That torque wrench calibration note I ignored for 2 years

A shop in Denver posted a sign saying they check their torque wrenches every 6 months, and I realized mine hadn't been touched since I bought it in 2021. I checked it against a beam-style unit and it was off by about 4 Nm at 40 Nm, which is scary for carbon bars. Now I'm trying to find a local spot that does calibration for under $60, anyone know a good one in the Midwest?

2 comments

2 Comments

lunakim22d ago

That 4 Nm drift at 40 Nm is no joke, especially on carbon bars where the difference between snug and stripped is tiny. I had almost the same thing happen with my old wrench, it was reading low for years and I only caught it when I borrowed a friend's digital unit. Most bike shops in the Midwest don't do calibration in house, but I found a local tool rental place that sends theirs out and they charged me $45. Check with a Snap-on or Matco dealer in your area too, they often do calibration days for cheap. Otherwise, you can send it to a place like Norbar or a torque tool service center, but shipping usually kills any savings.

gavinw4520d ago

Honestly, is it though? A 10% drift on a torque wrench sounds annoying, but 40 Nm is still 40 Nm. Unless you're torquing carbon stems every single day, you're probably fine. Most people just tighten by feel anyway.