Calibrate Torque Wrench Without Any Special Tools 

Wow, I feel stupid for not knowing they have a metric version of Allen keys. Thanks for this, ill pin it so everyone can see.

A 3mm to be exact

@@JRobling Didn’t know there was a metric set???? Welcome to the rest of the world, American!

Actually, if You look a little close into this topic, there's no such tjing as a metric Allen wrench. Allen wrenches were made in imperial sizes only - backed by a 1910 patent. European version - the SPS product known a yeare later as the Unbrako, was in metric sizes.

Wait til he works on something french and needs a 7mm, lol. He's in a real bind then. But enough fun, and some help - in a pinch, get to a bicycle shoppe. It has been years, but the oddest spec fastener I ever ran across was a 6.5mm - the wrench [thankfully] was provide with the equipment purchase. Think it was a compound bow that had specialized limb adusters bolt specs.

One of my first jobs was working on car haulers, like a Jack Cooper. I was 19, didn’t have much for tools and one of the older guys at the shop was nice and didn’t mind me using his tools. I was having a hard time breaking a nut free on whatever it was that I was working on. So, I grabbed what I thought was a breaker bar. The old man comes running and screaming at me, letting me know his Snap On torque wrench is the wrong tool for the job. Ten years later I realize what an idiot I was lol.

It’s a tekton. Who gives a shit? lol

@@dougchoate2009 Damn not only was it a torque wrench, but it was a SNAP ON torque wrench.

$13-25 will buy you(him) a breaker bar that will let his torque wrench work for many more years than this one will.

Why not

So did I

Tim I tried to understand your explanation but couldn’t quite get it. Especially about adjusting to 20% at handle then 100% at screw. Any chance you could try and explain in another way?

@@markhill3196 The 20% and 100% is referring to the torque scale value of the wrench. If the wrench max scale is say 100 ft pounds then 100 % is 100 ft pounds. At the base of the handle there is a nut, at the bottom of the nut is a lock. The wrench is tested at 20%, 60% and 100% max scale value (20, 60, and 100 Ft Lbs). You adjust the 20% by adjusting the Handle. You Adjust the 100% scale value by adjusting the screw in the central area of the torque wrench on the side. 60% cannot be adjusted for, it is corrected by replacing the spring inside. If you loosen the nut and the lock you can adjust the handles relationship with the spring inside and that changes the spring tension with regards to handle scale setting. This adjustment is only used to adjust 20%. The 100% is adjusted by the screw on the side center point of the wrench. Inside is two round points that are directly affected by the tension of the spring which is increased by tightening the handle. The spring tension pushes on the lower of the two round points against the upper. The more spring tension the harder to snap the lower round surface past the other which then slaps the inside the the tube and makes the snap sound you hear when you reach the set torque. Think of two balls sitting inside two walls with a space too small for the balls to pass by each other. Now put a spring behind one wall. The spring tension on the wall can be adjusted (Handle). The tighter the spring tension the harder it is to have the balls pass each other. The width of the walls can also be adjusted (screw). As you increase the spring tension you make it harder to pass the balls by each other. As you widen the walls apart you can adjust the max spring tension so that at 100% the balls slip passed each other. Less spring tension, less torque required to snap passed each other. Keep adjusting the wrench until both the 20% and 100% are correct. If you adjust either you need to check both again each time until they give the correct values. Once you have the correct values you check the 60%. If the is good you are done. If 60% is not but 20% and 100% are, You need a new spring. Not all wrenches use this screw for 100%, some use blocks that tip. Wider blocks are harder to tip over then thinner ones, and shorter blocks are harder to tip then taller ones. The more spring tension against the block the harder to tip it as well. These blocks are changed inside for 100% adjustment rather then the screw adjustment. Feel free to keep asking me, I am enjoying this.

@@Soniccues Wow Tim! thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!! I am also working on two wrenches so your information is very very valuable 💪👌😊

@@rolandberendonck3900 No Problem, I am glad to help and I enjoy helping. Ask whatever you want.

Tim Maher thanks for the explanation. That made all the difference. I guess in essence, that unless the spring itself is perfect, you’ll always be juggling to find a sweet spot between the lower and upper limits. For my purposes that’s quite good enough. I actually think I need a bigger wrench as mine only goes up to 100ft/lbs. but I’ll try your method shortly and just see how I go. Thanks again man I gotta say you certainly know the ins and outs of torque wrenches. Not everyone can say that 😂😂😂

Great observation...u are right

J Robling, James James is right, a line goes from the number to the center line, the intersection of those two lines is the adjustment point for this number, not the number itself... This is very important when you work with your torque wrench, more important when you calibrate it and the most important when you teach thousands of people to calibrate their tool. Pinning this information would be very wise!

@@jocelynlacharite I thought that was obvious but it's obviously an issue. What controls the alighment of the outer and inner registration numbers?

yep 50 ft lbs. not 40, the zig zag line is there so that you are able to see the setting that you want and not cover it up with the dial.

For a minute there I thought I’d been using my torque wrench wrong for years. I shouldn’t have doubted myself.

it works... for a bit...

Good one. No one has metioned that before . Thanks

Yeah...that makes a lot of sense...

that's the reason you don't select the rotating handle you go above it onto the silver metal frame and select a fixed length and keep changing weights - so what you said is incorrect

This guy isn't very detailed in his explanation

once you have your torque wrench calibrated, you can then calculate the toolbox weight... ok - kidding. If the scale used to measure the 30lb toobox was wrong, then the wheels on the car will be either under or over torqued by the same amount. oops..

Are you trying to say that gravity is a factor in the use of a torque wrench? Torque can be applied at any position at any vector and in any direction as in the real world with aircraft and automobiles you will not be able to only do horizontal torqueing.

@@darth1000blue, Thomas OMeara have a point! Force of cravity stays same, but the lenght (level arm) which you put in equation, is not any more lenght of the wrench bar, if you dont keep torque wrench horizontal. By other words, in that equation, bar (level arm) and force must be perpendicular.

@@darth1000blue You are correct. But gravity that pull the weight he is using is only on direction. If the wrench isn't at a 90 to gravity, it changes the amount of force applied to the wrench.

yes it is

You could also use a regular bathroom scale. Stand on it to get your weight, remember it or write it down. Grab the weight and remember or write down what the scale says. Calculate the difference between the two numbers. I know I know, bathroom scales aren’t pinpoint accurate but neither are the luggage scales that you can buy at some places. Ours that we bought 3 weeks ago read almost 2 lbs. .8 kg. Low compared to the commercial scale at the airport check in.

Yeah he did... good spotting

He'll never know, mate: a click style torque wrench must never be used as a breaker bar. You could perhaps go to max setting, but if it clicks... stop damaging the tool and go get that tried and true breaker bar [and a 4' section of pipe to mongo out on the bastard bolt].

@Nagato is better than Punk Naruto ideally both, mostly level though

@Nagato is better than Punk Naruto Not if you are on a hill.

I did set it to the wrong number, however I calibrated it to the wrong number, so it may be set to 50 but I use it to the calibrated 40

@@JRobling Thats not how it works dude

Oh good I noticed that too but thought maybe I’ve been using my torque wrench incorrectly. Yeah he did have it set to 50 instead of 40

Honestly i'm not sure how it is properly done, but I did calibrate to the way I set it so I should be good, and if you calibrate it to the way you do it it should be perfect for you. :)

@@JRobling but you had it at 50... so that means that you were thinking you were calibrating it to 40, but in reality it was 50 since that's what you selected.

You can clearly see the 50 is clear of the black knurled handle. He has it set to halfway over the number “40” which means he has it on the line pointing to 40 ft/lb.

@@raffikkiz ok, I'm coming back 1 year later, now I have so much more experience with tools haha. And yes, some tools have that S shaped lines, so that you can see the complete number at which you're setting to. And there are some other tools which have only straight lines, and in this case, you cut in half the number you're pointing. For example, a tire pressure gauge :) But I agree. As long as you're the only one who uses a certain tool, however you calibrate it, will work the same

Watch the tekton how to use video. The line below the number is the torque value.. if its over the number than its the number above that like dude said in last comment so you can see the number.. so yea he had it set to 50 and not 40.. but to calibrate a torque wrench properly you should always use the wrenches highest torque setting value for the final weight so you would take the highest number and subtract the 1.333 value so weight=htv-(htv•1.333) if using 16"

This hurts me in the chest area

My God did we watch the same video? So drawn out with the most annoying voice in history

Should it be the weight of the bar divided by 2, assuming the bar's weight is evenly distributed between the lug nut and the end?

@@christophers6034 the weight of the wrench would act in the center of gravity, doesnt necessarily have to be in the middle. But yes, for this calibration to be accurate, one would have to account for the torque applied by the wrench under its own weight.

It's negligible if you make a rough count. If the center of gravity is like 1 ft from the head, and the wrench's weight is about 1.5 lbs, it's "own torque" would be only 1.5 ft lbs. At the setting of 30,it's still only 5%.

Hello. Does the same apply to centimeters?

@@thanosgalanis6940 Is that like centipedes?

You make me cringe!!! LOL I have done similar things but, the older I get the more time I save by using the right tool for the right job.

You don’t lock it. It’s an adjustment screw. Put the plastic or rubber cap back over the hole and that’s it. It’s not going anywhere.

AdrianJayeOnline yeah it’s worth the extra cash to buy a breaker bar preventing the torque wrench from throwing off the calibration

I don't think so. I think you have just set it to 10Nm/ lbft or whatever unit you're using

That would makes sense if you used the torque wrench by adding weight, but people use the wrench by holding, thus negating the weight of the handle.

@@JRobling It doesn't matter which way the wrench is oriented when being used, whether its up, down, or horizontal, it will still click at the exact same point it was calibrated, and you have calibrated that wrench at 30lb plus the weight of the lever. I know what I am talking about. I have a degree in Physics. >

@@Bodragon Ok, so when you calibrate your torque wrench, make sure to add 1lb. My lug nuts shall be forever set to 81ftlbs

@@Bodragon Good call. This is especially important if you are testing your wrench with low weight. For example, if you want to see if your wrench can accurately measure low amounts of torque.

​@@JRobling My wrench weighs about 1 lb, at 1ft. foot from the head, but wrenches vary. To be more accurate, pick the point on the handle you want to use. Rest only that part of the handle on a scale with the wrench horizontal. Rest the head of the wrench on another object (like a finger). Add the scale's reading to your toolbox weight. Since you've committed to a certain spot on the handle, you can adjust the torque setting on the wrench to match your weight and distance. Thanks for the video. Helped me out.

I want the same medication as you are having.

@@Ricqu maybe you could explain that reply with some technical details since I do not understand it. We checked the calibration on our torque wrenches before and after use on flight hardware in the space program. So, I do have a little experience with what I'm talking about.

@@darth1000blue Space program? You should go back to your playlist and rewatch the 'how to improve social skills' video, because I'm pretty sure lying isn't part of that.

@@Ricqu 20 years in the Space Shuttle program. Prior to that, I was in Military and Civilian aerospace. You call me a liar and yet, I have to improve my social skills? Your lack of a technical reply shows that you do not know what you are talking about. Hey, why don't you tell me about your country's space program? :-)

the wrench will click when you hit the desired force. He said it was basically letting the weight go then it clicked. thats right around the right spec

You want the nut to be tighter than what you’re calibrating the wrench to

why did the car wheels fall off? Innacurate bathroom scales...

Yes I was...I am ashamed.

Tighter than what you’re calibrating the wrench to

My vehicle lug nut has a torque spec around 95 or 100 lbs. If you are calibrating your wrench like they guy in this video, you don't want the weight to be close to to your lug nut spec because you don't want it turning while you are doing your test.

A grinder would work. It's obvious this guy is not and expert on all things torque wrench. He doesn't know there are metric Allen wrenches. Why would you even ask this here?

@@Caderic I was needing to disassemble the torque wrench to replace the spring and looking for someone with experience to answer. I did find someone to show me how to do it. It's very easy and does not require a grinder. Unfortunately the springs aren't available anymore.

Archimedes. It's pounds @ 1 foot away from center. Thus if you push at 3 feet away you are applying 3x the weight. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YlYEi0PgG1g.html

Exactly. He should have weighed it on his kitchen scales and adjusted the weight of his toolbox accordingly. >

He did, his name is Samage, he is my chicken. He scratched up those notes right quick

I feel like a joke could be made like: "Johnathan, did a rooster write your English sentence you wrote?" but it could be mean, so I won't do it.

@@JRobling kickass badass man. That's fucking cool.

@@jimbrown341 why? Did a chicken hawk give you you're name? LMFAO!!

@@johnathangrey3463 It's YOUR not YOU'RE. You're = YOU ARE. It is a contraction. Something you learned in 4th grade in elementary school. YOUR English is bad. YOU'RE (You are) not very good at writing sentences. Understand now? You should be embarrassed.