6 Types of Torque Wrenches and Their Uses

If you have a bicycle, a motorbike/dirt bike, a car, an ATV and so on, you must see the need to use a torque wrench every now and then. You must invest in a torque wrench set, even if you are a hobbyist user. When you look for one online, you will find so many brands. You will also realize that they come in different types. Just what are these types of torque wrenches and what are they used for? Keep reading to find out.

Electronic Torque Wrench

Also called digital torque wrench, this one is easy to use. It has an LED display screen for torque value. It also has buttons on the body for increasing or decreasing the torque. This alone makes it the easiest to use torque wrench even for beginners.
When you have achieved the torque value that you wanted, the wrench gives off an audible beep. It will also vibrate to alert you so that you can stop tightening your fastener any further. It is a very accurate torque wrench, but on the flip side, you are going to have to pay more than you would for the manual, or mechanical torque wrenches.

These wrenches are also designed with a memory chip that stores the settings of your previous uses. That way, if you work on your RV wheel lugs with the wrench, you do not have to keep resetting the torque values. Just as with the mechanical wrenches, electronic ones also have limits for torque. Thus, for bigger fasteners, you should get one with high torque value and vice versa. Find My Top 4 Torque Wrenches Here

Click Torque Wrench

The click torque wrench has a clutch mechanism that allows you to set the torque value that you want to apply on your fasteners. Its design is similar to that of the socket wrench, but it has some advanced features.
Unlike the electronic torque wrench that vibrates and beeps when the desired torque level has been attained, the click wrench slips and gives a clicking sound. Slipping, in this case, is similar to shutting off so that you do not over-torque your fasteners.

The scale is indented onto the body of the wrench making it easy to read even while tightening your fasteners. Engraved markings last a long time. It may appear basic in design, but this torque wrench is accurate. It is easy to use and very effective for tightening the lug nuts of your truck, RV, car or even the tension parts of your bike. Click torque wrenches can be used on bicycles, even on carbon fiber bicycles. You can read more about the top quality bicycle bike torque wrench on Torque Wrench Center. 

Beam Torque Wrench

This torque wrench is basic in design, but do not let that fool you because it is very effective at tightening fasteners to the right torque. The design incorporates three parts only. It has the head and the handle. However, in the middle is the lever arm, which is flexible. It flexes when you apply torque.
It has two beams. The first beam is the loading lever that applies the torque when you are tightening a fastener. It is attached to the handle and the head of the wrench. It deflects proportionately to the force applied.

The other beam is attached to the wrench head. It is the indicator beam and it has a free end that moves over a scale, which represents units of torque. If the beam torque wrench is calibrated correctly, when you start applying the torque, the beam indicator will move parallel to the lever beam, showing you the torque value reached at any given moment.

Developed back in the 1920s, this is one of the oldest wrenches in the trade. It is a wonder how its design has stayed so simplistic over time. However, it has some advanced features. One of them being is that some beam wrenches come with a dial gauge on the body for easier indication of the torque values. You may use this wrench on your car’s, truck’s or RV wheel lugs. Find My 4 Top Torque Wrench Picks Here

Plumber's Wrench (No-Hub)

The no-hub couplings plumbing torque wrench is very popular. Plumbers and other utility workers need a reliable wrench that they can use for tightening sinks, back nuts, toilets and other plumbing fixtures.
Because your reach to the back nuts is complicated enough in plumbing jobs, the wrench is easy to use. Most of these wrenches designed to be used single-handedly. You can tighten in the clockwise direction until you get the set torque value.

The handle is T-shaped to give an easier reach into the tight spaces. When you reach the maximum torque value, the ratchet is going to slip so that you do not over-torque. The pre-calibrated torque is just enough for tightening the couplings for the soil pipes, but it cannot cause damage.
All of the mechanisms of this torque wrench are locked into the handle. They will stay uninterrupted for a lifetime. Check that the T-handle is die-cast in design for durability. This type of wrench is quite accurate too, mostly having an accuracy rating of +/-3 percent. In some of the no-hub plumber’s wrenches, the ratcheting mechanism should be easy to disengage and lock it in for reversible action.

Hydraulic Torque Wrench

Some tension parts in automobiles require more force and that is why you may need a hydraulic torque wrench. Usually, these types of wrenches are good for fasteners that need high torque application. You just need to lubricate the bolt that you are fastening and the hydraulic wrench is going to tighten it all the way by the head

.You can find this tool in a hobbyist workshop because it is mostly used in industrial settings. It is popular on oilrigs, heavy pipe work and the general construction industry. It has a hose and the attachments for tightening and loosening fasteners.

Deflecting Beam Wrench

It works on almost the same principle as the beam torque wrench that we discussed in the preceding sections. However, instead of using a coil spring, it uses a deflecting beam, which ensures the accuracy of the torque wrench throughout its useful lifespan.
It comes with two beams, both connected to the head of the wrench. The beam that carries the load will deflect when you start applying the torque. The indicator beam stays the same. When you attain the set torque, you will hear a click. It also has an indicator to show when you attain the set torque so you can stop tightening. check out our guide drills vs impact vs hammer

Deflecting beam wrenches use a dual signal tripping mechanism to read the torque. It is more accurate than the regular beam wrench. You can use it for a wide range of applications, including tightening parts on your car engine and carbon fiber bicycles.

Conclusion

Apart from the hydraulic torque wrenches, all of the other types that we have looked at here can be used for professional and hobbyist jobs. Thus, you can buy any for your bike, car, truck, ATV, lawn mower and other small machines that you use at home. If this will be your first wrench, the learning curve depends on the type that you buy.