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Old 09-20-2017, 03:59 PM   #1
mitch808
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Default 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!
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:16 PM   #2
isotopesope
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holy ****, just looked them up. utterly BRILLIANT! never heard of these either.
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:21 PM   #3
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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
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:50 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by anarekist View Post
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
Yeah, exactly. But that's fine. It in a way would make me more efficient. I wouldn't have to blast with the gun and then torque seperately.

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.
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Old 10-02-2017, 12:54 PM   #5
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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.
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Old 10-02-2017, 04:04 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by subyrally View Post
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.
the only problem I've ever had after having my car at a shop is breaking my tools trying to remove lugs put on with 850 ft-lbs of torque
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Old 10-02-2017, 04:35 PM   #7
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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.
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Old 10-02-2017, 09:08 PM   #8
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I have them and never trust them, mostly because it's still affected by the number of 'dugga duggas'.
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Old 10-03-2017, 12:32 PM   #9
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Is this thread a joke?
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Old 10-03-2017, 01:00 PM   #10
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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.
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Old 10-05-2017, 10:08 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Homemade WRX View Post
I have them and never trust them, mostly because it's still affected by the number of 'dugga duggas'.
This is not scientific proof. They are designed to only flex a certain amount with the impact, you can't over torque them.
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Old 10-06-2017, 07:37 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ds02 View Post
This is not scientific proof. They are designed to only flex a certain amount with the impact, you can't over torque them.
Well you can overtorque with them. once they lose their metal memory you dont know what value you are torquing to.
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.
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Old 10-07-2017, 11:04 PM   #13
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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.
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Old 10-08-2017, 04:52 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ds02 View Post
This is not scientific proof. They are designed to only flex a certain amount with the impact, you can't over torque them.
wanna bet? ill gladly snap a stud off of your car with a torque stick if you want.
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Old 10-09-2017, 10:38 AM   #15
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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.
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Old 10-09-2017, 02:53 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by n2oiroc View Post
wanna bet? ill gladly snap a stud off of your car with a torque stick if you want.
Exactly, to actually work correctly as claimed. It would have to be a whole kit including a specific impact gun. Or the stick kits had different model kit and I engineered to use with one specific gun. Air pressure setting, sor each tuuka will only rotate a certain amount of degrees. I still would never touch a set though haha

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.
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Old 10-10-2017, 10:07 PM   #17
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Torque wrench > torque stick
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Old 10-20-2017, 11:48 AM   #18
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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.
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Old 10-20-2017, 05:28 PM   #19
Charlie-III
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kos View Post
Torque wrench > torque stick
Quote:
Originally Posted by DEANORS View Post
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.
OK, time for me to weigh in.......
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......
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Old 10-21-2017, 10:44 PM   #20
Titter
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how many ugga ugga's do you tighten your wheels with?
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Old 12-25-2017, 10:32 AM   #21
gjr
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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.
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Old 12-27-2017, 07:37 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Titter View Post

how many ugga ugga's do you tighten your wheels with?
Damn, now I'm confused. I thought the correct unit of measure was "dugga duggas".

Quote:
Originally Posted by Homemade WRX View Post

I have them and never trust them, mostly because it's still affected by the number of 'dugga duggas'.
Perhaps one or the other is metric?
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Old 12-27-2017, 07:50 PM   #23
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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.
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Old 12-27-2017, 08:17 PM   #24
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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.
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Old 12-28-2017, 11:50 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MidnightS2000 View Post
most drivers will not drive there car hard enough to warp the rotors if the lug nuts are over tightned
huh?
how is that going to warp a rotor?
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