How To Fix A Torque Wrench
Your tools are your business, and if they are down, so are you! So, whenever your tool got broken or went out of order, you must hurry to get it fixed. Do you know how to fix a torque wrench?
Depending on how severe the damage is, you can repair the torque wrench at home. Reassemble your wrench; clean it to remove debris, oil, or grease, and look for severe damage. Then, assemble again, and don’t forget to calibrate your tool. That’s it. It is perfectly alright and ready to use!
Repairing the tool at home is pretty straightforward and economical. And, one knows the right way to do so; it will be beneficial in the long run. Today, we will discuss the right and easiest way to fix your torque wrench, so keep reading!
How To Fix A Torque Wrench?
The tool provides a specific torque to the nuts and bolts. If you are not using the right and accurate torque wrench, the whole process could be thrown off. When you feel your device is off or have some issues, then fix torque wrench by using these techniques:
1. Re-calibrate
Although torque wrenches are precision tools, they also get out of calibration with time. So, it is better to check torque wrench calibration periodically. You can quickly re-calibrate your wrench to bend until the pointer is back to the center. It would help to make your wrench more accurate.
2. Reassemble
To fix torque wrench, reassembling the torque wrench is a trick to make the wrench more precise. You should disassemble torque wrench parts and assemble them correctly with proper calibration errors. Perform this trick to fix your wrench only if you have enough knowledge about parts of a torque wrench.
3. Clean the wrench
If you are using your wrench at places that require oil or other lubricants, it can also affect your tool performance. So, it is essential to wipe the tool properly to avoid the oil getting inside a torque wrench. Proper maintenance and cleaning can keep it accurate and prevent any corrosion.
4. Checkout for breaks and cracks
The torque wrench is usually made up of metal that can break and has cracks sometimes. Therefore, keep checking any physical damage to the wrench. If you found any sign and repair is not fixable, replacing is safe.
Is My Torque Wrench Repairable?
Yes, if there is no severe damage, you can repair your torque wrench. But make sure to keep your torque wrench out of service until you are done with the repair.
Your Torque Wrench Would Be Repairable If:
· Directional Switch Is Broken
When you misuse the switch or apply greater force, it causes a broken directional switch. The torque wrench is also repairable if the directional button is broken. You need to rotate your wrench in a clockwise direction for precise tightness and anticlockwise to lose the screws.
If you turn the wrench in the opposite direction, it can damage the switch. You can replace the directional control for better performance next time.
· Torque Wrench Head Setting Pin Is Gone
The setting pin usually disappears when the torque wrench is dropped. If the replacement parts are available, a professional can easily replace the plugs settings.
· Issues in reading the torque
It is best to reset the torque wrench after every use because it is essential for an accurate reading. If you found an issue regarding the accuracy, keep resetting your wrench at zero after every use. It will help place the spring in proper shape, and there will be no issues in readings.
· Square Drive Is Twisted
If a square drive is twisted, it can lead the negative measurements. A Square drive is essential for proper tightness of the nuts and bolts. If you feel any issue in movement, replacing the drive is always the best option.
· Water issues
Torque wrenches are not waterproof tools; some parts show errors when they contact water. Torque wrench care is a highly recommended tool for its accuracy and performance. But sometimes, accidentally, if the torque wrench slips and come in contact with water, it would be better to dry it immediately.
For every wrench user, it is essential to know how to store a torque wrench. And, remember that using water to clean the wrench before and after every use is not a good idea. Suppose the water gets inside the calibrator and ratcheting components. In that case, these parts will lose the frictions and affect the spring’s stability.
· Missing click
Suppose the torque wrench is not working correctly with some issues around the mechanism. In that case, it will not help you measure the correct amount of torque. You will not adjust the wrench with a broken socket and give the wrong output. But, it is somehow repairable by scraping off the rust and giving it rust, preventing coating from maintaining the tool’s performance afterward.
Suppose you are working with a click-type torque wrench and want to know how to check torque wrench calibration! When the required torque is obtained, you can feel a click, which means the wrench is appropriately calibrated. If it misses a click for some reason, it’s an alert to re-calibrate the wrench.
· Broken drive head
Sometimes, the torque wrench head gets disfigured, so the broken drive head is repaired. Replace the drive head and maintain the accuracy and functionality of the wrench again.
· Free-Wheeling
It helps to spin the square drive freely, without any resistance. Free-wheeling is affected by some reasons like a drop. An expert can repair this free-wheeling, and you can easily use a fixed torque wrench.
· If Torque Setting Rod Protrudes Over the End Of The Handle
Sometimes, the inner rod of the wrench’s handle protrudes past the end of the handle. It usually happens because of improperly assembled torque wrenches when users fix problems independently. Self-replacements sometimes cause significant issues, and it is better to ask a professional for help.
How To Prevent Your Torque Wrench From Going Out Of Services?
Quality torque wrenches are built to last a little longer. If you are using a properly maintained wrench with proper care, it will minimize the unplanned downtime. All the instructions and advice are mentioned in the product manual; you must check the guide for proper usage.
The guide includes everything about the product like calibration interval, adjustments schedule, preventive measures, and catalogs. These guidelines are helpful to repair the tool or even if you are using the torque wrench for the first time.
Although damage or faults are very unpredictable, therefore, you should keep a close eye on tools handling and daily inspection. Suppose there is any inaccuracy in torque or damage like chips, gauges, or cracks. In that case, tools should be kept out of service and sent to any professional for assistance.
Use the proper preventive measures and adjustment schedule and handle the wrench with great care; it will minimize the risk of any damage. Sometimes tools fall out of calibration naturally over time then it’s better to replace the tool to prevent downtime.
When Should I Replace My Torque Wrench?
Torque wrenches require proper care and maintenance; they are repairable if there is no severe damage. But if you don’t find it repairable, replace your wrench because accuracy can never be compromised.
It would be best if you replace or got a new torque wrench when:
· Square Drive Is Broken
The most common failure of the square drive factor is improper use of the torque wrench. Square drive is essential to measure the torque accurately. When it is not working correctly or broken, it is better to replace the torque wrench.
· If The Torque Wrench Is Not Accurate
Torque wrench accuracy is the main factor you are using the wrench. If accuracy is being compromised for some reason, you have to replace the tool immediately. Because we use the torque wrench to provide the accurate toque value, otherwise we can face some severe problems.
So, it is better to replace the tool when the accuracy is being compromised. The torque wrench does not work/perform well.
· If The Torque Wrench Barrel Is Bent
If the wrench barrel is severely damaged or bent, it is not fixable. It happens when the wrench is misused, slipped, or used as a hammer. You cannot use this torque wrench for any professional task so, it is better to replace it.
· Damaged Torque Wrench Indexing
If the chart number or indexing is no longer visible on the handle representing the torque value, your torque wrench is irreparable. If the values are worn down or scraped off, you must replace your torque wrench.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is It Possible To Repair A Torque Wrench?
Yes, some of the torque wrenches are repairable. Springs, drive heads, or pawls usually break over time. These parts are available in repair kits that are relatively inexpensive to replace the damaged or broken part of the torque wrench. Some torque wrenches fall out of calibration so that you can re-calibrate them on your own.
2. When do You need To Replace Your Torque Wrench?
Quality and accuracy of the torque wrench are essential; when precision is being compromised, the purpose of the torque wrench is also failed. You have to replace the torque wrench; when you find that enough torque is not being applied or has some physical damage, then there is no reason to have the same torque wrench.
3. Do A Torque Wrench Need Calibration?
Yes, every torque wrench falls out of calibration with time. Even new wrenches are either preset or demand a proper calibration test before use. Torque wrenches need to be calibrated after every 5000 cycles of service or after 12 months, whatever comes earlier.
Conclusion
Lastly, torque wrenches provide the appropriate torque to tighten the plugs correctly. It falls out of calibration, or some issues appear with time. You can fix the torque wrench quickly if you know the parts and procedure.
But once you know the details are not adjustable and will lead to severe problems, replacing the torque wrench is the best choice!
