Is it OK to grease the drive mechanism on a torque wrench?

[Crunch]

Every 7 - 10 years I pop out the snap ring or retaining clip on my ratchets to clean the metal to metal surfaces, and apply some bearing grease to the drive mechanism--body teeth,directional mechanism, drive teeth, etc. I don't pack the cavity like I would with bearings, just a liberal amount to make sure everything is lubricated and any excess grease has space to be displaced. BTW, my friends look at me like I'm crazy when I do this, but I've messed up the teeth on cheap ratchets before. New ratchets are bone dry inside from what I've seen.

But I've never done this with a torque wrench. I don't think it would affect the accuracy, because the torque components are in the handle. But because it is a calibrated instrument I've never messed with it. It also uses the flat, spring-like retainer ring to hold the drive mechanism in, which isn't as easy to remove and replace as the snap rings are. The torque wrench I have is a Craftsman, model 9 44542. Any problem greasing the drive mechanism on this?

Thanks.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

No problem at all.

However, I personally just use oil or a very light viscosity grease on the ratchet mechanisms.

 

[Timd32]

Same.... the head is usually just a standard ratchet head. We get repair kits for the heads separate from the repair kits for the torque mechanisms. We have about 30 torque wrenches at my shop all different sizes. They all are the same set up.

Hey its your time, crazy or not...

 

[Crunch]

No problem at all.

However, I personally just use oil or a very light viscosity grease on the ratchet mechanisms.

I use the bearing grease because it's what I have. I've never noticed grit or dirt in the cavity, so I've never been concerned. Plus, I clean all the surfaces before I use the grease.

Hey its your time, crazy or not...

For the most part, it's one of those rainy day tasks, or something to do when I'm trying to put off doing something else. Last week I greased the ratchets because a) it was about time, and b) I got tired of picking through bins of mixed screws and bolts and sorting them into those drawers in the fasteners (that's a once every 15-20 year chore). Now I'm in a bind because I ran out of the little dividers that slide down in the drawers, and no one, from Harbor Freight to the local hardware store carries them.

So based on the responses, I will go ahead and grease the drive mechanism on my torque wrench. BTW, is there a name for the flat, coiled retaining clip that holds the mechanism in, and other than a slotted screwdriver, is there a specific tool for removing and reinstalling it? For years, my technique has been to use a pair of vise grips to hold it against the ratchet body and lift out the free end with a screw driver until I could work it out by hand. To reinstall it I would slip it over a finger like a ring, then use my other hand to spread it out and try to get it catch before working it back in.

 

[SnoKing]

I was surprised last year when have Costco rotate my tires. They had a torque wrench test stand in the tire shop waiting area. I got my no name 40 or 50 year old torque wrench out of the truck and tested it. It was spot on at 90 and 125 lbs. It has been used mostly for lug nuts. However I had the heads off a 350 cu in chevy small block twice, put a new piston in a 283 once also.