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[Shelby]

As someone that is progressively doing more and more work myself on my cars I really need to invest in a torque wrench.

Obviously prices vary considerably up to some very expensive ones, so I would appreciate some input / advice from those with far more knowledge and experience than me (not really that hard haha).

- What sort of Nm range should I be looking at? See alot around the 30-210 mark so would assume that is probably about right.
- Makes to avoid / are good?

I don't want to (can't afford to) be spending a small fortune on it, but looking for something at a reasonable price that will do the job for general maintenance on the car.

[tunnie]

I have two, one is 8-60 Nm, so can do oil sumps, cam covers, oil filters ect.

Got a second big one 90-300 for bigger stuff like wheel nuts 

[aaronjb]

Yeah, you'll want two to cover all the ranges you need.

AB Tools are decent: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/AB-Tools-Online/_i.html?_nkw=torque&submit=Search&_sid=748838716

Or Justoffbase: http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/Tool-Shop/Torque-Wrenches-Tools

[Shimmy]

I've just bought the halfords professional 8-60nm torque wrench, very nice bit of kit. Cost me £39.99 (normally £69.99) with the halfords trade card (easy to blag).

Also have a 28-210nm torque wrench my dad got from aldi, not as nice build but does the job.

[Shelby]

Thanks for the info.  Ill have a look at the links and see what I can find / afford.  Pay day tomorrow so will be in the black for a week or so (until all the bills hit at the end of the month haha), but also need to replace the rear shocks on my wifes old Pug 106 runaround.

Think the next main thing to do the mig is the front wishbones / droplinks >.< straight in at the deep end as they say!

[feeutfo]

V6 torque values below from the guide. Plus wheel nuts are 90, wishbone bolts 110. Wheel barings are 300nm. So finding two wrenches to cover those from 8nm to 300 nm is good going...  .  Students aside of course.  

Description      Nm      Notes
Adapter, fuel distributor pipe to intake bridge      8
Adapter, fuel distributor pipe to fuel distributor pipe      15
Starter to cylinder block      40
Intake bridge to intake flange      20
Intake flange to cylinder head      20
Drive disc/flywheel to crankshaft      65 + 30° + 15°          1,2
Exhaust manifold to cylinder head      20      3
Oil filter housing cover to oil filter housing      25
Heat exchanger cover to heat exchanger      30
Heat exchanger cover to cylinder block      20
DIS ignition module to member      8
Torsional vibration damper to toothed belt drive gear      20
Throttle body to intake plenum      8
Pressure line to power steering pump      28
Accelerator pedal module to bulkhead      20
Link rod to stabiliser      65      3
Alternator to cylinder block and oil pump      35
Transmission to cylinder block (M8)      20
Transmission to cylinder block (M12)      60
Transmission holder to underbody      45      4
Threaded sleeves to crankshaft bearing bridge      8
Base plate, toothed belt tension roller and toothed belt guide roller to cylinder head      40
Auxiliary aggregate(s) support to cylinder block      35
Idler bracket to body      55 + 75° + 15°      1
Rear toothed belt cover to cylinder head and oil pump (M6)      8
Rear toothed belt cover to cylinder head and oil pump (M8)      10
Crankshaft pulse pick-up in cylinder block      8
Crankshaft pulse pick-up disc to crankshaft      15      1
Refrigerant lines to compressor      40
Ribbed V-belt pulley to coolant pump      8 + 30° + 30°      1 or 12Nm+loctite
Ribbed V-belt pulley to power steering pump      20 + 30° + 15°      3 or 20Nm+loctite
Ribbed v-belt tension roller to cylinder head      35
Knock sensor to cylinder block      20
Fuel lines to adapter, fuel distributor pipe      15
Fuel distributor pipe to intake bridge      8
Coolant bridge to cylinder head      30      5
Coolant intake pipe to exhaust manifold      8
Coolant intake pipe to cylinder block      20
Coolant pump to cylinder block      25
Coolant pipe and engine transport shackle to cylinder head      25
Ball joint to steering knuckle      100      3
Crankshaft bearing bridge to cylinder block      20
Crankshaft bearing cap and crankshaft bearing bridge to cylinder block      50 + 60° + 15°      1
Oxygen sensor in front exhaust pipe      30      6
Steering arm to steering shaft      160      3
Solenoid valve for intake plenum switchover valve to switchover valve      8
Secondary air metal pipe to exhaust manifold      20
Engine damping block to engine bracket      40
Engine vent housing to cylinder block      8
Engine damping block to front axle body      55
Engine bracket to cylinder block      40
Engine bracket, engine damping block to cylinder block      60
Camshaft bearing caps to cylinder head      8
Camshaft sprocket to camshaft      50 + 60° + 15°      1
Camshaft sensor to camshaft bearing cap

[Shelby]

Thanks chris, had a look over the figures in the guides to get a rough range for me 2.0l 4 pot 

[feeutfo]

Thanks chris, had a look over the figures in the guides to get a rough range for me 2.0l 4 pot 

Didn't think anyone bothered with those :-/ 

[Kevin Wood]

Might be worth dropping AndyC a PM. Bought a nice Sealey torque wrench through him a few months back and he does have special offers on a regular basis.

As said, it will be a struggle to cover the whole range required with a single wrench. If you write-off the possibility of doing hub nuts and head bolts at one end of the scale and cam covers at the other, you'll find one that covers most situations, though.

Kevin

[Osprey]

If you can get hold of one of the big names at a discount then I would say go for it. 

Failing that I would echo Shimmy's thoughts on the Halfraud's Pro range.  The quality feels good and, unlike most cheapies, they come with a calibration certificate.  Yeah, I know, that plus a pound only buys you a lottery ticket, especially after you've dropped it a few times, but it probably shows it was right once upon a time. 

They also have the lifetime guarantee as long as you keep the receipt.  My experience of this is that they do indeed replace the tool without question even if it broke through aboveruse. 

Like Shimmy says, don't pay full price for it.  They are always having offers so their margins must be way too high.  (Thinks - must blag a H trade card myself some time!)

I initially picked up the little 8 - 60 Nm (3/8") which in fact covers the majority of engine work and isn't too bulky.  I also got the 60 - 300 Nm one (1/2") when I had to do a wheel bearing.  Theoretically that is 320Nm but just did the final extra grunt on a breaker bar. 

The only down side I've found is that the square drives are the push-through type.  This is supposed to be so you can reverse the tool to torque up left hand threads.  I've never had to do this but I have found that the drive tends to pop through at the most awkward moment when you're standing on your head and trying to put a socket on one-handed. 
 

[Jukeboxnut]

I recently bought a Halfords professional torque wrench and it is excellent (seem to remember it was recommended as best value in a Classic car magagzine about a year ago).