Torque wrench recommendation needed

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

Can't you achieve the same thing simply by buying a set of crows foot wrenches to go with your already owned torque wrench?

If you put the crow foot on at a 90° angle it will be close.

If the foot extends past the center of the drive of the torque wrench the value will read low and if it angles back the wrench will read high.

I've used a 1/2" combination wrench grabbing a torque wrench that came back towards the handle. Then I put a socket drive adaper in the box end of the wrench.

The torque wrench i was using at the time didn't go low enough. It's all about ratios: if you had 18" tq wrench and a 6" combination wrench, set the tq to 30 ft·lb and you apply 20 ft·lb to the fastener.

Snap on has an extender for their torque wrench and an app to calculate the offset.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by bhennrich

Obviously you don’t buy tools just because they are AWESOME...


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I have multiple tool boxes full of awesome tools, but I don't buy them just because they're awesome. I buy them because they provide a value beyond something I already own. What's the point in owning multiple torque wrenches when one will do the job quite nicely? Now, if my torque wrench wasn't doing a job I needed done and this thing would, I'd probably buy it.

I guess my point is that for me tools are tools. I love tools and have a ton, but for me they're not toys that I need.

[bhennrich]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

I have multiple tool boxes full of awesome tools, but I don't buy them just because they're awesome. I buy them because they provide a value beyond something I already own. What's the point in owning multiple torque wrenches when one will do the job quite nicely? Now, if my torque wrench wasn't doing a job I needed done and this thing would, I'd probably buy it.

I guess my point is that for me tools are tools. I love tools and have a ton, but for me they're not toys that I need.

Fair enough.


But my mentality is if I find a tool that does a better job / makes that job easier. Then why not buy it and stuff it in the tool chest. Normally I buy these kinds of things AFTER I have fought my way through a project that I never plan on doing again, but just in case I will be more prepared next time

[X5only]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

Can't you achieve the same thing simply by buying a set of crows foot wrenches to go with your already owned torque wrench?

Not quite other than altering the overall torque values - I've gone that path when I did suspension work on my E39, E92 and E53. These interchangeable heads are low-profile compared to torque wrench + crow foot, thereby giving you that critical extra room to torque those difficult to access fasteners. And the torque you apply is valid.

[andrewwynn]

True about the purpose built crow foot lower profile but if you already HAVE a torque wrench and crow foot, you can pair them and have a much lower profile than a socket!

Also that combination (tq plus crow) has an advantage over either sockets or the special tool: you can add an extension in the mix to get to impossible places.

I've used my crow foot sockets in numerous places that a socket couldn't touch and the special tool also couldn't touch. (example: far side of an inline brake line connector). You need both a 90° bend and open end. (my crow feet are actually flare so you do need to get over the fitting not just from the side)

I'm glad the concept was brought up, im sure I could find uses for the combination. I might have to borrow av torque wrench by brain hurt itself trying to figure out if the 90° offset works with the torque adapter.

[andrewwynn]

This was the insane combination I came up with to measure CCW torque with a torque wrench that only went CW (for cam shaft work on M62)



And how to measure lower torque than your whench goes.

Actually notice the torque wrench is upside down, it's backwards and set to reduce torque.

[oldskewel]

I recently used a 19mm crows foot on a regular torque wrench to torque the M54 VANOS oil line banjo bolts recently. Very slight, and easy adjustment to the torque wrench setting.

In general, I've found the main need is for options. Even that $400 open end set pictured earlier will surely find its limitations in many applications. I'd expect a drawer full of weird adapters (like those shown in AndrewWynn's post #36) to be more used and useful than the $400 set.

My backup plan, in case I ever really really need to get accurate torque in a near impossible case, is to get an old/cheap/disposable combination wrench and custom fabricate a solution using a welder, cutoff wheel, grinder, whatever it takes. Still waiting for that moment though.

And BTW, whenever I buy something that comes with its own little (or big) wrench, included for people that don't have any tools, I save them. They're typically 2mm thick or less, will get the job done, and may one day be the only thing that fits in the application at hand.

[andrewwynn]

You must mean this crazy set of adapters.

It was likely midnight when I went to torque down the reluctor rings and discover that the torque wrench only went CW and it's lowest setting was far too high.

So I go though my toolbox (which came with from home 3 hours away) and discover I can use a 1/2" combination wrench, a 1/2" to 3/8 drive adaper (meant to turn ratcheting box intro a ratchet wrench), a 3/8 socket then a 3/8 to 1/4” insert bit adapter, then finally a 1/4” hex to socket drive adapter.

Most of those adapters I keep in a small zipper pouch. I bought a set of four pieces that includes 3/4 box to 1/2 square and similar for 1/2 to 3/8 and 3/8 to both square male and 1/4 hex female. I also have an impact set of flex joints 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 which actually see little use as my impact extensions are all wobble and when you use a couple in series you get around things a little better than a flex joint.