Help on buying a torque wrench!

[5v3d3b0]

Christmas is coming up and I've asked my parents for a good torque wrench seeing as I don't have one, and I just got my Rs 125, so I'll need it for maintainance. What size should I get etc. I'll need a pretty big range, seeing as some bolts need about 7nm, but the rear wheel bolts are labeled as 200nm. Help pleeease

[syl]

Look at the manual and see what torque ranges you'll need. The Halfords Professional ones are good:

Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 8-60Nm £49.99
Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 40-200Nm £49.99
Halfords Professional Torque Wrench 60-300Nm £59.99

Unfortunately, I expect you'll need two to cover everything. I've got the 8-60 and the 60-300Nm ones.

You'll also find a good selection at tooledup.com
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Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S

[stinkwheel]

I'd get one that covers the lower rated stuff, most importantly the cylinder head bolts and gearbox drain plug.

You're not going to snap or strip the wheel spindle, even if you use a 3ft breaker bar and stand on it.

[5v3d3b0]

I've looked through the manual roughly, and the 8-60 Nm wrench seems very sensible to buy. Most things are in that range, at least all regular maintainance procedures. Thanks a bunch

EDIT: What kind of socket set will I need?

[stinkwheel]

You need a socket saet appropriate to the size of the drive on the torque wrench. Most torque wrenches are 3/8" drive, some are 1/2" drive.

So, a 3/8" drive, metric socket set. 6-21mm covers most things, I tend to buy individual sockets specifically for the job if it doesn't fit within that range (eg wheel spindle, headstock, sometimes front sprocket nut depending on type).

[Kickstart]

Hi

Also try and get hex sockets rather than bi-hex. Bi-hex ones are easier but will round things off more easily as well.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[syl]

How flush are your parents feeling?

Halfords Professional 150 piece Socket/Ratchet Set £99.99 (WAS £149.99)

You need a metric set, it's doubtful you'll need imperial sockets unless you're working on American or old British stuff.

Again, tooledup.com have got loads available. You'll want, in the main, 3/8" square drive sockets and wrench. 1/2" drive for bigger stuff and 1/4" drive for smaller stuff may be of use too, but if you're wanting to spend the least possible stick with 3/8" (which is probably what your toque wrench will bee too). You can get a metric socket set in 3/8" covering 6-22mm from as little as £23 or even less (£8) if you are happy with a slightly smaller range.
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Current bike: Kawasaki Z750S

[MattEMulsion]

Don't go and spend too much money on a torque wrench as you won't get that much use out it. Unless you are using them often then they sit there and gather dust.

I have had one for ten years or so and mine came from Argos if I remember rightly. They still do one, which looks about the same as mine, it goes from 28-210Nm, and is only £14.99. It will be calibrated as well and will do pretty much everything you need it to. When I bought mine they were a damn sight more than £14.99 so this represents a good deal.

I wouldn't worry about getting one that will go right down to the really low settings like 7Nm, you can judge these things quite easily with a normal ratchet, it is going to be things like head bolts that are more critical and what you need a torque wrench for. Often as well the small torque figures are for bolts where you are only able to use spanners rather than sockets, so the use of a torque wrench isn't always applicable to every torque figure.

In the ideal world you should have a torque wrench recalibrated every year or two anyway, but very few people bother, unless they are using them in a professional environment and who is to say that in a few years your torque wrench will still be anywhere near accurate.

For these reasons I wouldn't spend a fortune on a torque wrench, you might as well have a cheap version rather than an expensive one. The Halfords Professional one that is listed in this thread is £49.99 that does 40-200Nm, whereas the Argos one is £14.99 and that does a slightly wider range of 28-210Nm. It is less than 1/3 of the price and it does exactly the same job.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[5v3d3b0]

The difference between hex and bihex is? Thanks everyone

[Kickstart]

[gavin]

much better than hex are the wall drive sockets, they will grip badly rounded nuts and bolts with little problem.

+1 for the halfords torque wrenches, they are very good quality and easy to use, at a good price too
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1988 TZR125 : 1990 RD350YPVS/ RGV250 HYBRID : 1982 RD80LC : 1983 RD80LC : 1994 RGV250 : 1991 TZR125 / CR500R HYBRID : 1976 BENELLI 500 QUATTRO : 2006 TRIUMPH 675

[Finglonga]

For the nuts/bolts that are undone on a regular basis I use impact sockets on a normal ratchet or torque wrench, as they are a very good fit on the fixing and will not round it off.

https://www.mytoolstore.com/sk/85621.jpg
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.

[irving]

>>

[satans_BIG_helper]

With the Torque wrench purchasing i only spent £22 on one from argos it does the job for everything i will ever need on a bike and didnt set me back £50 its been invalueable, I really rate halfords tools but with something im not going to use too often i buy a cheaper one as its not as if im gonna wear it out only needing it once a month at most

And impact sockets are worth their weight in gold (and they weigh a fair bit too )

[loply]

I'll take this opportunity to point out an important but often overlooked point:

Once you get the torque wrench, always store it with the wrench set to 0nm or below. Storing it under pressure will quickly decalibrate it, and then you may as well be guessing.
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[sickpup]

[Ichy]