Hi all

Just after a bit of advice on what to go for?

Have no idea what to look for in a wrench. I just need it for wheel bolts for when i swap my wheels over etc.

I have seen these 2:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/reversible-torque-wrench/18289

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-34570-88-5-708-Inch-Pounds-Ratchet/dp/B0001K9T2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1325018637&sr=8-2

and just wanted to know if they would be suitable.....ie will they work with my current socket set and will the locking nut key work with these?

Also does anyone know the torque settings for the bolts for when i do get one?

Torque settings are in the hand book.

However given the setting for the fabia being approximatly 100NM off the top of my head and you having the bigger heavier octi I suspect it may be even higher so the second wrench doesn't have a high enough range, Check your manual for the values.

Also check the mesurments as mine lives in the warning triangle holder space as I don't have a warning triangle and its there should I need to change a wheel.

The other thing to remember is calibration of things such as these as they can drift over time.

One solution is to send it to a calibration company, however if its purely for personal use I don't think valid calibration is a legal requirement.

Think it's 110nm for the wheel bolts, often the wheel bolts are far too tight on any given car, mine included! That one from screwfix looks ideal but it's probably not very accurate as said above, I used to get my torque wrenches etc calibrated every year at great cost because we were working under some daft iso9000 system but it's not necessary for home users.

That screwfix one is 1/2" drive and comes with a short extension so even if you don't have a 1/2 drive socket you only need to buy one, it's either a 17 or 19mm socket I can never remember which and the locking wheel nut key just slots inside the socket like it an extension of the locking bolt.. they are only couple of quid from halfrauds. I always recommend using a 6 sided impact socket for wheel bolts rather than a normal 12 point socket you get in a lot of domestic socket sets, you can also get special sleeved aluminium sockets specifically for wheel bolts which protect the surface of alloy wheels from getting scarred by the socket but they tend to be quite expensive, Circa 25 quid each.

If tend not to do up locking nuts tight, just a bit more than hand tight is sufficient.. I've been caught out and stuck at the side of the road too many times in the past with un-undoable bolts :no: < is that a real word?

The one from amazon is too small/low rated for wheel bolts. The other one is fine, and comes with a 3/8 adaptor so will fit either 3/8 or 1/2 drive sockets.

TBH, I do use a torque wrench, but very firm hand pressure on the OE wheelbrace is usually close enough.

Have a look at Machine Mart.

I get 90% of my tools and garage equipment from them and have never had a problem.

120nm for all of the M14 wheel bolts.

Screw fix one is fine, I have a draper one like that for at home.

Standard wheel brace does me when changing the wheels on my car.

120nm for all of the M14 wheel bolts.

Screw fix one is fine, I have a draper one like that for at home.

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like the screwfix one then (have a few bits to get there anyway). What size socket will i need for the wheel bolts as i might as well get one of these at the same time?

17mm

The "Screw Fix" one is O.K. - I use a similar one myself. Please do make sure that rust on bolt threads is wire brushed away before you use the torque wrench . I always apply a smidgen of copper anti-seize paste to the bolt threads ( not to the under-side of the bolt head) which prevents bolt seizure. Some armchair experts will tell you that this will lead to the bolt being over torqued . My reply to that is , the over torqueing, due the "lubrication" of the bolt threads, is far far less than the over torqueing required to remove rusted seized bolts. I have been doing this for over 20 years and have never had a seized bolt or any problems with wheel bolt threads. Also it's important to re-set the toque wrench to zero ( or below) after use, as leaving the calibrated wrench spring extended ( or is it compressed?) over long periods of time can result in the spring being permanently stretched /compressed which will affect its' accuracy.

You will find that the 1/2" square drive torque wrench can be a little large when doing jobs other than wheel bolts. When this occurs, it's time to expand your toolkit to include a smaller 3/8" drive lower rated torque wrench. Some jobs may require a 1/4" torque wrench if you are inclined to be little "heavy handed"

The cost of a small torque wrench can be justified when working on critical small screws / bolts in aluminium alloy castings as it only needs one screw/bolt to be stripped to justify the cost. e.g. motobike engines , brake calipers ( bleed nipples), etc.

Edited 29 December, 201114 yr by vwcabriolet1971

. Some jobs may require a 1/4" torque wrench if you are inclined to be little "heavy handed"

The cost of a small torque wrench can be justified when working on critical small screws / bolts in aluminium alloy castings as it only needs one screw/bolt to be stripped to justify the cost. e.g. motobike engines , brake calipers ( bleed nipples), etc.

Couldn't agree more tbh, I bought a baby 1/4 drive one years ago for working on turbochargers and internet cylinder head components/diesel injectors etc and it has been worth it's weight in gold, but it was the wrong side of 400 quid..

Re; copper slip on threads, very good idea yes, I nearly always do it especially on cars where you know the wheels won't be off again for a long time, I always blow the threads out with compressed air on blind threads too to eject all the **** from the hole, it's also worth putting a smear of copper slip on the mating face of the hub/wheel to stop the wheel sweating and corroding onto the hub.. It's especially bad on alloy wheels and normally worse on the rear wheels, I remember years ago being stuck on in a welsh valley road near Newcastle-emlyn on new years day with a flatty and a stuck wheel in pouring rain at about 4 o'clock in the morning..

Thanks for all your advice guys. It will literally only for torquing up my wheel bolts and to aid in getting the bolts on and off easier so the screwfix one will do me fine.

As ever this forum has proved its worth

to aid in getting the bolts on and off easier so the screwfix one will do me fine.

As ever this forum has proved its worth

One thing- you shouldn't use the tourque wrench as a breaker bar pushing it beyond the maximum 'click' as that will bugger up it's calibration.

I have one the same as the Screwfix one but I bought it from Machine Mart.

Does a fine job although I think I've only ever used it for spark plugs and wheel bolts

I always copper slip threads, saves a whole lot of ball ache. Don't forget to do the mating surface of the hubs too

I use a BBB 1/4" (i think) torque wrench on my bicycle. Goes from about 11/2 Nm to about 25nm. Great for those delicate jobs. I have a Britool 1/2" one I bought 20+ years ago which I use for the wheel nuts.

As mentioned above copperslip on threads is a very good idea.

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