I want to buy a torque wrench for use on the car. Nothing too fancy just something to do a job (Wheels and a couple of other nuts) with a bit more accuracy then just tighting as much as I can with a normal wrench.
Is there a specific type of wrench that I need? Once I have the wrench do I just use a standard socket set on it? will this fit wheel nuts ok?
Any advice appreciated.
Just buy one from Halfords doesn't really matter what type. Yes and yes (to the last) - they are nearly all standard 1/2" drive
Pretty well any will do this.
The most common type will be 1/2 drive which perhaps most sockets fit, but there are smaller and larger ones available
I find a 3/8 drive socket set the most used on the car although I also have a 1/2 one. But you can buy adaptors for either direction.
I'd recommend a Norbar. Not the cheapest, but well made and long lasting. The 1/2 one covers most of the common settings on a car. Fine for wheels, too.
The one I have just takes normal sockets - as long as you have one big enough for your wheel nuts then you should be OK. Cant remember where I got mine from now, but the handle is a couple of foot long, you set the required torque but screwing the handle in/out (it has markings on like a micrometer) and it just clicks when you reach the set torque.
I think that all car-type torque wrenches come with a 1/2" square drive - so that sockets from car-type socket sets will fit. If you've got a good range of metric sockets, one of them should fit your wheelnuts (from memory, I think that 19mm is the most common size).
The cheapest torque wrenches simply have a pointer which moves as the main lever arm bends when torque is applied. This type is to be avoided! You need one which has a micrometer-like device to set a specific torque, and which makes a definite click when the set torque is reached.
I used to have access to one at work many years ago which had a sort of pantograph arrangement which went limp when the pre-set torque was reached, making it virtually impossible to over-torque a bolt or nut. I haven't seen any like that recently.
Think that was Britool.
It may well have been, but I don't think they make that sort any more - I couldn't find them on their web site. [There are torque wrenches there, but they don't look like the one I remember].
Britool still make torque wrenches. As you say they are of the breakout type. A reasonably priced make is Williams again of breakout type. I got my 3/8 Williams with calibration certificate for £10 new from a market stall. Don't forget torque figures are only half reliable if the fastener is lightly oiled, and don't forget to unscrew the wrench to de-load the spring after use. Forget Britool or Torquemaster - They are about £300+ and built for production use. Good luck.
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
Is that after you've tried torqueing something up to 30,000 lbft?
Sorry to be thick, but I don't get it.
In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes
"Fine > >for wheels, too."
it was just the image of a torque wrench bent into a circle by an over-enthusiastic gorilla
>
Ah - right. Saw one of those 'quick' fitters pick up a torque wrench that his mate had just used on one car, and used it himself on another without even looking at the setting. Could be of course he knew they were both the same...
Not necessarily. If the tool is only for occasional use and likely to be stored in less than ideal conditions this type, whilst not particularly accurate to begin with, do at least remain fairly consistent for years even when covered in rust.
The click type can become very inaccurate if mistreated.
Quite frankly, I'd be pleased they'd used a torque wrench at all. They normally use a pneumatic hammer wrench set to 1.2 x 10^87 Nm, which doesn't help when you've got to change the wheel on the hard shoulder and you do not have a 1000 litre compressor and hammer wrench yourself.
Christian.
It is true that the pointer type is like likely to deteriorate if mistreated.
But anyone who is serious about applying the correct torque, hopefully won't mistreat a torque wrench!
Whilst the pointer type may be accurate when applying a static load under controlled conditions, watching the pointer move whilst rotating a nut - possibly a bit jerkily - is a very hit or miss affair! In many cases, you will not be in a position where you can look directly at the pointer - as in doing up wheelnuts, for example.
With the micrometer type, you can give your full attention to rotating the nut or bolt - in the knowledge that you will hear or feel the click when the correct torque is reached.
A 'normal' breaker type torque wrench with all the weight of one of these monkeys behind it after it has clicked will still do them up too tight to undo with the wheel brace.
If I need a puncture done, I just take in the wheel. If balancing, I take in my own torque wrench. They don't like you doing this...
To be fair, they've always torqued the bolts up to the recommended whenever I've remembered to ask.
Christian.
I've preferred to do my own - both undoing and tightening - ever since I got the Rover with chrome wheel nuts. Don't want them damaged by the wrong socket.
In article , Christian McArdle writes
Last time I had new tyres fitted, I looked at the torque chart on the wall and saw it had different torque values than given in my Haynes manual. Or shouldn't that be surprising?
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