Quick answer: Both matter. Breakaway describes restart from rest, while running torque describes continued movement under defined speed.

Which torque determines manual operating effort?
Contact sticking and transmission losses can make the first movement feel much heavier than a continuous sweep. A force reduction may improve one part of the motion while weakening return elsewhere. Separate the user-effort targets and compare them at relevant positions.

A practical verification method
Pause, restart and continue at the same position; record peak startup and subsequent running values.
| Item | What to record | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Reference configuration | Part or assembly identity and drawing revision | Make comparisons traceable |
| Test conditions | Relevant position, direction and operating condition | Compare the same characteristic |
| Decision evidence | Pause, restart and continue at the same position; record peak startup and subsequent running values. | Resolve the specific question before approval |

Use the result in an engineering request
Describe the observed condition and the required function separately. Include the relevant drawing revision and your results from the check above. If an acceptance limit has not been established, identify it as an open design input rather than treating a successful trial as approval.
Review the related Leading Spring product information. For a project-specific review, send the mechanism description, available geometry and the evidence relevant to this decision through the contact page.
Editorial note: AI-assisted engineering guidance, prepared from the topic-specific reasoning shown here and the company’s public product context. Illustrations explain decisions; they are not customer-case photographs or test results. Product-specific suitability requires review against your approved requirements.