Torque Wrench

[KiwiCol]

Well, I see nobody has posted on Tools & Accessories, so I'm going to start,


If you plan on doing (basically) anything at all with a 14, you're going to need a Torque Wrench, or more precisely probably 3 of them.
I've read Suzuki made a lot of bikes out of a putty / peanut butter combination & even if you use the specific torque for a certain bolt, it can (and has) be too much & resulted in stripped threads, gnashing of teeth and ripping out of hair!  So, to save your hair & protect your teeth, please buy a couple of good grade Torque Wrenches to enable you to get the job done right.

[seth]

top tip

also remember any torque settings are only valid on new bolts
if you re-use an old bolt there's a good chance of you tighten to the correct torque it
will snap off.

[Blubber]

And for exhaust studs... you are on your own

[Del]

And for exhaust studs... you are on your own

[seth]

when i did my exhaust studs to fit the akroprovic
i soaked the bolts with penetrating oil a
over a couple of days then warmed up the engine nice and hot and sprayed wd40 as i slowly and gently loosened each one still managed to snap 3 of them but it were long enough to weld a nut on them they came straight out then while still hot from welding.

[Celtic32]

Out of interest, what wrench sizes/ ranges do people go for? I've got two already so intruiged to see how they compare.

[VladTepes]

I have a big 1/2" drive one which I bought for working on the Land Rover.

Will have to get myself a 1/4" drive one.  A mate has this and reckons it's a good 'un.
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/ToolPro-Torque-Wrench-1-4-Drive/214303#Recommendations

Deflecting beam torque 'wrenches' are excellent, but expensive.
Australian brand 'Warren and Brown" is as good as any and better than most.
http://wbtools.com.au/product-category/torque-wrenches/

This is also good advice (from the Honda forum I mod)

Good to get a low range & a high range if you can. I prefer a 5-40 lb/ft (3/8"drive) for the lower range & use a 1/2" drive (150 lb/ft) longer arm wrench for the higher torqued nuts & bolts such as swing arm, heads, primary, clutch, fly wheel etc. What ever you buy don't do what I did some years ago & leave the wrench at a setting. I forgot to release the tension on the wrench & it was done up for a few days before I noticed. The wrench was ruined. It was a 10-150 lb/ft wrench & after the spring was ruined it would only start at 40 lb/ft. Wrench should be stored at the lowest setting

[KiwiCol]

From my understanding, torque wrenches are most accurate in the middle of their scale, either end of the range can be a bit out.  So I have 3 to cover all the bits on the bike while using the middle of the scale.


They are a precision instrument (or were when new) & you should keep them in the container they came in. Always release the settings back to zero & don't use them as a ratchet for general socket work & never use them to undo things. 


Yes, you have to pay for good quality tools, but what's the point in buying a cheap wrench & finding out the hard way the scale is way off.

[ARH]

Nothing to add to the comments form Vlad and Kiwicol.  Totally agree with winding back to lowest setting after use, I also wrecked a snap on TW I was given some years ago cos I left it at 50lbs/ft for about 4 months.... expensive mistake!

[Celtic32]

Ouch!

I've got a 5-25Nm and 20-110Nm wrench at the moment, having just bought them as I come to need them. Both are 3/8" drive.

I torque everything I can get a value on, otherwise I tend to tighten until it snaps.

[Basil Brush]

I have a couple. One I have had for years. Massive thing. Only good for car/bike wheel nuts.

Then I bought a great little wrench from Halfords. Came recommended in a bike mag. Been worth it's weight in gold. More of a 'bike' torque wrench with a lower scale.

Again - I always wind it off after every use.

[seth]

Halfords kit is as good as you'll get without paying loads for it
comes with a lifetime warranty too.
i have a lot of there professional range including my roller cabinet

[froudy]

+1 for Halfords Professional range

I've got a 1/4" drive Teng Tools torque wrench for the small stuff like cam cover bolts and a big 1/2" drive one for rear axle nut etc.

Most of the other bits I do by "Feel"

As for removing header bolts, I have my own methods for getting them out in one piece..Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't

[Bov]

I have a big 1/2" drive one which I bought for working on the Land Rover.

Will have to get myself a 1/4" drive one.  A mate has this and reckons it's a good 'un.
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/ToolPro-Torque-Wrench-1-4-Drive/214303#Recommendations

Deflecting beam torque 'wrenches' are excellent, but expensive.
Australian brand 'Warren and Brown" is as good as any and better than most.
http://wbtools.com.au/product-category/torque-wrenches/

This is also good advice (from the Honda forum I mod)

Good to get a low range & a high range if you can. I prefer a 5-40 lb/ft (3/8"drive) for the lower range & use a 1/2" drive (150 lb/ft) longer arm wrench for the higher torqued nuts & bolts such as swing arm, heads, primary, clutch, fly wheel etc. What ever you buy don't do what I did some years ago & leave the wrench at a setting. I forgot to release the tension on the wrench & it was done up for a few days before I noticed. The wrench was ruined. It was a 10-150 lb/ft wrench & after the spring was ruined it would only start at 40 lb/ft. Wrench should be stored at the lowest setting

I have that small supercheap one. very happy with it and got it on special. its perfect for most bike applications except  axle nuts etc. would defo recommend it.

[stick3]

i got two... 1/2 drive (200nm)  and the 1/4 drive (30nm) from supercheap and adaptors to fit 1/4- 3/8 -1/2 inch drive sockets and there one deaded bolt i don t have to worry about since i fitted a fumoto a couple of years ago