Torque wrench

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froggy
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Torque wrench

Post by froggy »

Hi. Iam looking buy to a Torque wrench ( never bought one before ) There seems to be too many to choose from ! any advice on buying one will be very good. cheers Terry.
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Post by Deanxm »

Ive got one of these which work well for most stuff but really you need something bigger for hub nuts and some other bits as it only goes up to 200nm, fine for head bolt work though, never bother torqueing small stuff either but if you do you need a smaller wrench idealy.

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Post by CitroJim »

I thoroughly recommend the Halfrauds professional range of Torque Wrenches. The 3/8" drive one goes from 6 to 45 ft. lb and this will serve most needs on a Citroen. They're not cheap but they're a well-made tool that will last a lifetime.

For anything more than that, generally FT (effin' tight) will do :) I'm thinking of hub nuts here...

My little 3/8" Halfrauds one sees good use as it's physically small and will get in places where the traditional big ones won't and doing critical nuts up to the right torque really does inspire a bit of confidence.

I also have a 30 year old Britool one for going up to 110 ft. lbs on a 1/2" drive but rarely use it...
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Post by Toby_HDi »

I must get me a smaller torque wrench. Always nice to think you've done things properly by torquing nuts up properly.

I've got a Clarke Pro 1/2" which I use a lot, standard micrometer adjustment and cost me just over £20.

For hub nuts I have a four foot long 3/4" one that goes up to about 420ft lb - its a beast!

If you've never used a torque wrench before, its worth knowing a few of things...

1. Never leave the tool stored with the adjustment mechanism wound up. After use, always loosen it off completely.

2. Don't drop it!

3. Accuracy reduces at the extreme ends of the scale the wrench is rated for. It will still be good enough though.
Toby


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Post by JamesQB »

I found the cheapy eBay no-brand ones to be inconsistent, sometimes not activating at the set torque, causing me to almost shear a bolt until I gathered something was amiss.

I ended up buying a Draper 1/2" 40-210Nm one which is good for almost everything, and I also bought a Draper 3/8" 10-80Nm one for lower torques. I'd like to get the 3/4" 70-395Nm one for things like hub nuts, but even though it's not terribly expensive, I don't do enough carwork to warrant it. I thought the prices were good for something which has been consistent. Of course, I don't know how accurately calibrated it was when new, or is now.

Amazon has reviews for these wrenches.
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Post by CitroJim »

Toby_HDi wrote: For hub nuts I have a four foot long 3/4" one that goes up to about 420ft lb - its a beast!
You can say that again Toby :lol: and a good breaker bar too but generally a torque wrench should NEVER be used in such a way although with yours topping out at 420 ft. lbs, an exception can easily be made... It certainly made ligt work of your lower swivels last week :D :D

Toby, your advice as to handling and storing torque is spot-on...
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Post by citronut »

it a sham the quick fit tyre companys dont understand how to use one,

i have seen them wang the wheel nuts up with the hammer gun, then set the torque wrench to the apropriate setting, and just click it off without backing the nuts/bolts off first,

regards malcolm
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Post by CitroJim »

citronut wrote: i have seen them wang the wheel nuts up with the hammer gun, then set the torque wrench to the apropriate setting, and just click it off without backing the nuts/bolts off first,
If ever there was a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted...

What a bunch of wangers...
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Post by Toby_HDi »

Thankfully, my local tyre firm do use the torque wrench properly.

As for the others though, they need rounding up and sending to Wetwang
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Post by Chlorate »

I've only ever used a torque wrench on engine stuff (namely cylinder head bolts). And on the odd occasion when working on someone else's car.

I only tend to use two torque settings:
-Do it up
and
-FT

Nothing has fallen off so far :lol:

I'll say that the halfrauds ones are very good (as are the rest of their tools) if a bit expensive.
I own a draper micrometer 1/2" drive torque wrench, which seems to do well on the few occasions when I feel it necessary. Although the range is a bit limited. but I find a knuckle bar is sufficient when that happens

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Post by CitroJim »

Chlorate wrote: I only tend to use two torque settings:
-Do it up
and
-FT
Alex, that's all fine and dandy when you're experienced and have used the same set of tools for nigh-on 30 years as you find you have a pretty accurate torque wrench built into your arm but if you're not heavily practiced than a good torque wrench is a great tool for both learning what torque feels like and as a measure of confidence when doing a job.

A lot of beginners make the mistake of over-tightening things in my experience and here a torque wrench is a boon to instruct that it's not good to FT everything in sight. FT has it's place but in a lot of places it's not a good idea at all...

Another good training aid is to set a big wrench low and then gradually increase torque until a test bolt shears. You can then appreciate just how little it takes to shear say, a 10mm bolt...
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Post by citronut »

trouble is one person's FT is /can be far greater than another's :evil: :twisted: :roll: :shock:

so who use's the two foot knuckle bar with a four foot scafold tube for there FT mesure :evil: :lol:


regards malcolm
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Post by CitroJim »

citronut wrote:trouble is one person's FT is /can be far greater than another's :evil: :twisted: :roll: :shock:
Precisely Malcolm :wink:
citronut wrote: so who use's the two foot knuckle bar with a four foot scafold tube for there FT mesure :evil: :lol:


Nobody I hope. It's never needed except. There are three cases where I'll use my 3 footer to tighten something up: Lower swivels, hub nuts and diesel (not petrol) crank pulley bolts. I know that me tugging on the end of a 3 footer is about 200 ft. lbs and that's adequate...

Apart from those cases, a breaker bar is strictly for undoing things...
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Post by myglaren »

CitroJim wrote: Apart from those cases, a breaker bar is strictly for undoing things...
Amen to that :!:
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Post by citronut »

yep its the first tool i go for every time i have to undo wheel nuts is the 2 footer, as 99% of the time some GORILA at a tyre shop has bin there,


and hub nuts get that with the 4 foot scafold tube,


there were law's bought in regarding tightenning wheel nuts a few years ago,

seems to me there aint anyone checking up on them nowadays,

were did i put that flippin soap box :roll:


regards malcolm
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