I have an inch/pound wrench for the small stuff and ft/lbs for the larger. Beam type is more accurate but is a little harder to use. The 'click' type that is the most popular is not quite as accurate as the 'click' tends to occurwhen the torque setting has been reached, but you are still pulling so you overshoot. The beam type will show you were you are as you pull....

 

I have both the Craftsman Wrenches discussed here, they are Quality tools. $120 covers all needs on the Bike forever, kinda like NOT spending the $ for the Manual. It is money well spent and may very well save you some $ in the long run. I am very satisfied with the Craftsman tools.

 

I can second that, torque wreches will save you money in the long run. My job is working on aircraft so being a mechanic I figure I have a calibrated elbow...not so much. Back in the day when I still rode crotch rockets I ended up snapping the helicoil right out of the oil pan. Cost me a pretty penny. I use torque wrenches every day at work and should do the same on my own stuff. Now I do for the most part anyway.

 

I also calibrated torque wrenches for many years. I also found the beam wrenches to be the most accurate. The traditional "breaking" wrench always needed re-calibration to bring it within specs. The biggest enemy of any torque wrench is rough handling or accidental dropping. On twist handle types, always return the handle to the lowest indicated setting when not in use. Breaking type wrenches should be exercised by breaking through the torque on some other bolt at least three times before use. There are torque wrenches made for use ineither direction. Most beams can do this.On other types, a directional arrow will indicate whether it is left or right handed or bi-directional (arrow goes both ways). If dropped, have your wrench checked. Our lab was kept at 72 degrees. Extreme cold or heat may affect accuracy of your wrench.

 

Great post....So are you another Navy product, or did you receive your calibration training somewhere else?

 

This site has even more info on bolts and torque values...Check it out............................................... ................................................
http://home.jtan.com/~joe/KIAT/kiat_3.htm


Keeping It All Together Torque Wrenches- How Good Are They? By Joseph C. Dille
BMWMOA #24754 Part 3 of 3 It is important to have a reliable, accurate torque wrench to properly tighten fasteners to specification. A torque wrench is probably be one of the most expensive hand tools in your collection. In this, the final installment, I explain the differences between the two common types of torque wrenches and explain how to use them. I also share data I obtained by testing a bunch of wrenches. There are two common types of torque wrenches for home shop use; the "beam" type and the "clicker" type. The beam type torque wrench is shown in Figure 1c and is the least expensive torque wrench. The beam wrench works by the beam bending in response to the torque applied as shown in Figure 2c. This type is very simple, reliable, and accurate, and there is little that can go wrong with it when used properly. When tightening a bolt, make sure to only apply force in the center of the handle. This allows the beam to bend in the manner it was designed to indicate the correct torque. Do not over torque the wrench or the beam may bend permanently. Do not drop the wrench because rough handling can bend the pointer arm or pointer. If the pointer is bent, it can be bent back to the center without affecting accuracy. If the beam is bent it cannot be bent back. Figure 1c, Parts of A Beam Torque Wrench Figure 2c, Beam Torque Wrench Operation Figure 3c shows the clicker torque wrench, which is sometimes called a digital wrench. A clicker torque wrench works by preloading a "snap" mechanism with a spring to release at a specified torque. When the mechanism releases the ratchet head it makes a "click" noise as shown in Figure 4c. The torque is set by rotating the handle until the desired torque is shown in the window. Older clicker wrenches have a micrometer style scale along the handle instead of a window. The clicker wrench is much easier to use because it is easy to set the desired torque and just pull until you feel the click. The ratchet head also makes it easy to use in confined spaces. It is good practice to set a clicker wrench to its lowest setting before putting it away to prevent the spring from taking a set. Avoid rough handling and dropping because it can damage the mechanism. Do not use the torque wrench to loosen tight fasteners since this may damage the calibration. Figure 3c, Parts of A Clicker Torque Wrench Figure 4c, Clicker Torque Wrench Operation I always wondered about the accuracy of torque wrenches, so I made my own torque wrench tester. The tester consisted of a lever arm that lifted a series of weights off the floor. The torque tester is shown in operation in Figure 5c. By changing the position of the weights on the lever arm and changing the weights, I could obtain torques from 3 to 105 ft-lb. The weights were barbell weights that I determined the exact weight using a digital shipping scale. I then calibrated the lever arm by using a precision electronic torque wrench and then back calculated the lengths using my known weights. A known torque exists when the arm is horizontal and the weights jar lifted off the floor. I made a table of lever arm lengths and weight combinations so I could determine the applied torque in any situation. I estimate the accuracy of my home-built instrument to be +/-3% of the calculated torque. [b]To

 

Very good info, WgSkee. Thank you for sharing it with us.