Beam style versus click style torque wrench

[tool_enthusiast]

I'm curious to know what you guys think about beam style torque wrenches. I own both types of torque wrenches (i.e. beam and click) but I find I hardly ever use my beam wrench (if at all), so it would be nice to know when a beam wrench might be better suited than a click style.

Thanks.

 

[njride]

not sure, but my honda factory service manual specifies a beam type for tightening the headbolts on a 97 acura cl 2.2(same as accord). I currently only have craftsman clicktype torque wrenches.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

beam is nice for checking another torque wrench or checking rolling torque.

 

[Outlawmws]

I've also used the beam style to compare weld strength in home welding tests. You have to make an adapter to slot onto the test tab, but that is not difficult

 

[Mr.N]

I'm curious to know what you guys think about beam style torque wrenches. I own both types of torque wrenches (i.e. beam and click) but I find I hardly ever use my beam wrench (if at all), so it would be nice to know when a beam wrench might be better suited than a click style.

Thanks.

I've been told the click style will lose it's accucery over time. Most beam styles don't...
so use the beam to confirm the click and use the easier one.

 

[tool_enthusiast]

beam is nice for checking another torque wrench or checking rolling torque.

What do you mean by rolling torque? I've never heard the term before.

Thanks.

 

[tool_enthusiast]

I'm starting to think for lower torque applications (such as engine head bolts or valve covers), maybe the beam style is more accurate and safer from overtightening. For higher torque applications like lugnuts, I would imagine click types are better for those tasks.

As a few of you guys mentioned though, I suppose I can use my beam wrench to occasionally check against my clicker wrench to make sure my clicker wrench is calibrated. A good reason to keep my beam wrench around I guess!

 

[mkat1951]

When I was putting the clutch back together on my bike, some of the nuts were reverse thread. The MAC click style torque wrench I have dosn't work in reverse, but the beam style torque wrench I have works either way.

 

[coldfusion21]

What do you mean by rolling torque? I've never heard the term before.

Thanks.

Like drag from preloading a bearing. You use the torque wrench to gauge how hard it is to spin the assembly.

 

[luvit]

When I was putting the clutch back together on my bike, some of the nuts were reverse thread. The MAC click style torque wrench I have dosn't work in reverse, but the beam style torque wrench I have works either way.

my click style is 4% accurate on RH threads and 6% accurate on LH threads.. i thought that was weird.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I use click type mainly but I do have a small cornwell 3/8" beam that only goes to 150 in lb to check rolling torque on rear ends and final drive assemblies. The clicker is obviously more convenient, but the beam tells you where you are at while you torque.

 

[Simple Sam]

When I was a jet engine mechanic in the USAF, we only used click style as the beam style were not considered accurate enough. Our torque wrenches were calibrated on a regular (monthly?) basis. We had a variety of sizes and could use torque multipliers for real big jobs.

 

[dankicksass]

I use a deflecting-beam torque wrench for engine assembly, a split-beam flex head torque wrench for wheels and chassis, and I let my clickers sit around in their boxes.

 

[TK LP]

Clicker for lug nuts, beam type for pretty much everything else.

 

[kmacht]

When I was a jet engine mechanic in the USAF, we only used click style as the beam style were not considered accurate enough. Our torque wrenches were calibrated on a regular (monthly?) basis. We had a variety of sizes and could use torque multipliers for real big jobs.

That's strange. I'm an engineer on the assembly floor for a major jet engine manufacturer and we typically only allow the use of beam style wrenches. With testing we found clicker wrenches much less accurate than the beam. They are also much more sensitive to going out of calibration if dropped or overloaded. It is easy to see if a beam style wrench is out of whack since the pointer will no longer be at zero with no load. With a clicker wrench you can't see anything is wrong unless you test the wrench. You also run into problems with using crows feet or torque adapters on a clicker style wrench. You can't do the simple math by using the extended torque center with a clicker wrench like you can with a beam. You can use any adapter at 90 degrees and be fine but most of the time working at 90 degrees to the part isn't feasible.

Keith

 

[Outlawmws]

That's strange. I'm an engineer on the assembly floor for a major jet engine manufacturer and we typically only allow the use of beam style wrenches. With testing we found clicker wrenches much less accurate than the beam. SNIP

Keith

That's interesting. I would have thought the consistency of torquing the click stops (presumably) give would be more important than absolute accuracy.

I've always been of the opinion that a beam type is much harder to get consistent torque, especially as the torque values go up (Arm fatigue, not to mention the user can't always be right on top of the indicator "dial").

What is the logic behind the decision to use Beam TW at your company, and was bolt to bolt, user to user variances considered?

 

[Old Donn]

Got both, use the beam mostly. Calibration's a snap, if the arrow points to zero, it's calibrated.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I like clickers. There's something satisfying about using them and getting a nice "Click!" when you hit the right torque. I especially like my Norbars, they have a very pronounced action, my Snap-on one is a little more subtle.

 

[tool_enthusiast]

So would you all agree that for more delicate work (lower torque values required), maybe the beam style is better and when the torque value goes up (lugnuts for example), the clicker type might be better? I did find when I tried to torque my wheels with my beam wrench, I had a hard time watching the indicator while at the same time turning the wrench.

 

[Grazz256]

The beam style is more accurate because you are less prone to overtorquing. Think hauling on the wrench for all your worth, it clicks, did you stop hauling on it? With beam style you have to watch the indicator so you'll notice if you go over the torque requirement. At least thats my take on it.

 

[smallcarguy]

I like the beam style, I'm just old school about it I guess..

 

[WHT]

The beam style is more accurate because you are less prone to overtorquing. Think hauling on the wrench for all your worth, it clicks, did you stop hauling on it? With beam style you have to watch the indicator so you'll notice if you go over the torque requirement. At least thats my take on it.

A quality beam style (when used correctly) will be more accurate and more consistent.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Another similar thread for your reading pleasure.

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

When I was putting the clutch back together on my bike, some of the nuts were reverse thread. The MAC click style torque wrench I have doesn't work in reverse, but the beam style torque wrench I have works either way.

Get a clicker designed to use interchangeable heads such as the Sturtevant Richmont CCM series clickers. The wrench only torques one way, more accurate and easier to manufacture, less prone to problems, etc, and to torque left handed, you merely reverse the head.

I have three of the SR interchangeable head clickers of varying ranges, and three sizes of ratchet heads, so they fit almost anything.

The beam style is more accurate because you are less prone to over torquing. Think hauling on the wrench for all your worth, it clicks, did you stop hauling on it? With beam style you have to watch the indicator so you'll notice if you go over the torque requirement. At least that's my take on it.

#1 on this. I had the guy in our calibration room show me this on the calibration equipment. It was very easy to over torque with a clicker, all you had to do was pull completely thru the click till the tool becomes "solid" and you have just over torqued. You actually want to quit pulling after it breaks over and before you hit the internal stop at the end of the click.

For a quick idea of what Sturtevant Richmont thinks is most accurate and what is less so, follow the link to the descriptions of their various products. Typical deflecting beam types come in at 2%, even my cheap old 1970's Craftsman beam types were 2%. You pay alot of dough to get that in a clicker.

Charles

http://www.srtorque.com/Products/SystemsandTools/STindex.html