Torque Wrench

[XWL61]

Fitting new wheel bearings today and found that my torque wrench had died

Any recommendations for a good quality brand to buy??

Andy

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Buy the best you can.

[katy]

Buy the needle type, they last forever and don't go out of calibration.

[bmcecosse]

You don't need a torque wrench for wheel bearings...... just do them up tight as you can with a hand ratchet - no extension. And then put the spit pin in. I've never used a torque wrench for anything off the engine.

[Alex'n'Ane]

Hate to admit it, but the snap on ones are really good quality, incredibly accurate, as they beep at you around 2% early or something as they found people went this much extra anyway.. They are also pretty darn tough.

[MarkyB]

All Snap-on stuff is very lovely and very tough and if you manage to break something they will replace it.
However it is aimed at people who spanner for a living and is priced accordingly for top end kit!

[lambrettalad]

I'm still using snap -on I bought in the late 60's lovely piece of kit,only ever changed one 9/16ths socket and that was 8 years old

[autolycus]

Can't argue about the quality of Snap-on stuff, but too often their selling method seems to be to sucker young lads into committing half their wages to buying stuff on the drip. It's presumably less fashionable to have Halfords on your toolbox stickers than Snap-on, but you hear very few complaints about the Halford Pro range of tools. Even with more experienced mechanics and garage owners, they seem to specialise in selling tools to people who didn't realise their life was incomplete without them.

It's all too easy to lose all feel for what's happening with a torque wrench, so get used to trying an ordinary ring spanner or socket and bar on a bolt once the torque wrench says it's about tight enough. You'll soon be able to do most jobs without one. Bearing in mind that what you're trying to achieve is a certain tension in the bolt or stud, remember that it is affected by things like the lubrication present, the method of manufacture of the bolt, and the surface finish of mating components. I wouldn't buy a hugely expensive torque wrench for occasional use on car like ours. And buy a breaker bar if you find you're using the torque wrench because it's the longest bar you've got.

Kevin

[XWL61]

You are indeed right Mr Mc Ecosse - I was just using it on a low setting when I found out that it didn't work (ignoring what it says in the HBOL!). And I agree Autolycus that it is important to get the 'feel' of tightening nuts and bolts. I have been tightening nuts and bolts on old cars for 30 years, however as the owner of two cars with alloy engines blocks ( see below) I most definitely need a wrench! A Snap On looks tempting - I'll see if i can increase my mortgage -but if it lasts it will be worth it. I am very much of the 'you get what you pay for' mentality

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Called at Lidl today to see their special offers. A torque wrench there for £16.99! comes with extension, a few sockets and looks very good quality. Only downside is that it is calibrated in Nm, so will have to convert.

[les]

You'll need to buy a decent one to check it with!

[welshrat]

I own a torque wrench but vary rarely use it, however I do get it out when dealing with unfamiliar jobs (currently putting an engine back together, first time), tried using the TW to tighten the oil pump as recommended in book, snapped one of the bolts. So now just using the TW for large bolts/nuts with fairly high settings and reverted back to feel and experience for lesser bolts/nuts. I cannot remember the last time I snapped a bolt by doing it up too tight, thankfully it snapped leaving a about 3mm of stud which allowed me to remove it with a mole grip.

[bmcecosse]

Just use it for big ends/mains and head nuts. Otherwise - use a ratchet and common sense!

[welshrat]

Just use it for big ends/mains and head nuts. Otherwise - use a ratchet and common sense!

Agree with this, as above.

[moggiethouable]

It doesnt help your search but I acquired one in the spring for a tenner,the needle variety.
It was in a funiture shop in Northallerton the missus dragged me into by the ear, because I was dragging my feet and sulking, muttering "id rather be ome workin on the moggie"
Anyway, it turned out the late father of the lad who runs the shop had a plethora of old cars at one point and found this in the garage, so they laid it on top of an antique chest of drawers in the shop in the hope some fool like me would make an offer,one mans junk another mans treasure and all that.
The missus of course gave me the biggest I told you so as we left, her clutching some form of bric a brac and me smiling from ear to ear with a Hilka torque wrench tucked under my arm.
Cant wait to go shopping next week [frame][/frame]

[XWL61]

Just won a nice Snap On wrench on fleabay for what I think is a reasonable sum