Torque Talk

[Elemental]

So - who's the expert on torque wrenches?

I'm thinking of replacing an old, cheap torque wrench. Apart from pride of ownership are there any real advantages in buying an expensive item (Norbar/Facom/Britool etc) rather than something like 'Draper Expert' or 'Sealy' (around £20 -£45) etc?
How accurate and durable are the cheaper brands?
What other aspects should I consider?
Enlighten me!

 

[STUBBS]

got mine from halfords part of the pro range about £30 does everything on the bike and car + it has a reversable drive

 

[zerocool]

Mines an el'cheapo. It fairly inaccurate but not that far out. Ive never rounded a bolt or snapped a head yet.

Plus its great at breaking off locktighted nuts.

I wish I got one that did lower torque figures as well as the higher ones too. I think ill get a small one as well at some point.

 

[Schtum]

Plus its great at breaking off locktighted nuts.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

We've got a few Norbars at work, pass calibration every year. Bought 2 cheap Britools, one broke just outside warranty, other failed calibration soon after.

 

[Bazza]

The purpose of a torque wrench isnt to tighten a bolt up as far as it will go..... its a measurement instrument. And like all measurement instruments its accuracy comes down to build quality which usally means price.

So for a wheel nut at 90Nm , a cheapo might torque it to 96Nm where a dogs bollocks will do it to 90.5Nm

Torque values are very easy to get wrong unless you get 'very expensive' wrenches..... which will need calibrated often. and following the proper operating procedure.

so a draper expert torque wrench whould be be ok to rebuild a bike but maybe not for the space shuttle....

England are s**t and ive had a few

 

[Voyager61]

so a draper expert torque wrench whould be be ok to rebuild a bike but maybe not for the space shuttle....

England are s**t and ive had a few

So you'd recommend a Draper then?

Ditto England ... not into football myself, since I cannot see the point of supporting folk who get paid so much to deliver so little. The only reason the national game is reasonably good is because it's full of foreign players, I guess ...

V61

 

[King Rat]

Have you heard that England are to change their shirts?

The three Lions are to be replaced with three tampons passant - to represent the worst period they have ever had

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

how often you going to use it ?

once a month or every day ?

every day - get a snap-on and the bloke in the van will calibrate it for free

every month - get one from halfords

 

[Global Rider]

Buy quality, buy once...for life.

The Snap-On torque wrenches that I have, have stayed in-spec and are extremely repeatable. My oldest was calibrated when it was 17 years old, and it was in spec (not that I recommend a 17 year calibration interval).

I use them and store them properly. That, along with quality, makes all the difference.

A 3/8" square drive with a range of 5 to 75 lbf.ft. is most useful. Then a 1/4" square drive taking you up to 200 lbf.in. You want some overlap. I hardly use my 1/2" square drive wrench.

 

[conncarr]

Buy quality, buy once...for life.

The Snap-On torque wrenches that I have, have stayed in-spec and are extremely repeatable. My oldest was calibrated when it was 17 years old, and it was in spec (not that I recommend a 17 year calibration interval).

I use them and store them properly. That, along with quality, makes all the difference.

A 3/8" square drive with a range of 5 to 75 lbf.ft. is most useful. Then a 1/4" square drive taking you up to 200 lbf.in. You want some overlap. I hardly use my 1/2" square drive wrench.

I think my 1/4" one would break if I tried to go to 200lbf.in. Maybe I should buy a better quality one?

 

[Global Rider]

I think my 1/4" one would break if I tried to go to 200 lbf.in. Maybe I should buy a better quality one?

200 lbf.in. (keyword: in.) is 16.67 lbf.ft.

Trust me, a 1/4" square drive can take that.

 

[nkersley]

Any one know where I get mine calibrated in Southampton area?

 

[davegs]

Draper t wrenches

I have a draper expert 21ft pounds for paralever bearings all been very good and not expensive.,
dave gs.

 

[NeverRodeBefore]

Just buy one that'll do the job you need it for! Little baby for light stuff, just a pain to work with as it's marked in stupid units. Nice Halford Pro medium and then the huuuuggggeeee Teng that goes upto about 350Nm which was purchased to do the rear hubs on my Ginetta.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

nkersley,
At work I use a company called Gentrac, they are based at Porchester, near Portsmouth. Can't remember the price, but they do ten in one visit which takes about three hours.............or less.....maybe. They are cheaper than most of the other calibration labs round here, some of them used to sub contract the calibration out to them anyway.

The "Daddy" torque wrench at work is 1m long, I've broken M16 weld studs with it, that's more a reflection of crappy welding, than me over torquing them.

 

[GS-Stu]

Have you heard that England are to change their shirts?

The three Lions are to be replaced with three tampons passant - to represent the worst period they have ever had

I hate football, but had to laugh at that !!!