Torque Wrench advice

[Anonymous]

Evening folks
I'm looking to buy a decent DIY level torque wrench to cover most tasks on my Zed inc wheel bolts (and our shopping trolley K11 micra), I've used them in the past but always borrowed a mate's one.

I'm thinking about getting this http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/spanners-wrenches/halfords-professional-torque-wrench-60-300nm but wondering if there's anything else I should consider that might be a bit cheaper as the halfords one is the most I'd consider spending.

cheers for any advice.

 

[Smartbear]

I've had a lidl torque wrench for years & its been fine, not for sale very often so you have to get in fast when they appear
Rob

 

[patriot66]

You may struggle size - wise with just one large torque wrench. You can't always get in a tight spot with a large sized wrench. I've got three - a small and medium sized Snap-On and a large Draper. All possibilities covered.

 

[Anonymous]

Fair point about size.
Im going to get a large one to start with though as i need it to do wheel bolts.

 

[Brasseye]

Screwfix £25 good for around 100nm settings had it checked twice for calibration for the money great but remember to let off adjustment before storing.

 

[markplant]

Keep an eye out for halfords flash sales, an buy the professional range, keep the receipts as they have lifetime guarantee

 

[Anonymous]

just been having a look on amazon. this has got good reviews and looks almost too cheap https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-633567-Torque-Wrench-28-210/dp/B000LFTSG6/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1488575920&sr=1-1&keywords=torque+wrench

 

[Smartbear]

just been having a look on amazon. this has got good reviews and looks almost too cheap https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-633567-Torque-Wrench-28-210/dp/B000LFTSG6/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1488575920&sr=1-1&keywords=torque+wrench

That looks identical to my lidl sourced version
Rob

 

[Ducklakeview]

I have that Halfords one in 1/2", had about 15 years, and still accurate. I also have a Snap-On Tech Angle in 3/8" fantastic bit of kit, but pricey, think it was almost £400 as I bought it when they first came out.

Mike

 

[StanM]

I bought the Sealey AK624 last year when I was looking for one http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/84793/sealey-ak624 and it does look exactly like the Silverline one. Used it to change the wheels a few times and never had problems with it.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I bought a Kamasa one years ago and have never had any problems with it.

If you do go for Halfords OP, try to find a mate with a trade card! From speaking to other forum members you get a good discount.

 

[Nictrix]

A question for everybody who says that they are happy with their torque wrench over a number of years with them still being good and accurate....
Have you had them tested to see if they are still accurate or are you measuring them off another torque wrench to see if they are the same?
I ask as I only have one torque wrench that I used to use on bike engine internals. I have not used it now for quite some time and wondered how you find out if they are still accurate. Or is the only way to get them tested, if so how much does this cost?

 

[Brasseye]

A question for everybody who says that they are happy with their torque wrench over a number of years with them still being good and accurate....
Have you had them tested to see if they are still accurate or are you measuring them off another torque wrench to see if they are the same?
I ask as I only have one torque wrench that I used to use on bike engine internals. I have not used it now for quite some time and wondered how you find out if they are still accurate. Or is the only way to get them tested, if so how much does this cost?

Hi Guys

Yup the puppie linked the silverline looks just like my cheap one. Under the regulations at work all my tools/instruments needed a yearly calibration. We had two torque wrenches the £25 quid one for big bits and a much more expensive quarter inch small one for precise stuff down to low settings. But I found over ten years the cheap one stayed in calibration for big stuff ie 100nm great as long as all tension was wound off before storage. I never work on the many cars or bikes without it. Don't know if id trust it with small stuff but then for personal stuff with an engineering background my fingers and knowing the materials involved and the situation is better than any settings with many hours worked on many cars and bikes full rebuilds etc.

 

[Anonymous]

I've ordered the amazon one this morning. It'll be good enough for wheel bolts at least. when I need to do some lighter work, i'll perhaps get a better one at the lower end. Thanks for the pointers here.

Within the reviews for the silverline wrench (that I ordered) One chap posted this...

Working for Delphi, a large automotive parts design/manufacturing company I popped over to one of the labs and pulled out the torque wrench calibrator, a Norbar Pro-Test Series 2 [...] costing approx £2000.

And these are the results, the first number is the indicated reading and the second number the measured value.
28 Nm - 28.8 Nm
42 Nm - 41.8 Nm
56 Nm - 57.2 Nm
70 Nm - 70.3 Nm
84 Nm - 85.1 Nm
98 Nm - 97.6 Nm
112 Nm - 114 Nm
126 Nm - 127.2 Nm
140 Nm - 142.1 Nm
154 Nm - 155.9 Nm
168 Nm - 168.3 Nm
182 Nm - 184.8 Nm
196 Nm - 196.3 Nm
210 Nm - 209.7Nm

Now I must admit, every time I tested it at a different setting the figures would vary slightly. The above values are an average of three tests at each setting.

 

[Ducklakeview]

A question for everybody who says that they are happy with their torque wrench over a number of years with them still being good and accurate....
Have you had them tested to see if they are still accurate or are you measuring them off another torque wrench to see if they are the same?
I ask as I only have one torque wrench that I used to use on bike engine internals. I have not used it now for quite some time and wondered how you find out if they are still accurate. Or is the only way to get them tested, if so how much does this cost?

I test mine using the snap on one, and it's still within acceptable limits. I welded together a couple of old short extension bars to do it, and hold the halfords one in the vice in soft jaws, set to various torques, then apply torque using the Techangle, to see at what reading the halfords one clicks. The halfords one is easy to calibrate and I think I've done it once, when I first got the techangle. It wasn't far out though considering its age. The vital thing to remember is to fully unwind it when not in use.

Mike