Started in 1963 by Howard Hawkins and his business partner Art Engstrom, the Park Tool Company has been a pioneer in manufacturing precision tools and equipment for bicycle repairs and maintenance. We got an opportunity to review their Adjustable Torque Driver tool, and here’s what we think.
Park Tool has been the industry leader in manufacturing bicycle repair tools for the last 50 years, and all their products are of top notch quality. The Adjustable Torque Driver tool that we reviewed was no different, showcasing the brilliant engineering quali-ties of Park Tool. The tool has a very basic and simple purpose, to check if the hex bolts on various parts of the bicycle are tightened precisely to the right amount that they should be, so that problems like cracks on the frame/components, damaging of the thread on the bolt, breakage of bolts and parts, etc do not arise from over-tightening the bolts.
This torque driver from Park Tool is not for workshop use, let’s be clear on that, since mostly torque wrenches are seen and used only in service bays and workshops. This is for all cyclists who need to regularly check the torque on bolts like the ones on the seatpost, stem, the handlebar etc. The tool has a torque setting ranging from 4 Nm to 6 Nm, which most of the bolts fall under. The torque setting can be adjusted by hand, or by a hex tool by twisting one of the ends of the handle’s hammer-like head to the de-sired level. The tool comes with four different interchangeable heads of 3, 4 and 5 mm Hex bits and one Torx T25 bit.
The Park Tool Adjustable Torque Driver has a minimalistic design, with a torque driver head encased in a hard plastic handle that is easy to grip and comes in Park Tool’s signature blue colour. The handle is shaped like a hammerhead, and one side of the head has a metallic regulator-like setting that can be twisted to set the required torque level, and the other side of the head has a cup that holds the remaining three interchangeable hex bits. The torque driver head is magnetized to hold the bit secure-ly.
The Adjustable Torque Driver features an all-metal internal construction that gives it a longer life compared to non-metallic components. Since the torque driver is only meant to be used as an adjustment tool to fine tune and check the torque level, it works to limit the torque only over a clockwise rotation, and it is not advisable to use it for un-screwing bolts. During our tests, the torque driver proved to be quite accurate com-pared to a high-accuracy torque wrench. The small size of the top also makes it easy to carry around in a saddle bag or jersey pocket.
Overall Rating
A torque adjustment tool is a must for any cyclist who has a carbon fiber bicycle and/or carbon fiber components, as these can crack easily with over-tightening of bolts. Also, setting the ideal torque on all the bolts should be practiced as a regular measure to preserve the life and quality of the components. The Park Tool Adjustable Torque Driver is the best tool for any-one who does not want to spend a lot of money on a high-precision workshop style torque wrench, but at the same time, also wants a tool to accurately set the torque during regular home maintenance. Priced at Rs.6,100(as on 10th September 2019), it is slightly on the expensive side for just an adjustment tool, but better to spend a small fortune on a torque driver than spend a large fortune replacing cracked components or frames damaged due to incorrect torque settings.
Prices and Specifications/Components are subject to change by the brand, without due notice.