DIY mower deck adapter. How to Keep Grass From Sticking to Mower Deck- 5 Experienced Tactics

How to Keep Grass From Sticking to Mower Deck- 5 Experienced Tactics

grass build up under a lawnmower deck is a painful matter. It leaves clumps of grass on the lawn garden, rusts out the deck leads to messy, slow cutting due to reduced airflow. A protective coating will slow down the grass build-up but nothing will eliminate the need for regular cleaning.

You know How to keep grass from sticking to mower deck. So as you run your lawnmower blades of mow grass are constantly being whipped against the inside of the mower blade.

Over time this causes a build-up of grass underneath the mower that you will eventually have to wash and scrape off.

How to Keep Grass from Sticking to Mower Deck-Step by Step are Below

Luckily there is a simple way to keep your mower deck clean in proper condition. Today we’ll show you how to do that also provide a few cutting tips along the way!

Why Is Grass Buildup Bad?

Grass buildup can cause a variety of problems once it gets thick enough. To begin with, Grass buildup will affect the efficiency of a mower blade. A mower’s ability to cut more grass the overall performance of the mower inhibits airflow throughout the deck.

Lawn Mowers Use Airflow to Operate Efficiently

By design mowers need suitable airflow to operate correctly. The blades of grass won’t get sucked up into the mower deck efficiently the mower blade will not mow the grass adequately.

If grass build-up is bad enough, it causes friction resistance on the mower’s ability to mow grass it can even strain the mower’s engine cause it to curb down.

Moisture Causes Rust

Given enough time that moisture will cause rust eventually making the mower blade unusable, if left unchecked.it is important to keep grass from building up inside your mower deck. Let’s take a look now at some simple steps you can follow to prevent grass buildup on your mower deck.

Lawn Mower Deck Spray

Method1: Access Clean the Mower Deck

Before you can do anything else you need to get under your lawnmower give the underside of the mower deck a thorough cleaning. Some mowers have a hose attachment builtin to the top of the mower deck. If you can use it to clean out the underside of your deck as you normally would.

However, If you need to clean the mower deck by flipping it over.

Here is our recommendation

Firstly, disconnect the spark plug before turning it over to prevent damage ensure your own safety. Secondly, tip the mower over keep the gas oil reservoirs kept on the top side to avoid spilling. You should also consider emptying the gas tank before cleaning the mower deck.

Household Tools to Clean Mower

Firstly, spray the underside of the deck with a hose let it soak for (5-10) minutes to soften up. Then, using a stiff plastic putty knife remove the heaviest grass buildup followed by a soft bristle brush soapy water to remove the remaining grass.

Make sure all of the old grass has been removed from the mower deck then proceed to the next step also.

Method2: Learn How To Repaint Mower Deck

Lawn Mower Deck manufacturers apply baked-on enamel paint to the entire lawn mower deck. This paint is essential to avoiding grass build-up. Remember you want the grass blades to slide off the mower deck. Anything that hinders that will cause the grass to stick.

If your mower deck underside paint of your mow is in bad condition. We highly recommend repainting it with lawn mower paint. The suggestions we offer below will have less value for how to keep grass from sticking to the mower deck if the paint on your mower is severely scratched and rusted.

Method3: How To Apply Coating to Avoid Grass Build Up

The reason that grass builds upon the underside of a lawnmower is that the surface allows it to stick. Once one layer of grass has built up others can gradually accumulate on top of it until you have bold layers of grass caked on your mower deck.

Lawn Mower Deck Spray

The best easiest way to prevent. This is to apply a spray lubricant that will keep the grass from sticking in the first place of the garden. One of the most popular options for lubricating the underside of your mower deck is Dupont Teflon non-stick and dry-film lubricant.

This spray lubricant while not designed specifically for use on mower decks blades is one of the most economical highest rated sprays to avoid grease, grime, dirt build-up it works amazingly on mower decks as well.

Other top-rated products branded as a spray-on lubricant for lawnmower decks include Tite Seal for lawnmower decks sold at Amazon.

Home Remedies To Coat Mower Deck

If you do not have a specialized spray. There is any number of other home lubricants that’ll work well enough to get the job done. A few of the available options include (WD-40) vegetable oil non-stick kitchen spray. Motor oil can also work but it has a habit of dripping off after a while would not be our first choice.

If you choose to use a non-spray oil. Be sure to rub it into the surface of the lawnmower deck with a rag to ensure complete coverage maximum adhesion. Clean off any excess non-spray oil before using the mower deck.

Graphite Coating for Lawn Mower Deck. A final option for preventing grass buildup is to use graphite spray coating. Graphite is a commonly used industrial lubricant it also does a great job preventing grass from sticking to your lawnmower deck.

As with any other spray lubricant, be sure you are starting with a completely dry clean deck. Most graphite sprays dry fairly quickly. But there will be a brief period of about 30 min. Required for drying when using graphite. To be sure you are applying the spray correctly thoroughly read follow all directions provided on the bottle.

Method-4: Change Mowing Habits to Prevent Future Build-up

Even with a lubricant on the lawnmower deck. The grass will eventually build-up has given enough time the right conditions.

Wait For Grass To Dry

You should always wait until your grass is completely dry to cut it. Cutting after a rainstorm and in the morning after a heavy dew will introduce more moisture into the clippings make them more likely to stick together. It is also a good idea to set the height adjustment on your lawnmower higher.

We recommend using a 3-inch height if your lawnmower can go that high. Also, If you use your lawnmower on a short setting height to scalp your lawnmower. You create much longer blades of grass. Of course more chance for buildup under the mower deck.

Cut Grass Often

If you raise your lawnmower deck opt for slightly longer grass. You will find that you may have to cut more. Incidentally, when you keep your grass longer it keeps shade at the roots creates a much healthier, thicker greener lawn deck keeps the weeds from getting a foothold.

Method5: Maintain Lawn Mower Deck Coating

Once you have coated your lawn mower deck with a lubricant, it is essential to maintain that coating over time.

Routinely, attempt to keep the lawnmower deck dry avoid running over sticks twigs as much as possible as either water and impacts from solid objects will wear down the coating over time.

Steps:

From time to time re-apply deck coating to keep the lawnmower deck in optimal condition. We recommend re-apply coating at least every 24 mowings. This should keep your mower deck underside free from grass buildup.

How To Clean Riding Mower Deck- With Wash Port

Because it is difficult to access the bottom of a Riding Lawn Mower deck. Most newer riding lawn mower brands feature one or more wash port locations for cleanout. To use the wash port feature to clean riding lawn mower deck, follow these simple steps;

Step1: Start Mower

Start your Riding mower move it to a flat open area of your lawn away from buildings.

Step2: Attach Port Adapter

Attach the wash port adapter that came with your riding lawn mower to your garden hose.

Step3: Attach Garden Hose

Attach a garden hose to the adapter on your lawnmower wash port located on the lawnmower deck.

Step4: Start Mower

Turn on the riding lawn mower dis-engage the mower blades leaving the lawnmower running.

Step5: Turn On The Water

Turn the water on connected to the garden hose wash port.

Step6: Engage Mower Blades

Engage the mower blades let run for (4-5) minutes to remove built-up grass clippings debris from the underside of the lawnmower deck.

For Riding Mower With Multiple Wash Ports

If you have more than one Wash Port on your riding mower remove the garden hose Repeat Steps (3-6) with additional wash ports. If your mower only has one wash port, you are done!

Tips For Cleaning Mowers That Have Wash Port

While some riding lawn mower owners use the wash port every time they cut, we recommend doing this routine maintenance at least (2-3) times per season.

Visually check the underside of the ride lawn mower deck occasionally by raising the front wheels up. Some folks use a nearby curb, choose a safe method. Using a flashlight inspect the underside of the lawnmower deck and scrape any grass build-up not removed by using the wash port cleaning method.

Does it help to replace the mower blade?

Many manufacturers include a standard lawnmower blade with the sale of their equipment. Especially for lawn budget models. If you find your mower after cleaning is still not mowing properly, go online. Your local hardware store get a High-Lift mowing blade. These types of mowing blades will create more airflow lift. Allowing more time to adequately mow the grass.

Should I run a mower on a full-throttle or slower speed?

Most modern-day lawn mowers are designed to run at full throttle. For the purposes of this article is inherently important to do so. Full throttle motor speed creates the maximum lift mowing ability for your mower. These factors both contribute to less build up as grass clippings get ejected quicker.

Conclusion

As a result of these tips, your lawnmower will run much more efficiently your maintenance time will be cut down dramatically. You should also be able to increase your walking speed to How To Keep Grass from Sticking to Mower deck.

Without bogging down your lawnmower leaving those telltale trails behind.you should also knowing how to keep grass sticking to your mower deck.

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How To Protect Mower Deck (Insider Tips)

Mower decks frequently wear out long before the engines, which makes me a little sad truthfully. Deck protection is a chore every mower owner could easily do with just a little knowledge and some elbow grease. I’ve been a mechanic for over twenty years, I’ll show you how to take care of your mower deck.

Protect a lawn mower deck from corrosion in five steps:

• Turn mower over, (air filter side up)
• Clean deck underside thoroughly with stiff brush
• Remove loose corrosion using a wire brush
• Cover drive belt with old cloth
• Apply thick coat of auto body undercoating

In this post, you’ll learn how to safely work on your mower and you’ll also learn how to avoid common mower repair mistakes that can render your mower a no start.

Mower Repair Safety

Accidental starting while working on your mower, while rare, is possible. To eliminate even the slightest chance, we’ll remove the plug wire and tuck it out of the way. We’ll also turn gas off and seal the gas tank to prevent spills, we’ll cover all of this a little later.

The mower blade is sharp, so a pair of stout work gloves is advised. A premium mask like 3m is advised, corrosion dust will hang in the air when cleaning. A mask is also required when painting your deck. Quality safety glasses are always advised, can’t count the number of times they saved me from a trip to the ER.

When applying the undercoating, do so in a ventilated area. You’ll find all the safety kit I use here on the “Safety gear page”.

Tools you’ll Need

You can of course power wash your deck underside, I don’t generally advise pressure washing as power washer pressure is strong enough to penetrate oil seals and remove critical bearing grease. Water on the electrics and in the carburetor causes a ton of problems too. In addition, you can’t paint the underside until the deck thoroughly dries out. That said power washing is a ton faster than elbow grease, just be mindful of the risks.

If you don’t have a power washer or prefer not to use one, then you’ll require a stiff-bristled brush and a few paintbrushes, for the nooks crannies. When it comes time to remove loose rust you’ll need a wire brush, alternatively use a cordless drill and a wire brush adapter, works great, saves your energy and time.

You’ll find all the tools I use here on the “Mower cleaning tools page”.

Turning Mower Over

Turning your mower over is a simple enough task, sure what could go wrong? Well, there is an incorrect way to turn or tilt your mower. Turning it over incorrectly is a common cause of white smoke or a no start. Tilting it to the wrong side causes oil to enter the combustion chamber.

It’s a simple process and we’ll cover it right now, but if you are in any doubt, check out this post “Which way to tilt your mower”, it covers everything you need to know or check the video here.

Remove Plug Wire – Your mower plug wire lives right out front of the engine, give it a twist and a pull to remove it.

Gas Tap Off – If you have a gas tap, now’s a great time to use it, turning the gas off prevents gas from flowing from the gas tank to the carburetor.

Plastic Sheet – In addition place a sheet of plastic under the gas cap and refit the cap, preventing gas from leaking from the gas tank.

Turn Mower Over – A mower should always be turned over with the air filter side facing skyward. Your mower air filter lives on the opposite side of the muffler.

Cleaning Deck

If you are using a power washer, try and avoid directing water at the engine crankshaft seal, drive axle, drive belt, wheels, carburetor, air filter, armature pull assembly area. Pressure washers may force water into bearings washing away grease and promoting corrosion. Water on the electrics may cause misfiring, no start, or premature armature failure. If the electrics do get wet allow them to dry out completely before running the engine.

Wash Port – Not many owners know about the deck wash port. Simply attach a garden hose and run the mower. The spinning blades force the water to wash the deck but are warned it leaves quite a mess on the ground.

Wd40 helps prevent damp ingress, spraying electrical components before washing may help prevent issues. If you are cleaning by hand, use a mask, old dry grass may be dusty. Cleaning by hand is a touch tedious but the end result will be worth it.

Using the stiff brush on the open areas of the deck, it’s okay to move the blade around out of your way. Smaller paintbrushes are great from the tighter areas. An airline works great to remove debris.

Remove Loose Rust

You’ll definitely need a mask for this bit, when using the wire brush, fine rust particulars will hang in the air, you don’t want that crap in your lungs. My top tip is to use a cordless drill with a wire brush adapter, a fantastic labor-saving device that makes the chore almost pleasurable.

If you don’t have power tools, no problem, we’ll do this old school. Use a wire brush to remove loose surface rust and loose paint flakes.

We are not trying to clean down to the metal here, just so long as the loose debris is removed we’re good. When complete, clean up the work zone, otherwise we’ll get loose debris sticking to fresh undercoating.

Cover Drive Belt Pulley

Prevent Overspray – When painting the deck underside we’ll need to avoid painting a few areas. No need to be too particular, I just use some cardboard or shop rag.

We’ll need to avoid getting undercoating on the drive belt, pulleys and drive axle. Thick undercoating on the belt or pulleys may cause self-drive issues. If you do overspray, just clean it off and you’ll be set.

Apply Undercoating

I use auto body undercoating, it protects the deck from corrosion, helps prevent grass sticking and the chute clogging. The undercoating remains flexible which prevents cracking, although your deck is metal, it does flex. Undercoating is only as good as the surface it’s applied to, if there’s loose material, oil or the surface is damp, the undercoating won’t remain on the deck.

Undercoating products are available for air tools or in DIY-style rattle cans. One can is enough to get the job done. 3M make great products, you’ll find a link here on the “Mower cleaning tools page”.

One Thick Heavy Coat – With all prep work done and mask on, apply one thick coat, you may need to contort yourself to nail the areas concealed by the position of the mower.

The sides and the chute are the most important areas to coat, use up the whole can as the product goes off after a few hours.

If you’re using a spray gun, clean immediately after use. Allow 24 hours for the undercoating to dry completely. Nice work! Your deck is now protected for years to come. Don’t forget to turn the gas on, remove the gas cap plastic and refit the plug wire.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!

How to use a water hose attachment on a lawnmower, step by step

A lawnmower keeps your garden beautiful and presentable. It is responsible for cutting tall grass, unnecessary weeds, and rough-looking patches. Proper maintenance is crucial in keeping the lawnmower working efficiently. One has to take care of the cleanliness of different parts too. Cleaning the mower’s blades and the deck is part of the maintenance you have to perform after finishing mowing. The advantage of using a hose attachment on a lawnmower is that you only clean the underside thoroughly, and the engine and other parts keep relatively dry. This blog post will take you through the steps to attach a water hose to your lawnmower. With it, you can clean your mower easily in a couple of minutes.

How to use a water hose attachment on a lawnmower, step by step:

• Step 1: Prepare the mower
• Step 2: Lower the mower deck
• Step 3: Screw the hose attachment to your mower
• Step 4: Let the engine run for a short while
• Step 5: Disconnect the hose attachment and dry the deck
• Step 6: If there is no hose attachment, how to clean the deck

Attaching the water hose itself is relatively simple. It only needs a few basic steps. But you have to be careful as you are exposing a mechanical device to water.

You might have noticed that many new lawnmower decks have a new hose connection point on them. For example, a Craftsman lawnmower’s hose attachment is part of the mower’s deck wash system. The benefits of cleaning the deck start as soon as you finish mowing. You might wonder how to use them, or they are effective, or what precautions you have to take when using them? This blog post tries to answer these questions.

General Guide:

While mowing, your mower blades get dirty. If the grass is slightly damp, clippings of grass get stuck together on the mower blades and underside. These clippings increase the chance of rusting, so it is better to clean them after mowing each time. A water hose attachment is the fastest way to solve the issue.

Step 1: Prepare the mower

Place the lawnmower on a smooth and level surface close to a water source with a hose. Leave transmission in gear and set the lawnmower to the parking brake so that it does not start rolling. Ensure that there is enough gas in the tank as you will have to turn the mower while the water is running. Make sure that all the moving parts have stopped when you start to work.

Step 2: Lower the mower deck

The next step is to find the water hose port on your lawnmower. It will most likely be present on top of the mower deck that contains the blades underneath. It is present in both push mowers and riding mowers. Now, lower the cutting deck to the lowest level. This step is needed for riding mowers. Push mowers have a fixed deck and need to reduce the cutting height to the lowest level.

Step 3: Screw the hose attachment to your mower

First, remove the grass bag if your mower has one. Now, inspect the water hose port you found earlier on the mower’s deck. Check the kind of connection you require, a push-in connector or a twisting type. For some models, you have to screw the attachment on the lawnmower deck. Check that the hose has the same connector that your mower requires. Attach the nozzle adapter on the deck washout port. Generally, it is better to use a lock collar to fix the adapter with the mower’s deck attachment. The lock collar releases the water flow when turned clockwise and stops the flow when turned the other way.

Now, open the tap and release the lock collar, letting the water flow. The nozzle connection should be tight. Always double-check the connection because it may come off and wet other parts if it is not tight enough. Especially, the mower’s engine, the battery, and some other electrical parts do not like water, so be careful.

Step 4: Let the engine run for a short while

After the water starts flowing through, you have to clean the blades thoroughly. To do this, start the engine and let it warm up. Then, engage the mower’s blades and let it run for at least two minutes. As the blades turn, they swirl the water in the deck gushing out the clippings and wiping the blades properly. If you have a riding mower, sit on the seat and move the throttle to the fast position. Run the engine until no more clippings flow down with the water from your mower’s deck.

Step 5: Disconnect the hose attachment and dry the deck

Now, stop the engine and turn off the water supply. Disconnect the hose attachment from your mower. Start your engine again and run it for a while to dry off the underside of the deck. Another way is to let your mower dry outside.

If you want to clean the top of your mower, you may use a leaf blower once your engine is cooled down but never use water from the hose to clean it.

Step 6: If there is no hose attachment, how to clean the deck?

The whole procedure is similar. Turn the faucet on and hold the other side of the water pipe opening in your hand. Aim from low to the ground up to the underside of the mower’s deck. That way, the water will hit the blades from the front or rear wheels. Keep a safe distance and spray the water in as the blades spin. This should do the job. You probably need two persons to do this, and the one that holds the hose will probably get quite wet.

Additional concerns:

Use of Pressure washer: Be careful using a pressure washer for cleaning the mower deck because it can force the water into your mower’s critical and sensitive parts. The engine, battery, and other electrical parts do not like water. Also, be careful not to wash away lubrication on various parts

Read the manufacturer’s manual: Always read your operator manual. If it says never use water to clean the deck, don’t try to use it even if you have the hose attachment. It is probably better to use an air pump for the same purpose.

Scrapping technique: Scrapping under the mower deck is another way of keeping things clean in the mower deck’s underside. You should also check the clippings cluster before you use the water. If you find any uncommon clogging or stuck branches, remove them before the operation.

Let the deck dry: Allow the underside of the mower deck to dry properly. You can use an air pump that circulates the air to let it dry faster. Also, never use a mower that has been recently washed to cut grass. Wet blades and deck will stick grass much more easily, and you will end up with the same dirty machine.

Frequently asked questions:

Why is there a hose attachment on my lawnmower?

If your lawnmower has a hose attachment, it is there as part of a deck wash system. It helps easily remove grass clippings, dirt, and other debris from under the mowing deck. It will help keep your mower’s components from clogging or jamming and ensure that the machine produces the best possible grass trim. You can clean sharp blades with zero physical contact with them.

Is it ok to wash the mower blades with water?

It is completely fine to use the hose attachment. Spraying the water beneath the mower’s deck comes as an additional feature. The mower blades can withstand moisture, branches, and dirt. So, it is perfectly ok to clean them with water. Avoid spraying water on other parts of the mower. And be very careful with using a pressure washer to clean your mower, as it can force the water into unwanted parts. It increases the chance of rusting, seizing, jamming, or problems with the battery or other electrical system parts.

What can I do if the water hose attachment is damaged?

If the water hose attachment is damaged, you can always get it repaired at your local dealer. You can also try to fix the broken tip at home with some adhesive or another method. If you use glue, ensure that you do not glue any other parts accidentally. If fixing is not possible, and as a final resort, you can hold the hose over the attachment hole as it is only a 2-minutes job. Also, look into the last step of the blog for an alternative method.

Final remarks:

Cleaning the underside of the deck is a job you should do after each mowing session. Regular cleaning of blades and cutting deck makes your machine last longer. Using a water hose attachment makes the job super-fast and easy. There are only a few additional precautions one should take. In this blog post, we have explained how to use the water hose attachment. Ensure you keep the water away from the engine and electrical components. Please do not use a pressure washer, as it often hurts more than it gives. In the last step, we have provided some directions on how to clean without a hose attachment.

This Digital Torque Wrench Adapter Is Essential for DIY Mechanics

Family Handyman

Looking for a compact and accurate alternative to a traditional torque wrench? Give this Family Handyman Approved digital torque wrench adapter a try.

Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.

Perhaps I’m a tinkerer at heart. I may also be a bit frugal. But whenever something mechanical I own needs a repair, I try to do it myself.

If it’s a big job like replacing the rear differential in my truck. I don’t have the time, space or confidence to tackle it. But for smaller issues with my bicycle, lawn mower, snowblower, boat, motorcycle or family vehicles, I try to fix them myself.

It usually doesn’t take many tools. An adjustable wrench, socket set, breaker bar, mallet, torque wrench and a willingness to get grease under your fingers is all you need.

Of those tools, a torque wrench is the least common, but it’s essential. It lets you apply the right amount of torque to a bolt without over- or under-tightening it.

Torque wrenches come in various styles and ratings. Some are best for ultralight carbon fiber bicycle components, others for heavy-duty farm or construction equipment.

While visiting a friend, I came across his Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter, a torque tool attachment with a scale that would be just right for my needs. So I ordered one up and gave it a try.

What is the Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter?

The Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter is a small, lime-shaped attachment that converts your standard 1/2-inch socket handle or breaker bar into a torque wrench with a rotating digital readout.

It measures between 30- and 150-ft/lb of torque and provides an accurate measurement of within 2%, with five units (kg/cm, kg/m, ft/lb, in/lb, N/m) to choose from. Any 1/2-in. socket can work with the digital torque adapter. It also includes adapters for 3/8-in. and 1/4-in. sockets.

The adapter features a programmable interface with ten adjustable pre-set values, and informs you audibly and visually when those values have been reached. The kit comes nicely packaged in a durable storage case.

How We Tested It

Family Handyman

The Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter came at the right time. Our cars needed their tires rotated, and my motorcycle was almost ready for end-of-summer routine maintenance. I was eager to play around with its programmable interface, and see how well it worked with different drive sockets and their adapters.

Accuracy

First, I tested the Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter’s accuracy. The manufacturer claims the torque wrench is accurate to /-2%, which would be astonishing, since my much older click torque wrench is only accurate to /-4%.

It was a relatively simple test. I clamped an old, inexpensive, deep well socket to the table in a pipe wrench so it couldn’t rotate. Then I attached the Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter to the secured socket and my breaker bar to its end.

From the end of the breaker bar I hung 36 lbs. worth of dumbbells and a lightweight bag, which came out to exactly 36.16 lbs. The Performance Tool Digital Torque Adapter read 39.9 ft./lb. of torque.

Then I had to remember some high school physics and pulled out a calculator.

Torque = Lever Length 13-3/8-inches (from pivot point to the bottom knob of my 14-inch breaker bar) x Force 36.16-lbs. (weights and bag).

So 13.375 x 36.16 = 483.64 in/lb of torque. Calculate the ft./lb. by dividing the in./lb. number by 12 and BOOM. 40.3 ft./lb. of torque, accurate by 1%. Quite impressive, I must say.

I repeated experiment several times with other heavy objects like brake rotors and bricks. In every case, the Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter was accurate /-2%.

Performance

Then it was out to the garage to work on the vehicles.

Rotating the tires on our cars was a breeze. Once I programmed the torque settings for my wife’s Subaru and my truck, I removed the lug nuts and switched the wheels. Then I realized the Digital Torque Adapter could read torque in clockwise and counterclockwise directions — a handy feature, though I’m not sure how often it’ll get used.

Using the Digital Torque Adapter, we rotated both sets of tires quickly and hassle-free. Now we have the torque settings saved for future rotations.

On my motorcycle I had to change the oil and access the valves, which meant removing some covers and guards attached with delicate screws and bolts. In this instance, I freehanded it without presetting any of torque settings because the document I found online laid out the torque values I needed. This was slightly more challenging due to the erratic behavior of the digital gauge when I applied torque.

After a bit of patience and feathering each bolt, the Digital Torque Adapter handled all the tasks we asked of it with ease. The smaller 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch drive sockets and adapters were especially useful for these tasks.

Ease of use

While I wouldn’t describe the Digital Torque Adapter as difficult to use, I also wouldn’t describe it as user-friendly, either.

Although there are only five buttons, a quick glance at the readout reveals a lot of programmable data such as torque, units and more. Let’s just say I won’t be discarding the owner’s manual anytime soon, because I’m sure I’ll have to re-reference it at some point.

Pros

• Compact;
• Works with 1/2-, 3/8-, and 1/4-inch drive sockets;
• Really accurate;
• Programmable presets;
• Storage case and adapters included.

FAQ

Q : This Digital Torque Adapter is only compatible with 1/2-inch drive sockets and breaker bars. Are they made for 3/8-inch drive?

Q: Do your saved torque presets disappear when you replace the battery?

A: No, battery changes do not affect their programming.

What Others Had To Say

In a five-star Amazon review, MWD writes, “Handy and accurate … Understanding the buttons to get to the features is a bit tricky but once understood this is a nice unit. … I checked its readings against two other torque wrenches and they are all either accurate to my needs or all off the same amount across the usable scale. I call it a win-win.”

Amazon verified purchaser WVUFAN4LIFE gets right to the point, writing, “Worth the money!” and “Great product for those hard to reach places.”

Final Verdict

If you’re just starting out with DIY mechanical maintenance, or you’re looking for a compact and precise substitute for traditional torque wrench, give the Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter a try.

It’s extremely accurate, works with all standard socket sizes, and can be programmed to save the exact torque settings required for your vehicle. over, the durable plastic storage case ensures it will last for years to come.

Where to Buy

via merchant

The Performance Tool M206 Digital Torque Adapter is available at Amazon.com.

Ethan designs and builds custom woodwork, furniture and exhibits. He’s completed projects for several Fortune 500 companies as well as the United States Park Service. In his free time, he enjoys riding anything two-wheeled, reading, drawing and talking Formula 1.