned respectively.

http://www.skf.com/files/880426.pdf
 
Simon Bridge said:
Turn the bolt until it stops, there is little or no visible gap and does not rattle when you shake it - a low-to-nil setting on a torque wrench for eg or just "finger tight". This is "snug tight".

The bolt will turn further than that - when it is turned to a non-zero setting on the torque wrench, it is a tensioned bolt. When it is tensioned to the enginerring spec, then it is "fully tensioned". Above or below the spec then it is over or under tensioned respectively.

http://www.skf.com/files/880426.pdf

thanks very much, simon.
it helps.
 
The more you pretension a bolt, assuming you are doing it correcting (e.x. using washers), the better that bolt can resist fatigue due to cyclic or repeated loading. So, there are sometimes fundamental reasons for pretensioning bolts to a certain spec, aside from making sure the bolt doesn't come loose..
 
So, there are sometimes fundamental reasons for pretensioning bolts to a certain spec, aside from making sure the bolt doesn't come loose..
... which is the most likely way someone may be puzzled about this :)
... and the link in post #2, reappearing in #3, goes into detail - yep.

And people think that "doing up bolts" is simple ;)
 
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