I have 3/8" in/lb & 1/2" ft/lb drive Craftsman torque wrenches. I also have a 1/4" in/lb drive Harborfreight torque wrench that tests accurately against the Craftsman 3/8 drive. I use it for some of the close quarter bolts on the rocker boxes. Cost me less than $10. The company I work for uses a lot of torque wrenches and they buy good name brand ones. They still break and need to be recalibrated occasionally. It has come to the point that buying name brand doesn't guarantee that it won't be made in China.

 

The 1/2 snap on I got is pretty old but looks like it was never used got it off craigslist and dropped it off to get calibrated last week and got a cdi off ebay this morning 3/8 drive will be getting a 1/4 inlbs in the next couple weeks thanks guys.

 

Also another bit of info on torque wrenches. Not all torque wrenches will work in both directions (on/off). Look on the end by the handles they will have an arrow pointing to the direction of travel or it will be a double pointed arrow for both directions. I know the beam type, the kinf with a **** on the side and a flip lock wont work in reverse and can break the beam.

 

So I could read my manual but its easier to ask here. What's a good torque range, to handle most jobs on a bike? I don't have any torque wrenches yet, but plan to get one. I'd like one to cover most jobs on the bike.

Thanks
Steve

 

Unless you go digital that will deal with both, then you're best off with a 1/4" in/lb and a 3/8" ft/lb

in/lb - smallest TQ value I've seen is 30

Ft/lb - 10 - 120 is perfect

 

Got two older Craftsman TQ's, One Ft lbs, one In lbs. Compared them to my buddies factory re-calibrated Snap On's and they were within 1%.

 

Try 12 to 17in/lbs depending on the engine model , evo , twinkie , ect. and what bolt your dealing with ...............


scooper321 you'll need 2 sorry , one 1/4" in/lbs for all the small 1/4" fasteners like covers bolts ect. Next range up is going to be from 15 to 55 ft/lbs for most everything else , a decent 3/8" will do you here . One size does not fit all that's why I have a drawer full of the damn things not because I like looking them .