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Hi All.

   Didn't know where to post this, I'm after a decent torque wrench. Any recommendations? I'm guessing you get what you pay for.

  Cheers Mark.

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I'm using Halfords Professional torque wrenches. Reasonably priced and calibrated, though two are needed to cover all the torque settings on most cars, including TRs.

Nigel

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Hi Mark,

 both Halfords and Machine Mart do a selection of reasonably priced good torque wrenches.

Whatever you get allow for them not to be accurate close to the edges of their operating range.

Ignore the 25% at either end of the range and use the 50% in the middle.

eg   0 - 100 lbs ft - use 25 - 75 lbs ft.

 

Roger 

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5 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Hi Mark,

 both Halfords and Machine Mart do a selection of reasonably priced good torque wrenches.

Whatever you get allow for them not to be accurate close to the edges of their operating range.

Ignore the 25% at either end of the range and use the 50% in the middle.

eg   0 - 100 lbs ft - use 25 - 75 lbs ft.

 

Roger 

Good advice! I apply the same principle to camera lenses!

Nigel

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Another here for Halfords plus you get a life time guarantee against breakage.

For the bottom end ranges I went for  1/4" Teng .

Andy

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An alternative to a wrench is this sort of thing which can be used with any existing socket set, which makes it a bit more versatile:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KKmoon-Electronic-Torquemeter-Adjustable-Professional/dp/B07JM5L11Q/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=torque+meter&qid=1559638227&s=gateway&sr=8-6

 

 

 

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Mark,

dropped this into Technical, you've a better chance of replies,

though I for one would not go past Halfords professional,

think they are great value for the dosh.

John.

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I picked up one from Aldi and was prepared to say it was pants!!!! but Ok for rough work.

It comes with a cert and can be re-calibrated for a fixed fee.

Checked against a Norbar and a Snapon one was close as to be the same.

No one has mentioned about care of Torque wrenches. ALWAYS BACK OFF THE SPRING AND IT WILL last WELL.

COMES WITH SHORT EXTENSION AND A SELECTION OF SOCKESTS!!!!!!!!

A lot of snob value associated with Aldi Tools but they are mostly from Germany so you choose. Halfords and the like re-badge the same import stuff as do the Germans but mostly the standard is better.

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4 hours ago, RobH said:

An alternative to a wrench is this sort of thing which can be used with any existing socket set, which makes it a bit more versatile:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KKmoon-Electronic-Torquemeter-Adjustable-Professional/dp/B07JM5L11Q/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=torque+meter&qid=1559638227&s=gateway&sr=8-6

Looks good. As it has a pre-set, I guess it will beep or similar when that torque is reached ?

Bob.

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18 minutes ago, Lebro said:

Looks good. As it has a pre-set, I guess it will beep or similar when that torque is reached ?

Bob.

That’s VERY important, you don’t want to be pulling 105 lb ft ( 4 cyl cylinder head) and trying to read a varying scale, that’s rupture time.

A welcome beep or chirp when you reach your required torque is essential.

Mick Richards

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I have a cheapo item that I bought from ToolMart years ago.  I regularly calibrate it against a bendy bar item that I have had for years and it seems pretty good.  I also back it off to zero when I'm not using it.  My logic is that there is nothing in a bendy bar one to go out of calibration provided you don't over stress it, they just aren't as easy to use.

Rgds Ian

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There was a test of Torque wrenches in one of the magazines about 8 years ago.

They varied from Aldi type £20 ones to £200 units.

From the point of view of accuracy, they were all within specification, not one was out of spec.

Some of the more expensive ones had handy features others were just more expensive with little difference to the cheaper units.

They may well have used better materials but I cannot comment on that.

Let's be honest here, I have had a Torque wrench for 45 years and i have never sent it for checking of its calibration.

I use an Aldi one for general use 4o NM up and it tightens very close to a 40 year old Draper unit. both 200 NM units, a 3/8 drive unit that I use for say 20NM up and a 1/4 drive unit for below 20NM.

I torque anything from 40NM up and anything below that where in my opinion a stated torque is a bit high for the bolt diameter.

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I had two torque wrenches of what I thought was a good German make named “GIS”. Jochem, Marco and Andreas will start smiling now. It only means “tested safety”.

They were cheap, but BOTH were reading low by about 30% when compared with 2 new good quality wrenches. I always treaded them well, did not leave them loaded.

They may have been ok when I bought them, but after 2 or 3 years of occasional use theydeviated a lot.

I binned them and bought a Gedore.

Waldi

 

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I’ve got 2 Sykes pickavents (3/8 and 1/2) from andrew page on a Friday special. Can’t remember the price for each but they  have a nice quality feel and the deal price was good. 

 

Cheers 

dave

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  • 8 months later...

Err...which items on a TR would you think the Mighty item covers ? I appreciate the lead into the product and the fact that it may be useful but it's specification on range is probably a little restricted.

"all bike and motorcycle riders. To begin with, we would like to draw your attention to a great supply kit: there are 6 hex bits (from 3 to 10 mm) and 3 Torx screws (T20, T25, T30) that are useful for assembling / disassembling bicycles or motorcycles. The torque range of this tool is from 2 to 24 Nm, " not only this but the overall length of the tool is 10cm (4 ").

Oh...and it's accuracy is +/- 8% that's a 16% spread, my torque wrenches pulling up to 240lb ft are accurate within 2%, when I buy a new one I check the existing wrenches against the new wrench (because it's calibrated) and also against this "expanding beam measure" by Acratork. This model is the L3 and there are others covering down to miniscule amounts and other larger than the L3  which has their levels run to numbers not seen outside shipyards !  

P1010228.thumb.JPG.dfac828580228ecdb3597a735faf0e80.JPG

I've been doing it this way for 35 years and so far I've not scrapped ANY of the wrenches, they check out against one another within that 2% and the Acratork confirms all are within tolerance.

Obviously the wrenches are furthest adrift at the extremes of their ranges but on a 20-120 wrench it's still on that 2% accuracy. The Acratork is ex Military (bought from the local branch of Anchor Supplies ex WD disposal specialists...cost me £30 in 1985. They are extremely robust and apart from setting it on fire or running over it with a truck will continue to measure accurately over decades.   

Obviously these days the small electric torque gauges from Machine Mart or other suppliers can give you a variable torque setting that can be used, I'd probably buy one and check IT against the Acratork to ensure it's accurate.  

 

The Mighty is obviously useful for small fastenings or screws but I think Mark needs something a little more "agricultural"...unless you know different ?

Mick Richards

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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Bang on Roger.

Our cars were built by men in brown coats sucking pipes using beam torque wrenches like these. They can be kept in calibration and "tuned" yourself by bending the needle pointer back to accuaracy...as long as you can compare against a known torque figure on a fitting (say on a tightened fastening ). The only problem I've found with them is at 16" long they require a good pull to set the cylinder head torques at 105 lb ft, and at the same time you are trying to view the varying torque figure as the needle swings about...I find that difficult. I prefer my "Big dawg" Halfords wrench which is 3" longer on the handle (reduced effort) and has a preset limit which "clicks" off when made, so no viewing required.

Mick Richards 

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Whereas those Gods of Fabrication and Deities of Modification, the Bad Obsession boyos, are uisng the Beta digital and LED Indicated Torque Wrench.

See: https://primetools.co.uk/product/beta-599dgt10x-12-dr-electronic-torque-wrench/  and the latest Episode 29 (19 minutes in): 

 

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