Unfortunately, this deal has expired 18 July 2021.
*
415°
44 Posted 18 June 2021
Auto XS Torque Wrench - £12.99 (+ £2.95 delivery) @ Aldi
Shared by
Professor
Joined in 2020
943
422
About this deal
This deal is expired. Here are some options that might interest you:
Used to apply a specific torque when fastening nuts and bolts to prevent over-tightening, this super handy Auto XS Torque Wrench is a tool kit essential. Essential for the nuts and bolts of car maintenance, this set includes a storage case, a 125mm extension bar and 3 sockets (17, 19 and 21mm) for all your needs.
Contents
1 x Wrench
1 x Extension
3 x Sockets
1 x Case
Features
Ideal for controlled and correct fastening of screws and bolts
12.5mm wrench with automatic quick release
Square connection
Turnable handle for adjusting the torque
Includes 125mm extension and a 3 pack of sockets (17,19,21mm)
Contents
1 x Wrench
1 x Extension
3 x Sockets
1 x Case
Features
Ideal for controlled and correct fastening of screws and bolts
12.5mm wrench with automatic quick release
Square connection
Turnable handle for adjusting the torque
Includes 125mm extension and a 3 pack of sockets (17,19,21mm)
More details at 
Community Updates
Edited by a community support team member, 18 June 2021
44 Comments
sorted byWhen the range of torque is up as high as 100Nm+, you’re not going to get much precision no matter which one you use. The torque wrench is basically a point at which you should stop turning, not try to get it to the nearest Nm. For large bolts, a few more Nm or less really isn’t a big deal. You’ve also got to remember that when you tighten, the torque wrench is basically a method of rotating the bolt to the point that it should stop slipping past the surface. If people are tightening at different speeds, static and dynamic friction put a whole lot more uncertainty in these measurements. Having one of these for this price is a whole lot better than over-tightening your wheel nuts/bolts and risking stripping the threads.
People also need to remember that you don’t need to tighten the majority of day to day bolts very much.
Wheels on a car: about 120Nm
Spark plugs: twist them in with your fingers and then when you can’t do it any more, quarter of a turn with the ratchet.
Failing that, 100Nm is about 10kg at 1m, or 20kg at 0.5m
When I wanted ultra precise torque while doing my transmission, I used a digital balance on a ratchet of known length.
Nm=ForcexDistance
Where 100g=1N (more or less) and 10cm=0.1m
I have brought a manner of different tools from them that have ended up failing or being below quality on the end, but you know what, that doesn't matter because its fine for their cost. This however, needs to be damn accurate, so I wouldn't go near it.
This starts at 60Nm and bike stuff is normally in the 4-6Nm range
Something like this might be better suited for bikes.
What is the min and max torque settings?
looking at the reviews, looks like minimum is 60nm but no mention of max. These are critical bits of info for consideration in buying a torque wrench
Ah wicked, thanks my man. I was looking at torque wrenches on Amazon and they're all silly prices for the little checks that I want to do. New to biking but want to make sure I don't destroy myself. Or the bike!
Bananas
I'd like to suggest a Halfords bike Torque wrench then, I think it's £30, 2-24Nm, which should cover your cycle needs.
Edit: Additionally the halfords one has got a calibration certificate, I forgot to mention. (edited)
Well I beg to differ I bought this exact one 4 years ago, and use quite a bit at home, I take to work regularly to check it and it is still in, I always back it off after use and only use it to torque up and never use it to break off nuts
I can check when I get home, I've only used it up to 110nm so far but I know it goes higher.
Thank you for the additional information
Cars.
True that this would be total useless for a bike, but only the little nimby-bimby screws have tiny torque ranges. If you don't have a carbon fibre bike you wouldn't even need a torque gauge for them.
The cassette and cranks, though, are both about 50Nm. Then there's the hub, bottom bracket, cones, etc. All range from 30-50Nm. Depending on how expensive those components are, you can either get by or invest in something that's not from Aldi and has an actual certificate of calibration with it. No point buying something cheap like this...
I understand what you are getting at with your explanation, but your trying to say a torque wrench in general may not be accurate, which is fine.
If a good calibrated torque wrench is not always 100% then this one is just going to be a lot worse than that.
I work in a vehicle dealership, and if I used this and damaged a component due to wrong torque and it was found my torque wrench had no calibration certificate from new, I'd get dragged across the coals.
This torque wrench in particular is not good. No matter what you feel around torque readings in general.
I used it for changing most suspension components on my car, and I have a 3/8th drive wrench for smaller stuff.
Depends what you’re fixing or changing. I’ve got the 1/4 drive Lifeline 0-24nm one, and a ‘proper’ one like this (roughly 28nm to 200).
If you’re changing cassettes you’ll need one like this in your tool set anyway, wouldn’t harm to have both types
I’m not defending Aldi, just balancing any premium-loving scaremongering. If your friend used a broken tool and broke his car, that’s subjective to the tool, not the fact it was cheap. A broken expensive tool will do the same. If it used to work and stopped working, it’s likely he let it get wet and rusty inside the mechanism, and didn’t release the setting screw when he put it away.
1) yes a cheaper tool might not take abuse as well an expensive one
2) if he used it before, he should have known he was putting too much force into doing them up.
3) a lot of expensive tools/things are the same as cheaper things, just get the “bosch” sticker if it meets their QA. People must know bosch don’t make half the things they sell and some of sainsburys cereals are the same as Kellogg’s
You’ve got to trust your tools and treat them well. For me the cheaper one I have which has served me fine for many years, (some cheap tools aren’t worth it), but this wrench is the same as many I’ve seen with a different cardboard sleeve on, and it is fine.
Your tale does remind me of a top tip though.
TOP TIP. unset (unscrew the adjuster) your torque wrench before you put it away. THE PAPER INSTRUCTIONS USUALLY TELL YOU TO SO THIS for a good reason: to stop it seizing.
Same goes with any tool that has a tightening screw; it’s got to be allowed to move as metal expands/contracts as temp changes in storage.
Used it few times on my car, predominantly wheel nuts, sub frame and suspension components.
It is reasonably well made for the price and DOES come with calibration certificate - little leaflet inside the box. Not sure how accurate it is and I wouldn’t use it for head bolts, but you get your money’s worth easily, just need to think about what you’re going to use it for.
I intend to take mine to work also to verify the accuracy.
I have 1, what do you mean "dialled into"?
Sorry, I mean the nm range.
According to the reviews, minimum torque setting is 60nm, does not mention the max.
This rules it out for most things such as cycles.
Please note that any torque wrench only really gives an estimate unless properly calibrated. Temperature and humidity are big factors in altering the torque produced vs the actual setting.
There are plenty on EBay 5-25Nm under 15 quid for bikes
I have that one too lol, cost me £40 at Christmas
It is 210nm
Fair point, but you rightly should get dragged over the coals if someone is paying you professional prices and you’re using aldi tools.
I think we can agree:
Guessing << aldi torque wrench < expensive one
Think one of my oil filters covers is like 6NM or something stupidly low
Are they doing the same this year
Thank you @andywedge