Aldi Auto XS Torque Wrench - €22.99 Anyone used it before? Is it worth picking up?

Wheety

I was looking to pick one up for the car and bicycle. Didn't know which one to get and then saw Aldi have one tomorrow.

Will it do the job for light work? Anyone recommend it?

• Adjustable torque: 60-210Nm

Auto XS Torque Wrench - ALDI IE

Cass

Have one the last couple of years. Doesn't get an awful lot of use, but when I do its holding up, breaks when it should and seems of good build quality.

My only complaint is the settings. As you turn the handle to adjust to the required torque setting it has 0-10, then to 0 again implying a 12 nm adjustment. However it does this twice per full revolution. This can make getting exact settings difficult if you loose count.

Also the markings ont he shaft are not very clear and the handle has to almost cover the number for it to be right. In other words when you get to 0 on the handle it should be lined up with one of the "constant" markings on the shaft. However the handle starts to cover, or go past, it. However once you get used to it, its fine and given that a couple more nm than you planned for won't necessarily cause issues and the fact it doesn't go below 60nm or so means its not for delicate work.

jmreire

Works fine, and as Cass mentioned, you will need good eyesight to align the knurled handle to the settings line, and as its lowest setting is 60 NM, its no use for anything needing less torque that that. But. it does the job, and for €23, you could not go wrong. Just remember, after using it , its best to slacken the adjuster off completely.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058230990/aldi-auto-xs-torque-wrench-22-99-anyone-used-it-before-is-it-worth-picking-up

60-210Nm is pretty useless if you planning to buy only 1 torque wrench. Something 20-200 is more suitable. Professionals have 2,3 or more different range of torque wrenches. Remember to ZERO the torque wrench after every job or it lost "calibration"...

Cass

Local Car Mechanic - 60-210Nm is pretty useless if you planning to buy only 1 torque wrench.

Why?

If the work you intend to do, or are doing, is within that range then why is it useless? If for not other reason it makes a good wheel brace which helps torque the wheel nuts to the proper settings.

Local Car Mechanic - Something 20-200 is more suitable.

• Sealey - €135
• Laser - €190
• Teng - €400

Not one for €23.

Local Car Mechanic - Professionals have 2,3 or more different range of torque wrenches.

Utterly irrelevant to the OPs question. I'm not a professional and I had 5 torque wrenches before buying this one. Two in in/lbs and three in ft/lbs. Two of which are 1/2" drives and the other 3/8" which goes from 8nm to 80nm. I still bought the above because you can never have too many tools and for €20 why the hell not.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572942#Comment_118572942

They sold before 20-200Nm and that was good tool. Even I have 1 of that on my toolbox (memory of past days).

You completely missed the point, I never said any word about money... Only how useless is that 60 to 210Nm range. Nice to see how you played you out. You even did not notice how I was helping others to suggesting ZERO torque wrench after every job and suggest OP to select better range (20-200Nm). So, show to us how you helped everyone? Nothing, only drama, drama, drama.

Cass

Unhelpful so removed.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572981#Comment_118572981

Unhelpful so removed.

Cass

Unhelpful so removed.

Gant21

Cass don’t be a plonker all your life.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573434#Comment_118573434

Take a break! My target was point to that, 60Nm beginning point is relative high. If OP wants to buy only 1 torque wrench, it is not the best option. 20-200Nm is better coverage and can make most of the jobs. Otherwise he must buy something what covers range 20-60 torque wrench separately and it increase the cost. So, you suggest to spend more money and buy more tools? Why? Because that range is not covered

Cass

Unhelpful so removed.

ratracer

I’m with LCM on this one…..

I’ve had the 20-200Nm one for the past few years, and for what I wanted it was excellent. It’s only given up the ghost recently, and I’ve been looking for another one so when I saw your OP I thought, great just what I’m after. But 60Nm is a very high starting point, too high for me as I’d use it on parts of my bicycle that would be only a 40Nm torque. ( Cassette is 40, think that’s the largest, so not a great tool for a bicycle)

It’s a good tool for the money, great value if the 60Nm minimum is useful to you, not great if you need 25-40Nm though.

Esel

Less of the shıte torque....

Cass

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572942#Comment_118572942

I've a 5-20 NM, 1/4" drive for light work, and a 1/2" drive Draper 28-210 NM's, and those cover anything that I want to do, and they do it well, I have no interest in handling anything that need's 3/4" drive at this stage . None the less, for sake of €23, I'll get on of those as well. So the only concern I'd have is that if he will be working on bikes, a smaller spanner might be better, Irish Garage Equipment carry a good selection of all garage equipment, and their prices are reasonable too.

mickdw

I have one of the older offered ones from Aldi / lidl and it goes down to about 22 or so.

I'd agree that 60 NM min is not particularly useful for an everyday diy mech.

I'm just this evening looking to buy a lower range wrench as I'm doing an engine build.

Cass

Just went down and checked my own. I have the older one too and it goes down to 28nm. Seems only the new ones are 60nm.

Wheety

Thanks to you both for your points.

I was also looking at Draper on Micks Garage.

Draper 78642 30 210nm Torque Wrench (1 2 Inch Square Drive) | MicksGarage

I've bought tools in Aldi and Lidl before and wasn't too impressed with them, that's why I was looking for advice on that particular item.

Another question if anyone is still reading, are torque wrenches only for tightening bolts to a specific torque? Would you use them for loosening stuck bolts or would that damage them? Would you need to use a breaker bar?

Cass

First off sorry @Wheety for derailing your thread. My bad and apologies to everyone else for carrying on a non issue debate. I've edited my posts above to remove the nonsense.

I wouldn't use one as a breaker bar, but it can be used for opening (and obviously tightening) so long as its within the max torque settings of the wrench. Problem with that is you won't know if a stuck/seized or tight nut/bolt is within the range of the wrench so using it as a breaker bar could damage the internals (ratcheting mechanism). Better to use it as intended and then get a separate, appropriate tool for breaking.

What have you in mind for their use if ya don't mind me asking?

Esel

When used as a breaker bar, wouldn't the fact that it is a torque wrench be irrelevant?

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573723#Comment_118573723

Horses for courses. ditto right tool for the job.....I have the usual tool box set up, socket sets etc, and of course a 1/2" drive tommy bar, 18" long, This fits very neatly into the 20" x 1 " hollow round bar that I also have. So far, it's never failed on any nut that I've used it on. And it fits ( diagonally ) into the tool box as well.

Cass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573723#Comment_118573723

In what capacity?

If you mean it doesn't matter that its a torque wrench then it does, as outlined above.

If you mean that it may be calibrated for tightening and opening will have no effect, then you may be right, but I doubt it would be good for the wrench.

Esel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573790#Comment_118573790

I mean when tightening it releases at the set limit, when loosening the setting is irrelevant. I could be wrong about the loosening scenario.

Cass

No, as far as I know you're right. The "break" when it hits the set torque setting is usually only set for tightening. However putting the wrench under heavy use, as a breaker bar, when trying to undo/open a nut/bolt may damage the interals as I mentioned above.

I keep saying may, possibly, etc. as I simply don't know as I've never used a torque wrench as a breaker bar. As a ratchet, yes, but only on nuts I know the torque settings off (either exactly or roughly).

mickdw

It would be madness to use as a breaker bar.

Mine has a reversible rachet but i don't know if it torques in the opposite direction' perhaps it does for working on opposite threads.

Using it as a breaker couldnt help calibration.

Wheety

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573697#Comment_118573697

Just for general DIY with the car and bicycle. I have a normal, Lidl, socket wrench but thought one with torque settings might be handy to have. For the amount of use it'll get I probably don't really need one to be honest.

Regards the question about a breaker bar, we have a spin bike and I need to remove a stubborn bolt. I have a cheap socket set which I'm afraid won't be up to the task so also want to get a decent one for the toolbox.

xDerp

Have one and leave it in the boot of the car, it's the right range for wheel nuts and brake stuff, compares well in calibration with my Halfords advanced. It's not suitable for bicycles.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118574133#Comment_118574133

When it comes to socket sets, you can always tell the unused ones,,,,they're the ones still in their slots ( same goes for spanner sets) Nowadays, I just replace the missing ones, and it works out better, as not having several incomplete sets of both , and I have enough of these...I recently came across a set of Gedore 1/2 drive imperial sockets ( with the usual culprits missing...1/2", 9/16" and 3/4" or if you prefer, 13mm, 14mm, 19mm, missing. )