Aldi Torque Wrench

[teecee]

Hi all

I just been doing my weekly trolley push with the chosen one in aldi and they have got a great stock of torque wrenches in today (£14;50)

in a box with an extention bar and three sockets

[JTcamer]

The reason I started shopping in Aldi was because of their tools, all the ones I have had have been great for the money.

[gravon42]

Agreed!

[Les Medes]

and you will not be disappointed with the Aldi torque wrench, a pal bought one last year, swears by it, me I have had a TW for many years not Aldi an ITC model, had it checked this year and is still accurate, but it cost mega bucks so the Aldi product should be good

 

Les

Edited October 16, 2014 by Les Medes

[lute]

I bought one from Lidl, and I find that; here, what one store has one week that within a few weeks the other has the same, I'm not sure if the makes are the same bot they have always looked similar. This week, over here, it's Lidl that have the TW.

 

But I do like both stores

Edited October 16, 2014 by lute

[gooney1971]

Yep, I have the same one. Bought it last year, very good had no problems.

[nme2no1]

Yep, I have the same one. Bought it last year, very good had no problems.

I've said this before as have others, how do you know it's very good?

 

It's a measuring device without a calibration certificate, how do you know it's tolerance? Baileys have had an issue of shedding wheels, people rushed out and bought torque wrenches on price NOT quality, without knowing it's accuracy it's neither real use nor ornament IMHO. Screwdrivers, spanners, battery drill yes, no problem they work but a torque wrench is very, very different.

[chrisbee]

I've said this before as have others, how do you know it's very good?

 

It's a measuring device without a calibration certificate, how do you know it's tolerance? Baileys have had an issue of shedding wheels, people rushed out and bought torque wrenches on price NOT quality, without knowing it's accuracy it's neither real use nor ornament IMHO. Screwdrivers, spanners, battery drill yes, no problem they work but a torque wrench is very, very different.

True, but it's better than nothing. How many people can afford a quality torque wrench and even then unless it's calibrated every 6 months there's no guarantee it's any more accurate than an Aldi one.

[gooney1971]

I've said this before as have others, how do you know it's very good?

 

It's a measuring device without a calibration certificate, how do you know it's tolerance? Baileys have had an issue of shedding wheels, people rushed out and bought torque wrenches on price NOT quality, without knowing it's accuracy it's neither real use nor ornament IMHO. Screwdrivers, spanners, battery drill yes, no problem they work but a torque wrench is very, very different.

. Alright then, it clicks twice on the wheel nut. On the correct torque setting. ... So I suppose it works ok. ..

[nme2no1]

True, but it's better than nothing. How many people can afford a quality torque wrench and even then unless it's calibrated every 6 months there's no guarantee it's any more accurate than an Aldi one.

I disagree, it's not better than nothing, it may lead you to think that the wheel bolts are correctly torqued but are they?

 

It's easy enough to test by hanging known weights from the handle with the square drive in a vice. There are threads around with alarming results of these cheap wrenches. It may give you peace of mind, for me it would be a great cause of concern, then again I use coppaslip on wheel nut and that's a whole different thread!

 

Please take care and make sure it's accurate to the best of your ability.

. Alright then, it clicks twice on the wheel nut. On the correct torque setting. ... So I suppose it works ok. ..

The whole point is that it's unlikely to be the correct torque, the unknown is by how far. ...... At £15 how good do you really think it's likely to be?

 

I'm not trying to wind anybody up here, it's something you may not have considered

[Paul_B]

The one I bought last year was ok when I got it checked at work, then found my snap-on a week later

[gooney1971]

I disagree, it's not better than nothing, it may lead you to think that the wheel bolts are correctly torqued but are they?

 

It's easy enough to test by hanging known weights from the handle with the square drive in a vice. There are threads around with alarming results of these cheap wrenches. It may give you peace of mind, for me it would be a great cause of concern, then again I use coppaslip on wheel nut and that's a whole different thread!

 

Please take care and make sure it's accurate to the best of your ability.

 

The whole point is that it's unlikely to be the correct torque, the unknown is by how far. ...... At £15 how good do you really think it's likely to be?

 

I'm not trying to wind anybody up here, it's something you may not have considered

. If its not expensive then it must be rubbish, the saying "you get what you pay for" a bit of topic but one just bought a outdoor revolution wind breaker from ebay £29:99 plus £4:95 pp. There was the exact same one next to it on the same page £49:99 plus £4:95 pp. Obviously I bought the cheapest one the difference was the more expensive one was a different company. It arrived today, very pleased I was too ?

[nme2no1]

. If its not expensive then it must be rubbish, the saying "you get what you pay for" a bit of topic but one just bought a outdoor revolution wind breaker from ebay £29:99 plus £4:95 pp. There was the exact same one next to it on the same page £49:99 plus £4:95 pp. Obviously I bought the cheapest one the difference was the more expensive one was a different company. It arrived today, very pleased I was too

No that's not what I'm saying at all BUT in this particular case there is some merit in that. A. Half decent torque wrench is probably £70 to £80, a really good one upwards of £200. They all turn a nut or bolt and indicate torque, the difference is in the accuracy. That's not to say that the more expensive will be more accurate but it will be more consistent for a longer period. I have several torque wrenches including a 45 year old Norbar wrench which is still accurate today and has never needed any adjustment. The very thing you a torque wrench for is to precisely tighten fixings, I fail to see the merit in buying something that is likely NOT to do it's intended job.

[nme2no1]

Just read a few reviews of this wrench, some say it's the best thing since sliced bread, others saying they wouldn't trust it, only one where the accuracy was checked and it was found to be spot on!

 

You pays yer money. ..........

[Les Medes]

I mentioned Torque Wrenches to a caravan Technical Expert, sorry no names as he is well known in the caravan Industry and he told me that the wheels should only be torqued when the rims are taken off the van, his view is that each time you use a torque wrench when it clicks it moves the nut a smidgeon resulting in overtightening with the possibilty that the Alloy centres could crack, a check with an ordinary wheel brace should be sufficient to check the nuts tightness.

 

Can someone who is conversant with Torque Wrenches make a comment on this, I am only reporting what he told me.

 

Les

[scotta1955]

I mentioned Torque Wrenches to a caravan Technical Expert, sorry no names as he is well known in the caravan Industry and he told me that the wheels should only be torqued when the rims are taken off the van, his view is that each time you use a torque wrench when it clicks it moves the nut a smidgeon resulting in overtightening with the possibilty that the Alloy centres could crack, a check with an ordinary wheel brace should be sufficient to check the nuts tightness.

 

Can someone who is conversant with Torque Wrenches make a comment on this, I am only reporting what he told me.

 

Les

 

He is completely right, there should be no need to torque studs any more that once. If studs are becoming loose, they need replaced. Also for those of you who do torque wheel studs, the use of any kind of lubricant including Coppaslip will result in you overtightening the studs significantly (if you torque to dry setting). Theres lots of info on this on the interweb, just look it up, wheel studs can't by some magic become loose. If that were the case we would be torquing all of the other studs and nuts which keep cars and vans together and we dont do that do we? Presumably wheels are removed annually at the service so there would never be any possibility of needing any anti seize precaution so whats the point of introducing the possibility of overtightening wheels by using Coppaslip?

[Scaramanga]

Always remember to wind the torque setting off and back to zero after use. That goes for any torque wrench

[rolywak]

I always thought that the idea, with a torque wrench, was to undo by a 1/4 turn and then re-torque.

But there again, I don't use one !

[chrisbee]

. The very thing you a torque wrench for is to precisely tighten fixings, I fail to see the merit in buying something that is likely NOT to do it's intended job.

I would think you probably have a better chance of the correct torque with an Aldi torque wrench than you would with the best torque wrench if copper slip is used on the studs.

Edited October 17, 2014 by chrisbee

[nme2no1]

I would think you probably have a better chance of the correct torque with an Aldi torque wrench than you would with the best torque wrench if copper slip is used on the studs.

That would depend entirely whether an allowance was made for the coppaslip or the aldi wrench and corrosion on the wheel fastenings. The fact that non of my wheels have ever come off speaks volumes compared to Bailey Unicorns with whatever they did

[Digger_07]

Time and time again with post on this forum we have the same old thing, someone finds a good buy or thinks it's a good buy and post it to share with everyone, and within a matter of a few posts the negativity kick in so many experts out there and they probably know what they are talking about but please why do you always have to condemn something just because it is cheap.

I am sure Aldi and others don't want to sell rubbish and do their research in to the product they buy.

Here is an example, my wife bought me a cordless drill many, many years ago from Woolworths (remember them) it cost about £20. 00 its not branded its Woolworths own, no doubt one of the first of many cheap imports from you know where. That drill is still being used today long after most of my branded ones have give up. £20. 00 for a drill when most was a £100 plus, not everything cheap is rubbish. More power to Aldi and the likes keeping the big boy in check.

[Paul_B]

I've found Aldi goodies to be ok, so good in fact that I've just bought a 250 bar pressure washer from them

[adora]

What a lot of folk don't seem to understand is that very often, some of the more expensive 'branded' goods available today are actually manufactured in the same factories as lesser known or unbranded goods. ...it's mostly to do with inspection/quality control and of course that all important brand label which very often demands the premium.

[Griff]

That would depend entirely whether an allowance was made for the coppaslip or the aldi wrench and corrosion on the wheel fastenings. The fact that non of my wheels have ever come off speaks volumes compared to Bailey Unicorns with whatever they did

What extra torque allowance would you make when applying 'COPASLIP' to nuts or studs?

 

A few years back I thought applying 'COPASLIP' to the studs of my boat trailer would be a good idea.

 

The studs were torqued to some higher advised setting and with in 1/2 mile of leaving home the boat trailer was on its side with one wheel rolling down the road.

 

Never felt confident with lubricating stud threads since then.

[Leedslad]

I'm a fan of Copaslip, but not on wheel nuts (or studs). I prefer to leave them dry and I clean them if they're not.

 

 

John.