Torque wrench

[insignia]

 

Views welcome. I have recently changed the wheels over on the van front to back and done same as always over the years tightened the wheel nuts with the brace supplied as I dont own a torque wrench .Is it really neccessary to use a torque wrench and why? have I just been lucky having never had a problem with wheel nuts coming loose If the general opinion is that a torque wrench should be used which one do I need to get for my van and what settings are required

 

Fiat based Adria Matrix 680SL 2010

[bigal]

insignia - 2013-04-09 4:39 PM

 

 

Views welcome. I have recently changed the wheels over on the van front to back and done same as always over the years tightened the wheel nuts with the brace supplied as I dont own a torque wrench .Is it really neccessary to use a torque wrench and why? have I just been lucky having never had a problem with wheel nuts coming loose If the general opinion is that a torque wrench should be used which one do I need to get for my van and what settings are required

 

Fiat based Adria Matrix 680SL 2010

The reason you should use a torque wrench is because it is easy to over stretch the wheel studs or under tighten the wheel nuts with a brace. Either of these two conditions will lead to wheels coming loose and associated problems. A torque wrench is calibrated to secure the wheels without causing such problems. Since torque settings can vary from vehicle to vehicle I would seek the correct settings from a professional and experienced tyre fitter or check in the vehicle maintenance manual at the supplying dealer. B-)

[Caddies104]

Hi

Although I have never used one, the obvious reason for using one is that all the wheel nuts are the same pressure... Also Torque wrenches are not expensive anymore as you can pick them up for under £20, with a range of 5 - 80ft.lb..

 

Think I have convinced myself now!!!

 

[Steve928]

insignia - 2013-04-09 4:39 PM

Fiat based Adria Matrix 680SL 2010

 

The correct torque setting for the Ducato X2/50 wheel bolts is 160Nm for 15" wheels or 180Nm for 16" wheels.

 

[colin]

All bolts/nuts have a torque range at which they should be tightened, some are more critical than others. Manufactorers consider wheel bolts/nuts to be one of these critical components, as I have a torque wrench I always use it, and the main use is to reset torque to the correct figure after tyre fitters have had the air gun on them. :-S

[Keithl]

Caddies104 - 2013-04-09 5:11 PM

 

Hi

Although I have never used one, the obvious reason for using one is that all the wheel nuts are the same pressure... Also Torque wrenches are not expensive anymore as you can pick them up for under £20, with a range of 5 - 80ft.lb..

 

Think I have convinced myself now!!!

 

Derek,

 

80 ft.lb will be insufficient for a commercial vehicles wheel nuts (or bolts).

 

As posted above the minimum for a Fiat will be 160 Nm or 120 ft.lb in Imperial. You need something substantially larger than that used for a car, and a decent socket to go with it (preferably a 6 point air gun socket NOT a cheap 12 point)!

 

Keith.

[Dave Newell]

I have gven up on torque wrenches as over the years I have had many and none have lasted. The last one I bought was over £200 and rated at 40Nm to 240Nm, it lasted six months before the ratchet started to slip at higher torque levels (trust me, smashing your knuckles into the ground when you are trying to tighten wheel bolts to 200Nm hurts...................it REALLY HURTS)!

 

I now use a small item from Sealey called a "torque adapter" it gives a digital readout of torque applied. You can preset the torque you require and as you approach that setting the unit emits a beeb which gets faster as you get closer to the set torque then goes to constant when you reach it. It is also capable of being calibrated so I send it off annually to ensure it is correct.

 

In the last two days I have had two vehicles on the lift which my airgun (450NM capable) couldn't undo the wheel bolts as they were so grossly over tightened by the last person to touch them. Overtightened bolts can shear off or even strip the threads out of the hub so it is important to tighten the wheel fixings to the apropriate torque setting.

 

D.

[Muswell]

I am lightly built and even if I stand on the brace I can't get to the torque required with the brace supplied, nor can I lift more than my body weight bent over the brace. I could risk injury by jumping while my wife hold the brace I suppose. It follows that if the nuts are properly torqued and I get a puncture then I am stuffed. I don't like to be completely reliant on a breakdown service, particularly when abroad, so I carry a telescopic wheel brace. I know what length to extend it to get reasonably close to the correct torque. I can check this when I get home.

[747]

I carry a 3/4" drive Tommy Bar and a 24 mm Impact socket in the van.

 

The Torque setting for my wheel bolts is the same figure as I weigh. All I need to do is to nip up the bolts and stand on the Tommy bar with a distance of one foot from the centre. Voila, job done.

 

I have used this method on many jobs over the years when a Torque wrench was not available and have never had any mishaps.

 

Being reasonably good at mental arithmetic helps. :D

[Muswell]

What if the person before you was a bit generous?

[mirage]

I believe it is even more important to use the correct torque with Alloy Wheels as they are more liable to crack if over tightened.

[colin]

Dave Newell - 2013-04-09 6:24 PM

 

I have gven up on torque wrenches as over the years I have had many and none have lasted. The last one I bought was over £200 and rated at 40Nm to 240Nm, it lasted six months before the ratchet started to slip at higher torque levels (trust me, smashing your knuckles into the ground when you are trying to tighten wheel bolts to 200Nm hurts...................it REALLY HURTS)!

 

I now use a small item from Sealey called a "torque adapter" it gives a digital readout of torque applied. You can preset the torque you require and as you approach that setting the unit emits a beeb which gets faster as you get closer to the set torque then goes to constant when you reach it. It is also capable of being calibrated so I send it off annually to ensure it is correct.

 

In the last two days I have had two vehicles on the lift which my airgun (450NM capable) couldn't undo the wheel bolts as they were so grossly over tightened by the last person to touch them. Overtightened bolts can shear off or even strip the threads out of the hub so it is important to tighten the wheel fixings to the apropriate torque setting.

 

D.

 

Thats an interesting bit of kit, just looked it up online, If I need a new torque wrench might get one of those. I have a range of torque wrenches, the heavy duty one is 3/4" drive about four foot long and no ratchet, so no smashed knuckles and makes light work of van wheel bolts.

[Cliffy]

 

The training centre I used to work for had a fleet Transit mini buses, one in particular was very susceptible to vibration from the road wheels at certain speeds after alot of investigation we found that not only did the wheels have to be tightened to the exact torque but they had to be tightened in the correct order until they all reached the same torque.

So I take from that it is important to not only use a tourqe wrench but to use it correctly.

 

 

[Bulletguy]

I've never used a torque wrench on wheel nuts on all vehicles i've owned over the years. Personally it's a tad OTT to be honest and bordering on the obsessive. The only important nut anywhere around a wheel is the drive shaft capstan nut which must be tightened to the set torque figure. Use of a torque wrench is most commonly used in engine and gearbox rebuilding....in fact for that it's essential.

[Dave Newell]

Bulletguy - 2013-04-09 11:40 PM

 

I've never used a torque wrench on wheel nuts on all vehicles i've owned over the years. Personally it's a tad OTT to be honest and bordering on the obsessive. The only important nut anywhere around a wheel is the drive shaft capstan nut which must be tightened to the set torque figure. Use of a torque wrench is most commonly used in engine and gearbox rebuilding....in fact for that it's essential.

 

Its not OTT at all, especially when I'm working on other people's motorhomes. I need to be sure that all wheel fixings are tightened correctly and that my torque wrench/adapter is in calibration.

 

D.

[Brian Kirby]

I assume this is the item you referred to Dave? http://tinyurl.com/bn874bn Not cheap, but much easier to carry around, and more versatile, than an actual wrench. Any number of sources on the web, mostly discounted.

[chas]

Also never be tempted to use the torque wrench to undo the wheel nuts, as this will ruin its calibration settings. I bought one 2-3 yrs ago, for my car which has alloy wheels, but have never used it, manly because the car as a slim spare, and if I got a puncture on the front, would need to take off a back wheel first for the front and fit the slim on the back. If I got a puncture on the motorhome my roadside assistance would take care of that, it is to heavy work for me.

[Dave Newell]

Brian Kirby - 2013-04-10 3:40 PM

 

I assume this is the item you referred to Dave? http://tinyurl.com/bn874bn Not cheap, but much easier to carry around, and more versatile, than an actual wrench. Any number of sources on the web, mostly discounted.

 

That's the one Brian, albeit mine is red rather than black and I paid about £54 for it. Simple fact is it just works and there are no moving parts as such to fail or cause injury and it can be used with any 1/2" drive tool be it a ratchet or six foot long breaker bar.

 

D.

[Dave Newell]

chas - 2013-04-10 4:25 PM

 

Also never be tempted to use the torque wrench to undo the wheel nuts, as this will ruin its calibration settings. I bought one 2-3 yrs ago, for my car which has alloy wheels, but have never used it, manly because the car as a slim spare, and if I got a puncture on the front, would need to take off a back wheel first for the front and fit the slim on the back. If I got a puncture on the motorhome my roadside assistance would take care of that, it is to heavy work for me.

 

No I don't use a torque wrench to loosen bolts either, why would anyone? I do use one to ensure the fixings are tightened to the correct torque though.

 

I don't quite understand why you would need to transfer a rear wheel to the front and fit your spacesaver wheel to the rear though. The spacesaver is limited to 80KPH (50MPH) and distance limited usually too. Its purpose is to allow you to continue your journey albeit at limited speed and get the damged/punctured tyre repaired/replaced as soon as possible.

 

D.

[Guest Peter James]

My norbar torque wrench is over 40 years old, used it on engine rebuilds and every time I check wheelnuts, it has never let me down.

Mind you, I don't know how accurate it is. :-S

[Dave Newell]

Peter James - 2013-04-10 7:02 PM

 

My norbar torque wrench is over 40 years old, used it on engine rebuilds and every time I check wheelnuts, it has never let me down.

Mind you, I don't know how accurate it is. :-S

 

After 40 years probably not very accurate at all :-S .

 

D.

[myshell]

Have a look at this one.

 

Clarke Digital Torque Adaptor

 

selectable units Nm, lb-ins, lb-ft or kg-m.

 

Torque range 30 - 360 Nm

 

Price = £33:98 + vat

 

order code TL 1528506

 

www.cpc.co.uk

 

Tel. 08447 88 00 88

 

 

[Wooie]

Here`s the Sealey one at a much better price :-

 

http://toolstoday.co.uk/shop.php?sec=prod&prod=54034&cat=621&gclid=CMLnjcaDwrYCFU3KtAodEUwAPw

 

 

And this one is even cheaper :-

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002BFC0Y6/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002T4MQ5M&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0QGAFX8A34ECZC84BXDB

[Dave Newell]

myshell - 2013-04-10 9:54 PM

 

Have a look at this one.

 

Clarke Digital Torque Adaptor

 

selectable units Nm, lb-ins, lb-ft or kg-m.

 

Torque range 30 - 360 Nm

 

Price = £33:98 + vat

 

order code TL 1528506

 

www.cpc.co.uk

 

Tel. 08447 88 00 88

 

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/clarke-international/pro238/torque-adapter-digital-30-360nm/dp/TL15285?in_merch=Products%20From%20This%20Range&MER=e-bb45-00001003

 

This one?

 

D.

[Archiesgrandad]

I was always told that the most important nut is the one that holds the steering wheel, and that the talk-setting is generally connected to the passenger seat. Common sense from the first will determine the second.

AGD