Big torque wrench or torque multiplier?

[Gareth Randall]

I need to be able to torque the axle nuts on my wife’s Escape to 214 ft/lb. Should I buy a torque wrench that goes up to 220, which would be working near the top of its range, or a 1:3 torque multiplier to use with one of my existing torque wrenches? The wrench would be cheaper, the multiplier possibly more useful for other things.

I know that torque wrenches are most accurate in the middle of their range, but that would mean buying one that went to up to over 400 ft/lb, and that would be WAY more money than the torque multiplier.

Topic

[Bubba]

I dont think a torque wrench working at the top of its tolerance is a problem. I have 4-5 and dont have a mulitiplier. What is the highest torque value of your current wrench?

[zero]

If you were doing precision work, maybe using the top 5% of a wrenches range wouldn’t be a great idea. But it’s an axle nut, you’ll be fine.

[Gareth Randall]

[quote=”BubbaGarage” post=185263]What is the highest torque value of your current wrench?[/quote]
240 Nm, which is about 175 ft/lb.

[Justin]

You can buy a precision instruments that goes to 250 for about 140. Or 10 ugga dugga with your impact.

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[Bubba]

[quote=”Dunebasher” post=185314][quote=”BubbaGarage” post=185263]What is the highest torque value of your current wrench?[/quote]
240 Nm, which is about 175 ft/lb.[/quote]

To be honest I would torque to 175ft/lb then guess the remainder using a breaker bar or similar. Now if you see a need for another torque wrench or multiplier in near future then buy whats cost effective. You can possibly rent/borrow one also. Good Luck

[skim3544]

When working on suspension parts, anything beyond 150 ft/lb means torque it down as hard as you can with cheater bar on. Accurate torque is not required here.

[Derek]

You don’t have to be so accurate on suspension bolts but over torquing the axlenut on some stresses the bearings but you should be fine 214 is an odd number my 1/2 torque wrench goes up to 300+ can’t remember exact but it’s a wright rebrand from CDI got it new as someone didn’t use it for $50 just torque it close as you can and tighten it the rest of the way and don’t grease the nut or you will over torque it, believe it or not that causes this just most don’t know but it’s proven rusty, clean,and greased effects torque. Remember this also 7.2 ft pounds = 1nm and 12 inch pounds = 1 ft pound , if you put 200 pounds on a 24″ breaker bar it equals to 400 as its multiplied by foot.

[Author]

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