Torque wrenches (click type) (1 Viewer)

Do click-type torque wrenches work in the counter-clockwise direction? i.e. for English Threaded stuff (like my Bottom Bracket on my mountain bike)? Just curious cause I realize I have a torque wrench which I use on my car but can be used when I install a new bottom bracket if the click type works both ways.. It's a basic craftsman 1/2" drive wrench.

Jay

I'll have to check mine at home, but I was under the impression they work both ways. I have a 1/2" craftsman as well, and I think it has the direction flip switch on the back of the head. I'll check it out tonight.

Andrej

Maybe I read this wrong, but if the wrench can be used to both tighten and loosen, wouldn't you just reverse the setting, i.e. loosen now tightens and tighten now loosens, to get it to work the other way?

Regards,

Yeah, but if you want to use the torque wrench to tighten a bolt to a certain torque, then it'd have to be able to work (click) in both directions.
My BB is specced at 360 inch-lbs or 40.71 NM so I thought it would be great to use it. It avoids alot of annoying squeeks and creeks when you're mashing.
To help clear things up, I don't use the torque wrench for anything other than tightening things up, I already have a basic 1/2" drive long handle socket wrench for loosening things up, so I'm not familiar with the aspecs of torque wrench design. I'm pretty sure the craftsman has a dial on the back to let you use it counter clockwise, but I don't have a clue whether the click feature is active when using it in a counter clockwise fashion. Which typically in the US of A is loosening a bolt.
English, French, and Italians, we're all threaded differently!!!
Jay

IIRC the click-stop torque wrench is only calibrated in one direction, i.e. tightening clockwise. You need one of those cheap beam-style torque wrenches to tighten in the counterclockwise direction.

I can't say for sure, but many of the click-type torque wrenches that I've used do work in both directions. The Craftsman wrenches are one of those.

They may only be calibrated in one direction, but they usually are "in the ballpark" both ways.

Todd

Going with the new ISIS bottom bracket? Funny you should bring this up. I just bought a craftsmen beam torque wrench to install my new bottom bracket. The beam torque is only $19.99 at Sears and does work both ways.
Only problem I have is Pricepoint.com didn't send me the crank bolts. Another weekend without the bike.:frowning:

Hey Ray, nope, this is on my old hardtail (from '95) and since it's really only my commuter, I'm not spending money on new cranks so I replaced the UN51 with a UN72, which is basically a tapered head and a little lighter than the UN51. Also, only $17 at Supergo..
My real mountain bike is a FS Santa Cruz Superlite, which still has Shimano LX cranks, not the new ISIS splined type.
My torque wrench is more used for my car, lug nuts, oil filter cap, etc. But since I had it and also a 32mm socket, I thought I'd use it.
Jay