Buying a torque wrench

[Chris71]

Gents,

Can't remember off the top of my head what sort of torques I've gone up to in the past.

Would a 40-200Nm (30-150 lbft) one be ok for most jobs on the car?

Chris.

[rev-erend]

More like about 80 ft lbs..

Yes - 30 to 150 is ideal.

Don't buy from Halfords - they cost a fortune and better are available from places like tooledup.com

[Chris71]

I must admit the Halfrauds tools do seem to be very expensive. Unfortunately I can't find any decent toolshops nearby and they've got it all under one roof, so I just submitted to being fleeced.

Trying to build up a collection of tools (used to go home and make use of my dads workshop for any major jobs, but I've now got some garage space up here, so I'm stockign up from virtually nothing) Just about the only thing remaining now is a drift for knocking out bearings, can't find anything suitable wherever I look.

[A what?]

Halfrauds are indeed expensive (especially for torque wrenches)- but a trade card gives you a reduction on the Halfords Professional range of tools; though torque wrenches are only about 20% off.
Machine Mart do a torque wrench (28-210Nm), which I've used and seems ok.

[Chris71]

Trade card sounds like an idea, do you need to buy in any great quantity? I am theoretically a self employed engineer (all be it in a slightly different discipline!)

[Pigeon]

Check the MINIMUM torque setting it is capable of against the requirement for your head bolts. A lot of engines today specify torquing the head bolts to kitten torque and doing the main business by angle tightening. For example, I've just looked up a 1.6 Saxo which is 20Nm + 120 deg + 120 deg. A lot of torque wrenches just won't go down as low as 20Nm.

[A what?]

There are no minimum purchase quantities to qualify for a Halfords trade card. The Halfords website shows who qualifies for a card, but generally if you work within automotive/engineering and can prove it (a business card usually suffices) they'll let you have one. Just go to the trade counter in store and they'll do it there and then.

[ELAN+2]

Pigeon said:

Check the MINIMUM torque setting it is capable of against the requirement for your head bolts. A lot of engines today specify torquing the head bolts to kitten torque and doing the main business by angle tightening. For example, I've just looked up a 1.6 Saxo which is 20Nm + 120 deg + 120 deg. A lot of torque wrenches just won't go down as low as 20Nm.

The firm I work for sell torque wrenches that go down below 1NM, however they aren't machine Mart prices either..... you pays your money etc...

Try a decent independant motor factor or engineering merchant, you should be able to pick up a top quality wrench there that will cover the range you need(you really need two for cars in my opinion though)

Hope this helps

mark

[the_stoat]

From my experience you will need 2 torque wrenches. On for small stuff >20lbft and one for bigger stuff.