I hate torque wrenches! ..help again

driver145 · Apr 25, 2008

Between working on my car and bike everyday, I am breaking tools and stripping threads over and over. Now, I just realized you cannot use a reducer with a torque wrench. I used a 1/2 drive with a 3/8 reducer to put my oil filter on, I only torqued it to about 10 ft/lbs or so... does anyone know how much I over torqued it in actuality? Should I be worried??

I have to ride to work right now and hope I make it. It did not feel overly tight, but it felt tighter then the one I took off...

Thanks!

driver145 · Apr 25, 2008

I just read somewhere else that reducers do not affect accuracy. Can someone who knows please enlighten me?

DefyInertia · Apr 25, 2008

I don't *know* but I can't imagine they would....?

Why are you using a tool to tighten your oil filter, just do it by hand. They put the nut on the K&N filters for removal and for safety wire, not for installation. If you're that worried about it falling off just use a hose clamp and some safety wire for an extra couple dollars.

madmanmaigret · Apr 25, 2008

a reducer should not affect accuracy but look at the technique for using a torque wrench... the head of the bolt up through your hand on the head of the torqu wrench should be in a straight line, 90 degrees from the surface the bolt (filter in this case) is going into.

don't use a wrench on your filter, tighten it until it hits the mating surface and turn a quarter to half turn.

mikebike · Apr 25, 2008

no wrench needed to put on an oil filter just lube it and snug it down by hand

Boneman · Apr 25, 2008

mikebike said:
no wrench needed to put on an oil filter just lube it and snug it down by hand

+1!! Don't need to put any wrench near your oil filter....on your bike or your car!

Fred · Apr 25, 2008

You're thinking of extensions of this type, which will affect torque.

Torque Wrench extensions

You don't need to use a torque wrench on an oil filter, but it doesn't hurt. I have a torque wrench already, so I use it.

Fred

DefyInertia · Apr 25, 2008

Fred said:
but it doesn't hurt.

Assuming you know what you're doing, have a very sensitive low torque wrench, your t-wrench is properly calibrated, and you don't make any mistakes.....a long torque wrench provides a lot of leverage which is why people usually get themselves into trouble.

Nelly · Apr 25, 2008

DefyInertia said:
Assuming you know what you're doing, have a very sensitive low torque wrench, your t-wrench is properly calibrated, and you don't make any mistakes.....a long torque wrench provides a lot of leverage which is why people usually get themselves into trouble.

My wrench actually came with different driver ends and extension bar. Does this mean that I should not use them? I am slightly confused (don't take much).

Nelly

4fun · Apr 25, 2008

You should also exercise the t-wrench before you use it to get the mechanism free. i have seen T- wrenchs stick and you end up overtightening bolts or worse.

Just set the wrench to a low setting and let it click a few times on a large bolt.

urbanj · Apr 25, 2008

to do it right you need multiple wrenches in various sizes. if you where using a 50-250 foot pound wrench to torque something to 50 ft.lbs its not going to be accurate. especially with cheaper wrenches.

you can get away with it. i do for my own. at work we have digital snap on ones that display the torque as you are applying it. its best to have a 3/8 and 1/2 one.

for stripping bolts. if you wrench for a living or a lot in your spare time you will know what im talking about.

with practice and experience you get to learn roughly how much to randomly tighten something or when a bolt is not going in right or approaching the point that its going to strip. If you want to practice take your wrench and set it to appropriate values and loosen and unloosen bolts and nuts and learn to get the "FEEL".

also each bolt could be torqued to a different value depending on the joint and what it is being used for.

spin your oil filter till the gasket touches the base and then turn 3/4 a turn and you are good.

Nelly · Apr 25, 2008

urbanj said:
to do it right you need multiple wrenches in various sizes. if you where using a 50-250 foot pound wrench to torque something to 50 ft.lbs its not going to be accurate. especially with cheaper wrenches.

you can get away with it. i do for my own. at work we have digital snap on ones that display the torque as you are applying it. its best to have a 3/8 and 1/2 one.

for stripping bolts. if you wrench for a living or a lot in your spare time you will know what im talking about.

with practice and experience you get to learn roughly how much to randomly tighten something or when a bolt is not going in right or approaching the point that its going to strip. If you want to practice take your wrench and set it to appropriate values and loosen and unloosen bolts and nuts and learn to get the "FEEL".

also each bolt could be torqued to a different value depending on the joint and what it is being used for.

spin your oil filter till the gasket touches the base and then turn 3/4 a turn and you are good.

When I use my wrench on my bike I always see what the torque setting is for the bolt n the manual and then try to undo it at a few pounds less than the torque setting. If it won’t undo I set the right torque and then have a bash. So far my wrench has been pretty spot on. Its good advice that you have suggested though.

Nelly

flyer34 · Apr 25, 2008

You can use a reducer with a torque wrench, no problem. A good technique with a reducer, extension, or even a deep-wall socket is to stabilize the turning part of the wrench (where the socket attaches) with one hand so that the force you apply with the other hand is fully directed in the plane of rotation for the bolt

HavBlue · Apr 26, 2008

Nelly said:
My wrench actually came with different driver ends and extension bar. Does this mean that I should not use them? I am slightly confused (don't take much).

Nelly

If the tool is properly calibrated it won't matter Neil. What matters is that the user of the wrench know what the specific torque value is that is required for the particular application. The accessories that came with your wrench were designed for use with that wrench and will be fine.

fast blue one · Apr 26, 2008

Agreed; oil filter is a hand job

HavBlue · Apr 26, 2008

fast blue one said:
Agreed; oil filter is a hand job

Yeah and the best part is it can be taken off by hand too most of the time. I use a K&N on the FZ6 simply because it has a nut on the end which makes it super easy to get off and on.

mglowe · Apr 26, 2008

driver145 said:
I just read somewhere else that reducers do not affect accuracy. Can someone who knows please enlighten me?

True! If you are using a "reducer/extension" that is perpendicular to the torque wrench - there is no effect on your torque reading. It does not care if your "reducing" or if using say an extension that 1" long or 4" long, the TORQUE measurement will be the same. If you add a LENGTH to the handle, however, that is different and will require some math work.

HavBlue · Apr 26, 2008

mglowe said:
If you add a LENGTH to the handle, however, that is different and will require some math work.

Then why is it the wrench will click at say 135 foot pounds with no pipe or extender on the end and do the same when it is on there? Seems to me the wrench is set at 135 foot pounds and in both cases it still clicked at 135.....

driver145 · Apr 27, 2008

Thanks everyone.

HavBlue · Apr 27, 2008

driver145 said:
Thanks everyone.

How did you make out with your cage?

I hate torque wrenches! ..help again

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