Torque wrench recommendations

martyc5674

Bought some carbon
So I guess I'll need a torque wrench...but skint aswell so good value recommendations appreciated.

I think 4nm to 12 nm covers everything on the frame 12 being the cranks to bb.
But I haven't looked at it properly yet.
Marty.

omri

martyc5674 wrote: »

Bought some carbon
So I guess I'll need a torque wrench...but skint aswell so good value recommendations appreciated.

I think 4nm to 12 nm covers everything on the frame 12 being the cranks to bb.
But I haven't looked at it properly yet.
Marty.

Depends on your budget. I have Park Tools and a little 5nm from Ritchey.

martyc5674

Budget 30-50 I guess..for 50 I'd be hoping to get any adapters I might need.
I have a loan of on so not stuck.
Incidentally seat post is 4nm...that seem really low?
Marty.

omri

check bike-discount / 4thebike / bike24 see whats in your range

devonp

Rose do a very good wrench for the lower torques with all the adapters

doozerie

Some schools of thought:
* Torque wrenches are essential when dealing with carbon - versus - Going by feel is perfectly adequate
* Cheap tools are perfectly adequate - versus - With tools you get exactly what you pay for.
* Adaptors make no difference - versus - Adaptors throw torque figures out by enough to make them useless.
* Torque figures from manufacturers are exactly what you should use every time - versus - Torque figures are maximums and you should only use about 80% of that torque.
* Lubricating bolts throws torque figures out - versus - It's fine to to use lube and torque to recommended figures.
...etc...

Take all of those into account and you have quite a mess. A cheap torque wrench used on a lubed bolt and set to 80% of the recommended torque figure (if you can find it) might well work fine. Or it might not. And an expensive torque wrench might not be as accurate and reliable as you'd hope either (you should really get it recalibrated after a lot of use, for example, but I suspect few people do).

Personally I think there is a lot more value in going by feel. Use good quality tools which fit well and that is half the battle (cheap allen keys are the worst here, I would have zero faith in an ill-fitting allen key bit and if fitted to a torque wrench I'd have zero confidence in the torque readings as a result). After that it's a matter of learning by experience. If you are careful you won't break or damage anything, you are more likely to under-tighten parts rather than over-tighten them, and that's often not be a problem at all depending on the part.

Certain parts still pose a challenge mind you, I gather that the Garmin Vector pedals are very sensitive to incorrect torque for example, but such examples are few and far between.

Statler

doozerie wrote: »

I gather that the Garmin Vector pedals are very sensitive to incorrect torque for example, but such examples are few and far between.

From experience, they certainly are...

I got a decent Draper torque wrench on amazon recently, if I recall they had a decent enough selection.

The Sidewards Man

One with a calibration certificate is a must.

jinkypolly

I have this one, more than adequate. €35
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-torque-wrench-set/

07Lapierre

doozerie wrote: »

Some schools of thought:
* Torque wrenches are essential when dealing with carbon - versus - Going by feel is perfectly adequate
* Cheap tools are perfectly adequate - versus - With tools you get exactly what you pay for.
* Adaptors make no difference - versus - Adaptors throw torque figures out by enough to make them useless.
* Torque figures from manufacturers are exactly what you should use every time - versus - Torque figures are maximums and you should only use about 80% of that torque.
* Lubricating bolts throws torque figures out - versus - It's fine to to use lube and torque to recommended figures.
...etc...

Take all of those into account and you have quite a mess. A cheap torque wrench used on a lubed bolt and set to 80% of the recommended torque figure (if you can find it) might well work fine. Or it might not. And an expensive torque wrench might not be as accurate and reliable as you'd hope either (you should really get it recalibrated after a lot of use, for example, but I suspect few people do).

Personally I think there is a lot more value in going by feel. Use good quality tools which fit well and that is half the battle (cheap allen keys are the worst here, I would have zero faith in an ill-fitting allen key bit and if fitted to a torque wrench I'd have zero confidence in the torque readings as a result). After that it's a matter of learning by experience. If you are careful you won't break or damage anything, you are more likely to under-tighten parts rather than over-tighten them, and that's often not be a problem at all depending on the part.

Certain parts still pose a challenge mind you, I gather that the Garmin Vector pedals are very sensitive to incorrect torque for example, but such examples are few and far between.

I have a torque wrench, which I use to ensure that bolts are tightened evenly. Example.. Stem bolts..there are 4 bolts, so I set the torque to a setting that "feels" right to me. I then tighten all 4 to the same setting. Works for me.

martyc5674

jinkypolly wrote: »

I have this one, more than adequate. €35
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-essential-torque-wrench-set/

Nice one...just ordered that.

Lumen

martyc5674 wrote: »

12nm being the cranks to bb

Are you sure about that? Seems very low. Which crankset do you have?

martyc5674

Ultegra 6800, theres two bolts on the left crank arm and it says tighten each equally to 12-14nm.
Marty.

doozerie

martyc5674 wrote: »

Incidentally seat post is 4nm...that seem really low?

No, sounds about right. You need very little pressure to stop a seat post from sliding.

martyc5674

doozerie wrote: »

No, sounds about right. You need very little pressure to stop a seat post from sliding.

Cheers...its not actually stamped on it but i remember the guy in shop saying 4nm...I havent touched the bike yet, ill give it a good seeing to the weekend.
Its the one bolt on the frame thats likely to get a lot of attention.
Marty.

doozerie

Best to use carbon assembly paste too if using a carbon seatpost, it increases friction between the seatpost and the seat tube and takes a bit of pressure off that bolt.

martyc5674

doozerie wrote: »

Best to use carbon assembly paste too if using a carbon seatpost, it increases friction between the seatpost and the seat tube and takes a bit of pressure off that bolt.

Yeah he gave me a sachet for just that