Topic: Please take away my tools, I can't use a torque wrench!

[B.O.X.N.I.F.E.]

Call me old school, but I've always used my trusty scale type wrench when I had specific ft. lb requirements on a build. But I thought I'd join the 21'st century and get a click-stop type.

So I get the thing and start torquing, expecting it to do the free spinning, clicky sound thing when I reached the right torque. But it just kept on tightening. I think I heard a slight click somewhere along the way, but I'm not sure. Is it supposed to just click once when you reach the right torque, or start spinning freely? (i expected the latter)

[BlackMax]

dude, I did the same thing the other day, and was SURE I popped a bolt while tightening down a cam cap.   I was using a 1-click type wrench, but had it in my head that I was using a ratcheting type that wouldn't let me overtighten.  The wrench was about 20" long, so I could strip the aluminum by practically blowing on it.

I don't have an answer for you, but am glad that I'm not the only one to screw up using a wrench recently.

[Spanner 1]

One click is all you get when it hits the torque setting......not supposed to click it more than once too.....!

[my78k]

Thats how mine works! Except I can't usually hear it over the music or hockey game or whatever I have going on when working in the garage...

Dennis

[moham]

Both Craftsman torque wrenchies I have (3/8 and 1/2 drives) don't even click audibly, at least not to me. Instead when you reach your setting (and you should be slowing when you get close), it just pops out of torque for a sec. If you were bashing away, you could easily keep torqueing. Take it slow and you will feel it pop.

 

[B.O.X.N.I.F.E.]

I was doing some praying while backing them off, because they were wayyyy over tightened. Thanks guys, next time we'll do Hammers 101.

[BobbyR]

I teach torquing to our shop guys. There is a very quiet click sometimes but you should feel it. If you are at the torque setting it should keep doing that as you continue. Yours may be defective.

[Alan F.]

Both Craftsman torque wrenches I have (3/8 and 1/2 drives) don't even click audibly, at least not to me. Instead when you reach your setting (and you should be slowing when you get close), it just pops out of torque for a sec. If you were bashing away, you could easily keep torquing. Take it slow and you will feel it pop.

+1 on that, I've made a habit of keeping one hand on the ratchet end and one on the handle while torquing anything, that way I'm sure to feel the detent that the wrench signals the operator with.

When in doubt, practice on something that's not valueable, like a bolt clamped in the bench vise....

[new2novas]

depending on the torque sometimes you can't even feel it, i keep an eye on the pivot point and go slow

[Bill Vaughan]

If you want to get a feel for how it should react at the point of reaching the selected torque value, put the drive end in a vise and pull on the wrench until it "clicks".  Do this at a few different settings so you get a sense for how it should feel when attached to a bolt/nut.

Sounds stupid, but it actually helps.

[tygrant]

or stick with the guage/scale type... its what I use, not fancy but it works

[MotoMartin]

It seems with the "pop" type torque wrench, the wrench part has to be exactly 90 degrees to the socket otherwise you don't feel the pop. This is possible as there is a bit of slop in the mechanism, which is accentuated by the length of the torque wrench.
If I am working on something delicate (like cam cap bolts) I use the old fashioned pointer type torque wrench where you can visually see how much torque is being applied.

[new2novas]

no, not stupid....i was torquing the heads on my motor (small block) on a stand a bunch of years back for the first time using one and didn't notice it clicked and broke a head bolt off, not the end of the world but i did have to buy a new set of bolts just to replace the one....if you were to strip threads out you would have the joys of at the least putting a helicoil in, at worst cracking whatever it is around the bolt or bolt hole and having to replace it

[Sparked]

Both Craftsman torque wrenches I have (3/8 and 1/2 drives) don't even click audibly, at least not to me. Instead when you reach your setting (and you should be slowing when you get close), it just pops out of torque for a sec. If you were bashing away, you could easily keep torquing. Take it slow and you will feel it pop.

+1 on that, I've made a habit of keeping one hand on the ratchet end and one on the handle while torquing anything, that way I'm sure to feel the detent that the wrench signals the operator with.

When in doubt, practice on something that's not valueable, like a bolt clamped in the bench vise....

+1 on placing the other hand on the rachet end of the wrench. I usually put my hand over the rachet end with my thumb on the body of the wrench and even if you can't hear the 'click' you'll feel it for sure. 

[Derby City]

I have a craftsman click-type torque wrench that I bought when I was probably 16 or 17 years old. It makes a noise, and you can feel it when you hit the right torque.  When torquing, I always tighten very slowly.  I used to borrow my buddy's Snap-on set when I did internal motor work.  It worked the same way.

I've been told to back the tension off the wrench (i.e. adjust it back to the lowest torque rating) when not using it.  I may have read that in the instructions when I bought the wrench.  I believe it's supposed to keep the wrench working properly.

[mikethejeepguy]

+1 on going slowly when torquing. Also make sure that you are using the right torque scale, one time I stripped some bolts when the setting called for inch-pounds and I set it to foot-pounds. Besides that, my torque wrench is pretty loud when it clicks and I can feel it in the shaft as well. Maybe try a different manufacturer? I have heard that it is also bad to keep your wrench preloaded, so I make sure to back mine off to zero before putting it away.

[mystic_1]

I've been told to back the tension off the wrench (i.e. adjust it back to the lowest torque rating) when not using it.  I may have read that in the instructions when I bought the wrench.  I believe it's supposed to keep the wrench working properly.

Correct.  This helps prevent the internal spring from weakening as quickly.

mystic_1

[Bob Wessner]

or stick with the guage/scale type... its what I use, not fancy but it works

Can you describe this better? You speaking of a beam type torque wrench?

[Tim.]

Pretty sure he means one of these.  Which if you have a nice one, is great (I have a cheaper version).  I also have a couple of the ratchet style ones which I tend to use more these days.

Light audible click but more of a feel thing.  Slow and steady.  I'd hate to have a torque wrench simply let go and start spinning freely when torque was reached - can only imagine the busted knuckles.

[Bob Wessner]

If that's it, yup, it's referred to as a beam design. I have one, hard to go wrong with one, but there are situations where they are not a good fit for the job.