Topic: Which torque wrench should I buy?

[camshaft1991]

Hey guys,
I'm just wondering what torque wrench people trust the most for rebuilding their bikes. I'm inclined more towards a digital toque wrench over mechanical readout, but I would be interested in what people would recommend. I previously had an Eastwood digital torque wrench but it was not stowed away in a high enough spot when a flood hit my dad's workshop. It still works as a socket wrench still, but all the electronic components are finished.

[Old Moe Toe]

I bought a sidchrome one that has a little rod that pops out when the desired torque is reached. It is a good quality unit however the downside is that it only torques one way. It can't torque a left hand thread!, and that's a bummer.

[camshaft1991]

Don’t think I have any left hand threads come think about it.  I heard using a torque wrench to back out a bolt can possibly offset later torque values if used but I’ll look up that wrench


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[Jessamine]

If you're on a budget, you can pick up a HF torque adaptor which will fit your existing driver; they've been tested and found much more accurate than cheap analog ones.  Other than that you'll have to shell out a tidy sum for an accurate one you can trust.

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-digital-torque-adapter-63917.html

[MikeSimon]

Stick with an "old fashioned" manual adjustable "click" wrench. So many things can go wrong with a digital wrench, especially right when you need them. Both left and right hand turns are great. But also consider the range you mostly need. I found, even on working on my motorcycles, I need two torque wrenches to cover the specified torque values.

[754]

I have a 3/8 Williams NON RATCHETING clicker. I have grown used to it and prefer the solid feel.
 It gets in places no others will.
 It's only goes down to 15 ft lbs , but I go below that,  by watching the lines. Do my 6mm at 7 ft lbs with it.
 Probably 45 years old or older,.

[seanbarney41]

I use 1/4" drive 10-250 in./lbs. almost exclusively on jap bikes.  The bigger torque  stuff does not have to be so accurate.

[dave500]

what ever you do don't ever #$%*ing ever torque down any 6mm bolts full stop,youll strip them out every time!just feel em down and a little extra by hand on a strangled wrench,keep the torque wrench for cylinder heads and main case bolts only,get a dual signal mechanical deflecting beam type in 3/8 drive.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Nobody uses beam torque wrenches anymore? I feel so alone. 

[seanbarney41]

I use em dukie, just didntvwant to admit it

[strynboen]

i have a stahlville klick-over for mostly heavy duty.

..and a smaller thepy one for smaller Work.

..you need atleast 2 to get the vhole Scala kompleted...

i dont use mine for loosen bolts..only teighten..and dont pull them over the kliccing point ..

[72 yellow]

Nobody uses beam torque wrenches anymore? I feel so alone. 

Still use the Craftsman beam I bought in the 70's.    Not ashamed to admit it either. 

[City Boy]

Hi gang.I have a 3/8 drive flex head ratcheting clicker Snap On metre with 5-75 ft/lb. range.Purchased in late seventies.Far from daily use but built many motorbike engines with no related failures.I treat it with kid gloves.Took it to a local Costco that has a tester 2 months ago.At 20ft/lb.reading was 20.04.Good enough for me !
 I use a Canadian tire  half inch clicker good for 150 ft/lb.  for auto wheel nuts.Have not tested but not so worried.

[mrbreeze]

I have a Snap On 1/2 drive clicker for the big stuff. Gear Wrench clickers in 3/8 and 1/4. Gear Wrench are not bad at all for the price (waay cheaper than Snap On).

[PeWe]

You need 2.
- Small for M5-M8 1/4" socket
- Bigger for head bolts and clutch 1/2" or 3/8" socket

I have now 2 wrenches I trust in my garage that I can use when I need which is much more often than I thought.

I snapped one APE HD cyl stud with a borrowed wrench (expensive quality tool from my jobs lab) that was not calibrated or wrongly calibrated. My new needed 36Nm to tighten head nuts further when testing the new tool. I thought I had tighten almost 28Nm (20,5 ft lbs). CB750 head is OK with 20.0 ft lbs. I had to buy a completely new set of studs since I could not trust over tightened studs that can snap after that torque abuse.
There is a thread about one guy that had over tightened HD studs and continued... it snapped once again while riding $$$$
These hard bolts do no like too much torque. The good thing is their rigidity, no flexing. They will keep the torque if the gasket will not compress further.

Hazet 5108-2CT  Made in Germany, tool serial number with calibration report.
2.5-25Nm for M5-M6 bolts like the cam bolts, cases and all covers
 

Hazet 5120-2CT Made in Germany, tool serial number with calibration report.
10-60Nm for the head, clutch center nut etc.

They cost a little bit more than the cheap crap made in China from the cheapest auto crap stores with products that mostly will fail and cause additional costs with lost time.

[camshaft1991]

How does a beam torque wrench work?


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[Duke McDukiedook]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench

[eigenvector]

Nobody uses beam torque wrenches anymore? I feel so alone. 

I resent that - that's all I own.

Personally I use a 36" breaker bar when tightening down the clutch cover bolts - I have to give the next owner something challenging to do.

[camshaft1991]

I'm going to try to do a spread sheet on some of this but I'll post it and leave it for editing. Ill mainly just list them with name, price, and who recommended it

[camshaft1991]

If you're on a budget, you can pick up a HF torque adaptor which will fit your existing driver; they've been tested and found much more accurate than cheap analog ones.  Other than that you'll have to shell out a tidy sum for an accurate one you can trust.

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-digital-torque-adapter-63917.html

I was just browsing harbor freight and then I came back and reviewed the comments. I'm probably going to go with a beam or deflecting torque wrench and then I need a torque wrench that can measure as low as 7lbs/inch or a little lower. I don't see myself picking up another project bike anytime soon after I'm done with my current rebuild.

[dave500]

be carefull torqueing 6mm bolts!

[camshaft1991]

I ended up buying a digital torque wrench adapter
I need it for my clutch and the secondary drive sprocket connected to my clutch. I can’t remember how high the torque value is for the sprocket but I know it’s high and close to the max value of this tool.

I’m still working on a spreadsheet. I couldn’t find much info on the vintage torque wrenches. I’m going to make a spreadsheet on torque wrenches you can buy not unobtainable vintage torque wrenches. It will be solely based on what forum members recommend.


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