Torque Wrench

[ksher]

Will I break my torque wrench if I simply turn the handle below the minimum setting (but it is not used for tightening)? How do I check if it is still accurate?

[cj10jeeper]

I can only guess at your type of torque wrench, but guess you mean the sort with a knurled nut that you rotate to the desired torque, then lock it. If so it's just a spring so you can back it off below zero. In fact you shoudl as a good habit do that so the spring is left unstressed.

You can't test accuracy at home.

[ksher]

My torque wrench has numbers on the edge of the handle, the required torque is set by turning the handle. The instruction says the handle bar should not be turned (rotated) below the minimum torque setting, (but I accidentially did). I saw a scientific testing on the internet by calculating weights, lengths, force, etc. to test the wrench.

[cj10jeeper]

My torque wrench has numbers on the edge of the handle, the required torque is set by turning the handle. The instruction says the handle bar should not be turned (rotated) below the minimum torque setting, (but I accidentially did). I saw a scientific testing on the internet by calculating weights, lengths, force, etc. to test the wrench.

My guess is that if you continue to undo it the mechanism will fall to bits, hence they use '0' as the end stop to prevent this happening.

[martinb1966]

bring it to a snap on wagon they can test it there and as cj10 says it is standard practice with torque wrenches to leave at neutral or zero i cant see how you would affect the cal on it - when did you last have it cal,d ?
if your really serious you should dial test it everytime before use anyway !

[Kdawg]

Here's another torque wrench question. I just bought a beam torque wrench to use for installation of the OEM strut bar. Do you think a beam torque bar is sufficient for this task? Anyone use this type of wrench to install it? Thanks.

[ksher]

Here's another torque wrench question. I just bought a beam torque wrench to use for installation of the OEM strut bar. Do you think a beam torque bar is sufficient for this task? Anyone use this type of wrench to install it? Thanks.

People say Click Torque Wrenches are more accruate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench#Beam_type

[cj10jeeper]

bring it to a snap on wagon they can test it there and as cj10 says it is standard practice with torque wrenches to leave at neutral or zero i cant see how you would affect the cal on it - when did you last have it cal,d ?
if your really serious you should dial test it everytime before use anyway !

Good point - did not know they did that. My father was brought up engineering at RR and they had to test and set thme every morning before work started.

I've used beam and click and happy with either. Frankly at our level they are all just fine, so long as not over stressed using them as wrenches, etc.

[martinb1966]

best torque wrench is a dial torque indicator but it has to be tested everyday RR insist on you using these type when building aero engines beam type are ok but my personal preference is screw barrel type but each to their own the strut bar only reqs 310lbin to be honest even snap on will tell you the smaller the wrench the more inaccurate it will be and the more it will have to be calibrated best way if you have a snap on wrench is to break the nut inside turn up at snap on wagon anf get a new one then your wrench doesnt get sent for cal the snap on wagon usually has a dial indicator for you to test your wrench though

[Shipkiller]

If your torque wrench has an adjustable scale eg, a rotatable lockable scale, then ALWAYS, ALWAYS store your wrench in the ZERO (0) position. The click type wrench uses a stressed bar or ball/spring that is calibrated and storing the wrench at a torque other than ZERO keeps the bar/spring consistently stressed, and therefore, over time weakens it, throwing the click (proper torque reached) off.

Another point is gauges. The gauge is the least accurate at the low/high ends and most accurate at the middle scale.. While torque wrenches are calibrated for the complete range, it is always good practices to use a wrench that indicated what you are torquing to at center of scale. Did I say that right??? This is always true for a gauge......

Always look at the wrench or gauge accuracy. A 0-100ft/lbs wrench with a accuracy of +- of 2ft/lbs. is not a great wrench...

Don't use a 0-250ft/lbs. wrench for a 20ft/lbs. torque.

I have four torque wenches. a bar type of 0-100in/lbs, 0-100ft/lbs dial, 0-250ft/lbs dial and a 0-150ft/lbs click.