How to Set and Use a Torque Wrench, According to Auto Experts

A torque wrench is the perfect tool for twisting a nut or bolt to the exact amount of tightness specified in your bike or vehicle’s owner’s manual for best performance. Torque wrenches stop when they reach a specified torque setting, so there’s no risk of under- or over-tightening the nut or bolt when you’re doing automotive or machinery repairs. In this article, we’ll explain how to set your torque wrench and use it to tighten bolts correctly, with tips and insights from professional automotive repair specialists.

Adjusting a Torque Wrench: Overview

Certified automotive technician Audra Fordin instructs to set the dial of the handle to the desired torque measurement before tightening any nuts or bolts. To set the torque wrench:

Loosen the locking knob at the end of the torque wrench.
Turn the handle so the top edge aligns with the nearest printed measurement.
Spin the top dial so the desired number lines up with the wrench’s vertical line.
Add the number on the top dial to the one on the wrench for the total torque.
Tighten nuts or bolts with your torque wrench until it clicks or stops moving.

Section 1 of 4:

Setting the Torque Wrench

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1
Loosen the locking knob at the end of the wrench’s handle. Look at the end of your torque wrench’s handle to find the metal or plastic locking knob. Twist the locking knob counterclockwise by hand so that you can change the wrench’s settings.^{[1]
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Research source} Automotive repair specialist Duston Maynes recommends checking your wrench’s user manual since the way you set it “depends on the type of torque wrench and what the recommended torque is for whatever you are working on.”^{[2]
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Expert Source

Duston Maynes
Automotive Repair Specialist

Expert Interview}
- Typically, the locking knob is a different color than the rest of your wrench, so it’s easy to find.
- You don’t need to screw the knob off of your wrench; just loosen it until the handle spins easily.
- Before you start: Check that your torque wrench has the range to apply the correct force to your nut or bolt. Each wrench has a fixed range, and it’s common to own multiple.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Audra Fordin is a certified automotive technician with more than 38 years of experience in foreign and domestic auto repairs.

Duston Maynes is an automotive repair specialist and certified diagnostic technician and automobile mechanics technician through BMW STEP.

Hovig Manouchekian is an auto repair and design specialist with over 30 years of experience in auto repair and maintenance.
2
Locate the torque measurements printed on the wrench. Inspect the area just above the handle to find the hash marks printed on the wrench’s main shaft. The horizontal hash marks are usually in increments of 10 or 20 pound force-feet (1.4 or 2.8 kg·m), or foot-pounds. Then, locate the vertical marks on the top dial of the handle, which go up by 1 lb·ft (0.14 kg·m) increments.
- Foot-pounds (or meter-kilograms) are torque measurements that show how much force is applied over a certain distance. So 1 lb·ft (0.14 kg·m) is the equivalent to 1 pound (0.45 kg) of force over a 1 ft (0.30 m) distance.^{[3]
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- Most torque wrenches list both foot-pounds and meter-kilograms on opposite sides of the shaft. If the two sets of numbers are listed on the same hash marks, the lower number is the measurement in foot-pounds, and the larger number is the measurement in meter-kilograms.
- Some torque wrenches also have markings for newton-meters (N⋅m), or the turning force of 1 newton applied at a 1-meter distance from a pivot or axis of rotation.^{[4]
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  Research source} These are less common, but always double-check which measurement you’re using before getting started.
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3
Align the handle’s top edge with the closest approximate torque marking. Hold the body of the wrench with your nondominant hand so it doesn’t move around. Use your dominant hand to turn the handle clockwise to increase the torque or counterclockwise to lower it. Once the top edge of the handle lines up with the horizontal hash mark closest to the torque you need, stop turning the handle.^{[5]
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- Example: If you need to set the torque to 145 lb·ft (20.0 kg·m), turn the handle until the top lines up with the hash mark for 140 lb·ft (19 kg·m).
- Some torque wrenches have handles that slide up and down instead of twisting into place.
- If you have a digital torque wrench, then just use the arrow buttons to increase or decrease the torque setting. Each torque wrench works a little differently, so check the instructions for your specific model.
Tip: Refer to your car or bike’s manual to determine how much torque a nut or bolt requires to be safely set. There are no universal rules for torque settings on vehicles, but many modern car lugnuts require around 100 lb·ft (14 kg·m) of torque.^{[6]
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4
Twist the top dial on the handle to make precise adjustments. Once you’re close to the desired number, certified automotive technician Audra Fordin says to look at the numbers on the top dial of the handle and set it to the desired number.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Audra Fordin
Certified Automotive Technician

Expert Interview} Slowly turn the dial clockwise to increase the number or rotate it counterclockwise to lower the number. Once the number you want lines up with the vertical line on the wrench, stop spinning the dial.^{[8]
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- Example: If you need to set the torque to 145 lb·ft (20.0 kg·m) and already have the handle lining up with the 140 lb·ft (19 kg·m) mark, turn the dial so it’s set to 5 lb·ft (0.69 kg·m).
- On some wrenches, the dial moves independently of the handle, and you can twist it by turning it directly rather than using the handle.
5
Add the digits on the wrench and the dial to determine the total torque. Once you’ve adjusted the handle’s height and twisted the dial, add the numbers together to calculate your total torque and ensure it’s accurately adjusted. To read your torque wrench, find the hash mark that lines up with your handle and add it to the number on the dial lined up with the vertical line.^{[9]
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- Example: If the handle lines up with the 140 lb·ft (19 kg·m) mark and the dial lines up with the 5 lb·ft (0.69 kg·m) mark, then the total torque setting is 145 lb·ft (20.0 kg·m).
6
Screw the locking knob back in to lock the setting. Hold the main body of the wrench with your nondominant hand so you don’t accidentally change the torque setting. Then, use your dominant hand to turn the locking knob clockwise until it won’t move anymore.
- Once you secure the locking knob, you cannot adjust your torque setting until you loosen it again.

Section 2 of 4:

Using the Torque Wrench to Tighten Nuts & Bolts

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1
Attach a socket to the head of your wrench. Use a socket that matches the size of your nut or bolt. Slide the end of the socket into the head of your torque wrench until it clicks into place.^{[10]
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- If you’re tightening a nut or bolt in a hard-to-reach place, attach a socket extender to your wrench first.
- Torque wrenches come in different sizes, so measure the square head on the end to determine the right socket size. For most wheels, you’ll need a ½-inch torque wrench.^{[11]
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2
Screw the nut or bolt on by hand, then fit the wrench socket over it. Hold the nut or bolt against the threadings you’re attaching it to, and start turning it clockwise until you’re not able to rotate it by hand anymore.^{[12]
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Research source} Avoid using a torque wrench when you’re first attaching the nut or bolt (they provide a lot of power, and if your nut or bolt isn’t perfectly aligned, you could destroy the threadings).
- Then, hold the handle of the torque wrench in your nondominant hand. Use your dominant hand to guide the socket onto the nut or bolt. Make sure the socket fits tightly and doesn’t feel loose.^{[13]
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- If the socket freely spins without catching on the nut, use a smaller socket.
3
Turn the handle clockwise to tighten the nut or bolt. Rotate the handle clockwise to begin tightening the nut or bolt. Almost all torque wrenches have automatic return functions, so you don’t need to reposition them on the nut or bolt. Simply move the handle counterclockwise back to the starting position. If your wrench doesn’t turn counterclockwise, take the socket off the nut or bolt and reposition the wrench.^{[14]
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- If you hear a clicking or switching noise when you return the handle counterclockwise, you have an automatically-returning torque wrench.
- Torque wrenches are only made to tighten nuts and bolts, so turning them counterclockwise won’t loosen the fasteners.
4
Stop turning the wrench when you hear it click or when it stops moving. It’s normal for a torque wrench to click if you turn it counterclockwise. If you hear your wrench click loudly when you turn it clockwise, stop turning it since you’ve reached the correct torque setting.^{[15]
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Research source} On a manual wrench, Fordin instructs to stop turning it when you feel the wrench resisting: “When you feel the resistance, you’re done.”^{[16]
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Expert Source

Audra Fordin
Certified Automotive Technician

Expert Interview}
- Avoid forcing the wrench any further since you could damage the nut or bolt, or the wrench.

Section 3 of 4:

Maintaining Your Torque Wrench

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After you finish tightening the nuts or bolts, turn both dial settings on the handle back to 0 (or the lowest marking on your wrench). Leaving the dial turned to a torque setting higher than 0 can throw off the wrench’s calibration over time and cause it to be inaccurate.^{[17]
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EXPERT TIP

Hovig Manouchekian
Auto Repair & Design Specialist
Hovig Manouchekian is an Auto Repair and Design Specialist and the Manager of Funk Brothers Auto, a family-owned business operated since 1925. With over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, Hovig specializes in the process of auto repair and maintenance. He is also very knowledgeable in common automotive issues and needs including engine repair, battery replacement, and windshield accessory and maintenance. Hovig's knowledge and hard work have contributed to Funk Brothers Auto winning Angie's List Super Service Award for five consecutive years.

Hovig Manouchekian
Auto Repair & Design Specialist

You need to “zero out” torque wrenches. Different manufacturers have different processes. I always would recommend looking at the manufacturer’s literature and following their instructions on how to zero them out because they do vary.
2
Clean dirty or rusty nuts or bolts before tightening them. Clean the loose rust off of each bolt or nut with a towel or rag before attaching your wrench to them. If there's really stubborn rust, scrub them with a wire brush. Rust and grime could build up inside your sockets and damage your wrench over time since it's harder for your wrench to get a good grip.^{[18]
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- Torque wrenches aren’t meant to be lubricated, so spray your nut or bolt with a product like WD-40 degreaser before attaching the wrench’s socket.
3
Have your wrench calibrated at least once a year. While you can calibrate your torque wrench if you have experience working on cars, it’s best to have a mechanic or torque wrench specialist do it for you instead. Every year, or when your torque wrench reaches 5,000 clicks, take it in to have it reset so it takes accurate measurements again.^{[19]
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- Calibration usually costs between $25-75 USD.
- If you don’t have your torque wrench calibrated, it may develop a discrepancy between the measurements on your handle and the actual torque of the wrench.
Tip: The rule of thumb is that you need a calibration once a year or once per 5,000 clicks. If you work on cars or bikes every single day, you probably reach 5,000 clicks after 8-10 months. If you’re a DIY enthusiast, you’re unlikely to hit 5,000 clicks before the year is up.
4
Do not use your torque wrench to loosen nuts or bolts. In theory, your torque wrench can loosen with the same strength it tightens. However, you don’t always know how much force you’ll need to get a fastener loose, and since torque wrenches are precision instruments, you could end up throwing off their calibration if the force you apply to the tool exceeds its maximum range.^{[20]
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Research source} Stick with a regular, simple socket wrench for loosening instead.

Section 4 of 4:

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Question

I am interested in a torque wrench of 2' for tightening the thread size of M90X 2.6. Will this work?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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The size of your wrench refers to the size of the socket at the end. This is totally independent from the threading on the nut or bolt that you're screwing in. To make sure threading matches, you need to check the threading on the inside of the nut or bolt. To do this, measure the distance between 2 threads with a ruler or measuring tape. This can be kind of hard to do, so you may need to use a magnifying glass.

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What is the torque for lug nuts on 2018 Honda CRV?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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The torque for the lug nuts should be 80 pound-feet. Adjust your handle by turning the small dial to 0 and the handle itself to 80.

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How do I pull out the bits from the torque wrench?

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You should be able to simply pull it out by hand. If you can't, try twisting the bit counterclockwise to see if it loosens. If it doesn't, you may need to use a wrench or channel locks to get the bit off.

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wikiHow Video: How to Use a Torque Wrench

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Tips

You cannot loosen nuts or bolts with a torque wrench. If you’re disassembling something, use a socket wrench instead, since it is a less delicate and complex tool.

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Warnings

Dropping your wrench can throw the calibration off. Carry it with both hands when you’re walking around the garage to ensure that you don’t drop it.

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