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Vintage Smoke · July 14th, 2013, 11:03 PM

Unless you have the $$ to buy very high quality, and commit to having it calibrated regularly, stay away from "clicker" wrenches. They are complex tools that have multiple moving parts. The ONLY way to know if they are even remotely accurate is to have them calibrated which usually costs more than you spent on the tool...especially if you bought a Harbor freight model on sale. Then...the possibility of a $20, made in China, clicker torque wrench that is anything but precision made staying accurate is slim.

This is one area where you are better off going old fashioned and cheap. Go to Sears and buy a Craftsman beam (pointer) torque wrench for about $20. They have NO moving parts and are extremely accurate. Years ago I worked in a dealership and some of the guys I worked with were teasing me about my old Craftsman. We set up a bolt and nut in a vise and compared everyone's torque wrench to the very expensive Snap On that the head mechanic had JUST got back from calibration. Some guys had MAC or Matco, etc. Mine was a hand me down from my father. At rest the tool always starts out at 10 ft/lbs. I had lent it to a friend and he went way beyond the tools spec and the needle (beam) bent permanently to start at 10. Whenever I use it I have to subtract 10 ft/lbs from my reading. Even though it had been abused mine was still spot on. Most of the other ones were off by at least a few ft/lbs.

Through the years I could have bought another one. The Snap On man stops by my shop regularly. I just never had the need to replace what I know works. I did have it checked once by an electronic calibrator and it was near perfect. I have used that wrench to torque countless fasteners over the years and have never had a failure. That includes things like head bolts and other critical fasteners.

A few notes for you guys on proper use of a torque wrench.

As a general rule a torque wrench is NOT accurate in it's lower 10% or upper 10% of it's range. For example....if you had one that read from zero to 100 ft/lbs it is not considered accurate from zero to 10 and from 90 to 100.

In general a torque wrench will have the proper drive size for a socket that is appropriate to it's range. You probably won't find a 1/2" drive torque wrench that reads in inch/lbs. Buy one that has an operating range appropriate to the torque specs on your bike NOT based on which sockets you may have more of.

Always check to see if the spec listed in your manual is meant to be used WITH or WITHOUT lube on the fastener. Lubing (or not cleaning oil off of) a bolt you are torquing, that is meant to be torqued dry, can change your readings by 25%. The same goes for torquing a bolt dry that is meant to be lubed. If a fastener is meant to be lubed it will say so in the manual.

If you ever need a torque spec on a bolt, but it is NOT listed in the manual, google for a "bolt torque chart". Most all sizes of bolts have a general torque spec. A good chart will tell you the acceptable min and max torque specs for each particular size of bolt and also variations based on the grade, lubed or dry, etc.

When you torque a bolt it is EXACTLY like a rubber band. Steel is one of the most perfectly elastic materials. Torquing a bolt stretches it so it holds things together just like a rubber band. Too loose and it wont hold very well. Too tight and it can break or over stretch and loose it's elasticity.

July 14th, 2013, 11:03 PM	#13
Vintage Smoke The 2 Stroke Ninja!! Name: Nick Location: Sussex, NJ Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250R, 1977 RD400, 72&73 RD350 75 RD200 Posts: 79	My .02 on torque wrenches. Unless you have the $$ to buy very high quality, and commit to having it calibrated regularly, stay away from "clicker" wrenches. They are complex tools that have multiple moving parts. The ONLY way to know if they are even remotely accurate is to have them calibrated which usually costs more than you spent on the tool...especially if you bought a Harbor freight model on sale. Then...the possibility of a $20, made in China, clicker torque wrench that is anything but precision made staying accurate is slim. This is one area where you are better off going old fashioned and cheap. Go to Sears and buy a Craftsman beam (pointer) torque wrench for about $20. They have NO moving parts and are extremely accurate. Years ago I worked in a dealership and some of the guys I worked with were teasing me about my old Craftsman. We set up a bolt and nut in a vise and compared everyone's torque wrench to the very expensive Snap On that the head mechanic had JUST got back from calibration. Some guys had MAC or Matco, etc. Mine was a hand me down from my father. At rest the tool always starts out at 10 ft/lbs. I had lent it to a friend and he went way beyond the tools spec and the needle (beam) bent permanently to start at 10. Whenever I use it I have to subtract 10 ft/lbs from my reading. Even though it had been abused mine was still spot on. Most of the other ones were off by at least a few ft/lbs. Through the years I could have bought another one. The Snap On man stops by my shop regularly. I just never had the need to replace what I know works. I did have it checked once by an electronic calibrator and it was near perfect. I have used that wrench to torque countless fasteners over the years and have never had a failure. That includes things like head bolts and other critical fasteners. A few notes for you guys on proper use of a torque wrench. As a general rule a torque wrench is NOT accurate in it's lower 10% or upper 10% of it's range. For example....if you had one that read from zero to 100 ft/lbs it is not considered accurate from zero to 10 and from 90 to 100. In general a torque wrench will have the proper drive size for a socket that is appropriate to it's range. You probably won't find a 1/2" drive torque wrench that reads in inch/lbs. Buy one that has an operating range appropriate to the torque specs on your bike NOT based on which sockets you may have more of. Always check to see if the spec listed in your manual is meant to be used WITH or WITHOUT lube on the fastener. Lubing (or not cleaning oil off of) a bolt you are torquing, that is meant to be torqued dry, can change your readings by 25%. The same goes for torquing a bolt dry that is meant to be lubed. If a fastener is meant to be lubed it will say so in the manual. If you ever need a torque spec on a bolt, but it is NOT listed in the manual, google for a "bolt torque chart". Most all sizes of bolts have a general torque spec. A good chart will tell you the acceptable min and max torque specs for each particular size of bolt and also variations based on the grade, lubed or dry, etc. When you torque a bolt it is EXACTLY like a rubber band. Steel is one of the most perfectly elastic materials. Torquing a bolt stretches it so it holds things together just like a rubber band. Too loose and it wont hold very well. Too tight and it can break or over stretch and loose it's elasticity.