Purchasing Tools Advice

[losh1971]

My advice is make sure it goes low enough. Mine is a Repco one and it wasn't quite enough in the range I needed for rocker bolts. I took a guess and it worked fine but a few less NM on the dial would have been ace.

 

[shane_3800]

My advice is make sure it goes low enough. Mine is a Repco one and it wasn't quite enough in the range I needed for rocker bolts. I took a guess and it worked fine but a few less NM on the dial would have been ace.

It's not ideal to use a torque wrench near the bottom or top of it's range. You can do it but the accuracy drops off to an extent the further you get to the edge of the scale.
The old deflection beam style suffer less from this.

 

[greenacc]

A 3/8 torque wrench is a good idea for manifolds and small accessories like water pumps if you are not confident working by feel. Kincrome and Toledo would be much the same if selling around the same price.
Most people buy the 1/2 inch version but they are only really good for suspension and wheel nuts as they are not very accurate for the low torque specs needed for smaller nuts and bolts.
And buy a decent size decent quality tool kit with both metric and AF sizes in both sockets and spanners. Even then you will still need more. You will regret being a tight ass and trying to work on the car with a 20 dollar throw away set.
Have a look at TTI, bahco, Repco ( the proper Repco brand not their cheapo sets) gear wrench, kincrome, sidcrome or some of the stanley sets in the yellow metal boxes. You can find them on sale sometimes.

 

[shane_3800]

A 3/8 torque wrench is a good idea for manifolds and small accessories like water pumps if you are not confident working by feel. Kincrome and Toledo would be much the same if selling around the same price.
Most people buy the 1/2 inch version but they are only really good for suspension and wheel nuts as they are not very accurate for the low torque specs needed for smaller nuts and bolts.
And buy a decent size decent quality tool kit with both metric and AF sizes in both sockets and spanners. Even then you will still need more. You will regret being a tight ass and trying to work on the car with a 20 dollar throw away set.
Have a look at TTI, bahco, Repco ( the proper Repco brand not their cheapo sets) gear wrench, kincrome, sidcrome or some of the stanley sets in the yellow metal boxes. You can find them on sale sometimes.

I would stay away from Stanley imo and his.

 

[commodorev6]

I have a feeling the fella asking the questions may not financially want to buy the expensive tools many of us would often not take a second glance at to drop such coin.
For $100 or so the Kincrome will do the job.

Exactly right. I'm on a tight budget. At the moment I'm going to use it to get the exact torque to tighten the bolts on the thermostat housing on a V6 Ecotec because I don't want to damage the gasket and Permatex silicon gasket maker blue that I will be applying. I'd be using it on rocker covers in the future. Thanks everyone for helping out and providing advice. It's very helpful. Since its being used in the engine bay the 3/8 is most suitable for my application and when more funds are available I'd look at purchasing a 1/2 size.

 

[Lex]

Exactly right. I'm on a tight budget. At the moment I'm going to use it to get the exact torque to tighten the bolts on the thermostat housing on a V6 Ecotec because I don't want to damage the gasket and Permatex silicon gasket maker blue that I will be applying. I'd be using it on rocker covers in the future. Thanks everyone for helping out and providing advice. It's very helpful. Since its being used in the engine bay the 3/8 is most suitable for my application and when more funds are available I'd look at purchasing a 1/2 size.

You sure the torque wrench will come down low enough?

 

[greenacc]

Agree the bottom end of stanley stuff is not a great choice. Something like this might be ok.

STANLEY® 1/2 in. Drive 12pt Socket Set Metric/Imperial, 43 pc. | STANLEY

The STANLEY® 1/2 in. Drive 12pt Socket Set Metric/Imperial, 43 pc. features a Quick-Release button for better use, as well as a high grade chrome vanadium steel finish for greater strength and ...

www.stanleytools.com.au

 

[shane_3800]

You sure the torque wrench will come down low enough?

Most don't. My snap-on digital 3/8 goes down to 8nm I only use it at 15nm which is f-ing tight for manifold bolts they'll be well into yield.

 

[commodorev6]

In the manual it says thermostat cover bolts between 20 to 34 Nm. The last time I re-installed the thermostat housing I used a standard 13mm socket with an extension bar connected to a ratchet (See photo).

 

[shane_3800]

Yea thats new spec torque. When they've been undone and done up multiple times with corrosion on the bolts the threads get weaker. So I only ever do those by feel.
Some times I even helicoil them.