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Unpopular opinion: a $15 torque wrench from Harbor Freight is better than guessing with a regular Allen key
I used to think 'feel' was good enough for stem bolts, but after seeing a cracked carbon steerer from over-tightening, I bought the cheap wrench. It's not fancy, but it clicks at 5 Nm exactly. Do you guys actually use torque specs or just go by hand?
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troy_gibson436d ago
My 5 Nm wrench from them actually saved my Thompson stem last week... I was torquing a seatpost bolt on a carbon frame and it clicked right at 6 Nm instead of the spec'd 5. @robin658 I get that experience counts, but the carbon stuff is so unforgiving these days... like a 2mm difference on a handlebar clamp bolt can crack it if you're off by just a bit. The cheap wrench is basically insurance for $15.
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murray.betty22d ago
Used to be a firm believer in the "wrist feel" method myself. Seeing a photo of a snapped carbon fork online was a real wake up call. That Harbor Freight wrench is a total game changer for peace of mind. It costs less than a pizza and saves you from a very expensive mistake. Torque specs exist for a reason, especially with modern lightweight parts. I won't touch a stem or seatpost bolt without one now.
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