Torque wrench/screwdriver for low torque parts

[Frank]

I have the big torque wrench for installing bottom brackets and cranksets, but wondered what kind of torque wrench or torque screwdriver you use for the inch pound tightening on carbon stuff.

Thanks,

Frank

[Bruce K]

Ritchey Torque Key for all their stems.

Pedro's torque wrench for the other stuff.

BK

[Frank Draper]

www.CantitoeRoad.com. Look for Effetto Mariposa Giusta Forza GF Torque Wrench. Pricey but it is the best I have used on both my Legend Ti and Lemond TeTe de Course carbon. It also got rave reviews in Velo News.

Frank D.

[FMS_rider]

I have the low-range Park torque wrench. It's inexpensive, and like all beam-style wrenches it is quite accurate (I checked it when it arrived), and will never need to be recalibrated if you use and store it carefully.

The down side to all beam-style wrenches is that they have to be positioned so that you can see the scale, but unless you are a professional mechanic that is only a minor annoyance. Examples: when the only position that works puts you on your knees looking upwards, or when you have to switch sides several times as when torquing the steerer clamp bolts on a Ritchey WCS stem.

Lew

[pdxmech13]

+1 for the Mariposa. Use it everyday at work.

[Frank]

+1 for the Mariposa. Use it everyday at work.

the Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza Torque Wrench today from REI.

Saved $27.81 with a 15% off discount code for signing up for their REI Gearmail notification.

Thanks for all of the advice and e-mails on this.

Frank

[Samster]

i shelled out for a torque wrench and heads. that was 3 years ago. i haven't used it once. and i do pretty much all of my own maintenance.

imo, a torque wrench is up there with cycling computers as per another thread.

[Samster]

"if you don't screw a screw too tight ten times, you'll never know how far you can screw."

--Mr. 60%, "Overcoming"

[Kane]

http://www.mytoolstore.com/wilmar/prod043.html
One of the guys on the mtbr.com website, posted this torque wrench. This website page shows 4 torque wrenches and it is the one with the lowest range.

Sears has one with their warranty for about $70.

Cheers,

Kane

[pdxmech13]

I'll clarify as the need for having a torque wrench. I will use one for the sole purpose of legality's sake on all my probuilds and repairs. For me it is an absolute to know that when a bike leaves that I have thouroughly made sure that the bike is safe and will keep my employer out of trouble should something happen. I worry about this stuff from a legal perspective everyday as more and more light weight inexpensive equipment floods a market such as the bicycle industry. Does a mechanic need a torque wrench......probably not but it sure helps me sleep better at night. :beer:

[Frank]

I'll clarify as the need for having a torque wrench. I will use one for the sole purpose of legality's sake on all my probuilds and repairs. For me it is an absolute to know that when a bike leaves that I have thouroughly made sure that the bike is safe and will keep my employer out of trouble should something happen. I worry about this stuff from a legal perspective everyday as more and more light weight inexpensive equipment floods a market such as the bicycle industry. Does a mechanic need a torque wrench......probably not but it sure helps me sleep better at night. :beer:

Would have peace of mind if I was one of your customers.

I use torque wrenches because when I started building up bikes, especially ones with Italian threaded bottom brackets, I had a couple of them loosen up on the drive side. I also had a set of cranks come loose on a really steep hill. No damage or injury any of these times, but I wanted to fix the problem.

I found out after getting a torque wrench that, even when I thought I was really tightening the bolts on the cranks and the rings on the bottom brackets, I was quite a ways under specified torque. That was especially true for the Shimano Ultegra splined bottom brackets and matching cranksets.

I started using a torque wrench and never had a crankset or bottom bracket come loose again. I also knew that when I built up a bike, it was as sound mechanically as I could make it so I never worried about that aspect of riding. Now the challenge is not to over torque carbon seatposts or steerers.

[Charles M]

I use a torque wrench for everything...

I have nothing to prove and just giggle when someone gives me the "bro I've been doing this a long time" speech.

I've had someone giving me that speech literally at the exact moment they cracked a prototype set of bars I was using in a build... :D And that's a guy with a solid 15 years of pretty top line wrenching for a living.


I'm more impressed when a mechanic is professional enough to use one than when they think they are professional enough not to...

And the guista forza wrench (the base model) is pretty much a favorite...

[Dave]

I use a 4-5-6mm Y-style hex wrench and a trained wrist. I've never broken or stripped anything in 24 years of bike wrenching. If a carbon part cracks because it was clamped with 6-7Nm of torque instead of 5, then the part was crap to start with or there was a fit-up problem that caused the crack, not a small amount of additional torque.

[rePhil]

I use a 4-5-6mm Y-style hex wrench and a trained wrist. I've never broken or stripped anything in 24 years of bike wrenching. If a carbon part cracks because it was clamped with 6-7Nm of torque instead of 5, then the part was crap to start with or there was a fit-up problem that caused the crack, not a small amount of additional torque.

I get where you are coming from...but. I worked as a factory tech for a company that makes boat motors. If an unfortunate event ever made it to the courtroom, a torque wrench will beat a trained wrist.
If I were still making a living twisting wrenches on other peoples stuff, I would use a torque wrench. It projects a professional image too.

[Dave]

I get where you are coming from...but. I worked as a factory tech for a company that makes boat motors. If an unfortunate event ever made it to the courtroom, a torque wrench will beat a trained wrist.
If I were still making a living twisting wrenches on other peoples stuff, I would use a torque wrench. It projects a professional image too.

But a torque wrench is hard to take on a ride. If you ever need to make field adjustments, you need to have the skill to do it without breaking something. If you always depend on a torque wrench, you'll be clueless out on the road.

[rePhil]

Dave, I agree with you. But there are a lot of good intentioned, ham fisted people out there.
I use a torque wrench on my BB's and the stem.
After over 33 years of turning wrenches I am capable of going sans torque wrench, but experience shows me not everyone else is.