Torque Wrenchin'

[Von-Skipp]

Now that I am baller enought to own a few carbon parts, I know proper Torque on the bolts is key.

I have carbon handlebars on my mountain bike and I've always been really cautious of over tightening the bolts. Even so much my bars have once slipped on the trails (that was scary...)

So I was looking at prices on Jenson of a torque wrench and was shocked how much they are!!

http://www.jensonusa.com/search/?s=t...&btnSearch.y=0

I know I could use this tool with my carbon road bike and other carbon parts.

Any suggestions what to do??

[danlorek]

go to sears and buy one that includes the torque ranges your frame bolts are spec'd at. They're usually about $60 and pay for themselves when you don't destroy that $2500 frame. Using a torque wrench on bolts is just a piece of mind thing... well worth the price.

[Pho'dUp]

Absolutely no need to buy a torque wrench that's a few hundred dollars!

Try this one from Park. It's scaled for low torque bolts (0-60 in*lbs.) Which would be like seat post collars, brakes, water cages, etc.

Sure it's not as nice and hi tech as the adjustable torque wrenches. But it gets the job done.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?SKU=11387


Here's some torque specs for Carbon frames.

http://www.feltbicycles.com/index.ph...bon_care_guide

[Geronimo]

Here's the torque wrench I bought for 25.00 It's probably the cheapest price you'll find for a ratcheting torque wrench, and it works great. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2696

BTW harbor frieght has a few stores in OC as well.

[dstepper]

Bought one this week at Sears to torque the bolt on my Hopey Steering Damper. I-Beam Torque Wrench at Sears Laguna Hills Mall, $24.00. I don't need a ratcheting one so went for the cheaper one at Sears.

[OldDogDan]

When you start shopping torque wrenches and look closely at the photos, you'll see that several places seem to be selling the exact same wrench with a different label, but the prices vary widely. Sears is lower.

[ghixon]

Ditto on the Sears recomendation. Be sure to spend a liitle more than lowest cost. Most torque wrenches vary in accuracy by up to 10% unless you have them professionally calibrated (Snap-On, Mac Tools). When dealing with such low torque values, you should be good with a midline tool.

[SAR_boats]

You need this:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

[OffRoadie]

I have two torque wrench, both purchased at Sears. They're beam type, and comparable to the two that Park sells (one big one, one small one), except cheaper and easier to get.

[CalEpic]

Skippy - I have one you can borrow.

[Pain Freak]

I bought the Harbor Freight one for the guys at work. Way off as far as accuracy. One lasted all of two weeks before it broke. Went to Home Depot and got 5 of their mid priced ones I believe they were 34 dollars.

[BrewMaster]

I bought a 3/8" drive twist type at Sears at the day after Thanksgiving sales. $40 for an $80 torque wrench. I have yet to use it, but it seems like a good tool. The hex sockets to go with it were around $20 or so.

I'd bet Sears has a sale after Xmas. Keep an eye out.

[danlorek]

yeah... i was gonna add to this after i see all the, "hey, buy this one... it's just $0.99!" posts. it is a torque wrench which should be calibrated for accuracy. a friend of mine used a harbor freight cheapy and snapped a bolt. he finally checked the torque wrench's accuracy and found it to be totally off as one of the other posters saw. soooo, don't go too cheap.

[RustyIron]

I buy a lot of tools from Enco. Here's a page out of their catalog:
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?P...MITEM=891-4100

If you want to go to the store and buy one right away, go to Sears. Do not go to Harbor Freight. Their products don't have the precision quality control that you need for this application.

A beam-type wrench, although more cumbersome to use than a ratcheting click-type, is cheaper and can be more accurate.

[Flat Broke]

Originally Posted by RustyIron

I buy a lot of tools from Enco. Here's a page out of their catalog:
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?P...MITEM=891-4100

If you want to go to the store and buy one right away, go to Sears. Do not go to Harbor Freight. Their products don't have the precision quality control that you need for this application.

A beam-type wrench, although more cumbersome to use than a ratcheting click-type, is cheaper and can be more accurate.

I've gotta argue about the beam style having the capability of being more accurate. If anything its far more subjective based upon how fast you push the bar, where your hand is on the handle etc. I used one to build my first engine back when I was a freshmen in highschool, and I noticed that while torquing head bolts, I could manipulate the action of the beam by the angle which I pushed on the handle. That was with an old Sears one that had been in the family for a while. After that engine, I purchased a Craftsman clicker type and it was much better in terms of repeatable results.

A few years later when I was working as a ski-tech for a local sporting goods retail chain, I noticed the same thing when testing breakaway tensions for ski bindings. You could easily influence the breaking point of the binding/torque required by approaching the point faster/slower and holding the handle further back/forward. This was using a test kit furnished by Marker, but it was obviously made by someone else and re-badged for that purpose.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that unless you're going to go whole hog and get a Snap On/Mac/Proto that you have calibrated on a regular basis; anything you buy is going to give somewhat questionable readings. That being said, in my experience, the I-beam style wrenches are even more subjective in nature because of the ease of manipulation (intentional or not) by the user.

The other thing to remember about all measuring devices is that they tend to be most accurate in the middle of the measuring range. So if are looking for a tool to work specifically with the relatively light torque values associated with bicycle components, regardless of price range or style, look for something that puts the majority of important-to-you torque values in the middle of the device's range.

Chris

[OffRoadie]

Originally Posted by Flat Broke

I've gotta argue about the beam style having the capability of being more accurate. If anything its far more subjective based upon how fast you push the bar, where your hand is on the handle etc. I used one to build my first engine back when I was a freshmen in highschool, and I noticed that while torquing head bolts, I could manipulate the action of the beam by the angle which I pushed on the handle.

Beam type torque wrenches are not as straight-forward as they seem. It seems here that you possibly were using the wrench incorrectly. There is a specific point where force is supposed to be applied. The big one I have has a floating handle on a pivot point to concentrate the force. You're also supposed move slow and even in the pull, and the final reading should be taken while wrench is in motion.

If your hand is in the wrong spot or you push too fast, the wrench will be inaccurate. It says so in the instructions.

[BRpunkRock]

I work on aircraft parts on a daily basis and torque wrenches are the one tool I use more then anything else in the shop. Like OffRoadie said. Final reading taken while in motion. The wenches torque rating is measured based on the length of the leaver hence pulling the wrench from different place will cause you to get higher or lower torque readings, there should be a spot on the wrench marked "pull here"

You also need to consider if the torque reading you are told to torque to requires run down torque or if it is a straight torque once the bolt is bottomed out. Also if you are using extensions and adaptors they need to be placed on the wrench so they do not extend or shorten the length of the lever or you will need to use a formula to determine the correct torque values.


For me personally I like using dial torque wrenches for low torques and low volume parts. Now for production parts with high torques high volume I like clickers.

I don't own any personal torque wrenches, I don't want to pay to have them calibrated, Check your local auto parts place they should have torque wrenches you can rent that will have a current calibration sticker on them.

[92se-r]

Word of advice on clicker torque wrenches. Never leave them tightened at a certain torque spec. Loosen them all the way out when done using.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by CalEpic

Skippy - I have one you can borrow.

Me too Skippy, I've got a 1/4" Matco one if you need it.

[OffRoadie]

Not true with beam type wrenches mechmann. The beam type torque wrench does not measure torque directly at the pivot axis. It measures torque indirectly by a known relation of force applied at a particular point along the moment arm and amount of flex the arm exhibits. If you grab up closer to the head, some of the arm does not flex as expected, and the reading is inaccurate.