“Righty tighty, lefty loosey.” Truer words have never been spoken, let alone permanently etched into our brains. Even when we haven’t a clue which way is right side up, at least we know how to unscrew a cap, tighten a bolt, and reseal a jar. Such is the mantra of a friendly neighborhood mechanic. Armed with a torque wrench and an apparent aversion to squeaks and spills, he offers a daily lesson that even the mundane, non-garage stuff needs an occasional wrenching.
The social media feeds for Sanjam Singh (dba Singh’s Auto Garage) started off innocuous enough. Early Instagram and TikTok posts are mostly related to the business’s automotive services, Singh’s under-the-hood technical skills, and a few car memes for good measure. Occasionally, Singh will share an image or video from his home life with his baby daughter and his dogs.
At some point, though, he begins to share videos of him tightening random car parts, whether he previously worked on that item or not. Things like a thermostat housing, intake clamp, valve covers, and wheels. Okay, no harm, no foul. But things take a silly turn as he asks, “Did you get your torque on today?”
The next thing you know, he’s tightening volume control knobs, taillights, gas caps, and radiator caps. Perhaps it’s a garage-induced tic, and the torque wrench is Singh’s fidget toy? If those weren’t obsessive enough, Singh follows suit with household fixtures like door handles, light switches, light bulbs, toothpaste tubes, and a toilet. “Wouldn’t want my toilet to tip over or nothing while I’m using it,” he says.
He also gives his shoelaces a good wrenching to ensure his shoes don’t fly off while he’s working. So, you’re telling me there’s a chance? Yeah, although it’s more like one out of a million, the probability isn’t zero. Even if the shoes don’t go soaring, loose laces are a tripping hazard, so why not be safe than sorry?
Each torqued item is then given a loving pat at the end, like a good-to-go seal of approval. Is it nonsense? Yes. Do we care? Pfft. It’s a fun, non-frustrating take on the everyday life of a mechanic. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to torque a permanent marker cap. Don’t want it drying out or nothing.