I have talked myself into buying a torque wrench. Anyone have a recommendation? Money is not a big object, just need something mtb appropriate.
Torque wrench ideas?
- Thread starter JohnE
- Start date
I went to Sears.
I have a 25-250 ft/lb. bending beam type for crank bolts and other big stuff and a 25-250 in/lb. "clicker" micrometer adjust wrench for small bolts like rotor bolts and stem clamps.
Cost just under $100 total.
I have a 25-250 ft/lb. bending beam type for crank bolts and other big stuff and a 25-250 in/lb. "clicker" micrometer adjust wrench for small bolts like rotor bolts and stem clamps.
Cost just under $100 total.
I got mine from Sears, also.
Sears x3
Oh yeah, Snap-On...Sears x4
But thoes snap-on ones =
SK is a nice intermediate tool.
250 ft-lb is a mite hefty for bike work.
I have
a 150 in-lb micrometer click-type in 1/4" drive
a 50 ft-lb bending beam in 3/8" drive
a 100 ft-lb bending beam in 1/2" drive
Since torque wrenches are accurate only from 20 to 80% of their nominal capacity, the three wrenches give me accuracy from 2.5 to 80 ft-lb or 30 to 960 in-lb.
Dartman's wrenches give him accuracy from 4 to 17 and from 50-200 ft-lb or 50-200 and 600-2,400 in-lb so he has nothing accurate for say, tightening a cassette, which I think is something like 40 ft-lb.
Bottom line is know the torques you need and select wrenches that will be accurate in the range you need.
I have
a 150 in-lb micrometer click-type in 1/4" drive
a 50 ft-lb bending beam in 3/8" drive
a 100 ft-lb bending beam in 1/2" drive
Since torque wrenches are accurate only from 20 to 80% of their nominal capacity, the three wrenches give me accuracy from 2.5 to 80 ft-lb or 30 to 960 in-lb.
Dartman's wrenches give him accuracy from 4 to 17 and from 50-200 ft-lb or 50-200 and 600-2,400 in-lb so he has nothing accurate for say, tightening a cassette, which I think is something like 40 ft-lb.
Bottom line is know the torques you need and select wrenches that will be accurate in the range you need.
Good info, but it's 40 Newton*meters. At least for Shimano cassette lockrings. Also, I only use a torque wrench on cassette lockrings because I have one that works for them and I hardly ever get to use it. Even then it only comes out once in a while...
Park Tool style beam wrenches are the best bang for your buck. If you want fancy-ness, there are plenty of ways to go all out. Armstrong makes some nice ones. But then, if you want to get technical about things, you'll have to protect your fancy wrench. Never drop it. Don't let it get rattled by other tools. And send it in periodically for professional calibration.
Correction the ft/lb one I have is is 0-75 range.
You are correct. I never use a torque wrench without looking up the number just before use - what with the conversions, I can never remember correctly.
As a matter of fact, that's the biggest barrier I find to the use of the tool - have to look up the number, maybe do a conversion depending on the tool and how good the paper is, set up, do the work, put everything away...
......you guys use a torque wrench to tighten a cassette?
Is it really necessary? (I've not been for a while or on anything else for that matter, am I asking for trouble?)
Is it really necessary? (I've not been for a while or on anything else for that matter, am I asking for trouble?)
It's not necessary. If you're ham fisted, it's probably a good idea...but if you kind of know what you're doing, it's mostly for fun. I usually find a torque wrench most useful on smaller fasteners one doesn't want to over or under tighten--e.g. bolts involved in clamping carbon seatposts.
Hahaha, good call. Now the bike nerd in me wants to get a torque wrench just to tighten everything on my bike to "factory specifications"