WTB Tourque Wrench

[bob59]

Input on what and where to buy. For use on carbon bits etc. Home shop use.

Just had a Thomson faceplate crack on me. Replacing the stem and the bars just to be sure. It takes a beating as it is on my SS and is 120mm in length.

Thanks in advance!

[bargainguy]

Depends on the application. If you're just talking stem bolts and such, could probably get away with a Ritchey torque key for around $20. That and the fact that most folks overtorque small bolts and undertorque large ones will get you through a lot.

I went whole hog and picked up a Topeak d-torq (electronic transducer type) a couple years ago for $100 used on amazon.

A few nice features: beeps when set torque is reached and then again if you exceed; doesn't need to be zeroed out between uses; calibrated in everything we need and then some.

I've used the beam & dial/clicker types and much prefer the transducer. Everyone is different here, use what you like.

[bcroslin]

I'd love to hear what others have to say on this as well. The Topeak sounds cool but I'd rather have something with no bells and whistles. And I have a Ritchey torque key but I need something I can adjust nm's for different applications.

[Bruce K]

Search the forum.

This has been discussed several times.

BK

[bcroslin]

Just did a search and it seems like there's no real consensus on what to buy. Beam, clicker and the Topeak d-torque have been mentioned before. Don't buy the Harbor Freight and the clicker's aren't accurate at low nm's. A few votes for and against the Craftsman. Am I missing something?

Any votes for the Park Tool? Anything in the $80-$100 range worth buying?

[Louis]

I got a CDI (http://www.cditorque.com/index.html) click-type for mid to low torques (they're a division of Snap-On) and a Craftsman beam-type for high torques. Both work well.

[bob59]

Just checked the Topeak is $250....ouch.

[Louis]

Quality will save you in the long run: CDI at Grainger (http://www.grainger.com/product/CDI-TORQUE-PRODUCTS-Micrometer-Torque-Wrench-WP23811/_/N-9a3Z1z0q1y5?s_pp=false)

Craftsman (http://www.craftsman.com/wrenches-torque-wrenches/b-1305567)

[Ralph]

I even think the Harbor Freight ones are OK for occasional home use if the scale is not too wide. It's difficult for any TQ wrench to be accurate if you're going to 5 inch lbs and wrench is 0-250 inch lbs (I made that up). Even without a TQ wrench, you kinda know when a small allen head bolt is tight enough on CF parts, if your tool is only a couple inches long. The 5 NM Ritchey that some of you have looks good to me for bars and stems. One wrench won't cover the whole bike.

[Don49]

For the occasional carbon bit I keep a Ritchey Torque Key handy: http://ritcheylogic.com/multi-bit-torqkey-5nm.html Use that while your are researching other options.

[billium]

Fan of Pedros Demi Torque wrench (click type). A bit spendy new, but come up fairly often on eBay. Paid $100 +/- for mine, LBS double checked accuracy against theirs just to be sure.

If you end up with a click type, reset to zero when not in use to help ensure accuracy.

[bargainguy]

Just checked the Topeak is $250....ouch.

There are two Topeak models:

d-torq (1-20 nM), here $183:

http://www.bikesonline.com/topeak-d-torq-wrench-1-20nm.htm?gclid=CIS_-77fkLwCFeo1QgodTxgAYw

..and the d-torq dx (4-80 nM), here $201:

http://www.bikesonline.com/topeak-d-torq-wrench-dx-4-80nm.htm

[merlincustom1]

For heavy stuff, Park beam and for light, Mariposa Giustiforza.

[Mnm1945]

The above Pedros is sold under many different brand names. I have one and it seems to work well.

[donevwil]

If you plan to use it and never have it calibrated I'd get a beam-type or the single torque value Ritchey mentioned above. Click-type are super convenient, but they should be calibrated periodically as the internal spring can take a set, especially in cheaper wrenches. It does help to always release the torque setting when not in use.