Educate me please, when you have to put a extension on a torque wrench which way does the value go? Say on a inch pound wrench, your need a target of 60 in pounds but you have to have a 4in extension on the torque wrench, which way does the value go? Same thing on a foot pound wrench, say 80 ft pounds and you have 3" extension on it, which way does the value go? I know it's best not to have a extension on the wrench but sometime it's necessary.
scratching my xxxx on this
cw

cw,
If you are talking about an extension that goes on the socket, then it does not affect the torque reading at all. I use extensions on the torque wrench all the time. The ony extentions that affect torque are those that actually make the torque wrench itself longer.

cw,
It took me a while to find a pic, but this is the type of extension that does affect torque readings:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=2219&group_ID=268&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

The normal extensions like I think you are talking about do not affect torque.

The extensions shown in Bill's post must be used with the recommendations of the torque wrench manufacturer *unless* they are put at 90 deg to the axis of the wrench.

Appreciate the response, I should have had more information in my question. What I was doing was chasing a vacuum leak and replacing the gasket on a new carb, well it said to torque to 80inch pounds. I had to put 4" 1/4" extension on the torque wrench to reach all of the nuts with the socket and it got me to thinking "do I still get the true torque value"? Same thing as when you have to use a 1/2" torque wrench and you have to have a extension between the wrench and socket. Appreciate the help, now back to the vacuum leak.
thanks
cw

Hey guys, I just purchased a 9/16 torque adaptor like in Bills post. To torque my Cast iron BBC intake how do I find how it changes the torque value? Sorry to hi jack but very important!
Thank you!
Gary.

Hey guys, I just purchased a 9/16 torque adaptor like in Bills post. To torque my Cast iron BBC intake how do I find how it changes the torque value? Sorry to hi jack but very important!
Thank you!
Gary.

I have an idea how to figure it out. Torque is force times distance. That is why when you add a cheater bar to a wrench you can achieve more torque. If you have a torque wrench that is 1 foot long and it is set at 30 lbs you should be able to apply 30 ft-lbs of torque. If you use one of those snapon adapters you will be adding distance. If the adapter is 3 inches long and the 1 foot torque wrench is still set at 30 lbs then your final applied torque will be 37.5 ft-lbs. (30 lbs x 1.25 feet).

I don't know if it is a good idea or not but it kind of makes sense.

Hey guys found a great web site that has a calculator plug in numbers it does it for you.
WWW.BELKNAPTOOLS.COM/EXTCALC.ASP

Hey guys found a great web site that has a calculator plug in numbers it does it for you.
WWW.BELKNAPTOOLS.COM/EXTCALC.ASP (http://WWW.BELKNAPTOOLS.COM/EXTCALC.ASP)

That works for extensions orientated as pictured. If the extension is positioned 180 degrees of that pictured (back under the wrench) a negative number needs to be entered in the extension length.

That's scary...that's pretty much what I said. My high school physics teacher would be sooooo proud.