Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.
Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.
Summary
A click-type torque wrench is a spring in a tube. That single fact explains almost everything about how it is used and stored: you set the spring's tension with the handle, you stop the moment the mechanism releases, and you leave the spring relaxed when the tool goes back in its case. It also explains the one piece of advice that gets repeated wrong more than any other — "always return it to zero". You do not. You return it to the lowest number printed on its own scale, and you do not force the handle past that.
This page covers the whole cycle: checking the tool, setting a value on the two scales, applying the load, stopping at the click, and winding down for storage. What it will not do is tell you what to set. Torque figures belong to whoever made the thing you are bolting together, and a guessed torque figure is how a wheel comes loose or a casting cracks. Every instruction here traces to Tekton's current product manual or to Snap-on's technical reference, and where those two documents differ — they do, on recalibration — this page says so instead of picking one.
Safety
GET THE TORQUE VALUE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE EQUIPMENT.
THIS PAGE GIVES NO TORQUE VALUE. Snap-on says that a wrong torque on a fastener can cause equipment damage or personal injury.
Necessary equipment
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Click-type torque wrench | Read the manual for your own model. The scale, the lock and the lowest setting are different for each model. |
| The correct socket for the fastener | Do a check of the socket for wear and cracks before each use. |
| Safety glasses | Snap-on tells you to use safety glasses or goggles with any hand tool. |
| The documentation for the equipment you are working on | This documentation gives the torque value. This page gives no torque value. |
| The case for the wrench | Snap-on tells you to keep a torque wrench in a protective case. |
| Clean, dry, lint-free cloth | Tekton tells you to clean the wrench with this cloth. |
Do a check before you use the wrench
Estimated 14 min to 29 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
- Read the manual for your own wrench before you use it.5mReport a problem with step 1, Do a check before you use the wrench
- Tekton tells you to read and understand the entire manual first.
- The scale, the lock and the lowest setting are different for each model.
- Read the lowest number and the highest number on the scale.1mReport a problem with step 2, Do a check before you use the wrench
- This pair of numbers is the range of the wrench.
- The wrench does not measure a value below the lowest number.
- Examine the wrench for damage.1mReport a problem with step 3, Do a check before you use the wrench
- Do not use a wrench with a bent tube or a cracked part.
- Tekton tells you to do a test of the accuracy after a drop or after damage.
- If you did not use the wrench for a long period, operate it several times at a low value.2mReport a problem with step 4, Do a check before you use the wrench
- This action puts the internal lubricant on the parts that move.
- Tekton gives this instruction for a wrench that you did not use for a long period.
- Get the torque value for your fastener from the manufacturer of the equipment.5mReport a problem with step 5, Do a check before you use the wrench
- Snap-on tells you to obey the directions of the manufacturer for the value and the sequence.
- The manufacturer also gives the lubrication condition and the number of tighten cycles.
- This page gives no torque value for any fastener.
Set the value on the scale
Estimated 4 min
- Attach the correct socket to the drive of the wrench.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Set the value on the scale
- Do not use an adaptor or a handle extension.
- Tekton says that a handle extension gives an inaccurate result and can cause damage.
READ THE UNITS ON THE SCALE BEFORE YOU SET A VALUE.
One wrench can have two scales in different units on opposite sides of the handle. A value set in the wrong units puts a large error on the fastener. A fastener that fails can cause a serious injury.
- Release the lock on the handle.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Set the value on the scale
- Some models have a lock nut at the end of the handle.
- Some models have a collar that you push.
- The manual for your model shows which one you have.
- Turn the handle until the main scale shows the largest graduation below your target value.1mReport a problem with step 3, Set the value on the scale
- The top edge of the handle is the mark that you read on the main scale.
- Turn the handle more until the micrometer scale shows the remainder of your target value.1mReport a problem with step 4, Set the value on the scale
- Add the value on the main scale to the value on the micrometer scale.
- The handle locks only at an exact increment, and not between two increments.
- Engage the lock on the handle.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Set the value on the scale
- Try to turn the handle in the two directions.
- The handle must not move.
Apply the torque
Estimated 2 min to 2 min
Source: Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual (TRQ50402, TRQ51402, TRQ52402, TRQ52403) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
Source: Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual (TRQ50402, TRQ51402, TRQ52402, TRQ52403) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
DO A CHECK OF THE SOCKET FOR CRACKS BEFORE EACH USE.
A socket that breaks under load lets the wrench move suddenly. You can injure your hand.
- Put the socket fully on the fastener.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Apply the torque
- Set the ratchet to the tighten direction.
- Hold the handle at its centre with one hand.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Apply the torque
- Snap-on says that most torque wrenches are length specific.
- If you need two hands, put one hand on top of the other.
DO NOT PUT YOUR BODY WEIGHT ON THE WRENCH.
Tekton says that this can cause you to go past your target value or to injure yourself.
- Pull the wrench slowly with even pressure.<1mReport a problem with step 3, Apply the torque
- Tekton tells you to pull the wrench and not to push it.
- A quick pull can take you past the value before you feel the click.
- Stop the pull immediately at the click.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Apply the torque
- Tekton and Snap-on both give this instruction.
- More pull after the click makes the fastener too tight.
- At a low setting the click is weak. Use the wrench in a quiet place.
- Release the pressure on the handle.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Apply the torque
- The wrench then resets for the next operation.
- Do not use the wrench to loosen a fastener.<1mReport a problem with step 6, Apply the torque
- Tekton says not to use the wrench as a ratchet.
- Snap-on says not to use it as the primary tool to tighten or to loosen a fastener.
- Use a standard ratchet or a breaker bar for that work.
Set the wrench for storage
Estimated 4 min
Source: Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual (TRQ50402, TRQ51402, TRQ52402, TRQ52403) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
Source: Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual (TRQ50402, TRQ51402, TRQ52402, TRQ52403) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
- Read the lowest number printed on the scale of your own wrench.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Set the wrench for storage
- Tekton gives 25 ft-lb for its model 24340 and 10 in-lb for its model TRQ-21101.
- The number is different for each model. This page cannot give it to you.
DO NOT TURN THE HANDLE BELOW THE LOWEST NUMBER ON THE SCALE.
Tekton gives this instruction directly. Force below the lowest setting can cause damage to the mechanism and can change the accuracy.
- Turn the handle down to that lowest number.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Set the wrench for storage
- Tekton says that this action relieves the compression on the internal spring.
- The relieved spring keeps the accuracy of the wrench.
- Do not turn the handle below that lowest number.<1mReport a problem with step 3, Set the wrench for storage
- Zero is not the storage setting on a click-type wrench.
- The lowest number on the scale is the storage setting.
- Engage the lock on the handle.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Set the wrench for storage
- Clean the wrench with a dry cloth.1mReport a problem with step 5, Set the wrench for storage
- The cloth must be clean and must not have lint.
- Do not put the wrench in a liquid or in a cleaner.
- Tekton says that a liquid can cause damage to the internal parts.
- Put the wrench in its case.<1mReport a problem with step 6, Set the wrench for storage
- Snap-on tells you to keep a torque wrench in a protective case.
- Keep the certificate of calibration in the case with the wrench.
- Keep the case in a clean, dry place.<1mReport a problem with step 7, Set the wrench for storage
- Snap-on tells you to keep the wrench away from high humidity and from corrosive conditions.
- Keep the wrench away from very high and very low temperatures.
Find when the wrench needs a service
Estimated 7 min to 17 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
- Write the date of each use of the wrench in a log.1mReport a problem with step 1, Find when the wrench needs a service
- A service interval needs a count of the uses or of the months.
- Keep the log with the wrench.
- Get the service interval from the manufacturer of your own wrench.5mReport a problem with step 2, Find when the wrench needs a service
- This page gives no service interval.
- The two manufacturers in the sources do not agree, and one of them gives no interval.
- If the wrench falls to the floor, send it for a test before the next use.1mReport a problem with step 3, Find when the wrench needs a service
- Tekton tells you to do a test of the accuracy after a drop.
- Snap-on says that a drop on a hard surface can make the calibration unreliable.
- Do not disassemble the wrench.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Find when the wrench needs a service
- Tekton says that only the ratchet mechanism is user-serviceable.
- Work on any other part can take the wrench out of calibration.
Terminology
This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.
- click-type torque wrench
- Also called: clicker, click wrench, micrometer torque wrench, adjustable torque wrench, torque wrench that clicks, torque gun
- main scale
- Also called: big numbers, the scale on the body, barrel scale, shaft scale
- micrometer scale
- Also called: the numbers on the handle, fine scale, vernier, the little numbers
- lock
- Also called: lock nut, collar, locking collar, the ring at the bottom, the thing you twist to lock it
- lowest setting
- Also called: minimum setting, storage setting, lowest scale mark, wind it down, back to zero, reset the torque wrench
- calibration
- Also called: recalibration, accuracy check, certification, getting it tested
- fastener
- Also called: bolt, nut, screw, stud, wheel nut, lug nut
When to use a professional
Stop before you set a value that you did not get from the manufacturer of the equipment. This page shows you how to operate the tool. The number belongs to whoever made the thing you are working on. If you cannot find the number, ask that manufacturer or a qualified technician. Do not estimate it.
Stop if the wrench falls to the floor, or if the load went above its highest setting. Send the wrench to the manufacturer or to a calibration service for a test. A wrench that reads incorrectly is worse than no wrench, because it gives you confidence with no accuracy.
Stop before you disassemble the wrench. Tekton says that only the ratchet mechanism is user-serviceable. Work on any other part is work for the manufacturer or for a calibration service.
Stop at any fastener that holds a safety system together. Work on a vehicle brake system or on a vehicle restraint system is not consumer work. Speak to a qualified technician.
This page does not cover the lift of a vehicle. That work is outside its scope.
Common questions
Should I set my torque wrench back to zero before I put it away?
No, and this is the single most repeated piece of wrong advice about these tools. You wind it down to the lowest number printed on its own scale, and you stop there. Tekton's current product manual is explicit twice over: store the wrench with the torque scale set to the lowest value printed on the handle body, and "Do not turn the handle below this setting." Snap-on's technical reference says the same thing in one line: if using a click-type torque wrench, always store it at the lowest level on the scale. On most wrenches zero is not even on the scale — forcing the handle past the bottom mark is loading the mechanism in a way it was not built for.
Why does the storage setting matter at all?
Because the thing doing the measuring is a spring. Tekton's manual gives the mechanism in one sentence: winding the wrench down to its lowest value "relieves compression on the internal spring, preventing fatigue that could affect accuracy." Its older model manuals phrase it as relieving extra tension to eliminate fatigue that can adversely affect accuracy. Leave a wrench set at 90 ft-lb in a drawer for two years and you are storing that spring under load the whole time. The wrench will still click; it will just click at the wrong number, which is the failure mode you would never notice.
What is the lowest setting on my wrench?
Whatever is printed on your wrench, and there is no general answer — which is exactly why this page refuses to print one. Two wrenches from the same manufacturer make the point: Tekton's model 24340 tells you to store it at 25 ft-lb, and its model TRQ-21101 tells you to store it at 10 in-lb. That is a factor of about thirty between two tools from one maker. Some wrenches even have the storage figure printed on the barrel next to the scale. Read yours, and if it is not obvious, the model manual will say.
How often does a torque wrench need recalibrating?
The two manufacturers in our sources genuinely disagree, so here is the disagreement rather than an average. Snap-on's technical reference says to have the wrench inspected and recalibrated after 5,000 cycles or up to one year of use, whichever comes first. Tekton's current product manual gives no interval at all: it supplies a serial-numbered certificate of calibration with each wrench and offers to make it right with no time limit and no receipt. There is a second reason we do not publish Snap-on's figure as this site's verified answer — that document is dated 2012, which is beyond the ten-year limit this site applies to sources, and no current source was found for it. Use the interval in your own wrench's manual, and treat any drop or overload as a reason to test it regardless of the interval.
Can I use a torque wrench to undo bolts?
No. Tekton says plainly: do not use the wrench as a ratchet, for example for breaking loose a fastener. Snap-on puts it as using a torque wrench to apply a specific value during final assembly, and not as the primary means of tightening or loosening fasteners. A seized fastener can take several times the torque to break loose that it took to tighten, and that load goes straight through the measuring mechanism. Use a normal ratchet or a breaker bar to loosen, and bring the torque wrench out only for the final tightening.
What torque should I use on my wheel nuts, my bike, or my lawnmower?
This page will not tell you, and neither should any page that has not seen your equipment. Torque figures are specific to the fastener, the material, the thread, and whether the manufacturer specifies the thread dry or lubricated — Snap-on's own guidance is to follow the manufacturer's directions on direction, force, sequence, lubrication and tighten-release cycles. Get the figure from the vehicle or equipment manufacturer's own documentation. Snap-on states the reason bluntly: failure to properly torque fasteners can lead to equipment damage, personal injury or worse. This page also does not cover the lift of a vehicle, which is separate work with its own hazards.
How accurate is a click wrench, and does direction matter?
It is printed on the tool, and yes, direction can matter. Tekton's current micrometer range is calibrated to within ±3% and ships a serial-numbered certificate in the case. Its model 24340 manual states ±4%. Its model TRQ-21101 states ±4% clockwise and ±6% counter-clockwise — a wrench can be less accurate in one direction than the other, which is worth knowing before you trust it on a left-hand thread. Note also that Tekton tells you to set the wrench to its lowest value before you switch drive direction and then set your target again, so the internal parts return to a neutral position.
Can I use an extension bar on the handle for more leverage?
No. Tekton's manual says not to use extensions on the handle, because doing so produces inaccurate torque and can damage the wrench, and Snap-on says not to use accessories or handle extensions unless the wrench manufacturer specifically allows them. The reason is geometric: these wrenches are calibrated for a specific effective length, which is also why Snap-on tells you to grip the handle at its centre rather than at the end. If you need more than the wrench can deliver, you need a bigger wrench, not a longer one.
Related procedures
- How do I check that my lug nuts (wheel nuts) are still tight after a tire shop, a mobile fitter, or a roadside wheel change?
- How to clean and store hand tools so they don't go rusty
Sources
Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.
- Tier 1Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual (TRQ50402, TRQ51402, TRQ52402, TRQ52403)
- Tier 1Torque Wrench Operator's Manual, Model 24340 (1/2 in. drive, 25-250 ft-lb)
- Tier 1Torque Wrench Operator's Manual, Model TRQ-21101 (1/4 in. drive, 10-100 in-lb)
- Tier 1Technical Reference: Tips on Using and Caring for Your Torque Wrench
Revision history
Current version 1 · updated 2026-07-29 · next review due 2027-07-29
- v1 · 2026-07-29First draft. The storage rule — wind a click-type wrench down to the lowest setting on its own scale, never below it, and never to zero — rests on Tekton's Micrometer Torque Wrenches Product Manual, retrieved on 2026-07-29 from Tekton's own media host as a PDF whose file was last modified on 22 June 2026, and read in full. Quoted: 'store the wrench with the torque scale set to the lowest value printed on the handle body' and 'When you're not using the wrench, store it at the lowest torque value. This relieves compression on the internal spring, preventing fatigue that could affect accuracy. Do not turn the handle below this setting.' Snap-on's technical reference is registered as a second manufacturer stating the same rule ('If using a click-type torque wrench, always store it at the lowest level on the scale') but nothing rests on it alone: it is dated 6 September 2012 and is past the ten-year archaic-source limit in config.json. Two Tekton model manuals are registered for one purpose only — model 24340 stores at 25 ft-lb and model TRQ-21101 at 10 in-lb, a factor of about thirty between two wrenches from one maker, which is the evidence for publishing the storage setting as 'read it from your own wrench' rather than as a number. NO TORQUE VALUE IS PUBLISHED ANYWHERE ON THIS PAGE, by design; the page-level WARNING says so and the first specification is the instruction to consult the equipment manufacturer. ONE GENUINE DISAGREEMENT IS PUBLISHED RATHER THAN RECONCILED: Snap-on gives a recalibration interval of 5000 cycles or one year, whichever comes first, and Tekton's current manual gives no interval at all. It is recorded in the recalibration specification's conflict_note with both documents named. NOT PUBLISHED, deliberately: the 20-to-100-percent working-range figure, which appears only in the archaic Snap-on reference — the current Proto product page that a search summary attributed the same figure to timed out on two attempts and is recorded under rejected. Verified specifications carry no spec_key: data/specs.json could not be written in this session because several agents were drafting at once, so the four verified values here must be registered centrally at merge time. Sources are staged in data/sources-additions-diagnose-slow-wifi.json, shared with the two wifi records drafted in the same session.
Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.
Comments and corrections
Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.
Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.