Torque wrench adjustment (and Tegger's article)

[rationull]

I just found this today, although based on a search it turns out it's been posted here before, and it's finally clicked for me (har har) how torque wrenches work!

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/torque_wrench/index.html

Awesome teardown!

I've got a Husky 1/2" drive torque wrench that seems to have the same kind of handle construction/adjustment and I've been thinking about calibrating it to whatever accuracy I can. I may be missing something but it looks like what you need to do is hold the nut with a socket or wrench and turn the screw with an allen key to move the internal mechanism relative to the handle. Is that really all there is to it? Or do you need to loosen the lower handle nut, then adjust the screw, and tighten the nut again like a locknut?

I had no idea the adjustment was that simple.

 

[loyd]

Great article, and yes it is that simple to adjust that wrench. But, you need a standard to calibrate it against. That's why the metrology lab gets the big bucks -- they have the stansards and they certify the wrenches calibration for a fixed period. Myself, I calibrate my click-stop torque wrench against a beam-type torque wrench. Beam-types have a BIG advantage over click-stop wrenches in that they never go out of adjustment unless you put a permanent bend in the beam.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: loyd
Great article, and yes it is that simple to adjust that wrench. But, you need a standard to calibrate it against. That's why the metrology lab gets the big bucks -- they have the stansards and they certify the wrenches calibration for a fixed period. Myself, I calibrate my click-stop torque wrench against a beam-type torque wrench. Beam-types have a BIG advantage over click-stop wrenches in that they never go out of adjustment unless you put a permanent bend in the beam.


I just got one of the Powerbuilt 1/2" "torque adapters" figuring it'd be a good sanity check and calibration source. Based on an experiment today on lug nuts it looks like my Husky is reading ~90 ft*lbs when 80 is called for. So, it is in for a little adjustment!