OK, I'm relatively new at auto repair, so I finally thought to ask - when I see something such as and tighten to 25 Nm (18 ft-lb), how do you know that you are or have done this? Is there some handy tool that tells you how hard you've tightened something or what?

 

Yeah its called a torque wrench. They sell them at Sears, AutoZone, Pep Boys, and anywhere else they sell tools.

 

Ah. I wonder if I've used one and just never noticed the settings... hmmm - now I'm going to have to raid the tool bench when I get home to find out.

 

its like a big ratchet with settings on the handle, or there is one that has a big needle that shows the torque but the second type isnt as accurate.