If I need to torque something to 16 FT pounds, is it ok to use a torque wrench that begins at 10 ft pounds?

Question

What I mean is....I am sure it's ok but since it is so close to the extreme, I thought maybe it wouldn't be very accurate. Like if the range of the torque wrench was 10 Ft pounds to 160 Ft pounds... is it ok to torque something so close to the minimum extreme? Does it lose accuracy th closer you get to the limits?

Answer 1

No. It won't be accurate worth a damn.

Rule of thumb: Use a torque wrench where the desired torque (16 ft-lbs) falls within 1/4 to 7/8 of the torque wrench's range.

A 0-160 ft-lbs torque wrench would be accurate for 40-140 ft-lbs torques.

Answer 2

the core issue is the accuracy of the torque wrench to achieve the 16 ft lbs.

the wrench should be marked with graduations such that a reading of 16 ft lbs can be read. If it's a digital readout, it should be able to display 16 ft lbs.

even if is possible to read 16 ft lbs on it, it should be calibrated so that you know how accurate it can torque a known calibration standard.

you specifically asked if it loses accuracy the closer it gets to the limits. that could be determined by using a suitable calibration procedure.

something you did not seem to consider is that the 16 ft lbs should have a tolerance. for example, it is very highly improbable to achieve precisedly 16 ft-lbs, so an allowable error should be allowed like plus or minus one ft-lb. the requirements for 16 ft-lbs may state a tolerance.

the information, such as what i discussed above, may be available in the literature about the wrench.

sorry about the fuss with the details, but that seemed to be what your question was about.

Answer 3

absolutely o.k.