DIY Torque Wrench

[Davidhee58]

Hi

I am looking for torque wrench for general DIY car service (engine oil, filter change, wheels and brakes et al), currently I got a set of 1/2" drive sockets, but found the torque settings on most of the 1/2" wrench are 28Nm-210Nm, which may only be used for wheel locknuts. I found the Draper 78641 BTW 3/8" Square Drive Torque Wrench 20-110Nm just covers the torque range I want, unfortunately it's 3/8" drive, i don't know if it's ok to use it with a step-up adapter for my current 1/2" socket set, or it's better to get another set of 3/8" sockets?  another question is,  for my purpose, I will  mostly use the torque settings very close to the max and min of this torque wrench, is it safe? as I worry the errors could be bigger, do I actually need 2 torque wrenches for my job? any comments or advice would be very appreciated.  

[Stivino]

Do you even need one never mind two.  Nobody torques oil filters, sump plugs, wheels or brakes.  Just tighten these things up with an appropriate spanner and they'll be fine.

[Davidhee58]

Thanks Stephen, without a torque wrench, I always feel the bolt or nut is not tightened enough😜

[Hybrid21]

Certainly agree with Stivino to a certain extent, I've never had a torque wrench and have done most DIY mechanics over the years using normal spanners, etc

But I've always fancied a torque wrench to add to my tool collection and it would take the guesswork out of tightening components.

It's just as bad to overtighten as it is to undertighten and only experience helps, or a torque wrench 😃

I would imagine that it would be ok to use a step up adapter, but stand to be corrected.

Iain

Ps I have looked at torque wrenches in Halfords and far more expensive than your Draper link.

 

 

[Roy124]

Use a torque wrench and prove KwikFit overtorqued it. 

A specified torque is for a reason. 

[Hybrid21]

2 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

Use a torque wrench and prove KwikFit overtorqued it. 

A specified torque is for a reason. 

Yes I do agree Roy, I imagine a torque wrench would certainly be worth the investment 👍

Iain

[Stivino]

I've got three.  I wouldn't bother getting one out unless I was doing something that really need it. i.e. cylinder head, big ends etc. 

If you look at a set of spanners, you'll see that the bigger the hex, the longer the spanner and regardless of the brand the lengths are always similar.

There is a reason for that.

[TonyHSD]

With respect to all but saying you don’t need a torque wrench for spark plugs, oil filters, wheel nuts or brakes etc is wrong.
You can do without but the risk of over tightening or not done properly is high and not worth it.
It doesn’t need to be a head bolts to use a torque wrench. 
Hybrids oil filters particularly if you are not using a torque wrench next time you do the oil yourself you will regret immediately for sure. I can highly recommend any diyer  to use the torque wrenches always where possible. I have similar 28Nm -210Nm bought from Aldi and it’s super good. For more precise work I use this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CDGRS5Z?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_T2_GJ51J9HE40E4D4MNP90Q

Made in England, quality tools. Also there are some Halfords which I believe are made by the same company. 👍

[Roy124]

6 minutes ago, Stivino said:

 

If you look at a set of spanners, you'll see that the bigger the hex, the longer the spanner and regardless of the brand the lengths are always similar. 

And a big lump of metal on the other end to stop you putting a plug spanner on the end 😂

[Stivino]

3 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

And a big lump of metal on the other end to stop you putting a plug spanner on the end 😂

Eh?

[Auris Geezer]

Using a "step-up"  or a "step-down" with a torque wrench is no problem at all.  There are a set of torque wrench settings in any car manual for a reason.

[Roy124]

1 hour ago, Stivino said:

Eh?

A double ended spanner makes it difficult to put a plug spanner or pipe on the end to increase the torque beyond the design limit on the spanner or the nut. 

[tavy]

  Torque wrench is very useful for wheels, alloy wheels; if you over tighten them, you risk to destroy the bolts thread, if under tighten risk is to destroy the rim holes.

[Stivino]

1 hour ago, Roy124 said:

A double ended spanner makes it difficult to put a plug spanner or pipe on the end to increase the torque beyond the design limit on the spanner or the nut. 

Nonsense,  all that is needed is a bigger bore pipe.

[Hornet3D]

I purchased a torque wrench many years ago and it has served me well but then I did buy a good quality one at the time.  Just remember to take the tension off before you store it.

[Stivino]

10 minutes ago, tavy said:

  Torque wrench is very useful for wheels, alloy wheels; if you over tighten them, you risk to destroy the bolts thread, if under tighten risk is to destroy the rim holes.

If a torque wrench was so important for alloys, there would be one in every tool kit.  Nobody would be able to over tighten a wheel nut with the supplied wrench.

[tavy]

2 minutes ago, Stivino said:

If a torque wrench was so important for alloys, there would be one in every tool kit.  Nobody would be able to over tighten a wheel nut with the supplied wrench.

Tool kit supplied is not for professional use, this wrench is useful to change the wheel on the street, where you got a puncture.

[Roy124]

9 minutes ago, Stivino said:

If a torque wrench was so important for alloys, there would be one in every tool kit.  Nobody would be able to over tighten a wheel nut with the supplied wrench.

My SAAB on 1972 came with two screw drivers, adjustable spanner, pipe wrench, plug spanner and the usual tools as well. 

[Stivino]

4 minutes ago, tavy said:

Tool kit supplied is not for professional use, this wrench is useful to change the wheel on the street, where you got a puncture.

I would never have guessed that.

The wrench provided, used properly, will torque the nuts up to approximately what it should be.

[furtula]

I get what Stivino wrote about "tighten it based on a feel" but many people who just started doing oil changes dont know how tight it should be approximately.

In this case torque wrench is a handy tool, that will just give you ease of mind after you first oil change, spark plug change, etc.

Next time you can just use a spanner to unscrew the bolt, or spark plug and get some feel on how tight it should be.

For me, it's a good investment, but i got a cheapo one for like 25 GBP few yrs ago.

[Gerg]

18 hours ago, Davidhee58 said:

or it's better to get another set of 3/8" sockets?

Everything about your questions points to the fact that you need a torque wrench, not least because you are intent on getting your car matters sorted 'just so'.

The model you have suggested is a really good choice for your situation.  (A small point: the scales on the wrench shaft could be easier to see - on all these similar types they are not easily seen at a glance in the 'wrong' light, but this isn't really the problem it may sound.)

The 1/2 sq. drive model, to me, is a little clumsy for anything smaller than wheel nuts, (I am just a hobbyist though). At the end of a job, when you might be 'running on auto-pilot' a bit, and tired, it is useful to do up your wheel bolts with the torque wrench - it's very hard to have then tightened them up incorrectly, it's a bit like someone else double-checking that bit of your work. 

If I am doing stuff on family cars (for free, naturally!) then a greater sense of responsibilty means that the torque wrench becomes the go-to finishing-off tool for wheel-related work.

If you don't have one, and you are not doing this work regularly, then without one you'll always be wondering...

But once you have one, there is then the question of are these fasteners supposed to be torqued 'dry', without any lubricant? (The answer is almost invariably 'Yes', btw), which opens up some further dilemmas...

Having said that, there is a 1/2 inch model on the Aldi online-only website, currently £19.99 + postage, which might be enough to do what you want at the moment, but it's a budget item - it does the job,  it won't be anything as nice to use as Tony's Norbar!  Great for wheelnuts though!

 

 

[TonyHSD]

12 minutes ago, Gerg said:

Everything about your questions points to the fact that you need a torque wrench, not least because you are intent on getting your car matters sorted 'just so'.

The model you have suggested is a really good choice for your situation.  (A small point: the scales on the wrench shaft could be easier to see - on all these similar types they are not easily seen at a glance in the 'wrong' light, but this isn't really the problem it may sound.)

The 1/2 sq. drive model, to me, is a little clumsy for anything smaller than wheel nuts, (I am just a hobbyist though). At the end of a job, when you might be 'running on auto-pilot' a bit, and tired, it is useful to do up your wheel bolts with the torque wrench - it's very hard to have then tightened them up incorrectly, it's a bit like someone else double-checking that bit of your work. 

If I am doing stuff on family cars (for free, naturally!) then a greater sense of responsibilty means that the torque wrench becomes the go-to finishing-off tool for wheel-related work.

If you don't have one, and you are not doing this work regularly, then without one you'll always be wondering...

But once you have one, there is then the question of are these fasteners supposed to be torqued 'dry', without any lubricant? (The answer is amost invariably 'Yes', btw), which opens up some further dilemmas...

Having said that, there is a 1/2 inch model on the Aldi online-only website, currently £19.99 + postage, which might be enough to do what you want at the moment, but it's a budget item - it does the job,  it won't be anything as nice to use as Tony's Norbar!  Great for wheelnuts though!

 

 

That’s the one👌, Aldi’s  for the wheels and Norbar for anything else up to 40-50Nm. Aldi wrench actually turned to be much better one than Sealey, Draper I had owned previously. Not a big deal if you do without torque wrench but for some applications really is better to do it properly. On research done before I had learned that torque wrenches with very large scale of Nm does not work very accurately on lower numbers, therefore best to have two sets instead of one universal. 

[Rav4ster]

Aldi still sells 60-210nm in the shops for £14.99. I got one, and it works well for the wheel nuts.

Tony, can you recommend Norbar model for lower range?

[TonyHSD]

38 minutes ago, Rav4ster said:

Aldi still sells 60-210nm in the shops for £14.99. I got one, and it works well for the wheel nuts.

Tony, can you recommend Norbar model for lower range?

I use this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CDGRS5Z?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_T2_GJ51J9HE40E4D4MNP90Q

I bought from Amazon back in 2016, it was a bit cheaper though but was everything else too. 👍 You can try to see if you can get from another place at better price. 👌

[flash22]

Wheel nuts and bolts must be torqued to spec, especially alloys the same goes for brakes caliper bracket to hub being critical

I have an inexpensive draper TR it does the job and according to the calibration tester it's within 5% - always wind the torque off when not in use