recommend me a torque wrench!!

[Sergeant Pluck]

right - i'm starting to feel confident enough to start taking on more of the maintenance of my bike, and it looks like i'll be needing to add a torque wrench to my rudimentry tool kit. halfords do 3 'pro' (oh yeah?!) wrenches rated 8 - 60, 40 - 200 and 60 - 300 at 50 quid a go. which one do i want for the majority of the simpler jobs on my 1150?

NB. please don't tell me all three!

pr0ne

 

[the celt]

Hi prono,
I've been using the halfords torque wrench 8-60 for about the last two years, and have never had a problem with it and if I was going for another I'd buy the same, I picked it up on one of there sales days 20% of tools. I had a look at other wrenchs but the halfords was the best value for money, the only nuts and bolts so far Ive found that the torque setting is not high enought was the rear wheel bolts and the steering head bolt.
regards
jose

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

thanks jose,

possibly a stupid question, but do they work with allen keys and suchlike as well as normal sockets? i'm going to do my gearbox/bevel drive oil change this weekend and apparently i need to torque the plugs back down.

cheers,

pr0ne

 

[Mick Fagan]

Prone, most torque wrenches use a ½" drive, with this you can attach almost all ½" drive allen headed sockets.

That's how I do my own servicing.

With my very small torque wrench which uses a ¼" (I think) drive, I have an adapter which steps it up to ½".

Mick.

 

[Iain Hogg]

There are available sets of Allen Keys complete with it's own socket that works great on a standard 1/2" drive.

Have a look in the Halfords tool department or any good tool supplier.

I got a set of 6 (can't remember the sizes) several years ago and it's about my most used bit of kit!

Iain

 

[boxer]

but do they work with allen keys and suchlike as well as normal sockets?

Yep.

 

[the celt]

Hi Prono,
Now dont all shoot me, I have not got the wrench in front off me but I think the size for drive is 3/8" , got an adaptor to fit my 1/2" sockets and halfords do a full kit of torx and allen sockets at 3/8" to fit wrench, Ive used these to replace my clutch without a problem and would not hesitate to take on a bigger job using these tools.
regards
jose

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

great! thanks all - got all the info i need and am currently polishing my credit card in preparation for a trip down to the tool shop ;-)

pr0ne

 

[Dave Hall]

My Halfords torque wrench comes with a lifetime guarantee

 

[(RIP) maverick]

Pop the following key words in google search and you should get a pretty good idea of cost etc.

Norbar Torque wrench
Britool Torque wrench
Gedore Torque wrench
Halfrods Torque wrench

I found a pretty well looked after Gedore 20-150NM torque wrench off ebay for £30.

They are the type of things that sort of last for many years.

Cheers

 

[Jim McSharry]

Just been through this period - uprating my tools

Recently acquired the following Draper bits from my local 'reputable' tool dealer:

7 x piece hex set (alan keys) including half inch square drive @ £7.70

8 x piece torx set (star keys) with half inch square drive @ £6.20

Really pleased with my purchase - now means I can get into those bits the other tools struggle with.

Note I mentioned 'reputable' tool dealer - robbin git! In Asda yesterday - exact same stuff is 50% cheaper. Not even getting into the 'support the small business' lobby - guess where I'll be looking in future!

 

[Timolgra]

My Halfords torque wrench comes with a lifetime guarantee

But be careful it's easy to get the same guarantee with a talking wench

Tim

 

[Vern]

The golden rule of tool buying, is to buy the best tools you can afford, and keep them for life. 99% of my stuff is snap on, and is as good now as the day I bought it, Massively overpriced, but you only spend the money once in a life time, well worth the investment, makes even dull jobs nice.

 

[v4our]

Quite right Vern Mmmmmm snap-on, the only way to go. Used to buy Britool stuff, but replaced it all with snap on, got fet up of the chrome falling off the britool stuff like razor blades it was. Gave the britool stuff to me dad, he seems pleased enough with it tho !.

Trevor