[s_tones]

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced, reasonable quality torque wrench for the sub 50 ft-lb range?

Thanks in advance.

S_tones

 

[jcoloccia]

How far below 50 ft-lbs do you want to go? I just picked up a Craftsman in-lb torque wrench and I've been pretty happy so far (my other torque wrench only goes to about 170 in-lbs...not enough for some of the fasteners I have on my plane).

 

[Radomir]

Tooltopia.com -- any of the KD Tools (GearWrench) ones are a good choice.. at a very good price.

 

[gpiney]

A torque wrench in the 20-200 in/lbs range will be the one you use the most. The AN nuts, bolts and screws we use are torqued in inch/pounds, not foot/pounds.

 

[jlfernan]

Get a dial type wrench. The "click" type is difficult to use in low torque applications. Many people on this forum have reported overtorquing bolts because they didn't hear of feel the click. Dial type are easy, just look at the dial and you know how much torque you are using.

 

[Jekyll]

The dial indicator type can be difficult to use when torquing in areas with limited room. You need to be able to see the dial, not always possible. I recommend a clicker and then doing a bit of practice on a fixed bolt (welded down or torqued very tightly). You may not hear a click but may instead feel a slight "give" or soft spot in the motion.

A small dial indicator or pointer bar wrench is the cat's meow for checking run on torque.

Jekyll

 

[az_gila]

Bicycle torque wrench

This is a simple and smaller size one that is 0-600 in/lb (50 ft/lb)

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=11388&subcategory_ID=4219

The beam type may not be quite as accurate, but they are much easier to not over-torque with...

They also make a nice 1/4 drive one that is 0-60 in/lb

gil in Tucson .. going to get me one (or both... ...)

 

[Mel]

I've got to go with Gil on this one. Everything he said, plus they hold calibration better. I use a "beam" type to check the calibration on my "clickers".

 

[cytoxin]

dial indication with tale tale

i like these http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...8&group_ID=963&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
thay are a little pricey but i get a discount. i have used the ones gil showed.
thay are pretty good and durable. have set many bearing preload with the beam type w no problems ever. but i like the dial for aircraft stuff. also keep in mind you can double the range of you torque wrench with a lever on the drive end of equal length.

 

[rickmellor]

I had trouble with my clicker until I learned how to use it. After that learning curve I was glad to have it. Torquing the bolts for the fuel tanks is done blind so having one that works on feel is nice.

-Rick

 

[gpiney]

I had trouble with my clicker until I learned how to use it. After that learning curve I was glad to have it. Torquing the bolts for the fuel tanks is done blind so having one that works on feel is nice.

-Rick

Same here. I hava a Craftsman 25-250 clicker. I practiced on an AN3 nut and bolt at the lowest (25 in/lbs) setting. At this setting, the click is barerly noticeable. Howerver, after feeling it 10-20 times you get the hang of it. 25 in/lbs is about the max you want on AN3's anyway. The higher the setting, the more prominent the click, the better the feel. Prop bolts are in the 120-160 range and you can really feel it when it clicks.

 

[az_gila]

Prop bolts?

Same here. I hava a Craftsman 25-250 clicker. I practiced on an AN3 nut and bolt at the lowest (25 in/lbs) setting. At this setting, the click is barerly noticeable. Howerver, after feeling it 10-20 times you get the hang of it. 25 in/lbs is about the max you want on AN3's anyway. The higher the setting, the more prominent the click, the better the feel. Prop bolts are in the 120-160 range and you can really feel it when it clicks.

Greg... what prop is that?

Sensenich bolt torques are 480 to 540 lb-in for 7/16 bolts on O-320s, and 720 to 780 lb-in on the 1/2 bolts on O-360s...
Even for a wood prop, that sounds low...

gil in Tucson

 

[gpiney]

Most props on Rotaxes. I help a bunch of my ultralight friends out now and then. I seem to have a knack for adjusting pitch in ground-adjustable props.