Using Torque Wrench...!!!

I just installed both front and rear tires and thought i was following the OEM recommended torque settings..but didnt hear any clicks on the wrench. Being cautious not breaks any nuts or wear the thread on axle..i left it at what i thought is tight enough. Could it be that the Wrench is not calibrated..?? This is a New `mastercraft Maximum` Canadian tire product.

 

I've had that happen too. I think what I might have been doing wrong was putting too much pressure on the handle to start with, so it clicked before I even started and didn't hear it.

Start light and add more pressure as you go. See if that helps.

 

I realize it's probably a "duh" kind of question, but you're using a wrench with the right torque range, yes?

Try setting the wrench to half the actual spec, tighten all the fasteners to that, then raise it to spec and tighten them all again.

Other than that, I don't know. What's the spec?

 

Easiest way to test is clamp a spare bolt in a vise and practice feeling/listening for that click at various settings. If you're not getting a click (and it's supposed to click) take it back.

Small hijack: What do you guys use for the really low torque settings? I've used both the bar/flex type and clickers, but the clickers only go down to maybe 20 ft/lbs. I'd like to find a click type that'll do low in/lbs.

 

I just got a 1/4 in drive clicker that does 20-200 in-lbs...but it's from Harbor Freight I haven't gotten a chance to use it yet

 

Watched a guy use the torque wrench on the tires of my truck after he used an air gun set at nascar settings. He set the wrench and used it on all of the nuts, would barely turn before you heard the click. I went right to him and showed him how to use it. Manager starts screaming at me I yell back at him to teach his guys the right way to do it. He lost two customers that day, me and the other guy in there having his tires mounted. We both had aluminum rims which get damaged easily. You must start just after finger tight and tighten until you hear a click. Make sure to tighten according to instructions, for example a tightning up a head. On those you will have to do it in steps until the correct torque is reached.

 

Oh boy, the spec was 105 Nm otherwords 75ft lbs(??) i now come to realise that there is ft lbs and there is inch lbs. I dont know wht my wrench is equipped with. Got to check it..i agree with finger tight and try the `half the spec` method.

 

After you finish using your torque wrench, be sure to reset it back to 0. Storing it with tension on the springs will make them inaccurate.

 

How much did that puppy set you back? Better yet, what's the item number? I didn't think they had such an animal.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarte ... -2696.html
But again...it's Harbor Freight. I haven't even used it...so I can't really endorse it. Just go to their website and search for torque wrenches...they have them all cheap and on sale.

 

This may help....
The reason we use a torque wrench is so we don't over
tighten a nut or bolt.
Especialy steel to alum.
Most beginers make the mistake of over tightening.
If you keep this in mind you can get a feel for the correct torque
as your turning the wrench.

 

I have a Craftsman 1/4" drive torque wrench calibrated in in/lbs. Not a big fan of Craftsman TW's because the warranty sucks. Price was right and needed it now! I also have a 1/4" drive HF TW but couldn't feel the click. I also bought a 3/8" TW from Lowes. I like it and warranty is lifetime. For lug nuts etc I have a 1/2" Craftsman that's good to 150 ft/lbs. I use the 2 smaller TW'S 95% of the time

Never buy any of these things unless they are on sale or if you are desperate. They go on sale way too often to pay retail

Loren

 

Dino,

After reading your post I'm a little confused. The way the tech did it sounded correct. It's the way I've been doing it for years.

The lowest setting on my 1/2 impact is just barely below 100 ft/lbs this means:

1) Tighten all lugnuts with impact
2) go back with torque wrench and tighten to spec (usually less than 1/4 turn)

When the wrench clicks its at spec. Dosent matter if it was 3 turns or 1/16 turn. If the lug nut moves before the wrench breaks over it was done correctly.

 

I can see where Dino is coming from with aftermarket wheels made of alum. Softer metal easier to damage. Also what if the torque spec is lower than just under 100? My lugs are only torqued to 81 ft/lbs on my car.

 

littlegiant, i think i have the same torque wrench. i find that i don't hear the click so much as i feel a subtle clunk in the handle. and yes always reset the handle or the spring will always be compressed and you lose accuracy.

parts is right, i initially had a hard time believing the thing is accurate because it seemed things should be tighter but i think the long handle gives you a lot of leverage and so very little effort is needed to torque bolts to even the higher torque settings. before i had been tightening bolts as tight as they would go... and that's how threads get stripped and why bolts snap off!

hope that helps.

cheers,

Trev

 

Thanks tibor and everyone...i left it without resetting to 0 for like 48 hrs..oops. Will try to take it to store to recalibrate..make sure its accurate.
Its got a lifetime warranty. Thanks again.

 

LittleGiant, I'd take it back and ask for another, you could have a bad wrench.
Mlew, you should always return a torque wrench to its minimum setting (bottom of the range), not 0 (unless the wrenches lower range goes that low). Turning it past it's lower range will take it out of spec and/or damage the wrench.
Dino, I'd LOVE to know which shop you were at. I ripped the Costco idiots who did the same thing on my buddies VW. VERY few aluminum rims require torques above 100 ft/lbs. I don't know anyone who runs that expensive of a rim. Another point, I got all over a tech mounting tires on my mother-in-law's Honda when he ran all the nuts down in a circular pattern, a NO-NO. ALWAYS use the star pattern to avoid uneven torquing. Tires can and do come off of cars because of this.
SyracuseXJ, your process is fine for steel rims, not so for aluminum. Even shouldered bolts on aluminum do not require that high a torque. The excessive torque causes galling of the aluminum an will affect the torque after a while, leading to a dangerous condition (a cracked rim hole is the a common failure mode as well as wallowed out seats). It is an imperative that anyone who mounts tires be educated on how to look up the torque specs for the specific vehicle. The good old days of "general specs" are long gone.
Generally, the cheaper wrenches are not intended for industrial use. I have purchased and tested Harbor Freight specials and they check out within tolerance against the metrology standard we use in the U.S. Navy. For the occasional use, they are appropriate. I own the $12 special and the $275 models (I own and use 5 different torque wrenches) and have had good service out of all of them. I also have them tested at the local metrology lab I used to work at on a not-so regular basis and they have continually come back within specs. I still maintain my calibration records on them.