Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs? was created by PapayaLaunch

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222793
Hello All!

Putting together my toolkit so I can start doing bits and bobs on the car (this is my first adventure into working on a car, so it's all new to me). I got a good deal on Ebay of the Halfords 200pc kit. 

I want to start when the times comes on break pads. From what I've been reading the only real concern here is getting the wheels on and off which need to be set back to 70Nm. I think from what I've read online, the Halfords advanced Torque Wrenches are pretty great value. 

So I am thinking of getting the 40 - 200Nm version which is £130 + 7% off from MGOC, wanted to see if this spec wrench would be suitable for most bits around the car or if I should jump up to the 60 - 300Nm version?
For reference I won't be diving into anything deep into the engine while I am learning and building my way up.

Thanks for any advice! 

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Replied by TA22GT on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222797
I have a lot of Halfords Advance spanners and ratchets and they have never let me down.
I also have their 40-200 Advance Torque wrench and it is great quality.
I also have their smaller one has I did a lot of engine building and it's great for camshaft bearing caps etc.
You won't go wrong with that toolkit.
When you use the torque wrench you are supposed to reset it to zero before you put it away rather than leaving it at the setting you used it at.
Good luck!
Edit:  Just to say if you need to undo a stubborn nut or bolt use a normal spanner or socket to break the joint then use the ratchet spanner. They have very fine teeth to allow movement in tight spaces but they break easily if you use force on them.
Ask me how I know..
Last Edit:3 months 1 week ago by TA22GT
Last edit: 3 months 1 week ago by TA22GT.

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Replied by D4KGP on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222801
Hi, 15inch wheels 70Nm, 16inch wheels 100Nm it was changed some time back.
Good luck with all you do. G.
by D4KGP

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Replied by Airportable on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222802
There was an alarmingly good digital torque wrench adapter available off eBay a short while ago. A couple or three of us availed ourselves of these; I don’t know whether they are used regularly but I keep mine on the wheel nut value. I tested it against my lads calibrated unit & it was well in tolerance.
A good torque wrench is an imperative if you are engine building & the like, the cost disparity between an inexpensive digital adapter & a semi pro unit could be the difference between having a more useful tool or not.
Assembling a tool kit can take a lifetime of judicious cost effective purchases or in one heart stopping visit to a supplier. When a kit of spanners is laid out, smallest, through to the largest, it is the ones in the middle that will get scratched & dirty, the rest are there for the ride.
“Chose wisely my son.”
M

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Replied by Notanumber on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222811
£ 130 for a torque wrench sounds a bit excessive. Im always working on cars as a hobbyist and occasionally work on engine internals and Id say £ 20 to £40 would buy a useable one.
In terms to top end the toughest bolt you would need to tighten to a designated torque on an F or TF is the crankshaft pulley bolt which is something like 220Nm. On a 200Nm torque wrench that would be wait for it to click at its 200Nm maximum and keep on pushing that hard for another frew seconds.  Nothing else on these cars needs anything like that amount of force. 
Undoing stuff thats stuck of course is a different story but you'd use a breaker bar for that not a torque wrench.

2003 MG TF 135 sunstorm

1979 MGB GT

Previously:
2002 115 TF + 1998 118 MG F

Last Edit:3 months 1 week ago by Notanumber
Last edit: 3 months 1 week ago by Notanumber.

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Replied by generous_dad on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222823
I am seduced by the Middle of Lidl. They have a torque wrench in my local store.
The Parkside branded tools are better than rubbish elsewhere and may not stand up to professional use but are priced sensibly.
I would give it a look.
+1 for Halfords Advanced and also for setting the torque wrench to zero after use. (I have a click type wrench and checking it against a rigid bar tyoe confirms it has not lost calibration over several years).

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Replied by Airportable on topic Suggestions on Torque Wrench for most jobs?

Posted 3 months 1 week ago #222824
As stated my budget bargain basement digital unit is set to my wheel nut torque. Habitually I use my click type Britool unit bought for £2-50 of a market stall in Cirencester, a good many years ago. Checked against a known standard it was found not to have drifted from the test house ticket stuck to the case.
You can be lucky with things like this, I would never walk past a clearance stall & interesting I’ve found some of my best buys from Cirencester market, even though I’m an infrequent visitor.
M

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