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Torque wrench recommendations please

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  • November 9, 2022 at 1:15 pm #32327
    kil0ran

    Pretty sure that my cheapo Lifeline Torque wrench has finally gone out of calibration and not sure if it can be user calibrated. So it’s probably time I upgraded but can’t choose between the various types so looking for recommendations. This is for very regular use as I do bike repairs for friends and family.

    I think I want a click type, and would prefer a ratchet head. I’ve got a Feedback Sports Range for on-ride use but I really struggle to read the scale on that (aging eyesight) and it’s too short for safely applying anything over 6NM in my opinion.

    So it’s a toss up between the pre-set torque keys (4,5,6Nm) and something similar to the existing Lifeline wrench. I’d prefer a better scale than the Lifeline has got because it’s not always clear whether the torque is set correctly. I’d also probably get a cheap split beam type for chain wheels, lockrings, crank bolts, etc.

    Thoughts? 

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Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 24 total)
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  • April 21, 2023 at 5:46 am #1007909
    0
    Ride On

    Doh. Back to £30.99 today.
    Doh. Back to £30.99 today.

    April 20, 2023 at 8:38 pm #1007907
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    NOtotheEU

    Thanks for the heads up. I

    Thanks for the heads up. I recently checked the one I had bought as a YTS trainee truck mechanic and the lowest setting on it is 10Nm so I have ordered one of these. It ( and I ) must be old as it says Made In England on it.

    April 20, 2023 at 3:53 pm #1007905
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    richliv
    mark1a wrote:
    Sorry for the thread bump on this, but the Jobsworth wrench discussed below is on a limited time sale at £12.99 right now, even more of a bargain at this price for anyone thinking of a great value torque wrench.

    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWMTWSV2/jobsworth-pro-torque-wrench-set

     

    I have one, happy with it

    April 19, 2023 at 2:02 pm #1007903
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    mark1a

    Sorry for the thread bump on

    Sorry for the thread bump on this, but the Jobsworth wrench discussed below is on a limited time sale at £12.99 right now, even more of a bargain at this price for anyone thinking of a great value torque wrench.

    https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TOJWMTWSV2/jobsworth-pro-torque-wrench-set

    November 16, 2022 at 7:24 pm #1007901
    0
    kil0ran

    I have a couple of issues

    I have a couple of issues with that type

    (1) It doesn’t work well for bolts which don’t make it easy to see the scale (seatclamp bolts, disc brake calipers in particular)

    (2) My ageing eyes struggle to see the scale. That certainly looks better than many but there’s not a big difference between 4,5, and 6 Nm so it’s not the easiest to use. Maybe a shorter handle and a max scale of 6Nm would be better

    November 15, 2022 at 3:06 pm #1007899
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    andystow

    Yes. I’m using this one. I

    Yes. I’m using this one, which cost me $25 US in 2017. I had a carbon seatpost snap a couple of years ago, and that made me check the wrench by hanging weights off it. It’s accurate within my ability to read it, about ±0.5 N·m.

    https://cdn.road.cc/wp-content/uploads/roadcc/venzo.png

    November 15, 2022 at 10:17 am #1007897
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    Paul J

    The classic bendy bar torque
    The classic bendy bar torque wrench should be (much) more robust in the long run, I suspect.

    I’m still using one from my dad that must be from the 70s. I actually went and bought a small one that works at 5nm to 20nm – the typical bike bolt range – but they’re very hand to find it seems. Had to buy mine from the USA.

    November 14, 2022 at 4:04 pm #1007895
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    robgru76

    Thanks. That’s what I thought
    Thanks. That’s what I thought but wanted to be sure. Really good wrench but just wish the markings were a bit clearer.

    November 14, 2022 at 3:51 pm #1007893
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    kil0ran

    I would add that before using

    I would add that before using this on torque-critical components (e.g. carbon anything) test it on something like your Hollowtech crank bolts. If you’re still not sure and have access to a vise clamp a bit in the vise and use a digital luggage scale to test the calibration.

    (linked video is in ‘murican so it’s all in foreign units but the principal is the same)

    For Nm a 3kg pulling force on the handle of the Jobsworth wrench is about 5Nm. So if the wrench is set to 5Nm it should click when the force applied by the luggage scale reads 3kg.

    Newtons = kgs * 9.8

    Nm = Newtons * m

    The centre point of the handle on the Jobsworth is about 18cm long so the calculation for a 3kg pull is (3 * 9.8)*0.18 = 5.3Nm

    November 14, 2022 at 3:27 pm #1007891
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    kil0ran

    And this is it set to 10Nm

    And this is it set to 4Nm

    https://cdn.road.cc/wp-content/uploads/roadcc/PXL_20221114_151543169.MP_.jpg

    November 14, 2022 at 3:26 pm #1007889
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    kil0ran

    Line below the number is the

    Line below the number is the torque setting relating to that number, based on my testing against a known good wrench. Attached file shows it set to 5Nm – the 4 is visible and the collar has been further rotated to align the 1 with the centre line of the scale. To set it to 4Nm align the zero on the black scale with the centre line of the vertical scale, with the line just below the 4Nm marking visible

    https://cdn.road.cc/wp-content/uploads/roadcc/PXL_20221114_151608465.MP_.jpg

    November 14, 2022 at 8:43 am #1007887
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    robgru76

    Hi kil0ran – I’ve been
    Hi kil0ran – I’ve been struggling with this a bit since I got mine a couple of weeks back. I think the first line on the scale is 2nm (I’ve deduced this by looking at the 24nm position) but it could be 0nm as the numbers don’t quite align. How are you reading it? I didn’t find the instructions helped much..! Great product otherwise.

    November 14, 2022 at 6:59 am #1007885
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    kil0ran

    Part of the problem is that
    Part of the problem is that many products like this are white-labelled and sold at different price points, and I didn’t want to buy the brand rather than the tool.

    November 13, 2022 at 10:43 pm #1007883
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    mark1a

    Mine came out yesterday to

    Mine came out yesterday to torque a front mech cable pinch bolt while changing the cable. 

    I’m glad that’s worked out a decent recommendation for you, as I mentioned it’s way better then I expected for the price. So many tools aimed at the cyclist market have the C tax applied and it’s refreshing when a bargain is had. 

    November 13, 2022 at 5:45 pm #1007881
    0
    kil0ran

    As the name would suggest,

    As the name would suggest, does the job well. Nice positive click, good ratchet engagement, easy to set for most bike torque requirements.

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