Torque Wrench

[shendren]

check your local pawn shop. i sell the one pic'd above for about $40.

 

[Steve M]

I bought both sizes of Husky from Home Depot. Both right at $60 each. I've installed a few hitches and fixed a few elevators with them. Nothing has broken or fallen apart yet!

I wish there was a tiny little screwdriver torque wrench. I probably over tighten screw terminals and pinch wires to the point of breaking off more than anything. I broke a lug off of my girlfriend's car one time making sure it was tight. I torque everything now...

 

[Chipstien]

TORQUE!!!! I thought you use a 1/2 inch air rattler and run it till it stops.

 

[Mike Ellis]

Overtorquing!!!

I am big ol' guy and beginning to get my full strength back after a long illness, still a bit peaked but reasonably stout. I went out last weekend to change the thermostat on my '72 Jimmy, and found one of the bolts impossible to budge even with my svelte frame behind a breaker bar (350 lbs worth). One of those simple "I'll change it in 10 minutes during halftime of the game" jobs became an hour of cussing and sweating. Never did get it out and actually broke my 6-pt socket on it, resorted to a 12-pt and rounded the head off nicely ARGGHGHGHGHGH



Doh! Gonna have to put the heat wrench on it today. They must have had Andre the Giant install the thing, I am surprised the entire intake isn't bowed up around the boss it is in so tight.



And for you smart-alecks, yeah I did check to make sure I was turning the wrench the right way... after about 15 minutes of gruntin'

 

[illflem]

Lots of times the guys putting things together don't think about the poor guy who might have to take it apart. It isn't so much that things are over torqued, it's more that they don't use anti-seize. More than likely your t-stat bolt is galled on. Use anti-seize when you put it back together.

 

[lschultz]

Mike Ellis--What makes you think there are any smart-alecks on this board ?I know theres a lot of weird/strange/disfunctional ones on here. Two that come to mind(Whitmore/Doc )and theres some more.

 

[JStordahl]

Steve M: You are in luck! There is a screwdriver torque wrench. S&K Tools makes one, don't know the range, and Seekonk makes one called the MCX which is a 1/4 inch drive with 3-30 inch pound range. I have the MCX, and it's a great addition to your tool set. I use it for scope mounting and other gun related tasks. See the October issue of Precision Shooting magazine as the Seekonk is featured in my article... . The Big Five... Indispensable Tools For The Accuracy Aficionado. You can get it from www.premierreticles.com Good luck!

 

[SMorneau]

Even a cheap one is better than none

Even a cheap torque wrench is better than none. You can check/calibrate them yourself with a weight or against another torque wrench. I have three "cheap ones"; a sears bending beam (which has an advantage of working both clockwise and counter-clockwise), a cheap clicker 10 ft-lb and up, and a 10 in-lb and up clicker I just picked up at Sears for $59.



Even if these are poorly calibrated they will be closer than anyone is going to get with no torque wrench. The only caution I would add, and this goes for any tool, is to use common sense. Don't keep pouring on the torque if you aren't damm sure the wrench is working and you haven't missed the click.



Most of the people I know don't have torque wrenches and they will never have one if they are convinced they need an expensive one to make it worthwhile. There are many people who have very expensive torque wrenches that stay in the tool chest way too much.

 

[Reddog1]

willyslover - Excellent point. Most people have never been exposed to calibration of gauges and related.



It’s interesting that there are many strong feelings on buying a name brand, high dollar torque wrench.



I wonder how many realize that unlike a ratchet, there is a proper way to use any Torque wrench?



Regardless of price, improperly used or stored negates the quality.



Illflem mentions anti-seize. I wonder how many know what illflem is referring to? How many use anti-seize or a similar product. I wonder how many know what effect it or similar products have on torque values?





Details, what a concept!







Wayne

 

[E7mack96]

anti-sieze

I know what it is, and use it regularly on my dump trucks



We have torque values as high as 1200 ft lbs as well

 

[RichR]

Ideas please

Can anyone point me to a 1/4 inch torque wrench,Digital type. I need one for truck maintennance?I tried Sears. Can't spend too much!

RichR

 

[rweis]

OK, I'll bite, what effect does anti-seize have on torque values?

 

[willyslover]

Rich R. . my guess is that you are going to spend a few on that one... only guys who make a digital torque wrench are the very upper end units, Snap-on is my guess for that. . I have never looked in Mac's or Matco's catalog for something like this... why would you need that type out of curiosity

 

[JFitzgerald]

Anti-sieze is great stuff. I use so much of it, you'd think I owned the company. You really appreciate it the next time you have to take it apart.



On the subject of anti-sieze's effect on torquing: Am I right in saying that torque values are normally meant to be for "lubricated" threads? It's true for building engines anyway. I would consider anti-sieze a thread lube. (I don't use anti-sieze for threads in engine internals, just engine oil). I imagine there are some special applications where the threads cannot be lubed for certain reasons. Can someone offer some more info?

 

[illflem]

I think you're right about torque values being set for lubed threads. I consider Loc-Tite to be a lube also. About the only time I don't use thread lube is if a manual says not to, have run across it a few times. You're not supposed to use lube with nyloc nuts. There has been debate on whether to use lube on lug nuts, I always do and have never had a problem.



I've been on the same one gallon can of anti-seize for 10 years now, it doesn't take much. Getting low now and dreading it, it's made out of lead and I wouldn't doubt it's illegal. Don't like the silver colored aluminum anti-seize which is so common, not sure of the name but it makes a mess that is hard to remove.

 

[me4osu]

Most torque values are lubed, however they usually specify SAE 30 as the lubricant. Anti- / Nevr seez is a little more lubin' than they intend. Plus, if it is not "high temp" Anti-sieze, and you apply it to exhaust component fasteners, it WILL sieze.



If you get oil analysis, don't use an excessive amount of Anti-sieze crap where it can get into the oil. It will foul up an analysis.



Here's a good one. We used to torque the dipper-stick ram piston nut on JD excavators to 12,000 ft-lbs lubed with SAE 30. Used a jig with an Enerpac and 2ft wrench. When we reached a specified pressure on the Enerpac (can't remember), it was properly torqued. Needless to say, we stood at a distance.

 

[Todd T]

I have used anti seize on lugs for years now too. never lost one yet.



I also use it on my belly mower's blades. its nice to be able to take them apart without cutting through your leather gloves trying to hold them the head on my weed eater gets some too.

 

[Reddog1]

I will have to admit I am pleasantly surprised at the number of positive post on the use of thread lubricant. I think this is frequently overlooked.



Seldom do I not use thread lubricant. Yes, they do have special thread lubricants, and seldom are torque values for dry threads. To my knowledge, unless specified otherwise, just about any oil or thread lubricant will work. I prefer Anti-seize. Why, because I cannot think of an application where it does not work, parts seldom if ever rust together, making disassembly much easier.



me4osu makes a good point on oil analysis.



It would appear illflem and I went to similar schools on this subject.



I use Anti-seize on all but rubber gaskets . I never have to scrape a gasket surface the second time around . I seldom use a Permitex (? spelling) type gasket cement.



I do use Anti-seize on nyloc nuts. I am sure it could be argued that I loose a little of the nyloc holding strength. However, see what happens when you screw a stainless nyloc nut on a stainless bolt, without thread lubricant. It is very prone to gualing. I did this as a youngster with ¾ inch bolts at a naval shipyard. It required over a week to cut the bolts off that I (almost) screwed together in two hours. Folks were very upset, and I was told to never screw two fasteners together without at least spiting on them.



Most people do not realize that nyloc nuts loose their locking strength after they removed the third time.



Anti-seize also prevents electrolysis when screwing steel bolts or studs in aluminum.



Oh, where were we? Yes, quality torque wrenches. Like paint, without proper prep, this best is of little value.



Wayne

 

[illflem]

Wayne, I was told the reason not to use lubes, anti-seize or Loc-Tite on nylocs was because the oils/chemicals can soften the nylon causing it to lose it's locking properties. I used the green wicking type Loc-Tite once on a nyloc that was going for it's forth time and noticed it melted the nylon.

 

[Reddog1]

Bill - As it pertains to nylocs, I have limited knowledge, so I will yield to your experience.



I think using the lock-tite supercedes the locking qualities of the nyloc nut.



I think it is worth mentioning, that torque values on nylocs is questionable. It seems to me, that the torque value would have to change each time the nut is used, due to the elasticity of the nylon. I do not think that Anti-seize would soften the nylon, but logically, it would have some impact due to its lubrication qualities.





Wayne