In the face of having to keep up with the ever-rapidly evolving technology spilling out of the showroom floor, it’s easy to sometimes ignore the basics.
Considering today’s age of ever-advancing electronic control systems, techs must struggle to stay abreast of often complex diagnostics. That’s obvious. However, many younger technicians enter the industry lacking basic knowledge of thread fasteners, i.e. shank length, thread pitch/count, inch and metric sizing, etc. During component assembly & installation, it’s common for some fasteners to require replacement due to missing, broken, or damaged original fasteners. The need to identify the correct bolt, screw, or nut relies on identifying format (inch or metric), thread diameter, thread count, shank length, tensile strength grade, thread preparation, and more. Depending on the situation, techs may simply order the published size/type listed in the service manual, or revert to readily available aftermarket fasteners. Just because the replacement bolt “seems to fit” does not mean that it’s the correct bolt for the given application. More emphasis needs to be placed on educating young technicians regarding this basic knowledge that is often overshadowed by ever-advancing electronic systems. You may roll your eyes in disdain while reading this, but if you ask a new tech how to identify and measure a metric bolt, don’t be surprised if you’re greeted with a blank stare. If so, it’s not really the young tech’s fault. He or she simply may not been informed of the need to understand these basics.
For example, simply understanding thread size for both fractional and metric platforms can help new techs avoid confusion. Thread size involves both diameter and thread spacing. Fractional bolts, for example, are sized (as the term implies) in fractional inch increments such as ¼, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, ½, 9/16, etc. Threads are identified in terms of “threads per inch”, meaning the number of threads per inch of bolt shank length. An example is 5/16x18, representing a bolt that is 5/16” in diameter, with 18 threads along a 1” length. Metric bolt diameters are sized in millimeters, and threads are identified by the spacing between threads. An example is M8 x 1.25, meaning that the bolt diameter is 8mm and the threads are spaced 1.25mm apart.
Of course, this is basic info, but it is surprisingly misunderstood by some, especially some newbie technicians. Consider conducting a brief basic instruction class when new staff enters the shop. It can also serve as a good refresher for seasoned techs as well.
