Metric notation question (Guzziology content)

[Ronkom]

I bought a "Service Station Manual" for my Piaggio MP-3 500 (Fuoco 500) In looking up the torque settings for bolting the front wheels back on, I find 19-24 ("torque in Nm"). The sign between the numbers is what i was taught to read as "divided by" (a horizontal line w/dots above & below). I'd assume that to read 19-to-24 Nm EXCEPT that there are 4 torque listings w/a "minus" sign (simple horizontal line) between the numbers. Am I reading the numbers correctly?
My torque wrench reads in Pounds /feet. according to Guzziology I'm to multiply Nm numbers by .738 to get Pounds /feet. That gives me 14-17 ft/lbs torque for the "front wheel fixing screws". Considering the way they felt when I removed them it might be about right. What say?
ronkom

[cloudbase]

Might just be a typo.  Not that the Italians would ever make a mistake in a manual.

[Matt Story]

Your conversion is correct mathematically

[oldbike54]

 Using a median figure of 21 NM's , we get 15 lbs ft . So yes , it sounds right .

 Dusty

[Jeeron]

Coming from a metric country

19-24 Nm is the same as 19 to 24 Nm.

However when I tighten my front wheels.... I just use the notion of  if it's tight it's good and I've never had a problem with that.

[Demar]

I use this conversion site..... http://www.onlineconversion.com/

Scroll down to Torque and plug in the number and choose newton meter and pound foot

[pikipiki]

obelus ➗
solidus /

[CalVin2007]

"Obelus definition, a mark (− or ÷) used in ancient manuscripts to point out spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous words or passages."

   In a Guzzi reference book...need I say more?

[oldbike54]

"Obelus definition, a mark (− or �) used in ancient manuscripts to point out spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous words or passages."

   In a Guzzi reference book...need I say more?

 Wait , aren't you a wrench monkey ??? Where did you pick up that bit of esoteric knowledge ?   

 Dusty

[rboe]

19-24, means 19 to 24, they are giving you a range of values that are OK. When you see the dash used that way they are talking a range of values, not a math function.

[redrider]

My torque wrenches have both scales. 

[johnr]

I use this conversion site..... http://www.onlineconversion.com/

Scroll down to Torque and plug in the number and choose newton meter and pound foot

I have this one on my home screen. It's been very useful.
http://wscope.com/convert.htm

[M0T0Geezer]

What does NM mean, anyway?  Not Much ??

[Chuck in Indiana]

I've used this little engineering program for years and years.. it'll convert about anything into anything else. I haven't got the lead into gold conversion down yet, though..
http://joshmadison.com/convert-for-windows/

[vstevens]

What does NM mean, anyway?  Not Much ??

Please correct me if wrong, but my understanding is that Newtons are a unit of force, a push or pull.  Meters are a unit of distance.  Nm represents the product of force times distance (albeit angular distance when turning a bolt).  Nm also represents the concept of work, force applied across a distance.  Hope that is helpful.  International units have been around a very long time.  It's hard to shake the old and arbitrary English system of pounds and inches, units of force and distance, respectively.

[CalVin2007]

Wait , aren't you a wrench monkey ??? Where did you pick up that bit of esoteric knowledge ?   

 Dusty

   I hang out with some smart folks online. 

[oldbike54]

   I hang out with some smart folks online. 

 Where ?

 Dusty

[Scud]

I have a great app on my phone called Converter+    It converts torque, volume, weights, distances, currencies, and probably about 100 other things - even gravity on planets and mens motorcycle boot sizes (US 10 = UK 9.5 = EU 43.8).

I set the torque on the low end of the recommended scale when using a bit of anti-seize/thread lubricant or any bolt that's been on and off several times. I just set to the middle of the range for anything else.

[pikipiki]

"Obelus definition, a mark (− or ➗ ) used in ancient manuscripts to point out spurious, corrupt, doubtful, or superfluous words or passages."

   In a Guzzi reference book...need I say more?

   :1: That's funny.

19 ➗ 24 Nm

[rodekyll]

When I worked for dealerships we'd get sent to school a lot.  The factory schools were like boot camps, but they had good swag.  I think I collected a slide rule with the specs and conversions for about everything automotive over the years.  Some were general -- like units of measurement conversion -- where you could see the different notations for a value at a glance.  Some were really specific, like the tune up and maintenance specs for all the years of a particular model.  I still have a stack of them and still use them on a regular basis -- not much need for an 'app' when it's all in hard copy with official dealer specs, dangling from a chain on the toolbox.

[cruzziguzzi]

What a bunch of bunk!

Just use the; "number of finger-tips relative to the number of threads per INCH" method and get on with it.

This whole metric fad is soon to blow over and everyone who took it seriously will find themselves over invested in tools which will be mere novelties and fairly uncomplying ones at that.

And - Keep yer damn kids offa my lawn! Ain't gonna tell you again! 


Todd.

[pete mcgee]

What a bunch of bunk!

Just use the; "number of finger-tips relative to the number of threads per INCH" method and get on with it.

This whole metric fad is soon to blow over and everyone who took it seriously will find themselves over invested in tools which will be mere novelties and fairly uncomplying ones at that.

And - Keep yer damn kids offa my lawn! Ain't gonna tell you again! 


Todd.

Says he who is from one of the few holdout countries that don't do metric
One day you WILL come into the light......

[centauro]

I bought a "Service Station Manual" for my Piaggio MP-3 500 (Fuoco 500) In looking up the torque settings for bolting the front wheels back on, I find 19-24 ("torque in Nm"). The sign between the numbers is what i was taught to read as "divided by" (a horizontal line w/dots above & below). I'd assume that to read 19-to-24 Nm EXCEPT that there are 4 torque listings w/a "minus" sign (simple horizontal line) between the numbers. Am I reading the numbers correctly?
My torque wrench reads in Pounds /feet. according to Guzziology I'm to multiply Nm numbers by .738 to get Pounds /feet. That gives me 14-17 ft/lbs torque for the "front wheel fixing screws". Considering the way they felt when I removed them it might be about right. What say?
ronkom

At work, I monitor the calibration schedules of more than 100 torque wrenches of all sizes and ranges; all of them, whether made by Snap-On or other brands, have both scales on them:  inch-pounds and Newton-meters. You should not have any need to convert the specified values.

[cruzziguzzi]

Says he who is from one of the few holdout countries that don't do metric
One day you WILL come into the light......

With Liberia and Burma(Myanmar) on our side - watch the evil cabal of Franco-centri-fascists fall!

I call SQUIRREL to the world!


Todd.

[pete mcgee]

Dusty,
Cars perhaps, your auto industry is globalized.
Your aircraft however are still in cubits ie  feet and inchs.
Like you say it keeps you on your toes and is a good excuse to buy more tools

[johnr]

Mr McGee , we engineer our cars and bikes largely in the metric system in 'Murica , unfortunately all of our lumber still uses feet , and our roads are measured in the mile . It keeps us on our toes .

 Dusty

And of course Merkin money has been metric from its inception.

[oldbike54]

And of course Merkin money has been metric from its inception.

 Excellent point John  One thing we got right , the English monetary system still confuses us , what the heck is a tuppence ?

 Dusty

[johnr]

You know so called imperial measures have their origin in real world features.  The inch, foot, yard, fathom, cubit etc. all come from body parts. The mile and its relatives come from earth measurements.

The pound (weight) and it's children though has got me flumoxed. Its origin or inspiration seems lost to antiquity.

Metric systems came into being because they were easier to calculate.  (Perhaps the French could not divide by 12?) Somehow though, I suspect because of real world relationships, imperial measurements are often easier to visualise.   

[johnr]

Tuppence?  Two pennies or a term of endearment.

The Imperial money system of course stemmed from mass measurements of precious metals as a comparison of value.

[oldbike54]

 Johnr , oddly enough 'Muricans have 12 digits 

 Having worked with Whitworth , British standard and motorcycle threads , metric stuff , and SAE , along with being in the USAF during a period where Kilometers and the metric system in general were being pushed , I am fairly comfortable working with any system . Phonetic spelling was also common , gage for gauge is an example . Heck , the Gregorian calendar hasn't been around all that long , we will get there eventually .

 Dusty