Torque Wrenches

redvee

How should you store them? I've got a Planet X £30 offering and used it to tighten the disc bolts up today and before I put it away I wound the tension off. Right or wrong or doesn't matter?

The Rookie

Always wind the tension off, sure it doesn't matter for a while but over time (years) it does.

Cool dry place reduces the chance of corrosion on the sprung steel components which are always susceptible.

oxoman

As an engineer we were always taught to release tension on torque wrenches.

greenamex2

Always reset to zero when not in use

DON'T use them as a ratchet handle with it set to zero

Before tightening something expensive after it hasn't been used for a while, check it still clicks on something cheap (or a vise)!

OléBiscuitbarrel

greenamex2 wrote:

Always reset to zero when not in use

DON'T use them as a ratchet handle with it set to zero

Before tightening something expensive after it hasn't been used for a while, check it still clicks on something cheap (or a vise)!

This is what Norbar say.

http://www.norbar.com/Portals/0/Wind%20 ... 20Blog.pdf

greenamex2

Interesting article.

Would have been nice if they could have tested over a longer term - I have torque wrenches that get used less than yearly!

I guess the most important recommendation from the report to extract for an irregular user like myself is -

If it is convenient to wind your torque wrench back to its minimum scale setting then you should do so but never wind it below the minimum marking on the scale

mr_evil

I inherited an old automotive torque wrench which had been left at a medium torque setting. I don't know exactly how long it had been since it was last used, but it was probably on the order of 30 years. I tested it against a new torque wrench, and it was very close. The new torque wrench was uncalibrated, so it was not an accurate test, but it convinced me that it's not the end of the world if they are left without setting them back to 0.