Good, inexpensive torque wrenches

[echappist]

i know these may as well be mutually exclusive, but it has come to my attention that my new quarq would require all the chainring bolts to have even torque in order to function properly. Anybody have suggestions on what may be a good tool to use? Before this, i "cheaped out" as the Ritchey torque key was all i needed for fine torque adjustment, but it seems like i might need another tool.

[Steve in SLO]

Lots of previous threads on this...try searching, but IIRC, many like Craftsman click stop torque wrenches-they're good and relatively affordable

[Joachim]

Not sure if it qualifies as cheap, but I rather pick good for a torque wrench even if it means I should pay a little more, but I've been using Pedro's demi-torque, incl tightening my Quarq chainring bolts with it.

[AngryScientist]

craftsman.

[foo_fighter]

Do you need adjustable torque? If not, the snap-on CDi t-handle ones are pretty nice and prevent you from over torquing via it's gascap like action. The come in 4/5/6nm wrenches and the hex bits are replaceable, unlike the Ritchey ones. The are ~$24 on amazon.

[benb]

Craftsman... they haven't let me down, they didn't break the bank, they're standard drive, and they easily cover the entire range a bike uses and most of the home car/motorcycle stuff you would do. I have the small & medium clicker.. fine for everything on a bike and everything I've done on my motorcycle. You only need the big one to do car lug nuts and to change the head on a car/motorcycle/boat engine.

If I was to get more though it would be some of those fixed ones that foo_fighter mentions.. my LBS uses something like those (some Euro brand) they look really convenient for stems, seatposts, saddle rails, etc.. those are not going to help with chainrings though..

[crupshaw]

Anyone try the adjustable Spindoctor one from Performance? its on sale on their website for $60 right now. I was thinking about getting it later today actually...

[echappist]

Do you need adjustable torque? If not, the snap-on CDi t-handle ones are pretty nice and prevent you from over torquing via it's gascap like action. The come in 4/5/6nm wrenches and the hex bits are replaceable, unlike the Ritchey ones. The are ~$24 on amazon.
bummer, if only they have one going up to 8Nm (i think that's what's recommended for chainring bolts).

looks like i better save up for a craftman wrench. thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

[Wayne77]

So what ft/lb range is ideal for all the various nuts n' bolts on a bike? I need a torque wrench as well..especially after discovering a crimp in some expensive carbon bars few years as a result of my knuckleheaded over tightening...

[Joachim]

bummer, if only they have one going up to 8Nm (i think that's what's recommended for chainring bolts).

looks like i better save up for a craftman wrench. thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

10nm for alloy bolts with a tiny tiny spot of grease
12nm for steel bolts, no grease

Latest from Quarq, but you can call to confirm...

[echappist]

So what ft/lb range is ideal for all the various nuts n' bolts on a bike? I need a torque wrench as well..especially after discovering a crimp in some expensive carbon bars few years as a result of my knuckleheaded over tightening...

4-5Nm is recommended for bolts on bars and stems, and the torque key takes care of that

[echappist]

10nm for alloy bolts with a tiny tiny spot of grease
12nm for steel bolts, no grease

Latest from Quarq, but you can call to confirm...

gah... looks like i have to get the real thing.

thanks for the info.

[rice rocket]

Believe it or not, the Harbor Freight 1/4" torque wrench is very good. The mechanism is very simple (i.e. hard to screw up), just release your torque setting to zero before storing. Does 20-200 in-lbs, which is ~ 2.2Nm to 22.5Nm. You can get it calibrated if you're really anal, but people with torque meters have always found them to be in line w/ most the mass market brands out there (Craftsman, Husky, etc). They all require calibration to get to +/- 1%, but are all in the range of +/- 5% out of the box.

It's $19.


But really, you should get a beam-type torque wrench. Clickers are nice for the "feedback", but unless you're torquing 500 bolts/hour on an assembly line, the beam-types are just as worthy.

[KF9YR]

I have a 3/8" Craftsman click-type but needed a smaller one for the bikes as the smallest setting was still too large for most bike torque requirements.

I own a restaurant and have customers that work at a pawn shop. They mentioned the tool section is overflowing with the downturn in construction.

I visited their shop and was able to find a nice Snap-on dial torque meter that goes down to inch pounds. It was still in the case with the owners manual for less than $80.

Some of the hand tools were brand-new. They said they are bought by guys with tool allowance money who sell them to the pawn shop for beer money...

[Mtmooradian]

Cheap but good - craftsman
Use everyday- snap-on

[jds108]

sears has one for $45 online, 25-250 in lbs, ratcheting. i think this is the same model that I have had for about 15 years. That's the right torque range for bike parts - it starts at around 3 Nm.

[DogpawSlim]

Somewhere between Craftsman and Snap On lies SK. I used a few professionally for a time, and they hold up well.

Though I would agree with the recommendation for beam wrench if you don't need the clicker.