"Dave" wrote in message
...
On 04/10/2010 21:22, Spamlet wrote:
"Andy wrote in message
...
On 4 Oct, 18:22, Jim wrote:
http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers...ys3_15822.htm?

Why do you need one? There are few things (collapsible one-shot
collars is one) that require to be assembled to an accurate torque.
Mostly the function of a torque wrench is to assemble a number of
fasteners to a _consistent_ torque. Short-term repeatability matters,
but accuracy isn't really that big a deal for most tasks.


A lot of mechanics are very strong and a lot of the nuts and bolts -
especially when alloy cases came into common use - are easily broken or
stripped. Hence the other bike repairers friends, the helicoil and
broken
stud extractor...

Well worth using a torque wrench so long as you make sure to set the
gauge
properly, and, if in doubt, pull it with a spring balance just to make
sure.

Mind you, some cylinder head bolts just feel silly tight when one tries
to
get them to the figs you may find in a typically translated manual, so
some
discretion and common sense may save you the odd embarrassing snap or
strip.

I had to get a tyre changed in an emergency some time ago and the
apprentice did it. He got the impact gun and removed the wheel, changed
the tyre and fitted the wheel back using the impact gun. Went to get the
torque loader and checked the nuts without turning them, as the impact gun
had tightened the nuts up far higher than the recommended torque load. I
had them checked very urgently.

Dave

I always used to keep a metre odd of steel pipe in the boot to fit over my
socket set wrench, for just that reason. I often had to stand on it -
pushing downward so as not to lift the car off the ground - in changing
wheels that had been last put on by the tyre changing lads.

S