Torque Wrench Information Requested

ctva

ctva

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Having just done a job on the engine, I do not have confidence in my current cheapo 1/2” drive torque wrench (203nm) that I bought many moons ago.

I have a Norbar 1/4” which is really good that I treated my soft to a few years ago but expensive.

Are there any recommendations of makes or specific models that would suit an enthusiastic amateur for occasional use?

Many thanks
 
I did quite a bit of internet research before I bought my last one (on a budget) and went for a Sealey (AK624) because apparently - while they’re all made using much the same design (in China) - the Sealey ones are individually calibrated and tested. It came with a calibration card with handwritten test results in the box! I also found a online review somewhere where they tested them and found it the most accurate.

I’ve used it with no complaints or issues ever since (just found the receipt - was 2017).

Remember to back the adjustment right off after use so as not to ‘stretch’ whatever gubbins inside make them work.
 
It should not be such a huge difficulty to calibrate your old torque wrench. Lock a piece of extension rod into a vice so that torque wrench extends horizontally out into space.
Apply weights to the middle of the handle to get known torque (weight related to length of handle) ol'will
 
I have a traditional type and a digital device (new).

When comparing, the old manual one is still quite accurate (assuming the new one is) but the digital has the benefit of fitting all sorts of other tools.
The digital thingy was some £ 40

Note: Cleanliness of thread and washers affect the actual torque in any case

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in the UK for the layman there are two brands. You have one in the Norbar, the other is Britool. Note though that torque wrenches are notoriously inaccurate by and large.
 
I worked as a marine engineer for many years, the workshop 'standard' was Snap-On, but we also had some Britool and even a couple of small Halfords ones. The one thing they all had in common being we were ISO approved was they all had annual calibration.
Avoid the Draper ones (or any variant of) as these go out of calibrationeasily and readily. The brands we stuck with were consistent and reliable, in daily workshop and field use.
I still have my Snap-On torque wrenches now, though I sold my digital ones a few years ago as they needed to be used and not gathering dust! If I have to rebuild an engine again I would have them calibrated by a professional company before I started - otherwise it's all just guess work, and I don't need an expensive torque wrench to guess how tight a bolt is!

As an aside, the no.1 thing that causes torque wrenches to go out of calibration (according to our claibration guy) is leaving them tensioned when not in use. Most use a spring to create the 'break' point and this needs to be left without tension. How you store and use them also matters - if they are subject to big temperature swings (as our van ones were) then these tended to drift a bit more than the workshop ones. And never, ever use them for anything other than torquing bolts - several workshop 'punishments' were issued to anyone who used a torque wrench to undo a fastner, who dropped one on the floor or mistreated them. These were tools we made our living off so we took this seriously!
 
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