Torque wrench

[ArchRider]

I know this is indirectly about a Tiger but I was wondering what success the group out there has had with torque wrenches.  I am looking to adjust my valves over the winter and want to ensure I get everything torqued back correctly.  I currently have a standard Craftsman beam-style torque wrench which has been good for adjustments around brakes and the chain but when I get into the engine, I want to make sure I'm as accurate as I can be.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good torque wrench?  I won't say money is no object but I also know you get what you pay for.

[Mustang]

unless your pullin the cams you won't need a torque wrench to check the valves .....................but if you really must have a torque wrench get the craftsman micrometer style or even the digitorque craftsman work well and won't break the bank .

[Colonel Nikolai]

Before I had a good torque wrench, I blew on something average 1 out of ten fasteners. I now use the Craftsmen micrometer style ones myself. If I could afford even better I would buy it. What, with all this British all-loo-mini-um! Also keep in mind the torque settings are for clean, new threads without lubrication (unless otherwise specified), YMMV.

[JetdocX]

And I'll add that they should be kept in their own box, never dropped on the floor and calibrated yearly.

[ArchRider]

Thank you all.  I've been looking at the Craftsman wrenches and I find that many of them do not go low enough on the torque settings.  I had a micrometer click-type but noticed it only went as low as 16 Nm which is considerably above some of the specs for the bike.  So, it went back to the store.
I checked out WebBikeWorld and they recommend the Precision Instruments split-beam wrench in the $150 range but I guess you get what you pay for.
I thought for certain I'd want a good wrench to ensure I got the cover torqued back without stripping things out.  But if my old beam/needle version will work fine, I may just stick with it.

And Nikolai, what is YMMV?

[Colonel Nikolai]

Thank you all.  I've been looking at the Craftsman wrenches and I find that many of them do not go low enough on the torque settings.  I had a micrometer click-type but noticed it only went as low as 16 Nm which is considerably above some of the specs for the bike.  So, it went back to the store.
I checked out WebBikeWorld and they recommend the Precision Instruments split-beam wrench in the $150 range but I guess you get what you pay for.
I thought for certain I'd want a good wrench to ensure I got the cover torqued back without stripping things out.  But if my old beam/needle version will work fine, I may just stick with it.

And Nikolai, what is YMMV?

The sears craftsman store near me sells micro torque wrenches that measure in inch pounds as well as foot pounds that goes as low as single digits of inch pounds. This should work for you. Lifetime guarantee too.

Your "Mileage" May Vary. Or: it worked for me. Might not work for you.

[ArchRider]

Great.  I'll check out our store and see whether they have the same wrenches.  Do you just do a conversion or does Craftsman also have the Nm reading?
I thought Craftsman had eliminated the lifetime guarantee on torque wrenches but it is good to hear they still have it.

[Colonel Nikolai]

they have markings for both. I thought they were covered. Could you confirm or deny this for us?

[cosmo]

I like the bending beam-type torque wrench. Reason being is that they don't depend on a 'click' which may, or may not, be heard. Also, they stay in spec for far longer and can be abused a bit more before damage.

Cosmo

[Colonel Nikolai]

I like the bending beam-type torque wrench. Reason being is that they don't depend on a 'click' which may, or may not, be heard. Also, they stay in spec for far longer and can be abused a bit more before damage.

Cosmo

That's a really good point, Cosmo; if it's really true that they stay in spec longer. I'd not heard that before but the physics of it (fewer moving parts that move less overall) seem like this is likely the case. The problem is that in many cases the bending beam type wrench is very unwieldy. The Sears Microtork wrenches are much more flexible, shorter and narrower overall than the bending beam type.

These are the two I own.

The inch-pound one, goes from 25 to 250 INCH pounds:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-microtor ... 944593000P

The foot pound one, goes to 150 ft/lbs:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

Both have Newton-meter conversion markings.

I have once needed one of these for a crankshaft nut (required 220 ft/lbs) :shock: and instead just guessed. The bike has 1000+ miles on the new crankshaft. I'll let chu know if it ever fails. It goes to 250 ft lbs.

http://www.sears.com/kd-tools-micro-tor ... 999907000P

[Colonel Nikolai]

I like the bending beam-type torque wrench. Reason being is that they don't depend on a 'click' which may, or may not, be heard. Also, they stay in spec for far longer and can be abused a bit more before damage.

Cosmo

Precision Instruments 3/8-inch Square Torque Wrench, 600 lb./in.

This is probably the best torque wrench for the dollar. It will have to be calibrated less than any other, it will last longer and take more abuse than an electronic one and is very accurate.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

[Mustang]

Precision Instruments 3/8-inch Square Torque Wrench, 600 lb./in.

This is probably the best torque wrench for the dollar. It will have to be calibrated less than any other, it will last longer and take more abuse than an electronic one and is very accurate.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

but it is inch /pound so it can only be used up to 49 ft/lbs
pretty pricey to tighten a valve cover bolt ,  :shock:

[Colonel Nikolai]

Precision Instruments 3/8-inch Square Torque Wrench, 600 lb./in.

This is probably the best torque wrench for the dollar. It will have to be calibrated less than any other, it will last longer and take more abuse than an electronic one and is very accurate.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 000P?mv=rr

but it is inch /pound so it can only be used up to 49 ft/lbs
pretty pricey to tighten a valve cover bolt ,  :shock:

True, but it's usually the bolts below 50 ft/lbs that need this kind of precision in my experience. In my memory every one I've ever blown were under 50 ft/lbs.

[ArchRider]

Very good points in favor of all of the above.  I guess I didn't realize that I may need several torque wrenches.  I also did not know that I could get Precision Instruments wrenches through Sears.
I like my bending beam style wrench for the reasons listed above.  It is simple.  I works well for most things.  And it is inexpensive.  However, it is hard to read in many instances and I have found when a bolt gets close to required torque, it sometimes moves in a jerky fashion and keeping an eye on that jumpy needle doesn't feel accurate enough for me, especially with the low torque bolts.
I also noticed that the Craftsman torque wrenches have only a one-year warranty.  So much for their hand tools having lifetime warranties.
You get what you pay for and I may just have to pony up for the good one.  Aluminum is not something I want to mess up.
Thanks to everyone for your input.