Re: Tool questions

[cak@dimebank.com (Chris Kantarjiev)]

That's probably true in the airframe business where fasteners are 
positively retained (nylocs, jetnuts, safety wire), and
designers are careful to load things in double shear.

Automotive applications often use bolt stretch and/or spring washers to do
retention - requiring that enough torque be applied to stretch
the bolt enough to apply tension to the fastener system. For a
5/16" diameter bolt, that's around 18 ft-lbs, more than you can
comfortably apply with a 1/4 ratchet handle.