Torque wrench - do I need two?

I love Sean nos

Took a look at the FZ6 manual and extracted the following torque listings:

Spark plug
17.5 Nm (1.75 m.kgf, 12.7 ft.lbf)

Oil filter cartridge
17.0 Nm (1.70 m.kgf, 12.0 ft.lbf)

Engine oil drain bolt
43.0 Nm (4.30 m.kgf, 31.0 ft.lbf)

Coolant drain bolt
10.0 Nm (1.0 m.kgf, 7.2 ft.lbf)

Locknut
16.0 Nm (1.60 m.kgf, 11.0 ft.lbf)

Axle nut
120.0 Nm (12.0 m.kgf, 85.0 ft.lbf)

Wheel axle
72.0 Nm (7.2 m.kgf, 52.0 ft.lbf)

Front wheel axle pinch bolt
19.0 Nm (1.9 m.kgf, 13.0 ft.lbf)

Brake caliper bolt
40.0 Nm (4.0 m.kgf, 29.0 ft.lbf)

So, I need a torque wrench with a 10.0 - 120.0 Nm range. Next I took a look at Halfords, but it appears that I need two separate wrenches to cover that range.

Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 8-60Nm

Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 40-200Nm

Is that unavoidable?

How do people rate the Halfords tools?

Any recommendations on torque wrenches or where I should buy one?

I can't even priortise one half of the range over the other. The highlighted ones are needed for keeping the drive chain tension correct.

galwaytt

Tbh, I have 3 but the bottom two in particular are necessary on bikes.

Nothing wrong with the Halford's ones.

If I was really forced to pick one, I'd go for the 8 - 60 one as more important. You're usually tightening into alloy etc, so that has low tolerance for fubars.

Wheel nuts/spindles etc are steel-steel, so you could survive without it for a while if you need to.

Either way, when you're not using them, make sure you back off the torque to zero when in storage.

stewygriffin

Lazer Tools torque wrenches.

Go into any motor factors and get 1 for less than the price of Halfords.

Or get off ebay.

I use the big 3/8 inch Lidl torque wrench for wheels and engine bolts.

And 2 smaller Lazer Tools 1/2 and 1/4 inch torque wrenches for smaller finer things like caliper bolts,frame bolts and engine casing bolts.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Halfords are fantastic, and their professional range carries a lifetime warranty ~ which they honor with no fook arsing around looking for proof of purchase.

I stripped a wrench replacing suspension on my sons car, long story but it was my own fault, I had to press gang a smaller ratchet into a job for a bigger one and it broke. Brought it back to Halfords and they replaced it immediately & no questions asked.

As with the above advice, don't go chucking it into the bottom of your toolbox/bag when you're finished using it.

stewygriffin

And when you are done with the torque wrench,untwist the adjuster nut and slacken off the tension to loose. Will keep the torque wrench in good working condition.

I love Sean nos

I love Sean nos wrote: »

Took a look at the FZ6 manual and extracted the following torque listings:

Spark plug
17.5 Nm (1.75 m.kgf, 12.7 ft.lbf)

Oil filter cartridge
17.0 Nm (1.70 m.kgf, 12.0 ft.lbf)

Engine oil drain bolt
43.0 Nm (4.30 m.kgf, 31.0 ft.lbf)

Coolant drain bolt
10.0 Nm (1.0 m.kgf, 7.2 ft.lbf)

Locknut
16.0 Nm (1.60 m.kgf, 11.0 ft.lbf)

Axle nut
120.0 Nm (12.0 m.kgf, 85.0 ft.lbf)

Wheel axle
72.0 Nm (7.2 m.kgf, 52.0 ft.lbf)

Front wheel axle pinch bolt
19.0 Nm (1.9 m.kgf, 13.0 ft.lbf)

Brake caliper bolt
40.0 Nm (4.0 m.kgf, 29.0 ft.lbf)

So, I need a torque wrench with a 10.0 - 120.0 Nm range. Next I took a look at Halfords, but it appears that I need two separate wrenches to cover that range.

Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 8-60Nm

Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 40-200Nm

Is that unavoidable?

How do people rate the Halfords tools?

Any recommendations on torque wrenches or where I should buy one?

I can't even priortise one half of the range over the other. The highlighted ones are needed for keeping the drive chain tension correct.

Yeah you will need 2, halfords professional range are good but their torque wrenches are actually fairly expensive, moreso than better quality tools.
You can get a teng torque wrench for cheaper than a halfords, better quality and same lifetime guarantee.

If you can't afford 2 good ones make sure the smaller of the 2 is the more expensive/better one, the tollerance is finer than the bigger ones used to take off wheels etc

As was said the Lidl/Aldi big torque wrenches are fine, problem is they aren't on sale afaik. If cash is an issue go onto something like machine mart website and buy a big torque wrench for half the price of that halfords one and then buy a teng or similar smaller wrench. As said the halfords small wrench is good but you can get a better tool for 30 quid cheaper , which is unusual because halfords tools are usually very good value compared to competition


I should add, if your just doing the above you don't need a torque wrench really , I don't use them that much for the above more internal stuff. Common sense tightness is enough for what you have listed

Eg an oil sump plug, that just needs to be nipped tight, alot of the time people won't even use the torque settings out of the manual, if you go to owners forums you will find loads of people that have stripped threads on oil pans using manufacturers torque settings. Bike components change as they age and what worked on the factory when new might not work now

galwaytt

stewygriffin wrote: »

Lazer Tools torque wrenches.

Go into any motor factors and get 1 for less than the price of Halfords.

Or get off ebay.

I use the big 3/8 inch Lidl torque wrench for wheels and engine bolts.

And 2 smaller Lazer Tools 1/2 and 1/4 inch torque wrenches for smaller finer things like caliper bolts,frame bolts and engine casing bolts.

I have v small (up to 10Nm) iirc one for bikes. Rocker covers etc are only about 6 Nm so be careful.

galwaytt

Ariana Salmon Jockey wrote: »

Eg an oil sump plug, that just needs to be nipped tight, alot of the time people won't even use the torque settings out of the manual, if you go to owners forums you will find loads of people that have stripped threads on oil pans using manufacturers torque settings. Bike components change as they age and what worked on the factory when new might not work now

...as above.

Torque settings in factory manuals are usually based on (solvent) cleaned dry threads. Try the same torque setting on an oiled greased or "coppaslipped" thread and it's usually curtains/ goodbye thread...a fastener with a lubricated thread tightened to the same torque setting on the wrench could be 100% too much....

galwaytt

galwaytt wrote: »

...as above.

Torque settings in factory manuals are usually based on (solvent) cleaned dry threads. Try the same torque setting on an oiled greased or "coppaslipped" thread and it's usually curtains/ goodbye thread...a fastener with a lubricated thread tightened to the same torque setting on the wrench could be 100% too much....

I used Suzuki torque settings on my oil pan last service and its due one now and I am dreading it, I reckon I ****ed the threads on it. I could feel the thread giving way as I was doing it but thought it would be grand as I was doing what the manual said.

It was grand going in but I wont be doing it to any torque second time around, if its not stripped im a lucky man

Tigger

i have two halfords wrenches
since 07 i think and i'm very happy with them got them two for one cos some dope had bought them and brought them back, probably cos someone told him they were no good

tourque settings are on clean threads but are they not on blue locktite or red locktite threads if those are reccomended?
genuine question based on my assumption

Tigger

Tigger wrote: »

i have two halfords wrenches
since 07 i think and i'm very happy with them got them two for one cos some dope had bought them and brought them back, probably cos someone told him they were no good

tourque settings are on clean threads but are they not on blue locktite or red locktite threads if those are reccomended?
genuine question based on my assumption

But sure you dont know what he is tightening?

If its an internal part you might have to use locktite per manual but if its 90% of other things you dont need locktite. struggling to undertand what you mean?

You clean locktite off threads if it has it on them before torquing, burn it or use petrol.

It doesnt really matter tbh, we are talking about stripping threads, which is a nightmate. If you overtighten something by a few newton metres because the thread had locktite on it before who cares once no damage done to the thread, its not going to shake loose

Regarding locktight, really it doesnt need to be used at all unless you are balls deep in an engine, so for 99% of work where the manual says use locktite, dont use locktite. If you do I rent my impact for €10 and hour haha

Tigger

Ariana Salmon Jockey wrote: »

But sure you dont know what he is tightening?

If its an internal part you might have to use locktite per manual but if its 90% of other things you dont need locktite. struggling to undertand what you mean?

You clean locktite off threads if it has it on them before torquing, burn it or use petrol.

It doesnt really matter tbh, we are talking about stripping threads, which is a nightmate. If you overtighten something by a few newton metres because the thread had locktite on it before who cares once no damage done to the thread, its not going to shake loose

Regarding locktight, really it doesnt need to be used at all unless you are balls deep in an engine, so for 99% of work where the manual says use locktite, dont use locktite. If you do I rent my impact for €10 and hour haha

ive a decent dewalt impact thanks
id use fresh blue on calipers mounts etc and more onncars than on bikes but i was just wondering if listed torques didnt take the loc into consideration

GerryDerpy

galwaytt wrote: »

...as above.

Torque settings in factory manuals are usually based on (solvent) cleaned dry threads. Try the same torque setting on an oiled greased or "coppaslipped" thread and it's usually curtains/ goodbye thread...a fastener with a lubricated thread tightened to the same torque setting on the wrench could be 100% too much....

It is the opposite. Service manual torque settings are for lubricated threads.

stewygriffin

1:45am in the morning and Im working on this feckin bike.

Lidl torque wrench for the likes of wheels and engine mounting bolts.Grand job for less than 20 euro.:)

I love Sean nos

stewygriffin wrote: »

Lidl torque wrench for the likes of wheels and engine mounting bolts.Grand job for less than 20 euro.:)

How often do Lidl/Aldi have these on offer?

blade1

I have this one.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F161912826972

Hotblack Desiato

galwaytt wrote: »

...as above.

Torque settings in factory manuals are usually based on (solvent) cleaned dry threads. Try the same torque setting on an oiled greased or "coppaslipped" thread and it's usually curtains/ goodbye thread...a fastener with a lubricated thread tightened to the same torque setting on the wrench could be 100% too much....

I have a Honda workshop manual which gives values for oiled threads, and a Triumph one which gives values for dry threads.

Obviously in the real world it's far more useful to give values for oiled/greased threads, but it appears that the vast majority of fasteners are assembled dry at the factory. It's an issue for long-term owners particularly if they do their own maintenance, but the bike manufacturers don't care what happens after the warranty period is up.

Ariana Salmon Jockey wrote: »

I used Suzuki torque settings on my oil pan last service and its due one now and I am dreading it, I reckon I ****ed the threads on it. I could feel the thread giving way as I was doing it but thought it would be grand as I was doing what the manual said.

If you're looking out for a part you might need but don't need urgently, keep an eye on eBay and you might find one going cheaply.

stewygriffin

I love Sean nos wrote: »

How often do Lidl/Aldi have these on offer?

About once to twice a year.
And they dont be long on the shop floor,they get whipped up.