can anybody suggest a good cheap torque wrench for BB work? I have an older one, but it only goes 1 way. And since BBs need a two way torque wrench - mine is about 50% useless.

I have a smaller one (the shimano pro set) for small work

thank you

I have the Park. Works and cost about $75, I think.

Sears Craftsman... good price, lifetime no questions warranty... < 100$ for a decent one.

Yea, more like $30 for a craftsman beam type. That's what I used for my BB.

I would go with the beam type also. I'm not sure that Sears gives the warranty on the torque wrenches anymore.

Considering some shops don't use a torque wrench, just an "educated" arm, I would take the least expensive way out, the $30 option sounds good. I've got a very expensive ratchet style torque wrench from my mis-spent youth, working on cars. I'm sure it's way out of calibration, but it's close enough.

Torque rating on a BB is 650 NM. Which means, as tight at you can get the thing

Essentially, if the wrench still moves, then its not tight enough

my bb's tend to be in the 35-50 Nm range, 650 Nm is A LOT of torque. Do you mean Inch lb?

Oops you got me, yeah I ment in-lbs

is it possible to over tighten a bb cup?

I think if you put in a huge 6ft cheater bar you could strip the BB threads but I would say in most cases no

I don't think that's right either. Everytime I've looked up a BB torque it has been in the 30 to 35 lb/ft range. Imagine a 30 to 35 lb weight hanging off the end of a foot long wrench. Tighten it that much.

They don't have lifetime warranty. I think it's only a year or two. Torque wrenches wear out their calibrations over time; there's nothing one can do about that.

that is a very tight specification. i think if the average person just gives it a good hard push with body weight, it would be ok.