|
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
09-20-2017, 03:59 PM | #1 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 10228
Join Date: Sep 2001
Vehicle:2002 Subaru WRX |
Torque sticks - *Mind blown*
I've wrenched on cars for near 20yrs as a shadetree mechanic. I've spent years during highschool working at a garage, pumping gas, and doing tasks the mechanic thought was below him. battery checks/charges, tire plugs, gapping plugs, cleaning his messes etc. Done a number of install days, hung around suby shops when I cared about that kind of *****.
Because of nasioc, it's been engrained in my head to use a torque wrench on damn near everything, or my subaru's of past would die a fiery death. Then I stumble upon the mighty torque stick. Holy moly I'm blown away at this simple contraption. Where have you been all my life? Why have I never seen this used in a commercial shop to torque wheels (I'm looking at you discount tire and other tire shops I've watched in the past) Never hear the term of a "torque stick," either. Call me impressed!
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
|
09-20-2017, 04:16 PM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 265783
Join Date: Dec 2010
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: the fern behind the porn couch
Vehicle:2017 Forester XT Niner ROS 9 |
holy ****, just looked them up. utterly BRILLIANT! never heard of these either.
|
09-20-2017, 04:21 PM | #3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 468117
Join Date: May 2017
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: Southern Cali
Vehicle:2017 WRX DMG |
oh wow cool, never heard of them but quick search, it's a coil that just asorbs the extra torque when it reaches it limits, works only with an impact gun
|
09-20-2017, 04:50 PM | #4 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 10228
Join Date: Sep 2001
Vehicle:2002 Subaru WRX |
Quote:
Typically after each use, I set my torque wrench to it's softest setting. Then store it. So when I need to use it, I'm twisting it 10+ times to get to desired value, grabbing an extension, then the socket. It's not much really, 30sec? Then when done, loosen it back to softest setting, and store. But just grabbing the 100ftlb stick and I'm done, while I already have the impact gun out. |
|
10-02-2017, 12:54 PM | #5 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 52662
Join Date: Jan 2004
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: frederick, maryland
Vehicle:2009 WRX. 06 Baja 17 Crosstrek 85 brat |
I don't trust torque sticks. I have had wheels nearly fall off from shops using sticks instead of a torque wrench. it seems that they wear out and lose tension through use. not sure if they have improved the design any over the years, but I still prefer a torque wrench.
|
10-02-2017, 04:04 PM | #6 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 428511
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: philadelphia
Vehicle:2016 STI |
Quote:
|
|
10-02-2017, 04:35 PM | #7 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 467602
Join Date: May 2017
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Indiana
Vehicle:2002 WRX Wagon |
I have used torque sticks for years with no problems. They supposedly wear out after about 6 months of daily use so we always replaced the ones we used the most. Those of you who have problems getting your wheels off after a shop worked on it, the shop either zipped them on without torquing or used the wrong torque spec.
But that being said there are of course shady shops everywhere. Misusing tools does not make the tools themselves bad. |
10-02-2017, 09:08 PM | #8 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 33782
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Vehicle:96 3MI Racing search FIRST, then PM!!! |
I have them and never trust them, mostly because it's still affected by the number of 'dugga duggas'.
|
10-03-2017, 12:32 PM | #9 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 103232
Join Date: Dec 2005
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: GTX3576R 05GD, GTX3076R'd FXT
Vehicle:GTX 3071R'd 11WRX PPG,4.44,LSD,E85,6spdx3 |
Is this thread a joke?
|
10-03-2017, 01:00 PM | #10 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 350689
Join Date: Mar 2013
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Foxboro, MA
Vehicle:05 STi CGM |
i dont trust torque sticks either. i hit it with an airgun and make sure its tight. all big bolts are gunned, and all small bolts are torqued. have over 1000 dollars in TQ wrenches and utilize them to the fullest.
|
10-05-2017, 10:08 PM | #11 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 467602
Join Date: May 2017
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Indiana
Vehicle:2002 WRX Wagon |
|
10-06-2017, 07:37 PM | #12 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 27261
Join Date: Oct 2002
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Wa
Vehicle:1999 I'm Ron Burgundy? |
Quote:
They wear out and unless you have bought a very nice set (snap on, match, cornwell etc...) they wear out quite quick. If you drop them they also wear out. They really aren't a good investment. buy a nice high quality torque wrench and have it checked once a year for correct specs. You will save money in the long run. |
|
10-07-2017, 11:04 PM | #13 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 453872
Join Date: Sep 2016
Vehicle:2005 wrx wagon 48w |
its just a torsion spring. if you have a stronger impact, it will rotate more each hit and torque the nut more even with a torque stick. if you use a torque stick with a breaker bar you can still tighten things as much as you want until the stick breaks or something strips. the stick will just twist more as you tighten it. there is no toque limiting.
|
10-08-2017, 04:52 PM | #14 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 141952
Join Date: Feb 2007
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: milwaukee'ish
Vehicle:2023 M340i |
|
10-09-2017, 10:38 AM | #15 |
Former Vendor
Member#: 93646
Join Date: Aug 2005
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Vehicle:Many Track Records Let us help you go fast! |
Should you choose to use them... (I know guys who swear by them, and then guys ((me)) that do not trust them) never ever ever ever ever use them to loosen something.
|
10-09-2017, 02:53 PM | #16 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 103232
Join Date: Dec 2005
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: GTX3576R 05GD, GTX3076R'd FXT
Vehicle:GTX 3071R'd 11WRX PPG,4.44,LSD,E85,6spdx3 |
Quote:
Just like a crap set of entry level coilovers. They arent properly valved to match x or y set of springs. VS a well thought out suspension. |
|
10-10-2017, 10:07 PM | #17 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 118334
Join Date: Jun 2006
Chapter/Region:
SWIC
Location: IT'SOKIFYOUDON'TGETIT!
Vehicle:2006 Red GDA-F 2005 Aspen White GDA-E |
Torque wrench > torque stick
|
10-20-2017, 11:48 AM | #18 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 474472
Join Date: Sep 2017
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Northern IN
Vehicle:2000 Impreza RS |
Ive worked in a few different dealerships, holding a few different positions, including as a technician. I used torque sticks in the past, and they are indeed fast and handy. I didnt trust them though. We have had instances of wheels falling of after the use of them, usually due to the wheel being cocked on the hub and then getting torqued down crooked. Once the tire straightened on the ground the nuts/bolts became loose.
As a technician, it took me a MAX of 1 minute to hand torque all wheels and confirm I wasn't liable for a wheel flying off on the highway. If you cant spare a minute to make sure you did your work correctly, you should be working on the vehicle. |
10-20-2017, 05:28 PM | #19 | |
NASIOC Supporter
Member#: 30669
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: USA, North NJ, 07456
Vehicle:1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper BK, 5MT |
Quote:
Shudder...... Shop I work in PT has "torque sticks", to me, they are extensions (about eight inches long with different colors). The described sticks are torque limiting devices, a coil spring. If you behave yourself, dial the wrench down, and pay attention, a beam torque wrench or click wrench is the proper way. Do I torque all my lugnuts? No. Do I have a feel with a 18" breaker bar? Yes. Have I had lugnuts come loose with my method? Not as of today. Go search under my user name, look for "nuts and bolts" in the title, one thread gives some more info...... |
|
10-21-2017, 10:44 PM | #20 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 416107
Join Date: Mar 2015
Chapter/Region:
International
Location: Ontario, Canada
Vehicle:2002 WRX Wagon EJ207 Spec C 4EAT |
how many ugga ugga's do you tighten your wheels with?
|
12-25-2017, 10:32 AM | #21 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 479506
Join Date: Dec 2017
|
our local tire shop uses a torque stick and I found the actual torque on the lugnuts could vary by 50-60 ft lbs. Now I drop off the wheels and reinstall them myself.
|
12-27-2017, 07:37 PM | #22 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 459287
Join Date: Dec 2016
Chapter/Region:
VIC
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Vehicle:1998 JDM Impreza STi V4 GF8 White |
Always so much to learn
Damn, now I'm confused. I thought the correct unit of measure was "dugga duggas".
Perhaps one or the other is metric? |
12-27-2017, 07:50 PM | #23 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 286686
Join Date: Jun 2011
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: northern california
Vehicle:2003 WRX EJ207 VF36 White |
Torque sticks are great as a pre tighten, but you should always torque lugs with a wrench for your own confidence imho. I’m sure it’s fine for Jonny tire jack.
Now that 3/8 electric impacts can easily remove lug nuts, my stick (snap on) lives in my box- because the electric impact can also baby nudge a lug back on just right. Hence, my 1/2 air impact also lives in the box, dusty. I also hate twisting a wrench, so I use a snap on that doesn’t need to be unwound. You can buy them off eBay for about 150, but I’d have it calibrated. They’re 425ish new iirc. I checked it’s calibration against my 3/8 (snap on) digital and found it to be excellent enough for heavy loads. Constantly torquing lugs is too much to ask on the digital. Between the convenience of the 3/8 electric and the confidence of the old school snap on wrench I feel like that’s the way to go, and my two cents. |
12-27-2017, 08:17 PM | #24 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 471388
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Omaha/Council bluffs
Vehicle:2017 WRX black |
Torgue sticks are a tool, they have a right Time, wrong time use. if you lean where "your sticks and impact gun run" then you can save time changing wheels/tires on your car. A shop using them if they see fit,will need to replace offen, most shops will lean on the safe side, over the sorry side of things as most drivers will not drive there car hard enough to warp the rotors if the lug nuts are over tightned but will sue if the wheels come off. if you want true specs a well calibrated torque wrench will not be beaten.
|
12-28-2017, 11:50 AM | #25 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 428511
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: philadelphia
Vehicle:2016 STI |
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|