The UK's bestTorque Wrench 2022 Review

How to Choose The Best Torque Wrench

Before purchasing a torque wrench do take a minute to familiarise yourself with the more common torque wrench concepts.

Wrench material

Torque wrenches are normally made of chrome vanadium steel. This type of steel is very strong and can withstand much wear and tear. This enables the head to maintain its shape and make it easier to use.

Reversible ratchet head

The reversible feature of the ratchet head allows you to both tighten and loosen nuts and bolts. Cheap torque wrenches work to loosen bolts at maximum torque since you can’t over loosen a fixture. However more expensive torque wrenches also loosen at a specific torque, and this is handy when working on more delicate fixings as there is less chance of them being damaged.

Square drive

A square drive is the standard fitting for a torque wrench and the size of your drive will determine the size of fixings you can work it with. However, you can purchase adaptors that attach to the square drive so they can work with different size nuts and bolts. The most common sizes for a square drive are 1/4″,  3/8″, 1/2″, and 3/4″.

Torque range (Nm)

Torque is measured in metric and imperial units, or Newton-metres (Nm) and lb-ft / lb-in respectively. Medium size wrenches typically produce 28 – 210 Nm.

Adjustable shaft length

The best torque wrenches have adjustable shaft lengths. This is a very useful feature since the wrench can be adjusted to size for more awkward to reach areas or to reach things high up. By lengthening the bar you also create more leverage making it easier to tighten bolts or nuts.

Extension bar

Extension bars allow you to increase the length of the handle to access more difficult spots. They also create more leverage to allow you to create more force and tighten fixings more efficiently.

Converter

Converters attach to the square drive to change its size. If you have a ½” square drive and a fixing with a 3/8″ head a converter can adapt the square drive to fit. Converters are always a useful accessory to have handy.

Sockets

Different sockets can be attached to the square drive and again these are useful accessories, and the wider the range the better.

Box

Torque wrenches often include a box. This is there to protect the wrench and keep it in good condition. It is also convenient to store extension bars and different heads and sockets there.

Micrometer-scale

This is a measurement of torque setting accuracy. Different manufacturers produce torque wrenches with different tolerances and this leads to different scales of accuracy. Accuracy is measured as +/- x %.  Anything less than +/- 5 % is acceptable, +/- 4 % is good and +/- 3 % is excellent.

Soft grip handle

The best wrenches come with a soft grip handle for extra comfort, support, and improved control.

Torque Wrench FAQs

What is a torque wrench?

A torque wrench is designed for securing nuts and bolts to a specific tightness. Torque is a measurement of how much force is required to make an object rotate. Torque wrenches allow you to set a certain amount of torque before you start tightening, so you can confidently tighten a fixing knowing that you will never overtighten or under tighten it.

How do I use a torque wrench?

The most common type of torque wrench is called a click adjustable torque wrench.

Torque wrenches normally have locks that need to be unlocked before you can start using the wrench. This lock is normally located at the bottom of the handle and can simply be twisted to loosen it. Once loosened the handle should spin freely.

Once the handle is unlocked you can start to dial in the torque setting on your wrench. Most torque wrenches have a simple system to determine the amount of torque you are using. You should be able to align the line on the handle with the line of the desired torque setting on the graph. You may need to twist the handle to move it up or down the said graph until the line on the handle lines up with the line on the graph for the torque setting you require.

Once these handle lines are aligned with your desired torque setting you can re-tighten the lock and are ready to go.

You can then use your torque wrench just as you would a normal wrench, turning it to tighten a bolt or nut. Once you reach the desired tightness for your chosen setting the wrench will click and there will be no further tightening.