Let’s talk about torque
As a torque wrench is an essential piece of equipment in a caravan tool box, which make would you recommend to other members. We know there are plenty of torque wrenches out there but which one have you found to give the best results and or ease of use?
Your comments are very welcome.
Comments
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We still carry one (halfords) but since I found milenco tell tales, now a quick glance can tell if a wheel bolt has "moved" if useing a torque wrench they are supposed to be calibrated to keep them accurate, and I understand to be correct the bolts should be eased off before retorquing?which the tell tales negate the need of
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Just asked OH and he said he's had a " Norbar" torque wrench for about 40 years. It's still going strong.
Made locally too. Snap on tools are very good too. He did say they must be calibrated, when depends on how much it's used. When you've finished using it, set it back to 0 too, don't leave it set on setting it was used at.0 -
Experience of giving it a good 'armful' does away with the need to carry yet another tool that is likely to be inaccurate or pointless.
Bear in mind that a half inch square drive torque wrench could cost from £15 to £200+. Form your own opinions as to quality.
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Been using UK made Norbar for forty odd years always stay in calibration. Easier to use for novices with the setting displayed in a window. Most of the cheaper torque wrenches are disgned for the Yanks who cant do metric and biased to imperial units and display odd metric markings.
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And I've not lost one yet.
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The manufacturers say that torque wrenches should be recalibrated periodically. Unfortunately that costs nearly as much as buying them in the first place so it is a dilemma whether to use one that may be inaccurate or to just guess. I adopted the former practice.
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as everyone says its all guesswork as you don't know how accurate the wrench is in the first place unless you get a lever of 1 foot long and put a 100lb weight on the end, or 2 foot long and 50lb weight. that's of course if the bolts need to be 100 lb ft.
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Comments on above(my opinions of course):
Swift bolts are same for steel as alloy (at least for 2010 and beyond AFAIK)
Would much rather use a possibly slightly inaccurate torque wrench than rely on "feel" or As Tight As Possible By Hand.
More important to check bolts a short time (20 mils/20 min?) after a service or if wheels have been removed.
If you KNOW bolts are tightened correctly initially, bad idea to loosen and tighten to check them - just use the wrench set at the correct value and watch for any movement.
I check on each leg of our tours as part of routine for how long it takes and the potential for disaster if a wheel comes off.
No lubrication of wheel bolts, just clean dry threads.
There are You Tube videos for perfectly acceptable ways to check torque wrenches but leaving them set loose is the best way to maintain accuracy. I actually feel that for infrequent "domestic" use there isn't any real cause for concern (still use 40 yr old cared for Britool but also bought cheapest off e-bay for extended range needed for car)
Your views may well differ...
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Depends on what your day job is. If you push pens around a desk all day, then guessing the torque of a wheel bolt/nut is going to outside your skill set. If on the other hand, you twirl a spanner of sorts all day, then I reckon a guess won't be that far out. 😉
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I collected my ‘van from service a few years ago and checked the wheel bolts after a short tow. I found one of the wheel bolts had been stripped.
They claimed to have used a torque wrench, but my suspicion is they used an air tool to ‘run the bolts in’ then checked they were tight. If you do I this and the ‘running in of the bolts’ is too tight, the torque wrench will click but you only know it is at least that tight,
Fortunately they believed me and accepted liability. They replaced the brake drum at their expense.
Use a torque wrench but make sure you know how to use it.
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My wheels are torqued at service then Milenco tell tales put on.
Why carry a torque wrench with you! the whole idea of torquing is so its at the correct 'tightness' meaning it won't/shouldn't come loose,and if it does then it was a waste of time using the torque wrench in the first place, or guidelines weren't followed when assembling.
If I have reason to remove the wheel then the breakdown man will torque it for me, and I just keep an eye on the Milencos.
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