Technical Torque wrench set

[mpoulter]

Hi

After a few weeks of ownership and being a total novice when it comes to fixing cars the time has come to get a proper torque wrench, but knowing nothing about them I thought I would ask you guys as you've been really helpful over the last couple of weeks with this car but over the years with my others.

So can someone please suggest an inexpensive torque wrench set that will be suitable for most jobs on my cinq sporting?

I'm wanting to change the rear hub/bearing assembly so I will need something that will be capable of dealing with that which I guess would be one of the highest torque settings on the car and one of the largest sockets?

I think the head gasket may need changing in the near future so again something suitable for that.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fingers99]

I'd not bother with a torque wrench specially for the hub bolts. Rather, use a peice of scaffolding tube as an extension for a 1/2" breaker bar.

32mm front (Custard's otherwise good "nuts and bolts" is wrong in this respect), 30mm rear.

For the head bolts 30nm/22lb ft. Halfords, Machine Mart or even Aldi/Netto will have something suitable, or see what your local factor has. Most hire shops will hire them, too. You need an angle guage as well.

 

[David C]

Yes, I wouldn't buy a high range torque wrench for hub nuts as they a miles tighter than anything else and you won't have another nut/bolt you can use it on!

Around 30-years ago I got a pair of low & normal range torque wrenches from Halfords and they are still going strong.

BUT never use them to loosen nuts/bolts buy a longish (ie 60cm) 1/2" breaker-bar instead.

 

[bungler]

I found a lot of the fixings on the Sei are lower than my torque wrench goes, sub 30nm, so it might be an idea to get a low range wrench. I just use a really small ratchet and guess, thread lock is a good idea for those ones.

 

[mpoulter]

Okay thanks chaps.

Had I not asked I wou od have probably gone out and got the biggest I could find so its always worth asking.

I've tried to attach a picture of what I'm guessing is a small breaker bar which I found in my dads old tools. Excuse my ignorance, the most ive done is servicing I'm guessing the half inch refers to the lug you attach the socket too?

Its only about 7inchs, would that be suitable for the scaffold treatment on the hub nut or shall I get something a little bigger?

What is the angle measure for and does anyone have a link to one. Have a read somewhere that would be used on the head bolts?

Thanks

 

[David C]

Re the breaker-bar, yes like that, but 24" long.

You can get away without the angle gauge as you will be doing several steps at 90deg, so easy to see if you put a paint mark at the 12-o'clock position before you start the 90deg part.

 

[fingers99]

Use that bar if you like, but you will need a tube to act as an extension.

 

[cc1]

I bought one of these because it was calibrated and quite a good price.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/040218635
I have one of their big cheap ones that is way out at 30Nm.
Angle gauges on ebay at about £12 and better quality than the above company.

 

[Brooky]

Torque wrenches are ok to get it roughly there but they will all be out by a bit