Do Extensions Change Torque? Torque Wrenches and Extension Test! (INTERESTING) 

Thanks for watching the video. Really interesting findings with the torque, I always thought they had a bigger effect, but I guess I was wrong. Amazon Affiliate link to the Torque Adapter used in the video: ACDELCO Torque Adapter:

I was taught many years ago in AF tech school that extensions don't change the torque value, offsets do. As long as you are at a 90 degree angle to the fastener, you aren't changing the requirements. There is a formula for using offsets because they do create a different reading (we had certain situations where there was no choice but to use an offset).

Funny little thing, when I was in a high school skills competition our team lost points because I torqued some wheels using an extension.

I remember in class I was bored so I got every extension. Connected them together to make 30 foot snake. Told the class they're gonna learn something new. some dollar bets down. And well it torqued to spec properly people were blown away.

I suspect people who think an extension would change the torque don't understand the mechanics of a lever. Torque is a function of distance from center of rotation times force. (think foot times pounds--ie. 100 foot pounds is a force of 100 pounds applied at 1 foot from center of rotation, or 50 pounds at 2 feet from center of rotation, etc.) An extension doesn't increase or decrease the distance from center of rotation.

Newton’s third law. Generally ok using extensions. Almost all extensions are made off tool steel, they won’t deflect, instead they snap. Torque sticks are made of spring steel, they flex and allow a impact gun to ratchet. They definitely would affect torque value on a wrench.

Torque is twisting" effort" whether the extension twists or not that is why I was confused with the torque limiting extensions for lug nuts and how they work

“NO WEAKNESS, ONLY WRENCHES” 🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧🔧

At 20 seconds into the video my answer is no, as long as you are using them correctly, meaning keeping everything at right angles. If your angle is off the torque will change, but not a lot. Let's see if I'm right. I guess I was right. What confuses me is how does the wrench (ratchet) measure angle without a reference on something that doesn't move. It doesn't seem possible to me, but then again I've never seen one.

Strange. As a new age physicist I was expecting physics to change.

I got into it with the other 2 techs in the shop about this a few months ago…had them seething cause they didn’t wanna admit I was right…did the same thing in the Vice then one of them was like ‘I swear to got ASE says no extensions on torque wrenches!’ He spent like 15 minutes googling and is like ‘read it and weep!’ And I’m like “yeah it says no extensions on torque wrenches…but here it says ‘as long as the centerline of the anvil of the torque wrench lines up with the centerline of the bolt, your torque will be accurate, regardless of the distance between the two, this article refers to extensions such as crows feet’” then he spent 15 more minutes googling before admitting defeat

Pretty interesting results Josh. Amazing test. Good on you putting this video out man. Cheers man👍💪🔧🔧

This was a neat test/video! I’ve used extensions with torque wrench’s and wondered for years of the accuracy. This proves my years long assumption was correct👍

Very helpful video for those shop arguments. I've realized this issue has come from ugga dugga torque people. Torque wrench is the twisting force in smooth turning, impact guns lose twisting force from the hammering action through the extension.

Great Video. I appreciate your honest testing and results. Thanks

Thanks for the info. I often wondered if they changed torque. Keep up the great videos 👍

Awesome Josh. This blows away some of the myths I have been told/taught over the years. Thanks.

This was a great video, we did a test years ago as well but with two dial torque wrenches with about 8 feet of extension’s between them, strapped one to the table and turned the other and both had the same reading

What is this, project farm? Lol great info, thank you for taking the time to do this.

Thanks a lot for the test. I found this tool "better than ordering" like we did in Brazil. Around here a click torquemeter is very expensive. I saw this ACDelco on eBay a few years ago, and I had to buy it. But time has passed... Now that I've acquired one. It's incredibly accurate. Can you imagine in workshops that don't have any? The fact of using extensions, the biggest danger is twisting the key itself, damaging accuracy. Like manual torque wrenches, they are tools to be extra careful with.🤜🤛