Author Topic: Which torque wrench?  (Read 3821 times)

Which torque wrench?
« on: 19 September, 2016, 06:42:15 pm »
Can you recommend a torque wrench suitable for general cycle maintenance use?  Not too worried about superb precision; it has got to be better than my current "that feels about right" manual technique.

Bryn

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #1 on: 19 September, 2016, 06:57:07 pm »
there isn't a single one that will do everything; I'd recommend that you get

1) a torsion beam tool (eg the topeak one which takes 1/4" hexagon fit bits) for tightening M5 and M6 bolts on critical lightweight parts and

2) a bigger one for doing everything else.

If you only use it occasionally a 'click-type' torque wrench won't be reliable; they tend to gum up in storage and give erratic readings.   For this reason I'd suggest a 'beam type' wrench with a 1/2" drive for the larger one; there is nothing to go wrong and they are accurate enough for all the other uses on a bicycle.

cheers


Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #2 on: 19 September, 2016, 07:51:00 pm »
Wot 'e sed - but this one seems to be quite good

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-torque-wrench-set/

As in, it LOOKS exactly like the BBB one I paid a bit more for (and others around here have), which is a good quality piece of kit

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
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Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #3 on: 20 September, 2016, 07:15:34 am »
Wot 'e sed - but this one seems to be quite good

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-torque-wrench-set/

As in, it LOOKS exactly like the BBB one I paid a bit more for (and others around here have), which is a good quality piece of kit

I have one bought from Rose - excellent - exactly as the Wiggle one - looks like loads of suppliers sell/rebrand the same item.

Rob

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #4 on: 20 September, 2016, 10:14:34 am »
it is a nice enough tool, for one of that type.  But 24Nm obviously isn't enough to do all the 'big stuff' on a bike (Bottom bracket assembly for example) and in actual fact it isn't enough for many of the 8mm bolts on a bike either; stuff like seat rail bolts on the top of seat pins, square taper crank bolts, quill stem expander bolts, some stem bolts on two-bolt stems.

Weirdly if you look here;
http://www.parktool.com/assets/img/blog/torque.pdf

as suggested by mattc

 [rather than here
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/#article-section-4 as I originally posted]

you may notice that there is almost nothing on a bike that needs a torque setting between about 12Nm and about 20 Nm  ( ~9-15 ft.lb); hence (vs a 24Nm tool) the loss of utility in a tool such as the Topeak Combi one

is only small despite its low maximum torque value.   

cheers

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #5 on: 20 September, 2016, 10:23:05 am »
I have a couple of (non-cycling specific) Norbars. A 1/4" drive up to 20Nm and a 1/2" drive for 20Nm plus. The smaller one does for most bike stuff, but I use them for other things too....
Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

mattc

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Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #6 on: 20 September, 2016, 11:06:03 am »
it is a nice enough tool, for one of that type.  But 24Nm obviously isn't enough to do all the 'big stuff' on a bike (Bottom bracket assembly for example) and in actual fact it isn't enough for many of the 8mm bolts on a bike either; stuff like seat rail bolts on the top of seat pins, square taper crank bolts, quill stem expander bolts, some stem bolts on two-bolt stems.

Weirdly if you look here;

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/#article-section-4

you may notice that there is almost nothing on a bike that needs a torque setting between about 12Nm and about 20 Nm  ( ~9-15 ft.lb);
...
This link may work better - for me, anyway!
http://www.parktool.com/assets/img/blog/torque.pdf
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #7 on: 20 September, 2016, 01:28:14 pm »
ta for that, I've edited my post accordingly :thumbsup:

cheers

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #8 on: 22 September, 2016, 06:23:24 pm »
Thanks folks, I bought the Wiggle one.

 A couple of clicks of the mouse, and I was able to lean back with a contented sigh.  There is really nothing so satisfying as buying new tools.  I understand some people actually go on to use them, but I may just keep it in the garage with the hedge trimmer, the garden cultivator, the Dremel look-alike kit, and the chain cleaning device, all still sparkling new. But you never know when they will come in useful.

Bryn

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #9 on: 24 September, 2016, 08:21:45 pm »
Damn I paid double that....... ::-)
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Samuel D

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #10 on: 24 September, 2016, 11:07:54 pm »
But you never know when they will come in useful.

Not to be forgotten is that they’ll last a lifetime. That was certainly my justification for getting the Park Tool DAG-2.2 not long ago (that’s another one for your collection, Bryn).

Tools are the best.

I have the Rose version of the Wiggle torque wrench. It has worked for me, though it seems to depend on a light oil for lubrication. I always crack it a couple of times (at a low torque setting) before use to avoid stickiness. Note you should store these tools at a low but non-zero torque setting – read the user manual for more details.

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #11 on: 24 November, 2018, 09:29:08 pm »
Thread resurrection alert.

Just a heads up in case anyone's interested:  X-tools torque wrench £23.  https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/x-tools-essential-torque-wrench-set/rp-prod155414
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #12 on: 24 November, 2018, 10:33:58 pm »
just spent the last few days doing some land rover maintenance. From my extensive collection of torque wrenches I chose.... (drum roll) ....

my simplest, cheapest and most reliable torque wrench, being a 1/2" drive beam type wrench. Lovely. No worries about calibration, and you can feel exactly what the fastener is doing as you tighten it.

The same wrench is very useful for 'big stuff' on bikes. You can buy one of these for less than £15 on ebay, and it should last a lifetime because there is basically nothing to go wrong.... ;)

cheers

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #13 on: 24 November, 2018, 10:34:07 pm »
I use the IceToolz Ocarina for small and delicate stuff because the tool is light, cheap and accurate. We take our bikes overseas quite often by train and airplane, so excess weight is a pain. https://www.gritstonecycles.co.uk/workshop-tools/2963/icetoolz-ocarina-torque-wrench-set.html
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #14 on: 24 November, 2018, 11:27:26 pm »

my simplest, cheapest and most reliable torque wrench, being a 1/2" drive beam type wrench.

cheers
Is this it?
FRANKLIN Torque Wrench Beam Type (TA666)

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #15 on: 25 November, 2018, 08:43:37 am »
very similar

cheers


quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #16 on: 25 November, 2018, 10:00:37 am »


As well as the X-tools wrench mentioned above, I also have one of these:

https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/torq-tools/824-nano-torqbar-5nm

It lives in the top tube bag on my bike, very useful for adjusting things like handlebars when on the road.

The bit set that comes with it is too big, so I leave that at home, as I have all the bits in the ratchet rocket set.

It seems to work well, and has allowed me to not over tighten things when I've made adjustments on the road. It's limited to 6nM, but that's enough for handlebars, & my seat post clamp.

J

--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

rogerzilla

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Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #17 on: 25 November, 2018, 04:04:27 pm »
Best results are normally for a bolt that has previously been fitted and tightened (to smooth the threads) and lightly lubricated.  This gives the greatest clamping force for a given torque.  A dirty/dry/unused bolt may give half the clamping force for the same torque.  Torque is only a proxy for what you really want, i.e. tension in the bolt.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Which torque wrench?
« Reply #18 on: 29 November, 2018, 08:22:10 pm »
Rogerzilla, you sound like Calvin from the Park Tools videos (or he sounds like you). I mean that in the best sense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkmUeSzYKOk