76 replies to this topic

[me madjoe 90]

Is this a bad time to say when I was changing the head on my car my dads friend, with at 30 years expirence in the trade, done my spark plugs up with a nut gun!

Bye bye threads

[dale.lavender]

How high does the 'N' rating need to be on a torque wrench for the mini, for example is '28-210N' sufficient? Could anyone post a link to a decent one?
Cheers
DL

[Cooperman]

If you go back and look at the OP, the question was whether a torque wrench is needed to do up the hub nut when changing the discs. The answer is, 'no it's not needed'. If you don't have one it doesn't actually matter so long as the nut can be tightened very tight. Anyway, if you did that nut up with a torque wrench, the chances of the split pin hole actually lining up would be minimal so you would be left with 3 options: To back if off a bit to line up the hole, to try to tighten it a bit more until the hole lined up, or to remove the hut and linish a bit at a time until it did line up. Our friend 'bmc....' answered that quite early on in fact'.

[1984mini25]

Is this a bad time to say when I was changing the head on my car my dads friend, with at 30 years expirence in the trade, done my spark plugs up with a nut gun!

Bye bye threads

I had to do a head gasket on an astra estate diesel because some previous workshop money had used an air gun on the glow plugs. All because when the were finally out there were completely the wrong thread.
So unfortunately the customer ended up with quite a big bill for what should have been quite a simple job in the first place.

The way I’ve always been taught is to start off fixings by hand, if they don’t feel right or are tight stop and check why, they could be wrong or beginning to cross thread.

The if all is ok tighten up wit a suitable spanned/ratchet and if it’s a critical fixing, ie, brakes, suspension, engine etc then it’s torque up.

I also got into the habit of blobbing a bit of tip-ex on the fixings I’d torque up while doing a job. That way I know just by looking that its been done, also stops fixings being double torqued and over tightened.

And just as important as torquing up finings is the use of new lock washers and split pins. Someone on here found out recently just what can happen when a split pin and hub nut isn’t fitted or tightened up correctly. Think they’re now looking for a new replacment hub, flange, calliper and possibly a new cv joint as well because of it.

[monkey]

Like with most of these things- it's a case of "you should use one and torque to the specified figures", but in the real world it doesn't matter if you have your head screwed on and have experience of how tight things need to be. I only use torque wrenches for "important" stuff like engine internals and the like, I've been doing nuts and bolts up since I can remember so I am confident in saying I can feel how much is right, and when to stop.

If you class yourself as competant I wouldn't worry, but if you are unsure then I would be safe than sorry. I think thats fair?!

I love the fact that you consider your engine internals more "important" than the prospect of a wheel flying of at 70mph because you didn't tighten some bolts properly.

Torque settings are there for a reason, and for the cost of a torque wrench, I don't know why anyone wouldn't use one!

[998dave]

Thanks for the thread title 998dave, iv'e read this with interest but what 998dave, shifty and guessworks have said makes sense to me and i've decided to hold off and buy my self a decent torque wrench (im not saying anyone is wrong or right i think i prefer things by the book thats all)
Could anyone recommend a decent torque wrench to buy (as i have no clue what all the numbers mean)
Thanks again
DL

I bought mine from machine mart, they do a pair, one small and one bigger.
Took it into work and had the tool calibrators check it over, was pretty much spot on, and stayed that way when it was checked again.

How high does the 'N' rating need to be on a torque wrench for the mini, for example is '28-210N' sufficient? Could anyone post a link to a decent one?
Cheers
DL

If you can get one that goes a little higher then that'd be better, but most 'top out' around 210Nm.
I'm fairly sure that the one your looking at is a fairly standard one that's rebranded Draper/Challenge/Halfords depending on where you buy it!

Dave

[dale.lavender]

LINK This is the challenge one from argos seems too cheap to be true would that be ok?
DL

[Carlos W]

If I stand on a pole which is 1.5 metres long at my weight it produces a torque of 1591 Nm

I think that's quite a lot!

Edited by Carlos W, 18 January 2011 - 09:21 PM.

[HUBBA.HUBBA]

LINK This is the challenge one from argos seems too cheap to be true would that be ok?
DL

This will do the job, just get yourself down to Machine Mart, I've got it and use it alot.

http://www.machinema...e-torque-wrench

(comes in a decent case with handy attachments)

There is a reason why torque settings are quoted especially on safety critical parts. I agree with Guess works, I cann't get over what people have said.

[998dave]

Dave,

Look at machine mart here;

Machine Mart Torque Wrench

Both are pretty similar, but machinemart are more likely to know their stuff, and are useful when you get into more interesting tools.

Dave

[Carlos W]

That's not bad money! I expected them to be twice that!

I wonder if the Mrs wants to buy me a valentines gift........................

[TopCatCustom]

Like with most of these things- it's a case of "you should use one and torque to the specified figures", but in the real world it doesn't matter if you have your head screwed on and have experience of how tight things need to be. I only use torque wrenches for "important" stuff like engine internals and the like, I've been doing nuts and bolts up since I can remember so I am confident in saying I can feel how much is right, and when to stop.

If you class yourself as competant I wouldn't worry, but if you are unsure then I would be safe than sorry. I think thats fair?!

I love the fact that you consider your engine internals more "important" than the prospect of a wheel flying of at 70mph because you didn't tighten some bolts properly.

Torque settings are there for a reason, and for the cost of a torque wrench, I don't know why anyone wouldn't use one!

I spent over £400 on certificated torque wrenches years ago which I use regularly, but I do not agree that everything needs a torque wrench. If it were please answer: how many car manufacturers have ever supplied a torque wrench with the spare wheel kit found in all cars? As you suggest- wheels staying on is a pretty big safety factor, yet Mr and Mrs Bloggs over the entire world are trusted with a 10" long wheel nut bar.

And for a big castellated nut you can easily work out how hard to do it up, if its 90ft/lb then its quite simply 30lbs on a 3ft bar, and a locking pin makes it safer still. Dont get me wrong- on things like that I do sometimes use a torque wrench but I'm just saying I dont see it as absolutely necessary except with particular parts and in particular applications. Most of the old skool mechanics I know probably used a torque wrench once in a blue moon, and none have any embarrasing stories about not doing things up tight enough.

To the OP, yes a torque wrench should be in your tool kit, use it when you can, but the more stuff you do the less you will feel you need it for everyday things, not ideal perhaps but more than likely to happen at some point! And with regards to which one- dont forget you get what you pay for, Teng tools are very good, as are halfrauds tools, personally I wouldn't consider buying a cheapo no name one as I could never trust it.

[samsfern]

its all well and good people saying just buy a torque wrench, but a decent torque wrench (that comes with a certificate of calibration) isnt cheap, i know because i bought a decent one a little while ago.

Edited by samsfern, 18 January 2011 - 09:51 PM.

[Darkscamp]

Mine was half price at Halfrauds, and like most of their 'Pro Tools' is on offer at some point over a 6 month period.


The Pro one i got was only £25 in the offer and has a lifetime guarentee which includes recaliberation if needed (made sure i got the manager to write that bit down ).

[Guess-Works.com]

If you go back and look at the OP, the question was whether a torque wrench is needed to do up the hub nut when changing the discs. The answer is, 'no it's not needed'. If you don't have one it doesn't actually matter so long as the nut can be tightened very tight. Anyway, if you did that nut up with a torque wrench, the chances of the split pin hole actually lining up would be minimal so you would be left with 3 options: To back if off a bit to line up the hole, to try to tighten it a bit more until the hole lined up, or to remove the hut and linish a bit at a time until it did line up. Our friend 'bmc....' answered that quite early on in fact'.

Or if you read the workshop manual, you would know the actual procedure is to torque up to the specified setting for the type of CV installed and then to tighten further to the next hole to insert the split pin...