recommendations for torque wrench pls

[JonE]

I do not have a torque wrench. I have never owned or used a torque wrench. 

Do I need a torque wrench for basic Austin 7 stuff like taking a head off, and if so what is the minimum I can get away with spending please?

I look at ebay and there are a LOT of torque wrenches.... not sure where to begin.

[Chris KC]

Jon, I'd recommend use of a torque wrench for head nuts if nothing else. The main benefit is even tightening. If you are heavy-handed it might save you from a sheared stud now and then.

Don't buy second hand. Choose one with a range which is appropriate for the job you want to do -  a '0 - 250' won't be very accurate at 20. Not really worth buying a cheap one - if it's not accurate and consistent it's a waste of money.

I'd suggest visiting a proper tool shop and asking for their recommendation in your price range. Mine was made by Norbar and is still pretty accurate after quite a few years.

Proper engineering workshops have torque wrench calibration gauges and regularly use them - even good wrenches lose accuracy over time.

You won't find many published torque settings for an A7, but they are good for heads nuts, big ends and centre mains. 0 - 50 Nm would be a useful range.

[Nick Turley]

I am in the camp of use a decent one not the cheapest - low range short handle.
Snap-on small size is the one I use, had it for 30 years so it has done a lot and now seems therefore cheap.

[John Mason]

Jon, Just a difference of opinion about torque wrenches. When settings are given you need to know if it is for dry or lubricated nuts as this alters things. I myself have never used a torque wrench on an Austin seven and have stripped my engine right down on two occasions without problems. Just use an appropriate spanner for the size nut you are tightening and use it until you and feel the tightness. (On cylinder heads tighten in the sequence as per Woodrows red book and keep going around them until tight. Don't forget to retighten after you have run the engine up to running temprature ). A lot of people have problems with socket sets when the ratchet handle and torbar is the same length for all diameter bolts whatever there diameter.
John Mason

[Steve Jones]

I'm with Nick. I have two torque wrenches, both the 'click' type. First is a Norbar SL1 (now an obsolete model but Norbar do an equivalent). 5 - 40 lbf.ft range (and metric equivalent also) , 3/8" drive. I've had it for over 30 years and it, too, has been used a lot. Still use it and trust it. I can't imagine torquing such things as cylinder head or big end nuts with anything else. I also have a larger Norbar 200, 30 - 150 lbf.ft (and metric) range, 1/2" drive. Had it about 10 years and bought second hand from a known and trusted source. I don't use it that much but it's useful for torquing up the wheel nuts on the moderns, particularly the Motorhome.

Both are quality tools from one of the top UK manufacturers. I'm not a fan of cheap tools as they can work out expensive in the long run.

Steve

[Rick F]

There is also the choice between a "dial", "beam" or "electronic" types, which display the torque, or a "click" type, which "breaks" at the required torque. I prefer the latter.

EDIT: your pre-empted me, Steve. I must learn to type quicker!

[Charles P]

There's a lot to be said for the old "beam and pointer" types. They may be crude but they are consistent.
I've got 4 torque wrenches and I periodically check their accuracy with a couple of gallon containers of water, some string and a ruler. What you really don't want is one that is 25% wrong!

Charles

[Viteran]

When I was 18 I rebuilt a ford prefect engine ( it came with 3 pistons!) using a 7” spanner , spring balance and mathematics . Seemed to work at the time.

[Geoff101]

Another vote for Norbar. They are based in Banbury, just down the road from me. Good quality tools and they are always helpful if you need parts, service etc.

[Phil Kingdom]

A couple of torque wrench tips, always set them to zero when job finished,never put them away loaded, if using a snap type always apply the pressure gently, do not jerk it like you would with a socket/ ratchet, The accuracy can be checked as mentioned above with weights and a ruler or by just using another torque wrench.
I can recommend Norbar, we used a pair of small 1/2 inch drive ratchet wrenches set to 35 ft,lbs to build radio masts, with over 500 bolts per mast and building 100s of masts they really got a hammering, they even got dropped a couple of times a 100ft or so onto grass but still worked fine.