Torque Wrench

Where can I get a good one and what kind of price should I look to pay ?

I have seen £30 in Demon Tweeks to £80 in Halfords.

I am not a big DIY type but, there have been a few times where I thought, I should be using a torque wrench here:

Fitting new Spark plugs, strut brace and when putting my wheels back on the car.

I don't need the best there is, just a GOOD one rather than something that will break in 6 months.

I will only use it ~3 or 4 times a year I guess, at this point in time.

Thanks.

I've only ever used a torque wrench for cylinder head bolts where it really is essential to use one. Never used one for all three of the scenarios you list

The other great time to have one is doing up the front crank pulley but if you can find one that goes to 230odd ftlbs for a two figure sum it's a misprint on the box

-Ian

I have always used the 'tight but, not too tight' rule.

I was not sure if I should progress on from this and torque it down to the published figures.

I ALWAYS use a torque wrench for fitting and undoing my wheels. Not only does it give more leverage but means they are done up to the desired amount so no stupid hard to get off nuts syndrome, or wheel stuck to hub syndrome.........

The torque required to tighten a sparkplug is relatively small , approx 13 lbf.ft and something like 76 lbf.ft for the wheels.

The one at Demon Tweeks looks okay.(10-150 lbf.ft)

Torque wrench

Personally I just tighten untill they feel right although I use a torque wrench for the more critical components.

Basically the more you pay will give you better accuracy and quality.

I only ever used torque wrench on Cam bearing bolts, cylinder head stuff.

TBH, I did even torque down the header, as it near impossible to some at the back, and the gearbox cover bolts, on the big stuff you just need good solid 6 point socket & good leaverage, that should be fine.

Couldnt torque down gearbox bolts, as they are near impossible, as it was all torqued up to the engine while it was on the bench@TOYOTA, then they drop the shell on it, so on some bits it cant be done.

Regarding the crank bolt, some stong loctite, and a air gun should be fine ........

my motto is if it dont rotate dont be to cautious about torqueing it down ...

HTH.

I bought a cheap one from argus

HTH

Rich

Cheers all

As usual I am going to go against the flow here. I have heard of people with torque elbow and those who say things should be done up FT etc.

If a manufacturer has gone to the trouble of designing a high performance car and has specified the torque settings who are we to assume our own heave on a spanner will do just a good a job.

I did not used to be like this but a friend had a nasty accident after some suspension parts worked loose as they not tightened up properly by a mate who did the job using his torque elbow.

If you are not a regular to work on cars I would say a torque wrench is a must. Especially when you are putting bolts in to aluminium. Ask your self why any good tire place does up the wheel nuts with a hand torque wrench, when it would be much quicker to use a gun and just whack them up FT.

A few quid for that extra security is worth it IMHO

Termi, pls explain to me how can someone torque the Bolts of the back of the gearbox, if it was done before it was put in the car shell?

I know a special Snap on bit that can do some sick angles, but is it worth £350? When if you can Get good leaverage on the bolt, and do it up tight.

Put it this way, whe I tighened a certain bolt really tight, I had access to it, so used my wrench to see if it was at right setting, and hey presto, was just over 50 lb/ft when book stated 51, so not using a wrech will not be end fo the world. :-)

It comes down to whetehr you are confident that is tight enough.

I understand that yes torque ratings should be used, but you cant always have them, just do them up nice a tight, and itll be fine, we cant always do stuff to factory spec ....

well I cant especially out of the back of my garage ... lol

Just my 2P

Originally posted by Usmann A

Termi, pls explain to me how can someone torque the Bolts of the back of the gearbox, if it was done before it was put in the car shell?

I know a special Snap on bit that can do some sick angles, but is it worth £350? When if you can Get good leaverage on the bolt, and do it up tight.

 

Put it this way, whe I tighened a certain bolt really tight, I had access to it, so used my wrench to see if it was at right setting, and hey presto, was just over 50 lb/ft when book stated 51, so not using a wrech will not be end fo the world. :-)

It comes down to whetehr you are confident that is tight enough.

I understand that yes torque ratings should be used, but you cant always have them, just do them up nice a tight, and itll be fine, we cant always do stuff to factory spec ....

well I cant especially out of the back of my garage ... lol

 

 

Just my 2P

I think the point he was making was that people who are not used to doing bolts up to certain setting will have no idea on the lb/ft setting.

Even if you do it a lot you cannot be certain, you are talking about a potentially expensive mistake (and a life endangering one) if things are not done correctly.

Out of interest... This bolt you did to within 1lb/ft of the correct setting.....how would you know that every other one was correct as well?

By all means take the risk on your own car, but I wouldn't let anyone work on mine who couldn't be arsed to properly check themselves, who knows what else they couldn't be arsed to do?!?!

Hi,

yes I understand you point, its eaiser said then done, I know the rest of the bolts would be ok.

You ovbiously didnt read my post before in the thread, I said on stuf like cam bearings etc, cylinder head, and components that rotate, have to torqued down, but where talking about stuff like bolts that hold two things together, its not like they will all of s sudden come loose, and fall off.

Like the aliminium inlet stuff, over a year ago I took it apart and put it back, no torqueing required, and guess what it didtn fall off!

Id like to see if toyota torque all the near impossible bolts down, in fact most garages.

Oh, what is life endangering about not torqueing inlet bolts?

I am all for torqueing wheels, remember I said stuff that rotates has inertial forces ....

dont quite get what your trying to say here? I am quited arsed to to things properly, more than your average 17 yr old my friend.

Just because I dont torque a few bolts doesnt affect my workmanship ...

I use torque wrenches whenever possible. Wheels, plugs, bleed nipples etc.

Most DIYers are more likely to strip or shear a bolt rather than leave it loose IMO - have a look at the stripped wheel stud questions and the infamous caliper thread

As Term says, the spec is there for a reason! Yeah, it probably won't make a difference, but better safe than sorry! I like to do things up to spec for that reason alone.

Get yourself a torque wrench and use it!

Originally posted by Usmann A

Hi,

yes I understand you point, its eaiser said then done, I know the rest of the bolts would be ok.

 

You ovbiously didnt read my post before in the thread, I said on stuf like cam bearings etc, cylinder head, and components that rotate, have to torqued down, but where talking about stuff like bolts that hold two things together, its not like they will all of s sudden come loose, and fall off.

 

Like the aliminium inlet stuff, over a year ago I took it apart and put it back, no torqueing required, and guess what it didtn fall off!

 

 

Id like to see if toyota torque all the near impossible bolts down, in fact most garages.

 

Oh, what is life endangering about not torqueing inlet bolts?

 

I am all for torqueing wheels, remember I said stuff that rotates has inertial forces ....

 

dont quite get what your trying to say here? I am quited arsed to to things properly, more than your average 17 yr old my friend.

 

Just because I dont torque a few bolts doesnt affect my workmanship ...

I read all the posts. I was talking generally and not specifically about inlet bolts.

As far as getting what I am trying to say.....I am trying to say that when it comes to my car I prefer a torque wrench to be used wherever possible. Nothing more, nothing less. I never said you could/couldn't be arsed to do anything. What does a 17year old have to do with anything?

I made no reference to YOUR workmanship!

Whilst I quoted you and my reply was in response to your comments, I wasn't talking ABOUT you, just in reply to you. Apologies if you felt my comments were aimed at you, they were not.

Posted twice

Originally posted by Peter Sharp

Where can I get a good one and what kind of price should I look to pay ?

There are a few that use them so, back to the original quesiton.

Ta

Originally posted by Peter Sharp

There are a few that use them so, back to the original quesiton.

 

Ta

I think argos was the cheapest stated so far mate

Stealthhosts, mis understood, fair play mate.

Snap On are best ....

I released one from service at work. If you do wish to do up the majority of bolts that you have undone with a torque wrench and intend on doing a number of different jobs then you will really be looking at several torque wrenchs to cover the torque ranges better. As most torque wrenchs are only really accurate in a certain range due to the majority being spring calibrated (OK they may have from 10 Lb/Ft on the bottom end of the scale it will not be very accurate at that setting). So have a look at a manual and decide what jobs you are going to do and then have a look at the torque ranges within them jobs to gauge which wrench range will be most usefull to you.

Halfords Professional range get a good write up from people I know use them. Snapon have their lifetime guarantee, The airforce uses Norbar stuff for their aircraft applications.

Wether you choose to use a torque wrench or not is a personal issue, Having worked as an engineer on aircraft for 16 years there are certain torques I know as accurate as any torque wrench and hence will be happy to not use one. In more critical areas where load spreading across a range of bolts is required or torque checking to ensure something hasn't worked loose then yes I would use one. I think really the issue isn't under tightening stuff but more over tightening that causes problems especially in ali stuff. Consistent over tightening work hardens and stretches bolts so those 5 white knuckles can result in sheared off bolts and studs.

I bet FT bolts are a lot tighter when done up in the morning than the ones done up late at night.

A recent case - two hub nuts done up FT after 100 miles one is slack as hell. On checking one could be done up with a short wrench the other was only 10ftlb off the right setting. I rest my case.

IMHO this is an important mattter, especailly where safety is concerned. As for the rest if you bugger up a thread it will only cost money to put is right.

The question was asked, views expressed, now choices can be made.

torque where possible, ya dont need a really good one for the odd bolt though.

brain's right though if u wanted to cover the full range (spark plugs -> crank pulley) accurately u'd need 3 wrenches.

i got a teng torque wrench, good quality, good guarantee, good price.

Originally posted by Terminator

I bet FT bolts are a lot tighter when done up in the morning than the ones done up late at night.

 

A recent case - two hub nuts done up FT after 100 miles one is slack as hell. On checking one could be done up with a short wrench the other was only 10ftlb off the right setting. I rest my case.

 

IMHO this is an important mattter, especailly where safety is concerned. As for the rest if you bugger up a thread it will only cost money to put is right.

 

The question was asked, views expressed, now choices can be made.

The hub nuts werent cotter pinned were they? I cannot beleive how many people i have seen back nuts off from specified torque or muller the F*ck out of them to get a cotter pin in when all that is needed is another thin shim washer.

As far as buggering up threads if you use a torque wrench for every bolt you ever do up you will never nadge a thread up (OK OK thats assuming you never cross thread one) What I am saying is in a normal working day with tools that I use every day I personally can gauge how much torque I am putting on most things. That comes from using the same spanners, ratchets, and previously having used torque wrenchs on the same nuts and bolts day in day out for years. For people that don't have the benefit of this type of experience then I personally would wholeheartedly reccomend getting at least 1 torque wrench, because lets face it the first time you strip a spark plug out of an ali head would have paid for a damn good wrench.

I`m an engineer by trade and all i`ll say is that you have to use your common sense. Over torquing can be as much a danger as under torquing in certain situations. If you over tighten a bolt you can stretch it and weaken it and leave it prone to give out. You`ll obviously not torque up a cambelt cover but you will your head. As well as just torquing it to the correct figure there is also the order in which to torque the bolts and sometimes in stages as well. Gotta look at the big picture.

Norbar are excellent wrenches but for home a Britool would suffice. I have a Kamasa one at home but when checked against a calibrated unit it was a mile out. Crap. I use a Snap-On one now. Does the job, at a price. The more you pay the better you get with torque wrenches. I think they did a test in Practical Classics a while back so that might be worth looking in to.