All rounder torque wrench

[gavingraysonr300]

Was wondering what was the best all round torque wrench to buy need to torque my hub nuts when refitting I’ve seen a teng which does 70 to 350, what’s the wheel nut torque setting cause this might come in for that to.

[ECR]

Ft Lb or Newton Meters?

wheel nut torque varies according to which manual you read but around 45Ft Lb IIRC (I use more ...... )

[Roadsport06]

For the hub nuts I just got someone to stand on a bar a set distance from the hub nut. Weight (N) x Distance (m). No way I was buying another torque wrench just for the hub nuts.

[Jonathan Kay]

There's lots of great advice in the archives.

And a few recurrent themes:

1. No need to spend a lot of money.
2. Calibration of the wrench: is it necessary?
3. For the hub nuts either use weight x distance as above or borrow a big one: several available in the Equipment Register.

Jonathan

PS: I now have to have a little one for bits on the bike that can easily be overtightened. But I'm not going to carry it on the road. One step forwards...

[Jim 123]

It is worth bearing in mind before you buy that a number of wrenches only torque in a clockwise direction.  For your rear hubs you will need a wrench  that works both ways
 

[Jonathan Kay]

... what’s the wheel nut torque setting cause this might come in for that to.

What sort of wheels and which rear axle?

Have you already got an Assembly Guide and Handbook?

And watch out for units of measurement.

Jonathan

[Toby S]

Hub nuts at 200 Ib/ft on a de dion

Wheel nuts 55-60 Ib/ft

Re hub nuts, I've always just used the impact wrench - (24v Sealy) which I think on a full charge is meant to deal  up to 300Ib/ft (I guess typically its dealing out circa 250-275) . Once you get to 200Ib/ft the difference of that to 300Ib/ft is going to be minimal in terms of turns of the nut (1/16-1/8th  of a turn of the nut if that) so should not impact on the bearing or thread on nut/shaft given the materials used (or so a mechanic told me)  - to quote him "I've never used a torque wrench on hub nuts - when you're up there boy both are effing tight".

 

[Richard Price]

Re hub nuts, I've always just used the impact wrench

I'd suggest that's a rather dangerous approach! (I learned that from an expensive experience!)

I had a drive shaft fail at a hillclimb. A fellow competitor arranged for me to borrow his spare, but we'd got limited tools with us. I borrowed an impact wrench, which easily stripped the threads off the replacement driveshaft! So, one broken drive shaft cost me much more than the cost of two shafts!!

If you don't have a suitable torque wrench, I'd go with the method "Roadsport06" suggests. For me, simply standing on a breaker bar, parallel to the ground, at around 13" from the nut does the job. 

 

[Toby S]

Suppose  - I guess it depends on the torque rating of the impact wrench and also if you only let rip once its very tight already and for a control length of time/blows and whether you're reusing original hub nuts etc - I realize not using a torque wrench has its pitfalls, but I'm with Roadsport as the component tolerances should be much wider when you're at that level of tightness. I know some of the snap-on wrenches kick out serious amounts of torque - 450 Ib ft plus which may give you a problem - quite useful for removal through if the nuts haven't come off for a time.

Getting someone bouncing on the end of a breaker bar I can't see as any more accurate and easily mis-calculated - 14 stone bloke at 1 foot would be near ideal but where exactly are his feet and which one is he putting the weight on  - Don't think I'll ask my mate Neil whose a thread stripping/ breaker bar bending 28 stone !!

[Roadsport06]

I think marking a bar where you need someone to stand is a lot more reliable than zapping with the gun. No one is jumping on the bar. Ideally someone light to reduce the uncertainty in the torque measurement as they will be further from the pivot. One foot and the other person to balance them.

[Geoff Brown]

Halfords Professional Range and you get 10% off as a club member.

I have the 60-300Nm wrench. Excellent quality. Eight years old & has just passed re-cal without any adjustment required.

Two others in the range: 8-60Nm & 40-200Nm. Thinking of chucking my ancient small wrench & buying the Halfords product.

[ScottR400D]

Ref the last post, that’s the best approach. 

I can’t believe people will mess around standing on breaker bars or, worse still, use an impact wrench for the sake of £70 or so for a wrench that is ideal for wheel nuts once the drive shafts are on. 

 

[Roadsport06]

If I didn't already have a few torque wrenches then I would get the one from Halfords with the range suggested. My two don't go up to the required torque for the hub nuts.

If I regularly needed to undo the rear hub nuts then I would invest in a suitable torque wrench.

I've only needed to do up the hub nuts twice. Once from the build when I borrowed a big torque wrench from a friend. The other was when I swapped out the diff for a LSD. That time I used a lightweight person so their distance from the pivot was large and therefore reducing the uncertainty in the torque applied. A quick visit to my local garage confirmed the torque I applied wasn't too small and it certainly was never going to be so great as to strip the threads.

[Wrightpayne]

Geoff,

Where did you get it calibrated ? I have a 1/4 bike torque wrench and have always been dubious of it being over tight

Ian

[Bristol and Bath AR]

Machine Mart do a very compact 1/2 drive digital Torque Adaptor with range 30-360Nm (£43.19) that can be used with a Breaker Bar.  Needs a bit of getting used to the setting up but cheaper than buying a stand alone wrench with the range required.

[Geoff Brown]

Wrightpayne - post #14

Had my torque wrench calibration checked by some one I know in the aircraft trade - 'mates rates'.

If you know of any local engineering establishment or good garage they may have an 'Acrotorque' rig or similar for setting torque wrenches accurately. I am sure that they would let you use it? This will tell you if your wrench is out & you can create a table of adjustments for the torque you require.

If not the power of Google should find you a local engineering outlet that does re-cals. The cost though may be dearer than replacing your small wrench. There are, I believe, many posts about  DIY re-cal on Google & You Tube.

 

[Jonathan Kay]

Halfords Advanced Torque Wrench Model 300: 60 to 300 Nm. Reversible. £99, Club discount, as noted above, and possibly special offers.

Clarke PRO238 1/2" Drive Digital Torque Adaptor. £44.39. 40 to 360 Nm.
A customer comment says that it is reversible: please can someone confirm.

Jonathan

[Jonathan Kay]

In one of the previous discussions torque sticks were suggested for use with impact wrenches. IIRC they were still expensive in the UK and someone was going to buy a set in the USA.

Any recommendations at 271 Nm?

Jonathan

[NeilCSR]

National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington offer a calibration service.  They should be as good as anywhere.

Sent my old Britool wrenches there to be checked and calbrated a year or so ago, they turned them around quite quickly and they were pretty well spot on.  Wonderful bits of kit, reversible, beautifully made - when Britool made superlative tools.

Neil

[Sooty]

http://Www.machinemart.co.uk/p/040215238/

[bjw]

Halfords Advanced Torque Wrench Model 300: 60 to 300 Nm. Reversible. £99, Club discount, as noted above, and possibly special offers.

- That appears to be a a re-badged Nortorque 300 (Norbar 130105) which is available from Zoro for £79.99 (free p&p).

Clarke PRO238 1/2" Drive Digital Torque Adaptor. £44.39. 40 to 360 Nm.
A customer comment says that it is reversible: please can someone confirm.

- The product manual at the link on that page states 'Torque function in both directions - Yes'.

(Currently available from Tools House at £41 delivered.)

Cheers

[Jonathan Kay]

Thanks

Jonathan

[Geoff Brown]

The largest wrench in the Halfords range is reversible but cannot comment on that aspect re the two smaller ones.

IMO the extra cost of the Halfords range is worth it. I used lots of torque wrenches in my time working on aircraft & it is a pity that the range were not around. Not saying that what I used was not fit for purpose or approved for aircraft work it is just that the Halfords range seems to exude real quality.

Oh & Halfords have changed the product name to 'Advanced' with a life time guarantee (you or the wrench?)

[bjw]

Oh & Halfords have changed the product name to 'Advanced' with a life time guarantee (you or the wrench?)

Actually, it wasn't just a change of name. The discontinued 'Halfords Pro' torque wrenches were re-badged 'Norbar Pro' wrenches. The replacement 'Halfords Advanced' ones are re-badged 'Nortorque' wrenches which are a more 'hobby' tier below the Pro.

There's quite a price difference between the two ranges -  e.g. Zoro sell the ('new professional') Norbar Pro 300 for £120.99 as compared to the Nortorque 300 at £79.99.

That being said no Norbar wrench is going to disappoint!

Cheers

[John Vine]

That being said no Norbar wrench is going to disappoint!

 Agreed.  I have a Norbar 13445 (60-300Nm) and the quality is excellent.  Also, being reversible, it's perfect for hub nuts.

JV