I plan to buy a 1/4 inch torque wrench to assemble my bikes properly, although I am tempted to put it together with just normal allen wrenches.
Curious how many people assembled their bike just using regular allen wrenches?
Sixteen months ago, I bought this:
https://amzn.to/3NZOl0FMy immediate need was to break loose 6mm allenhead screws in an engine. I put 6mm box wrench on the allen wrench for more torque, but the allen wrench twisted so badly that I was afraid I'd strip the screw head. The 6mm bit in this set did it with ease.
When I work on my bike, I set up a table, put this Geardrive kit on it, and open it. It will handle allen heads down to 4mm, and it's vastly superior.
A specially made aluminum screw with a 5mm allen head held the chain tensioner on my Radrunner. An aluminum screw? What were they thinking! Once when I wanted to unscrew it, I used the allen wrench from the Radpower kit unstead of fetching my Geardrive kit. The Radrunner guard kept the wrench slightly out of alignment, but I didn't realize it until I'd stripped the soft head. With the Gearbox kit, I would have known by feel that it was misaligned. I had to order a specially made replacement screw from Radpower. It was a big bill for a little screw.
I'd been torquing by feel for decades before I had access to a torque wrench. Sometimes I'd tighten by feel and check with a torque wrench. I'd normally be pretty close. Threaded connections are designed with elasticity. Taking up the elasticity creates a preload, which can keep the connector from vibrating loose and may increase resistance to breaking. As you take up the intended elasticity, resistance will increase gradually. When it starts to increase sharply, you're done. Going too far could strip the threads or permanently deform the fastener so that it no longer has the proper elasticity.
Threads in materials softer than steel take less torque, but the principle is the same. I can't feel the proper point with an allen wrench because it's springy. The Geardrive kit lets me torque a fastener with confidence because it's rigid. The leverage of the ratchet drive helps, too. It's easier to feel changes in resistance if you aren't turning hard.
(I fetch my especially rigid 1/2" breaker bar, 24" long, to torque lug nuts. It's my best wrench for feeling what I'm doing at 60 or 100 foot pounds or even the smaller torque used on the back axle of my Radrunner.)
By themselves, the bits are handy like little screwdrivers. The 6" extension provides the benefit of a long screwdriver, including reaching through the spokes to adjust a brake.
Amazon doesn't currently have this item. Other brands are probably as good.
I prefer Flex Shot to Lock Tite. The can is bigger so it's easier to spot, and I use it for so many things that I won't forget where it is. The rubbery coating on the threads will keep vibration from rotating a connector. If you unscrew a treated connection, rubber will probably remain in the threads, so you probably won't have to get the can before you screw it back together.