Torque wrench - which one?

BigDee2

I'd like to buy a torque wrench to carry out general maintenance and occasional repairs on my car, where I can.

I've seen ones with a range of settings which vary between the types eg. 28-210Nm or 90-450Nm.

Are the ones with 1/2" better than 3/8" socket sizes?

Can anyone advise which would be the most useful to buy (ie. the range & socket size) that would be an "all-rounder" for the toolbox? and possibly where from.

Thanks.

thescouselander

Its probably better to go for the lower range torque wrench as it will be more accurate when torquing up to lower readings. If you have a wrench that goes up to 210 Nm that should sort you out for most jobs. You'll probably want something that can measure as low as 50Nm or even lower if possible.

I'd probably recommend going for a 1/2" drive (what would suit your sockets?) and if you can get a wrench that has been calibrated - some torque wrenches can be out by more than 50%!

BigDee2

I just noticed that the 1/2" square drive wrenches usually come with a 3/8" adaptor and 5" extension from Argos.

Any advise is appreciated.

DaveMacD

Personal feeling has always been to go with 1/2" sockets.

Don't know the prices, but the Halfords Professional stuff comes with a lifetime warranty. Have used them for spanners and sockets for a few years now, and never had a problem replacing anything that broke.

Wig

I'd go with the 1/2" because the 1/2" socket size range is bigger and I just like 1/2" sockets more than 3/8"

You're also unlikely to use more than 120Nm

If you want to splash out a bit more get a small one 10 - 30Nm very useful, this is likely to be 3/8" drive, should have a small length e.g. 20cm

Cheap enough Looks the same as the Argos one

When not in use they should be unwound to zero

Wig

DaveMacD wrote: »

Personal feeling has always been to go with 1/2" sockets.

Don't know the prices, but the Halfords Professional stuff comes with a lifetime warranty. Have used them for spanners and sockets for a few years now, and never had a problem replacing anything that broke.

As long as you keep your receipt but you better photocopy it because they fade away to nothing.

BigDee2

Thanks for your advice so far.

I've had a look at the Haynes manual and I need to use these torque wrench settings for various jobs I have in mind - 14Nm, 25Nm and 48Nm.

The Argos one will only cover me for the 48Nm :-(

So I need one, preferably, that'll cover all these settings.
I guess that may not be possible.
You reckon I need two TW's from very low to higher settings?

Regards.

Keith

I've the argos one, and the halfords 3/8 one, that seems to cover most jobs

Wig

I have three TW
Small, Med, & Large

I wouldn't like to be in your shoes trying to find them at reasonable prices from new, I inherited mine.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

1/2 socket i have with snap on tools lifetime warrenty, also have a brittool t/wrench also with low settings thats good also and has a service record book that comes with but has to be sent off for the service £ at the end of the day for that one but i use the brittool one the most so keep it serviced and calbrated once a year.

Zanzibar

See :

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/59647/torque_wrenches.html

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/233472/torque_wrenches_tested.html

If you are looking at the smaller jobs as you mention then it will be a 3/8" one for that. For the bigger jobs it will be a 1/2" one in the lower range - covers all ranges found on most standard cars.