Torque Wrench

If you do not use the correct tool for the job you risk under tightening which means the eccentric hub could slip and you lose chain tension or you could overtighten and risk stripping the threads in the swing arm. Flavour of the moment is a digital torque adaptor similar to this https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/040215238/. Andy

 

Do it to the requirements. I stripped one of them on my 916 and it twas a pain to drill out and helicoil.

I have 3 torque wrenches. Small, medium and large. You may need them. I use the small the most. The large deals with those big things like flywheels etc. But I'd deffo get one that covers most other items. Ducks have a terrible habit of vibing nuts loose. I lost one of my mirror screws of my new 1299 in the alps. Its all now torqued correctly.

 

You may not have room for those torque adaptors - as you should not really use flexi joints inbetween

Buy a Norbar one

I also have

3 torque wrenches -

A 1/4 digital Facom for the bike small stuff (50NM?)
A 1/2 digital Facom for anything up to 200Nm
A 1/2 Norbar traditional break back for the larger torque up to 350Nm (Axle Nuts)

Over tightening the pinch bolts also risks compressing the bearing and causing premature bearing failure - much more costly than a torque wrench.

The Halfords ones used to be made by Norbar - but readily available on net.

Buy a good one - or its probably not worth buying.

I am a tool junkie - but you get what you pay for.

 

I too have Norbar wrenchs. Though Im not a fan of digital stuff. I prefer traditional.

 

these are good. fro low to high torque. works out angles and counts how many bolts you have torqued if yer doing big jobs that have to be done in sequence

 

echo the above - my norbar recently failed and it was uneconomic to get it refurbed at norbar. i bought a replacement from amazon made by a german company but its rubbish. i use mine for the bike and cars and its one of the most used tools i have and potentially a life saver.

 

show off! how much was the 1/4?

 

What they said ^^^^^^.

Cost of the torque wrench is 30 mins labour at an Audi, sorry, Ducati dealership. Buy once and you can do yourself for many happy years.

 

Do you not know anyone locally that will loan you one or even help you do the job.

 

The general price was about £400 to £420 - but I was browsing ebay one day and there was one listed for auction starting at £150 - a quick email and a BIN price agreed at around £200.

So a bargain...

 

The general price was about £400 to £420 - but I was browsing ebay one day and there was one listed for auction starting at £150 - a quick email and a BIN price agreed at around £200.

So a bargain...

 

I got the set of three in black chrome. They are nice but it meant I could brink my click type home for my bike and land rover

 

I have a Norbar SL0 1-20Nm which i use most. An SL2 which is 30-150 and an SL3 which is 50-230. Plus a Clarkes Hammer ratchet which is 450Nm (used for rear wheel and flywheels). The SL0 is invaluable to prevent errant screws falling off.

 

What do you do for 25nm bolts

 

Lol...youve found my quandary. Yes, I need a SL1. I cant recall if Ive had a 25 yet? But prob torqued to 30.

 

2 halfrods Pro ones here (1x 1/2", 1x3/8" drive). Big one goes up to 100-and-something Nm, which is enough for the big nuts on my bikes.
Well worth getting (albeit I think most Haynes torques are on the high side), there's nothing like the sinking feeling when you feel the thread strip...

 

I need a smaller torque wrench, any recommendations for a half decent brand that's not too expensive?

Again I'd only use it for very occasional jobs so as long as it's pretty accurate I'm not bothered on brand

 

Halfords Pro for me too. One large, one small. Can't remember the exact torque range off the top of my head but the two cover everything from M5 screws up to the rear wheel spindle nut. They always seem to agree with the manufacturers torque marks.
Excellent value for money and one of the local independent workshops I use also has a Halfords Pro, as well as a draw full of Snap-on so there can't be a lot wrong with them.
Don't forget to unwind mechanical wrenches after use so they're not left stored under tension. But don't unwind them too far..

 

There are some pieces of kit you can get away with getting for a cheap price and some like the torque wrench that you will probably keep for all your cars and bikes so in that regard, it's worth paying a few sheckles extra. I tend to also get halfords professional stuff but make sure you keep your recipts.