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Oct 3, 2009 | 04:04 PM

#31

Scorpion67

Elder User

Joined: Feb 2008

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Quote:

Originally Posted by BLK94F150

Probably because horsepower is actually a measurement of force over time and gives an indication of the ability of the engine to do work. Torque is just a measure of force. You have to have both.

Pure torque is worthless. I can put a 5 ft pole on a point and stand on it with all of my 176 lbs and create 880ft/lbs of force. Holy crap I'm more powerfull than any diesel engine currently in production for light trucks! No I'm not because I can't turn that around very fast and thus produce very little horsepower.

Mike

Torque is force over distance - or the measure of force/weight and the leverage it is using. Not just pure force, but I think from your example you understand that. You would need to use your weight and leverage to turn the transmission which changes the torque ratio on each gear it is using. You are correct that you need power to go with it. You would only have that torque, until the lever went fully down and you fell off, you couldn't duplicate it for the upmotion. Then there is the practicality issue. To replace a diesel engine for long levers where people continuously stand on them to give the vehicle extra torque.

I think to people who say "power doesn't move trucks" - yes it does, power accelerates trucks (and cars). Torque varies how easy it is for that to happen (makes the load feel like less of a burden).