Torque wrench and torque settings

A torque wrench lets you tighten a nut or bolt to the exact torque setting given by the manufacturer. Most common is the click type: you set the value, and the wrench clicks when it is reached. Beam and digital wrenches are also available.

Torque settings are given in newton-metres (Nm); older and US manuals may use foot-pounds (1 ft-lb is about 1.356 Nm). Critical fasteners include axle nuts, brake caliper and disc bolts, triple clamp pinch bolts, sump plugs and spark plugs. Too little torque lets parts loosen; too much strips threads, especially in aluminium.

Choose a wrench whose range fits the job, as small and large values often need two different tools. Store click wrenches at their lowest setting and have them checked if they are dropped.