[NoradMTB]

Hi there,


Maybe a stupid question but i just started MTB and i wanted to do some mechanics on my own. I just bought new pedals and a cheap 13.5 to 100nm torque wrench (a tekton around 50$) so i can install them. But look like the torque wrench will only be useful for one pedal.. it can't torque anticlockwise. Now i am wondering if i should return it since i will probably won't use it much for now. Not planning to disassemble my bike any soon or do very heavy maintenance on the bike but i though it was needed for pedals to avoid overtight or overloose them so should i return it ? or since i have it should i keep it ? my concern is more how useful it will be in the long run... also it is recommanded to use one to install pedals ?


Thanks!

 

[*OneSpeed*]

pedals are not real crucial IMO. they don't require extremely accurate torque. just make sure you grease the threads then just crank them down good and tight.

 

[jon23]

I would personally exchange it for one that goes lower nm. I have the same brand and it works great for all the other parts. Like BENKD29 said, I don't think pedals are that crucial unless they are going into carbon, grease helps get them unscrewed again when the time comes.

 

[mack_turtle]

I use a torque wrench on almost everything on my bike that is practical but i usually don't bother with that on my personal bike's pedals. Grease up the threads and make them TIGHT. Just don't jump on the wrench.

A torque wrench with lower, more precise setting will be more useful for your bike. It is rare that you will need more than 35 Nm on a bicycle.

 

[TBarnaby]

Given the thread direction, they can't come loose from normal use. Hand tight is good enough IMO.

 

[mack_turtle]

maybe I am being pedantic, but, to clarify, most people know "hand tight" to mean "as tight as you can get something using only your hand." pedals, of course, should be quite a bit tighter than that. get them hand tight, then give them a nice firm twist with a wrench that gives your some leverage to multiply the torque. most manufacturers prescribe around 30 foot-pounds of torque on their pedals, which should make you strain your arm just a bit.

 

[cjsb]

Yeah, pedals should be tighter than just "hand tight" and you don't need a torque wrench.

In terms of grease, I prefer using anti-seize on oedal threads and pretty much anythign threaded on the bike.

Don't buy "anti-seize from the bike shop, too expensive. Get a container from Wal-mart, cheap and will last for years for all your bike tightening needs. Since I switched over from grease to anti-seize I have never had a problem getting pedals off. In my experience, grease does not last as long.

 

[knutso]

Most cranks will have a pretty positive stop once the pedal is flush. Over tightening can easily strip the threads on lightweight cranks since they are just cut into the alloy. Be mindful to use a washer if your cranks came with one, the constant force of pedaling can actually dig the pedal into the arm, causing a crack and failure.

 

[mack_turtle]

In my experience, grease does not last as long.

true, as evidenced by the experience of trying to wash that stuff off your skin. or worse, your clothes. that stuff STAYS PUT.

 

[cjsb]

true, as evidenced by the experience of trying to wash that stuff off your skin. or worse, your clothes. that stuff STAYS PUT.

Yeah, i buy the boxes of latex gloves from costco for working on the bike, primarily becauae of the anti-seize

 

[cgrutt]

Personally I woudn't bother with using a torque wrench on pedals but out of curiosity is this torque wrench one of the "click" type with a standard ratchet head? If so are you using a crowfoot open end socket for the pedals? Note if this is the case, you "may" need to adjust the set torque value to achieve desired actual value due to increased distance from center of rotation that may be added by the crowfoot. I say "may" because it also depends on how the crowfoot is attached to the torque wrench.

Also note that inexpensive torque wrenches generally have a high error tolerance and that rated error may actually increase if you are setting the torque value at the lower end of the scale. In other words a 13 - 100 wrench is likely more accurate with values in the 80 to 100 range than the same wrench would be for settings in the 13 to 25 range. So, if a typical value for a bike would be in the 35 range you'd probably get better results by using a wrench rated from 10 to 50 than one rated from 10 to 100.

The margin of error is also usually higher in one direction vs the other, say +/4% if used clockwise but +/-6% if used counter clockwise. (I realize the OP's wrench only can be used clockwise).

With all this in mind, use common sense when tightening your fasteners and don't place too much reliance on the torque wrench. If it feels too tight even though the wrench hasn't clicked, it probably is and next thing you'll find is a stripped thread or broken fastener.

Good luck.

 

[big_papa_nuts]

I don't know that I ever used a torque wrench on pedals until Park released the TWB-15. I now know I had been over tightening pedals, in some cases by a lot (which is actually easier to do then you'd think). I now use a torque wrench whenever I install pedals*, even if just for a quick test ride, because it's easy and the correct thing to do.

*At work. I will admit to occasionally being lazy with my own bikes.

 

[NoradMTB]

Thanks for all the reply.

That the torque wrench i bought. Robot Check

Right now, i have to uninstall the stock pedal already in place, its a wellgo 6$ pedal with flat end they have put so i got a pedal spanner for this. Then i bought anti-seize compound after some research everywhere and my new pedals use a 8mm hex so i bought a big 8mm allen key for this. I wanted to use the torque wrench but i discovered just after i bought it that it wouldn't serve a lots. Even on the pedals it can only do one of both. I guess the right decision would be to return it and later buy a lower torque one.

 

[cgrutt]

No adjustment to torque setting is needed with a hex socket. I think a Torque wrench than works both directions will set you back more than $50 but could be wrong. Note pedals are the only thing that will require the wrench to work counter clockwise.

 

[NoradMTB]

It seem the Park Tool one won't do it either. I also found alternative.. a Beam wrench that would do both direction. But does anyone used this kind before ? It is a pain the a$$ ? I have heard calibration is a lots easier on these however it is not as easy as a 'clicker' type. But to what extend ?

Robot Check

 

[Shayne]

Note pedals are the only thing that will require the wrench to work counter clockwise.

and bottom brackets

 

[NoradMTB]

and bottom brackets

Serious ? Good to know.

 

[mack_turtle]

the right cup of a BSA bottom bracket is left-hand threaded. having a torque wrench what can turn both directions is probably a good idea for pedals and BB. I think mine was less than $50 and works fine, probably from Harbor Freight Tools. I would not recommend HF for tools you use all the time or in a shop, but for something like a big torque wrench you only use occasionally, they should be fine.

 

[J.B. Weld]

IME grease is good and too tight is much better than too loose.

I agree with bpn that correct torque is best but the ~40nm many manufactures suggest is a fair amount of heft. I never used torque wrenches on pedals and most likely over-tightened thousands of them with no ill effects. 9/16 is a big thread and can take a lot of abuse, but running them a little loose can destroy a crankarm pretty quick.

 

[Lone Rager]

It doesn't do CCW? I don't have Tekton, but the wrenches I do have are all bidirectional, click, electronic and beam types. Perhaps it's only calibrated in the CW direction?