Yes, oil plug - large diameter bolt in thin soft aluminium. Similarity, spark plugs. Both can end your trip. Carrying helicoil inserts is a good idea. These are two excellent examples where a torque wrench is a good idea for a noob.

I'm not so sure that those that think their hands are calibrated to feel the right torque are nearly as accurate as they think. Most professional mechanics I know use torque wrenches on fasteners where consequences of getting it wrong is big.

You can easily make a torque wrench with a luggage weight and a spanner, but probably not something useful over 40NM.

I am one of those that hardly ever use a torque wrench, and we're I do, probably tighten too hard. I am however fairly good at using blue locktite. If I used a torque wrench more often, maybe my hands could become a bit more calibrated as well.

__________________
Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
My Youtube Channel

I once did a trial at a very big heavy vehicle manufacturer in the UK. They'd lost control of the slipper wrenches and air tools they had kicking about the place to the point stuff started falling off. As we'd supplied the components that fell off they blamed us.

The workers on the line were closer to the ideal torques using hand tools than the collection of uncalibrated tools and variable process (gun to 9 gazillion Nm, then prove its over 200Nm when the slipper wrench clicks ) . They also tended to go the right way, stretching a mounting bolt, having to tweak up a leaky air fitting, where as the wrenches were random of just wrong.

They invested a couple of million in blue toothed stuff after that.

Anything in the joint like Loctite or copper slip changes the torque setting, so the numbers in the manual are then no longer what the tool should be set to. By feel you tend to account for it.

25+ years in Automotive engineering and there are maybe half a dozen joints designed for service disassembly I can think of that needed a torque tool. The only one on a bike outside weird stuff is going to be the cylinder head. Drain plugs are tightened with one finger then tweaked until the drips stop. The idea that tighter is better is a known problem, its why BMW have part numbers for top hat inserts in their parts catalogue (also covers them when the manuals are wrong).

Andy

=
so I use it when tightening the chain
=


Why and how ?


Correct tension of a chain is when you can move it 25-35 mm up and down.
Torque wrench ??

The question was if you carry one.

Ye, I have more than one in the garage.
Mainly for cylinder heads.To get it even and tight.

But I do not often lift the cylinder head when I am out driving....

Any thoughts about the chain tension, (another source of wear as over anxious owners endlessly fiddle to achieve some nirvana of laser plumb bob set 25.174mm), are certainly misplaced.

The torque on the axle nut is usually only to make sure its seated, not hung up on the nyloc and yet discourage garage gorillas from using the windy gun.

Andy

Chain tension is measured on 99% of motorcycles on the side stand. And the amount of free-play does change dramatically depending on the bike. The free-play is taken up when you sit on the bike. It's not meant to be sloppy when the bike is weighted nor is it meant to be drum-tight. Your chain gets slacker and looser depending on how much you compress your suspension.

And you should find the tight spot when doing this on a worn chain as they do wear unevenly.

Unless you're riding an old classic, every spindle has a locking nut or locking device on their spindles. It's actually an MOT fail if they don't.

It's pretty much impossible to over-tighten your spindle unless you're a brute using a breaker-bar.


Rattle guns don't belong near any bike when re-fitting anything.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

This does rather seem to be an odd question.
Personally, I have never heard of anyone travelling with a torque wrench and sockets, and would never do so myself.
I have some very fine quality torque wrenches in my workshop, which, when at home, I use for axle nuts, axle pinch bolts, caliper mounts, etc.
When I'm travelling, I make do with simple tools that are easily transportable.
I also have a centre lathe, a pillar drill, an air compressor and a range of air tools, all of which I am happy to travel without.

__________________
Hear the challenge, learn the lesson, pay the cost.

There are no such things as odd questions on the HUBB.

Only a plethora of odd answers

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

One of the things that inspired the question in the first place was looking at pictures of adventure riders’s toolkits and seeing torque wrenches, and then thinking that just maybe they are the ones that got it right.

I think the greatest cons against bringing one are:

• size
• weight
• cost

If I could find something small, lightweight and inexpensive with an inaccuracy of less than 10% (less than 5% is pro territory) - why would I not bring one?

As for the arguments that it won't hold up on a bumpy and vibrating ride - I would take my chances, like I do with fine electronics and camera optics, whiskey and my favorite crackers.

__________________
Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
My Youtube Channel

The difference being. You can tell when you're Camera is broken, your whisky is spilled and your crackers are now crumbs.

You will only find out you've damaged your torque wrench when something goes "Ping"

However, you're probably right. An anologue Torque wrench will probably be fine. It's all these new fancy digital ones which are rather fragile.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I am no mechanic ,but do all my basic servicing myself , and never used a torque wrench in my life .
If a nut is hard to undue you need to tighten it hard
If a nut comes undone easy , dont tighten too much ! easy !!

That might be true, but if you otherwise relied on your hands being calibrated, wouldn't your hands let you know if things were seriously wrong with your torque wrench? And, every now and then you could check it's calibration with some simple math and another torque wrench or a luggage weight - even a measured container of water tied to the end of the handle for measured force.

I never knew of these digital torque adapters until recently. Here are a few examples: https://torquewrenchcenter.com/best-...orque-adapter/

I'm undecided. It is just a thought. Like others, I have done well without. I am yet to snap a bolt or strip threads on any bike. The only fasteners lost have not been put there by me. I don't consider myself good, just lucky. No chance in hell that I with any level of certainty can say I am within a few percent of recommended torque, not even close

__________________
Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
My Youtube Channel

I have worked in a fitting shop with skilled people whose idea of the correct torque for any given size fastener varied between little more than finger tight to almost thread stripping tight, a table of standard torque settings and a couple of company torque wrenches helped sort that out, they have their place.

I think you're going to have to come to your own conclusion as to whether it's sensible to take a torque wrench with you. The jury of your peers seem to be of the (majority) opinion that it's not necessary but what do they know. If it puts your mind at ease take it and leave one of the bottles of whisky behind to save the weight, although given a torque wrench is of little use without a suitable selection of sockets, it might need to be two bottles.

If you do take it I don't doubt you'll find a use for it (even if it's to ward off wild animals) as hammers tend to find their own nails. Maybe I've been lucky in not taking one but there's been many other tools I've wished I had with me more than a torque wrench. I suppose it might make a difference in the margins but where do you call a halt to doing / taking stuff 'just in case'. We refilled our car's cooling system with holy water when we visited Lourdes some years ago on the basis it might help. It doesn't seem to have - it's just as unreliable as ever.

Unless you're planning to cross Antarctica by bike I can't believe you won't be within easy reach of someone with any tool you're likely to need. People break down all over the planet. On a trip we did many (many) years ago we lacked the means to undo the fork top nut - we borrowed this from a shipyard :

I carry the torque wrench inside the kitchen sink.







































... at home

__________________
Alaska 2014: Hotel Budget ZeroXmas in Death Valley, New Year in Urique