O.K., I get it. A torque wrench has a drive that a socket attaches to. There are however, no nuts to turn on a modern bike. I image you can buy allen wrenches that attach to the drive, but what about all of those specialty bike wenches and spanners. How does a torque wrench work with those?

Socket type wrenches are also made for the splines used on BB cup bearings. Splined BB tool have a hex shape for an ordinary socket wrench.

http://www.parktool.com/products/category.asp?cat=25

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=25&item=BBT%2D19

You need bits for the wrench. A common one would have a bit that fits on the wrench. The bit then holds hex or t bits. See "Torque Wrench Bit Set" at http://www.pedros.com/products_tools.htm

also a crap no name torque wrench is worse than tightening your fastener by feel. If you have a bum inaccurate torque wrench that is suppose to click at a preset torque setting but never clicks the next thing you know you have a snapped fastener.

Either get a decent torque wrench right off the get go or don't bother. There is nothing worse than have non accurate, uncalibrated tools.

Socket type wrenches are also made for the splines used on BB cup bearings. Splined BB tool have a hex shape for an ordinary socket wrench.

Is that it?
I've never wrenched on my new (newer) bike.
I did everything on my old, very old bike and have a collection of cone and head set wrenches.

Is that it?
I've never wrenched on my new (newer) bike.
I did everything on my old, very old bike and have a collection of cone and head set wrenches.

You need a cassette lockring tool and some sort of BB tool to use with a 3/8 or 1/2 inch drive torque wrench.

If you don't trust you ability to tighten small bolts, you can get a 1/4 inch drive model for the small bolts.

As for the type of wrench, get a cheap beam type. They last forever and never need calibration. My Craftsman 1/2 drive is about 35 years old now.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tork-grip.html

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tork-grip.html

I might use that on my car, but not on my bike.

I wonder how many times Sheldon Brown gets mentioned in the forums.
I searched and only got 5 pages of results.
That seems low to me.

Is that it?
I've never wrenched on my new (newer) bike.
I did everything on my old, very old bike and have a collection of cone and head set wrenches.

All allen bolts, lock ring, and BB can be tightened with a torque wrench.

I've never seen a cone wrench that will work with a torque wrench, nor do you need a torque wrench to adjust hubs. Headset wrenches are no longer used - it's all done with allen wrenches (and again a torque wrench would not be used for this). Headsets and hubs (at least cup and cone hubs) are still adjusted by"feel."

Mr Bentwrench Torque Tips:

1) Keep the drive as close to the work as possible
2) Stay square and centered on your work
3) Avoid deepwells and extensions unless absolutely required.
4) Bring your work together in one, smooth, consistant final stroke.
5) When it clicks/reads, STOP!.
6) Don't double check... just to be sure.
7) When needing two hands, float your brace hand and keep your leverage in check.
8) Always store your click type on the "0" setting.
9) Deny you own any tools and if discovered, never loan them to anybody.

So what I gather is you need an allen wrench to use on a tourque wrench?
Sears has these isn verous lenths...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942606000P?vName=Tools&cName=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&sName=Sockets&sbf=Brand&sbv=Craftsman

Or this cheap set for 1/10th the price. Cheap but strong enough for our low torque apps. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=35183

...........................
I've never seen a cone wrench that will work with a torque wrench, .................

Well, you could use a 15mm "crow's foot" wrench (an open-end with a 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2" attachment), but why on earth would you wish to do such a thing to a bearing cone? You need to adjust those by feel (checking for binding or slop), then you need to re-check after it's been rode a bit. Blindly reading a torque wrench will result in ruined bearings in no time at all.

d keep your leverage in check.
9) Deny you own any tools and if discovered, never loan them to anybody.

I couldn't agree more. I can't even remember who I loaned my nice Park Tools chain breaker tool... sigh...

Caution with those Harbor Freight Torque ( HF ) wrenches . I recent purchased a 1/4 " ( in lbs ) model HF torque wrench . I started a torque sequence at low steps and the immediately noticed no click at a resistance where my experience indicated there should have been so stopped. . I tried it on a bolt in a vise and it never clicked ! - defective . I have looked around and have found out that HF has a lot of defective torque wrenches on the shelf . If you buy one test it first for the click . I understand that if you get one that clicks , they are reasoanbly accurrate .

i just started to build my cervelo p2c last nite and i decided to use my trusty torque wrench for the BB cups. i'm using campy UT system. the one thing i noticed, again- this isnt the first time, is that i can never get an accurate torque reading for the right side cup because it's reverse threaded and my torque wrench only reads while tighteneing int he standard clockwise rotation. any suggestions or comments? thanks.

A cheap beam type wrench doesn't have that limitation. A wrench that only works when turned clockwise? You're out of luck with left hand threads.

Campy now suggests using the specified loctite and very little torque as the preferred assembly method. Then you don't need the torque wrench.

So what I gather is you need an allen wrench to use on a tourque wrench?
Sears has these isn verous lenths...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942606000P?vName=Tools&cName=Hand+Tools%2C+General+Purpose&sName=Sockets&sbf=Brand&sbv=Craftsman

Those are going to be pretty useless on a bicycle. You'll need the metric equivalents. I don't think Sears sells those.

A cheap beam type wrench doesn't have that limitation. A wrench that only works when turned clockwise? You're out of luck with left hand threads.
Campy now suggests using the specified loctite and very little torque as the preferred assembly method. Then you don't need the torque wrench.

That's exactly what i did last nite (and in my previous installation of campy's UT BB)- i used blue (medium) loctite on the left hand thread BB (actually i used loctite on both BB cups) and used moderate torque.

i also use loctite on the main UT installation bolt and torqued it to specified torque.

I will be getting a " cheap beam type" today! thanks.

I got my metric hex heads at Sears when I bought a beam type wrench. I don't know if they sell the ball type like that but they do have metric hex heads that fit torque wrenches or ratchets.

A cheap beam type wrench doesn't have that limitation. A wrench that only works when turned clockwise? You're out of luck with left hand threads.
I don't use a torque wrench often but when I do it's a beam-type. I do not believe that click-type torque wrenches are accurate enough and they go out of calibration while beam-type torque wrenches don't need calibration nor do they need calibration.

I've used these:

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/VIM-SHM400.html

They work with all but the most recessed hex bolts (and of course they don't work with the new Campy, for that you need torx) and you can use them with a regular 1/4 inch torque wrench.

Having said that I tightened all my KCNC components to spec and they all worked loose. I've gone back to tightening by feel with much better results. IMHO torque wrench use should be reserved for automotive head bolts and the crank/piston assembly.

also a crap no name torque wrench is worse than tightening your fastener by feel. If you have a bum inaccurate torque wrench that is suppose to click at a preset torque setting but never clicks the next thing you know you have a snapped fastener.

Either get a decent torque wrench right off the get go or don't bother. There is nothing worse than have non accurate, uncalibrated tools.

I've worked in a manufacturing inspection lab before, and have calibrated torque wrenches as part of my job. The cheaper wrenches (like those from Harbor Freight) are almost always uncalibrated straight out of the box, but once calibrated, they are as accurate as any other torque wrench short of the really expensive ones (like Snap-on tools). Buy a $20 wrench, but calibrate it first.

How does the cassette lockring tool attach to the park torque wrench? The center hole is round on the FR-5.
http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=4&item=FR%2D5

How does the cassette lockring tool attach to the park torque wrench? The center hole is round on the FR-5.
http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=4&item=FR%2D5


The splined end mates with the cassette lock ring itself. The other end is a 24mm hex. You use a 24 mm socket that is installed onto your torque wrench.

http://www.parktool.com/images_inc/repair_help/fr52.jpg

Thanks. I've been using the Sheldon Brown method. Once the lockring ended up loosey goosey so I started going to real tight.

The splined end mates with the cassette lock ring itself. The other end is a 24mm hex. You use a 24 mm socket that is installed onto your torque wrench.

http://www.parktool.com/images_inc/repair_help/fr52.jpg

Some companies make one that goes straight into the socket.

http://www.ageebike.com/Tool.htm

I can't find the cassette tool itself for sale anywhere online, but you can see where the socket would insider inside the tool.

Pedros makes one with a 1/2" socket driver on the end. Good for people who don't have a large tool collection, because a 24mm socket is not cheap. Luckily my prior expensive hobby before road cycles and mountain bikes was restoring and racing cars so my Tool collection is huge

Personally I don't see the difference between the one with a pin and the one without. I just happened to buy the one with a pin since it was in stock at the local bike store.

What kind of 5mm hex bit do you use for Campy shifters? Where to get it?
Standard short hex bit from Sears has a wide base so I can not get to a screw with it.

What kind of 5mm hex bit do you use for Campy shifters? Where to get it?
Standard short hex bit from Sears has a wide base so I can not get to a screw with it.

Integrated shift/brake levers in my opinion should be installed the same way that mountain bike bar components are installed. The clamp bolt should be snug enough that it doesn't slide down the drops, but should be loose enough that allows for some rotation around the bar.

That way if you crash or drop the bike on the floor by accident the shift/brake levers will rotate around the bar rather than staying fixed and breaking something.

A cheap beam type wrench doesn't have that limitation. A wrench that only works when turned clockwise? You're out of luck with left hand threads.

Campy now suggests using the specified loctite and very little torque as the preferred assembly method. Then you don't need the torque wrench.

Gee-you must live in a cave. AFAIK, every torque wrench made in, oh, the last 1/2 century will work BOTH directions.

BTW, without calibrating, how do you KNOW that a beam-type wrench is accurate? I've calibrated torque wrenches, and I've found that cheapo beam wrenches are often not possible to calibrate, due to inaccurate scales. You can calibrate them to one specific value, but everywhere else, they are wrong.True, they never get worse than the pathetic state they start as, but that's not much help. If a beam wrench is 20% out of tolerance at the edge of the range from day one, what good is it?

One good thing about the beam type torque wrenches is they don't break. When I say they don't break I use that term loosely. With the beam type torque wrenches at least you don't rely on the "click". There are chances that the click on the click type wrenches breaks. Then you are left torquing and torquing until you realize you snapped the head off the fastener. With the beam type you can watch the deflection (torque increase) as you tighten your fastener.

Lastly, don't ever drop your torque wrenches on the floor.