Torque sticks vs. Torque wrenches

Whats your guys preference? Torque sricks or torque wrenches? I use on the daily torque sticks but will whip out the torque wrench if the customer has aftermarket wheels. #hondatech #dealership #dealertech #automotive #carrepair #cars #honda #harborfreight #amazontools #diy #review

[Toyotaguy]

It's not about getting the job done faster, it's about doing it right !

[Yophillips]

Shouldn't you use both 🤔 The torque stick is so they aren't over torqued, and then the torque wrench is to torque them.

[codemiesterbeats]

There are two speeds in any repair...
Right and fast they don't generally occur at the same time.

[dustin]

I only work on my cars so I'd stick with the torque wrench.

[ahhhhhh]

Use both bro, so you don’t over torque and so you can 100% be sure they are torqued to spec

[reggie]

I do both bro the sticks are a limiter so you dont over torque. Then you torque properly. I got bad anxiety .. i cant let a car leave if i dont check everything 5 times. Even if i just do a flat repair on one tire. I always make sure to torque all the lugs on the other tiers too even if i dont take the wheels off..

[averyrc]

Well I use torque wrench I have seen torque sticks fail and wheels come loose causing damage so I like my wrench

[benjaminmayfield]

Fellow Honda employee here, interesting to see someone using matching torque sticks to the wheel torque. My guys and myself use a t stick one less than the torque spec. (64ft lbs stick for the 19mm 80ft lbs)
(80ft lbs for the 22mm94ft lbs)

[carsonac]

Even if u use a torque stick u should still use a torque wrench.

[FuttBuckerByMutt]

I use the torque wrench at work for reinsurance. I work on heavy duty trucks so you’re supposed to torque the lug nuts to 450-500ft-lb. Those wheels on there own weigh a lot and while going to down the road if a truck was to lose a wheel that thing could easily kill someone or multiple people. So yeah I use the torque wrench because I wouldn’t want to kill someone because of my laziness

[Strokin]

You should always use both. Torque sticks are inconsistent. You may of not had any issues in 4 years YET but count your blessings

[StumpStunter]

Suppose to only use air impact for the sticks. Beats per minute is to high on electric ones for them to work properly.

[zdog]

Bro as a shade tree guy I'm just happy y'all aren't giving it 15 uga dugas and I have to jump on my breaker bar to get the lugs loose

[zachealey]

I use torque wrenches because if something some how potentialy dose happen to a vehicle later down the track the servalilance shows us taking the time to make sure the jobs done right

[MikeClowder]

Gonna be honest, I usually use torque sticks except on wheel locks. This is mostly because I work in a rural area and most of what I service has 140-150 ft/lb torque spec.

[MrCROBosanceros]

Torque wrench of course and 6-point Flank Drive socket only for my lug nuts. I torque lug nuts three times in star pattern, each time roughly 30% of factory torque spec. For my Toyota's, I do first time in star pattern 25 Foot-Pounds, second time 50 Foot-Pounds and final star pattern to factory spec of 76 Foot-Pounds.
No impact wrench and no torque sticks for my lug nuts and most important, no sloppy so called technician will work on my car ever again!

[wesleyellis]

My electric impact either overrides a torque stick and overdoes it on full blast, or comes in slightly low on setting 2 of 3. So I run things in on 2, knowing that I’m close but not over and then get my precise torque every time.

If you encounter a Euro car with bolts instead of lug nuts, the torque wrench is practically mandatory as many of them hate impacts. (Audi for example requests that they not be used to tighten wheels ever) I wouldn’t want to cross thread one of those — if it’s a lug nut then replacing a stud isn’t so bad but a bolt…

[NotFarmerFlats]

I used to work next to a man who was a mechanic for over 35 years. Every time he installed a wheel, he would send the first lug nut home hard with his impact before hitting the other lugs at all. He never had a problem for over 35 years, until he did. Wheel came off on a 8 lug Chevy less than 25 miles after leaving our shop.

So that begs the question: is having a wheel come off once in a career acceptable? I know it's not exactly the same situation as the torque sticks. But one really wonders if doing something the wrong way is all that bad if it takes decades for it to be a problem once.

[camm]

The deal with sticks is that you can still over torque the lugs if you lay on it too long. Torque Test Channel showed that even with a stick, anything more than 3 sec on the trigger and you're already going over the limit.

[JaySosaNY]

I use them both I run them down with torque sticks and when I lower it I hand torque them I use the sticks to avoid over tightening and the torque wrench to make sure they are where they are supposed to be