Why not use torque wrench to loosen?
 

Gents - please 'splain me - why is it not recommended to use a torque wrench to loosen bolts? Looks like you could just turn up the tension and use it to remove bolts.

I know the experts say do not do it - but wondering why? Actually have always wondered.

You certainly could use a torque wrench to loosen bolts, it is not the best idea. Torque wrenches are precision measuring instruments, using them to loosen bolts is not in line with that purpose. You end up stressing the tool when it is used as a breaker bar, and you often need excessive force to loosen bolts.

My breaker bars came with a lifetime warranty. My torque wrenches did not. That's all the information I need to decide which tool to use.

Most torque wrenches are designed to work in only one direction.


Also, fasteners often take much more torque to remove than fasten because of corrosion, loctite type sealants and dry threads.

That's total nonsense.

Have you ever seen a beam-type wrench that didn't have a scale for both directions?

How about a ratcheting torque wrench that wasn't reversible?

If torque wrenches only work one way, what do you do when a left-hand threaded fastener is involved?

I completely agree.

Torque wrench is designed to measure while torquing, not break bolts loose. I ruined one using it as a breaker bar. And now I think it doesn’t even work as a breaker bar anymore. I think I may have stripped the gears in it. I learned my lesson. Thankfully it was a cheap torque wrench. Now I think it neither measures correctly or breaks bolts free.

If I have something that's loose, I'll use my torque wrench, but I typically won't use it to break something loose. I always worry that if the torque of the bolt exceeds what I happen to have the wrench set to, it'll stress the internals and potential affect the accuracy when setting the torque.

Everyone may have different anecdotes, but I'd rather just be safe than sorry; I also agree that the idea of a torque wrench working a single direction makes no sense as even some of our cars have several LH bolts or nuts (M102 belt tensioner nut).

Proper Tool Useage
 

It's not wise because as mentioned it can upset the calibration and that's a *very* bad thing .

Interesting that the same one who doesn't understand wheel bearings gives misinformation here too.....

Not knowing isn't a bad thing, refusing to learn is .

I have since my 1/2" torque wrench is a bit longer than my 1/2" breaker bar. I could slide a cheater pipe on my breaker but takes time to scrounge. If I can access with my Harbor Freight Earthquake air-impact wrench, that is the choice for really big stuff or something which spins like an alternator or AC compressor shaft bolt (note can be a LH thread). Mine is a cheap HF clicky torque wrench which rachets and reverses. As long as I don't exceed its max setting, no worries.

For really stuck nuts or bolts the industrial trick is a "knock wrench" which is stubby with a square place to strike with a hammer. That is the idea of an impact wrench. At one company we needed to remove flange nuts on a large 10" check-valve. A field engineer stood atop with a sledgehammer hitting a knock wrench to get them loose. He was a golfer, so yelled "fore" each swing. For even tougher jobs, there are tools which stretch a stud on a valve flange hydraulically, then you can loosen the nut using a hand-wheel.

Thanks guys. I do now see that I need to dial it back down for storage. Appreciate the info.

Taiwan tools are adaquate in strength for most part time home use. Their breaker bars are a fairly often a sale item locally.

Their quality has noticebly increased over the years and they are cheap. A Harbor freight one is generally adaquate.

What I preffer is a three quarter inch breaker bar with a impact adapter on it that takes 1/2 drive sockets. The mechanical advantage of the longer handle makes the tough ones a lot a lot easier. Plus there is no obvious flex in the bar. Cannot remember the cost but it was not much.

Where you really gain in durability. The weak spot in comparison with a 1/2 inch power bar is the pin on the swivel head is a lot larger. and stronger. As i got into my early seventies I was loosing some muscle mass. To compensate that is one way I did it.

At eighty this summer I notice the loss of muscle mass continues. Yet I would not have minded owning one at twenty years old. I give you my word as an old goat that it was a good decision. Remember though an impact grade adapter from 3/4 down to 1/2 .

I still own and use the 1/2 inch power bar as well.

Welcome to 2022. Beam wrenches are not accurate and should have disappeared with the 70's.

Beam wrenches seem to be almost gone. Although far better than nothing. Guys my age still have some as that was all there was years ago. At first they replacements where very expensive as well. Still pricy for a really good one.

As my mind continues to fall to pieces. I was just thinking. To check if your torque wrench is still somewhat accurate. Mount the old beam type in a heavy vice. Up by the handle as the beam wrench operates by indicating the deflection of the shaft. Couple your click one to it head to head. The beam should clearly show the click torque. Or actually the inverse on the beam wrench as well. Although I do not think they can go out of calibration really. If the pointer is centered well still, Or if not you can add the correction to the situation.

It is early here this morning and I have not had a coffee yet. Cannot remember if a twelve point socket fits on a square head of the beam wrench. I suspect it will not at the moment. I will think of something as the brain thaws out though.

Access to a calibration checking device for click torque wrenches might be difficult for some. otherwise. .Getting your hands on a clicking socket with a fixed value could also be used. Typically used by tire shops today to install wheel lugs. Although I just refined it so you can do it with what you have or can easily get. Torque a wheel lug on with a beam torque wrench. To the tension the wheel stud or nut is required. Then using the same simple socket See if your click torque wrench clicks off at that set pressure as well. Or really close. I do not think I have read of this approach anywhere. Beats sending a click type torque wrench out for calibration checking.

Made in Taiwan or China. Might be a good ideal to check it right after buying anyways, Especially if it was really cheap. Cheap does not mean bad. At the same time they are not five hundred dollar snap on versions.

Have to love the wife. A coffee just appeared at the computoe desk. I better start drinking my coffee before this gets worse.

I am still stuck on the best item to couple the torque wrench to the old beam wrench. I think I have some odd ball sockets in the tool chests that are designed to couple to square items. May be eight point sockets. Many years ago there where square headed nuts as well as bolts. Just covering more basis as this is the less desirable approach and requires a large vice.

Printed torque figures can be wrong. If it looks like it is too much for the size of fastening. Double check with another source. I was doing a tractor once and asked the owner to find out the torque for the head bolts. He got the wrong information somewhere for me. I was just giving him a hand.

I though it was a little heavy but I did not work on tractors. Sure enough a head bolt broke on final torqueing. At least well above the deck height. I reused the new head gasket with real reservations. As I had torqued beyond the real final torque requirement on it . He just would not buy another head gasket and I had no liability as it was a favor for a neighbour. I made it clear in that case I did not like reusing the head gasket. Turned out he had no trouble after.

Since we are now deep into the information age, perhaps you could cite a credible source to support your claim that "Most torque wrenches are designed to work in only one direction."

For sure, the prevalence of the reversible ratcheting torque wrench and the dial-indicator wrench with mirror image scaling reasonably refute your claim, even in 2022. Furthermore, the ISO for torque wrench calibration requires that applicable torque wrenches be accurate in both directions.

A beam type might be OK because you can bend the needle back to zero after each use. Unless you can 'bend the needle back to zero,' on the newer styles you should use the tool as often as absolutely needed and no more.


It's not such a function of wearing the torque wrench out but using it often is going to require it to be more often calibrated. I'm suspect replacement parts are rare if available at all.



As for me, my torque wrenches are put away and are only taken out of their cases when I need one to measure torque.



Imo, the directions to loosen the adjustment to zero or near zero after each use indicates that misusing it when not needed will damage the tool.