noob alert: torque wrench

[gravyface]

Over the next little while you're going to see an influx of noobish posts while this guy, a complete cartard, rolls up his lily-white sleeves and starts to work on his car.

First project: putting my summer tires on.  Yup, never changed a tire (gasp). Watched a few good youtube videos (loosen lugs before jacking up car; smart!), but noticed nobody really torques down their wheel lugs to spec (from googling around I saw that 110-130Nm is recommended).

Couple of things:

I want to buy a torque wrench this weekend; I have a decent socket/ratchet set already, I'm assuming that the torque wrench takes standard metric and imperial sockets?  Looking at one and it's a click-type 3/8 In. Drive, 20-100 In. Lbs.

Now looking at a Nm to inch lb conversion chart and apparently this torque wrench is about 800 in. lbs too weak (973.58 in. lbs) to properly torque down a wheel lug.  What kind of monster torque wrench would you need to do this?  Am I missing something?

EDIT

Some google-fu led me to this site; 90ft lb sounds a bit more reasonable:
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/brochure/info/tmpInfoWheelTorque.jsp#bmw

[1991 E30 M42]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Precision-Instruments-3-8-Split-Beam-Torque-Wrench-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45eea09c43QQitemZ300356246595QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

This is the torque wrench that I have, Precision Instruments makes torque wrenches for Snap-On, Matco, Mac etc... Split beam torque wrenches are also more accurate and reliable as compared to a click type.

[1991 E30 M42]

here is a conversion chart
http://www.thetoolhut.com/Torque-Conversion-English-Metric.html

[RED IS 91]

Go buy a sears torque wrench.............
this will do your lug nuts and other things
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944595000P?keyword=craftsman+torque+wrench&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

Then you need an inch pound for the little stuff

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944593000P?vName=Tools&cName=Auto+%26+Mechanics+Tools&sName=Torque+Wrenches&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


both have the NM scale also..
good luck

[PumpItUp]

someones afraid of dying, how cute.  we don't torque down lugs.
if we hear that you've been doing it, you're out of the club ಠ_ಠ

use the tool in your trunk. just step on it
only time i ever had, (or seen) lug bolts/nuts come loose is on a vw, and that was because of a cheapo aftermarket lugnut conversion that rusted away. i felt the wheel start to wobble and by the time i stopped only 1 was left. didn't have any spares so i tightened it, drove a block. got out, tightened it, drove another block. did so for like a mile until i found a wheel works. so always use quality stuff even if you're its not all that appealing to spend $50-100 on 16 nuts & wheel studs, and try to carry some spares especially if its an aftermarket setup.

the tool is $25 new at the dealer, probably 1/2 that if you're not in california. or get a used one for free at the junkyard. of course if you find one off another car thats 17mm, even better. the tool the e30 uses is really small, made to fit in that little slot, its only good for jumping on.

[gravyface]

Go buy a sears torque wrench.............
this will do your lug nuts and other things
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944595000P?keyword=craftsman+torque+wrench&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

Then you need an inch pound for the little stuff

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944593000P?vName=Tools&cName=Auto+%26+Mechanics+Tools&sName=Torque+Wrenches&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


both have the NM scale also..
good luck

Those are pretty shoddy reviews on that wrench.

[gravyface]

Think I'm going to get this little guy (20-200 in. lb):
http://www.princessauto.com/tools/hand-tools/sockets-accessories/2922045-1/4-dr-dual-scale-torque-wrench

And his big bro (20 to 150 ft-lbs.):
http://www.princessauto.com/tools/hand-tools/sockets-accessories/2919389-1/2-dr-dual-scale-torque-wrench

[BlueBMW]

I am one of two techs at my dealer's shop that torques every lug nut.  Everyone laughs at me for doing it, but I've never had a wheel come off (while another guy DID have a wheel come off)

[gravyface]

I am one of two techs at my dealer's shop that torques every lug nut.  Everyone laughs at me for doing it, but I've never had a wheel come off (while another guy DID have a wheel come off)

I like to do things right too: being a self-taught IT consultant means I always have to be extra careful as there's always doubters waiting to second-guess me.

[PumpItUp]

it's better to buy local even if it costs a little bit more. first you support jobs; "buy local". but also good tools have lifetime warrantys. keep all your receipts, if a torque wrench (or anything else) ever breaks, you take it in and get a new one same day...no shipping. i'm not sure about rare or expensive tools (brands like snap-on, etc), but still there's less chance of being screwed by fine print or the place going out of business. dot.coms go bust all the time, places like home depot, not so much.

[DesktopDave]

I like to do things right too: being a self-taught IT consultant means I always have to be extra careful as there's always doubters waiting to second-guess me.

Me too, self-taught IT is the only way to go!

I torque every lug bolt or nut every time.  I use my cheap clicker torque wrench to about 90 ft-pounds...I'd say it's a +- 10% wrench, so the range of 80-100 works for me.  Never had a wheel come loose and my rotors last a lot longer before warping.

I especially hate it after I've had tires mounted and the mech has used a pneumatic impact wrench to put them back on at 200 ft-lbs or so.  I always request that the mech hand-torques the wheels.  Any good mechanic should do it without being requested.

I also use a bit of anti-seize on the lug bolt threads and hub face.  Helps a lot the next time.

[rob_e30]

At least two wrenches is the right way to go.  I know I do more work on the car than most of you, but I have 3 torque wrenches.  If you're getting a wrench to torque lug nuts or bolts, get a nice long handled wrench for higher torque loads.  At the track, we're re-torquing lug nuts before every session, so 6-8 times per weekend and it's much easier with the proper tool for the job.  Use an in.-lb. wrench for little stuff like putting the engine or head together, but the high torque stuff goes quicker with a longer wrench.  Also, I would not bother with a 1/4" drive wrench.  3/8" and 1/2" will likely do the job.

Important note on click-type wrenches... remember to unwind the wrench back to 0 when you're done with it to help keep it accurate over time.

[gravyface]

At least two wrenches is the right way to go.  I know I do more work on the car than most of you, but I have 3 torque wrenches.  If you're getting a wrench to torque lug nuts or bolts, get a nice long handled wrench for higher torque loads.  At the track, we're re-torquing lug nuts before every session, so 6-8 times per weekend and it's much easier with the proper tool for the job.  Use an in.-lb. wrench for little stuff like putting the engine or head together, but the high torque stuff goes quicker with a longer wrench.  Also, I would not bother with a 1/4" drive wrench.  3/8" and 1/2" will likely do the job.

Important note on click-type wrenches... remember to unwind the wrench back to 0 when you're done with it to help keep it accurate over time.

I choose the 1/4" wrench instead of the 3/8" because the 3/8th had 120 as the lowest setting, and according to the howto on checking the lower pan for loose bolts, the torque settings on the stock bolts are 89 in. lbs, which is on my todo list.

If that range seems to high, maybe I should be looking at another torque wrench manufacturer, as I certainly don't want to buy 3 torque wrenches; wife would murder me.