Torque Wrench recommendations

[ChrisW]

Since the OP I've actually had Norbar in at work to torque ( ) about...well, doing bolts up

Chatting to the guy, found out they're owned by Snap On now. If you buy a Snap On, Halfords, Draper, Norbar or about a million other brands they're all actually Norbar. Either made directly by Norbar or "engineered" by 'em and made in a far east factory.

That's really interesting - thanks.

[Yorick]

The only things I torque are the wheel spindles. Got a huge one to get the GSXR to about 100 thingies

[weeksy]

The only things I torque are the wheel spindles. Got a huge one to get the GSXR to about 100 thingies

Yes but we do different things, I use mine 15-20 times a week I'd guess. Between 5 and 25nm, why, because I MTB and prep race bikes. For us there's 6 fork bolts at 5nm, there's 3 stem bolts at 5nm, there's 6 pivot bolts at 17nm, there's 6 on the 2nd bike at either 10 or 12nm, there's lots more.
Hence why I need a new torque wrench

[Yorick]

The only things I torque are the wheel spindles. Got a huge one to get the GSXR to about 100 thingies

Yes but we do different things, I use mine 15-20 times a week I'd guess. Between 5 and 25nm, why, because I MTB and prep race bikes. For us there's 6 fork bolts at 5nm, there's 3 stem bolts at 5nm, there's 6 pivot bolts at 17nm, there's 6 on the 2nd bike at either 10 or 12nm, there's lots more.
Hence why I need a new torque wrench

Don't know about MTBs but I can generally tighten bike stuff by feel.

But did use one when rebuilding LC350 engines for the crankcase bolts.
That was a regular occurrence

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

If you follow Kawasaki's torque settings for an air cooled Z engine you'll strip threads.

[Taipan]

I have one but rarely use it. I would for something like cylinder head bolts, but not for most other bolts. Seen people strip out threads with them, but lots of people dont even know about dry and wet torque.

[Mr. Dazzle]

With cylinder heads and stuff like that it's as much about them all being the same as it is anything else, so a bit of error is OK so long as it's consistently so!

[Dodgy69]

I have one but rarely use it. I would for something like cylinder head bolts, but not for most other bolts. Seen people strip out threads with them, but lots of people dont even know about dry and wet torque.

What's dry and wet torque.

[v8-powered]

I have one but rarely use it. I would for something like cylinder head bolts, but not for most other bolts. Seen people strip out threads with them, but lots of people dont even know about dry and wet torque.

What's dry and wet torque.

Lubed or dry assembly

[Mr. Dazzle]

Someone ask about prevailing and breakaway next!

[Taipan]

I have one but rarely use it. I would for something like cylinder head bolts, but not for most other bolts. Seen people strip out threads with them, but lots of people dont even know about dry and wet torque.

What's dry and wet torque.

Lubed or dry assembly

Anti seize the Demon of all thread strips!

[v8-powered]

What's dry and wet torque.

Lubed or dry assembly

Anti seize the Demon of all thread strips!

Yep, see it an awful lot in my industry. Think they are making life easier for themselves next time round until they strip threads - bellends.
Some assemblies do call for lubricant but few.....

[David]

I hop you all remember to reset to zero between uses....'cos if you didn't....you had best bin it.

[demographic]

I have a few Norbar ones and a Sibille 1000 volt insulated jobbie that would normally be ferociously expensive new but I bought it for a fiver off Greengrass in his secondhand shop.
To be fair I didn't really need the insulation but its a 3/8" one with the range I wanted. Under the insulation its still a Norbar anyway.
Oh and I have torque screwdriver I got off Ebay.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I hop you all remember to reset to zero between uses....'cos if you didn't....you had best bin it.

Well as man said (v8?) if you're even vaguely trying to do it 'properly' you shouldn't be using an adjustable one at all. Every important torqueing application I've been involved with has used locked off torque wrenches which are set and not user adjustable. Norbar provide it as a service actually, man with a special van comes around and recalibrates/resets on a regular basis.

They're okay as a tool, but really - you can get yourself into pretty big trouble while still convincing yourself things are fine 'cause "it's done up to the torque in the book innit?

[weeksy]

I hop you all remember to reset to zero between uses....'cos if you didn't....you had best bin it.

Yes.... i do, i wondered if it made a difference actually, but i think someone mentioned it 20+ years ago so i do it.

[Dodgy69]

The thing with these is...your completely trusting it to correctly tighten to specified spec. Very often manufacturers change their specs because of complaints of stripped threads but many folk aren't aware of the update.

I use mine for axle nuts only, because the threads are strong. Casing bolts far too risky. Treat these bolts like you'd treat your lady, nice and delicate with a lot of thought and feel throughout.

[Supermofo]

I have a fairly cheap Draper and won't use it anymore. I used it when the bolt snapped in the filter housing on the 690 Duke, that was 6nm I think. And when used on my GSXS I set it to 40nm for the crash bungs and on one side it clicked on the other it kept going, so I undone it and redid it by feel.

The only things I torque are the wheel spindles. Got a huge one to get the GSXR to about 100 thingies

That's the same as my mine, however Suzuki put a handy white spot on the nut. At the last tyre change it was done with a decent torque wrench and so now I just do it by the location of the white spot and it'll be right enough I reckon. It's bloody tight anyway.

[ZRX61]

I have a Norbar, 3 Craftsman & 3 Lexivons.
Largest goes to around 300ft/lb, smallest is a 1/4 drive Lexicon on in/lbs.

[weeksy]

Am i being completely stupid here?

I bought this as my other torque wrench stripped a reverse thread component, now this, when i set to reverse using the clicky jobbie, doesn't register a torque on reverse thread items. I can just about get it to register 7Nm, but nothing really else...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334849850051