Does it Damage Click Stop Torque Wrenches to Loosen Nuts

[D60]

The only place I would use a torque wrench to undo bolts, is wheel nuts/bolts. I know they won't have any of that on my cars.

I do use breaker bars, and pipe extensions, but I disagree with the statement that undoing any nut/bolt breaks a torque wrench. But I guess common sense is very uncommon.

I'd say due to increased contact area and friction of alloy wheels a conical seat is the worst place to do this. But, you've got it dialed so glad it works for you.

 

[Trav]

I'd say due to increased contact area and friction of alloy wheels a conical seat is the worst place to do this. But, you've got it dialed so glad it works for you.

Those are the worst with the one piece lug bolts being worse than any of them. Saab recalled them and replaced them with the two piece that has a separate cone. Unfortunately mine had been on the car for years and there are no dealers to do the recall so I bought the new style bolts online. The one piece ones were the ones I had the difficulty with, the cones was badly corroded to the aluminum wheels.
The OE Made in Germany BBS RK2 wheels are very rare not to mention ungodly expensive if you can even find one so damaging the wheel was not an option.

If anyone has these on a BMW, MB, Saab, VW, etc throw them in the bin for the 2 piece and follow the TSB for never seize.

 

[Pterostylis]

I've always been told 10% but there's soooo many variables I think in truth it's difficult to say.

I was taught 30-50% by one of my teachers, depending on the lubricant.

From memory TCC said in their first torque wrench myths video that the torque doubled with anti-seize, but when retested in their second video where they only applied a small amount the torque was +30%.

 

[4329]

Before trying to loosen a nut with torque wrench I would determine the torque on the tightened nut by using the torque wrench on the nut with the torque wrench set to ¾ of it torque range.

If the torque wrench does not click, then I would not use the torque to undo the nut.

The real question is why anyone would use a torque wrench instead of a breaker bar.

 

[NYEngineer]

I've definitely done it while retorquing cylinder heads after break-in. Put the socket on the nut, break it loose, switch direction and torque it.

When I do this job I have a breaker bar and a torque wrench. I switch tools. Each one has it's own socket.
Even better, if I have another person available one breaks and the other retorques.

 

[f355spider]

Lesson learned. I used to always use my expensive Utica Tools torque wrenches for loosening fasteners. When checked, they were always still within calibration (periodically would send them back to factory or checked locally). Used the torque wrenches to loosen stuff for like 20 years without incident.

One day I decided to rotate the tires on my Tundra...not sure which shop installed the tires, but good god they must have thought that impact wrench was a machine gun. Must have been 140lb/ft or so...and when I used my 1/2" torque wrench it broke the gearing in the ratchet head!

Sent it back to Utica Tools and they replaced the ratchet head and calibrated it for $100, about 1/3 the cost of a new wrench.
Went to Harbor Freight and bought a couple breaker bar wrenches for $14 each...

Unless I see the guy using a torque wrench when installing my wheels, the first thing I do when I get home is break them all loose and reset to factory values. Then recheck a few days later.

 

[Paco Pena]

If you have a cheap worn out torque wrench by all means start using it as a ratchet. Just don't use it to torque fasteners.

paco

 

[Exhaustgases]

2 important rules for tools.

1 Never loan expensive tools, if you are a nice person and loan tools, put together a cheap tool box of cheap junk tools to loan.
2 Never use a torque wrench you care about as a breaker bar.

 

[JeffKeryk]

2 important rules for tools.

1 Never loan expensive tools, if you are a nice person and loan tools, put together a cheap tool box of cheap junk tools to loan.
2 Never use a torque wrench you care about as a breaker bar.

#3 He who dies with the most tools wins.

My motto...

 

[Bkdc]

LOL. The best torque wrenches only rotate one way, unless there is a specific design for counterclockwise torquing. This is a funny thread. As to the prior post from CDI, it’s interesting that the calibration went both ways, but I guess it was one of the reversible ratcheting wrenches.

Precision Instruments makes the CDI wrenches that don’t reverse (the SPLIT-BEAM design which is the best design). My reverse ratcheting torque wrench sits unused in my drawer. I recall there was one specific case that I purchased that 1/2” reversible torque wrench for servicing the suspension on my BMW 5-series years ago. I’ve never used it since.

Precision Instruments for life! Buy the Precision Instruments and just be done. After owning a bunch of crappy torque wrenches, over my life, the “Buy once, cry once” definitely applies here.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Let's see... If a torque wrench can be used as a breaker, can a socket wrench be used to torque fasteners?
Asking for a friend...

 

[Hohn]

As others have said, it's generally not a good idea to use a torque wrench to break anything loose, but there are some torque wrenches on the market that can be used as a breaker bar up to a point.

I just follow the rule of don't do it-- it's not worth it.

 

[D60]

LOL. The best torque wrenches only rotate one way, unless there is a specific design for counterclockwise torquing. This is a funny thread. As to the prior post from CDI, it’s interesting that the calibration went both ways, but I guess it was one of the reversible ratcheting wrenches.

Precision Instruments makes the CDI wrenches that don’t reverse (the SPLIT-BEAM design which is the best design). My reverse ratcheting torque wrench sits unused in my drawer. I recall there was one specific case that I purchased that 1/2” reversible torque wrench for servicing the suspension on my BMW 5-series years ago. I’ve never used it since.

Precision Instruments for life! Buy the Precision Instruments and just be done. After owning a bunch of crappy torque wrenches, over my life, the “Buy once, cry once” definitely applies here.

I'm assuming you're excluding digi wrenches that also measure angle?

I'd say the best wrenches for automotive use are reversible, torque in both directions and measure angle in both directions, ie for head bolt procedures etc