Must WRENCH - Torque Wrench Recommendations Please

[Michael B]

Hey guys, thanks for your excellent responses on my recent thread "I Must WRENCH Now" for maintenance due to my BMW dealer closing. I now have a tool shopping list as a result. GS-911, Twin Max Sync Tool, BMW DVD shop manual, and torque wrench for sure.

 

Now, on to the torque wrench. Don't mind spending money (get what you pay for) for an accurate, click, 3/8", 0-50 NM or so torque wrench. Internet research shows CDI or Precision Instruments to be possible choices…any particular ones you guys use and recommend and some idea why? With all the aluminum on my 2011 RT, the last thing I need is to over tighten something…don't need that trouble.

 

The dial wrenches seem very accurate and an excellent choice, but if your tightening something underneath the bike, you can't see the dial…and no click to know when to stop. What to do here…some neat trick?

 

I looked at Sears (sorry…poor quality), Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and all seem cheap and crude. Open to your suggestions……and thanks!

[BoisePilot]

Check Ebay. There are plenty of used, new and gently used

Snap-On brand click type torque wrenches in all sizes. I just bought a small one for $79.00 including shipping. I have a large old Snap-on click type that is 35 years old and works just fine. There are several sites on the internet that have instructions on calibrating click type wrenches at home. Just buy a good used wrench that fits your needs and calibrate it yourself. Occasional calibration will keep a click type wrench plenty accurate enough for motorcycle work. Torque wrenches have a relatively easy life compared to other tools in a mechanics chest and I have no problem buying used.

[6speedTi]

I have CDI torque wrenches. One is 1/4 drive and the other is a 3/8 drive. I also have a snap on 1/2 drive. CSI is made by snap on. The nice thing about CDI is they calibrate each wrench and attach the calibration records to the wrench for the consumer. In my opinion they are second to only those expensive industrial torque wrenches. If your anal about properly torqueing then this is worth ever penny.

[Guest Kakugo]

Since you are in the US and hence they are much easier to find, look up Tohnichi and Kanon.

Highly impressive and very, very durable, which is exactly what you are looking for in a torque wrench: even the cheapest torque wrenches sold nowadays are pretty damn accurate when new but they have a disconcerting tendency of falling to pieces after a few uses.

Stahwille is another damn good choice, as is Gedore (which is what I use).

[EffBee]

Hey guys, thanks for your excellent responses on my recent thread "I Must WRENCH Now" for maintenance due to my BMW dealer closing. I now have a tool shopping list as a result. GS-911, Twin Max Sync Tool, BMW DVD shop manual, and torque wrench for sure.

 

Now, on to the torque wrench. Don't mind spending money (get what you pay for) for an accurate, click, 3/8", 0-50 NM or so torque wrench. Internet research shows CDI or Precision Instruments to be possible choices…any particular ones you guys use and recommend and some idea why? With all the aluminum on my 2011 RT, the last thing I need is to over tighten something…don't need that trouble.

 

The dial wrenches seem very accurate and an excellent choice, but if your tightening something underneath the bike, you can't see the dial…and no click to know when to stop. What to do here…some neat trick?

 

I looked at Sears (sorry…poor quality), Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and all seem cheap and crude. Open to your suggestions……and thanks!

 

You might need a torque wrench capable of more than 50Nm. Not quite certain of the 2011 RT, but the on the 1100RT the rear wheel torque specs are 105Nm, or about 77ft lbs. Most other routine service items don't take more than about 40Nm.

[DiggerJim]

You might need a torque wrench capable of more than 50Nm. Not quite certain of the 2011 RT, but the on the 1100RT the rear wheel torque specs are 105Nm, or about 77ft lbs. Most other routine service items don't take more than about 40Nm.

You're right - I think the rear wheel is 65NM on the R1200RT and I know some of the other bolts back there are similar - for the shocks, etc. I used the high end of my wrench a lot when I tore the bike down for the clutch this summer.

 

The other torque wrench I recommend is a small 1/4" drive one. I use that for most things as it's less likely I'll be a hamfist with it. It goes down to the 7NM that's spec'ed for some of the smaller bolts.

[Selden]

I looked at Sears (sorry…poor quality), Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and all seem cheap and crude. Open to your suggestions……and thanks!

Cheap and crude doesn't necessarily mean inaccurate. For less than the price of one Snap-On, you can get a set of three torque wrenches from Harbor Freight, and there have been reports here that they are accurate.

 

Here's a good tutorial on How to Calibrate a Torque Wrench

 

On the other hand, the $70 Husky torque wrench that I got at Home Depot 10 years ago literally fell apart after only a few uses.

[Michael B]

You guys have been very helpful! I've looked up every suggestion and have also spent a LOT of time researching torque wrenches on the internet.

 

I finally found the one I will buy: CDI 502LDFN for $147.56 from Amazon. It is a 3/8" drive, dual scale dial (0-50 Ft. Lb./0-70 Nm), enclosed torsion bar design, lifetime warranty. I wanted a click wrench but found none that scaled down to zero. The 0-70 Nm seems to cover about every torque value I found in my Haynes manual. Only concern is that when used upside down I won't be able to see the dial (may try a mirror underneath). In case this wrench sounds pretty good to anyone, here is the link:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Torque-502LDFN-8-Inch-Memory-50-Foot/dp/B000I1Y48U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386085567&sr=8-1&keywords=CDI+502ldfn

 

Also ordered a GS-911, Twin Max Sync Tool, and BMW DVD shop manual, so I'm on my way to maintenance independent of a dealer…a relief! Appreciate your inputs!

 

[enfoman]

Also remember whatever one you are destined to buy, when you keep it stored, loosen up the dial spring to zero

[Guest Kakugo]

 

You might need a torque wrench capable of more than 50Nm. Not quite certain of the 2011 RT, but the on the 1100RT the rear wheel torque specs are 105Nm, or about 77ft lbs. Most other routine service items don't take more than about 40Nm.

 

I have a 10-100Nm torque wrench that covers pretty much anything that needs to be done on the Hexhead. Camhead is not that different.

The two Honda's (car and bike) have some service items that require more than 100Nm (sprocket nuts are 108Nm for example) and for those I have a 20-200Nm wrench.

 

Also consider that "real" 0Nm torque wrench do not exist (they really start from 0.3Nm or similar values). Without breaking the bank for high precision tools you don't really need, a 2-100Nm Tohnichi (QL100N4) will cover pretty much anything you'll need to do on the bike in just one tool.

[lkraus]

Before using any 2-100Nm wrench at a low value (2-10Nm) I'd test it. Many mechanical measuring devices tend to be inaccurate at the extreme ends of the measuring range.

[Tech1]

For low to medium torques I recommend this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004VYUKTC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

[longjohn]

Before using any 2-100Nm wrench at a low value (2-10Nm) I'd test it. Many mechanical measuring devices tend to be inaccurate at the extreme ends of the measuring range.

 

^This. Buy yourself a couple of wrenches, one for lower and one for higher values, with some overlap. I bought a couple of Proxxons, 1/4 and 3/8. this place has a good price: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/proxxon-micro-click-100s-38-torque-wrench

[Guest Kakugo]

Before using any 2-100Nm wrench at a low value (2-10Nm) I'd test it. Many mechanical measuring devices tend to be inaccurate at the extreme ends of the measuring range.

 

Typo due to the old and grime caked keyboard I use and I must replace together with the rest of the PC... the Tohnichi is actually a 20-100Nm wrench.

[lkchris]

Also remember whatever one you are destined to buy, when you keep it stored, loosen up the dial spring to zero

 

Unless, of course, you have the best, which is Stahlwille. Not required with their design.

 

6-50 nm version is model 730/5

 

Available with 3/8 ratchet head from Mercedes part system as 001 589 72 21 00.

 

May also be available from VW.

 

 

[AnotherLee]

Amazon didn't let me down:

<<>>

[Twisties]

I looked at Sears (sorry…poor quality), Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and all seem cheap and crude. Open to your suggestions……and thanks!

Cheap and crude doesn't necessarily mean inaccurate. For less than the price of one Snap-On, you can get a set of three torque wrenches from Harbor Freight, and there have been reports here that they are accurate.

 

Here's a good tutorial on How to Calibrate a Torque Wrench

 

On the other hand, the $70 Husky torque wrench that I got at Home Depot 10 years ago literally fell apart after only a few uses.

 

I just checked my two Pittsburgh (Harbor Freight) units.

 

The three year old low range device clicked at 10 ft lbs with a theoretical load of 9.3 ft lbs.

 

The eight year old high range device clicked at 11 ft lbs with a theoretical load of 12.2 and at 25 ft lbs with a theoretical load of 24.1. I really don't count the lighter load on this, as it is at the extreme low end of the unit's range.

 

Style me satisfied.

[Rex R]

I looked at Sears (sorry…poor quality), Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and all seem cheap and crude. Open to your suggestions……and thanks!

 

....

 

Here's a good tutorial on How to Calibrate a Torque Wrench

 

 

The link explains how to check a torque wrench; unless I missed something, it does not show how to adjust one that is "off".

 

Does anyone know how to adjust a Craftsman Digitork or Microtork?

[lkraus]

Lots of "how-to" videos on YouTube, try searching something like "calibrate microtork".