After reading this thread, I started thinking about how accurate my 3/8 inch drive wrench actually is. So I googled and found this link:

How to Calibrate a Torque Wrench
By Justin Wash, eHow Contributor
updated: November 9, 2009
I want to do this! What's This?

Torque wrench calibration is important to the safety and effectiveness of your home and car repairs, as well as the functionality of the torque wrench itself. Use your torque wrench safely and effectively by calibrating it at home to suit your needs.
Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need:

* Torque wrench
* Vise
* String
* 20-pound weight
* Calculator
* Marker or pencil

1. Mark the center point of the wrench head on the back of the torque wrench. Use a a pencil or marker.
2. Measure from the center point to the point at which you apply the most pressure when using the wrench. Write down this measurement as "Distance 1" either in inches (if your wrench measures in inch pounds) or feet (if your wrench measures in foot pounds).
3. Clamp the wrench bit in a vise horizontally. Using string, hang a 20-pound weight from the handle of the wrench.
4. Move the weight along the handle of the wrench until it measures exactly 40 foot pounds or 480 inch pounds. Measure the distance from the center point on the head of the wrench to the string and write this measurement down as "Distance 2."
5. Divide "Distance 2" by "Distance 1" with the calculator to find the calibration ratio. This ratio is the difference between the the settings on your wrench and the actual force needed to acquire a "click" at that setting.
6. Set your torque wrench for a specific application by multiplying the required torque of the bolt by the calibration ratio. For example, if a bolt requires 43 foot/pounds of torque and the calibration ratio is 1.124, multiply 43 times 1.124 and set your wrench to 48.3 foot/pounds.

Here's another link for the same method: http://www.dieseldoctor.com/messageboard/data/229.html


I am going to try these methods with my torque wrenches to check the calibration. This might prove the HF wrenches are better than the brand name.

 

I think that test is for a beam type wrench...not a click type...but I'm no mechanic

 

Anybody have a Northern Tool Torque Wrench? My first one was purchased from NT, and my last two from HF. I have never compared them side by side, but they look A LOT alike.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...3474_200263474

If I made a living with these tools, or even if I was a serious shade tree mechanic, I might spend more on torque wrenches, but I do little more than change fluids and add bolt on stuff. I'm kind of like a "poser" mechanic.

 

There's a seller on eBay offering this Snap-On torque wrench for a buy now price of $125. It retails for $300, so they sell fast. I emailed the seller and asked him to let me know if he gets more.

 

usually when you see 'professional' reviews, the hf torque wrenches score up there better than most.

on the hf site, reading the reviews on that particular torque wrench, most of the negatives were from people who don't really have a clue what they are doing. i'm sorry, but you don't use a torque wrench to 'break lug nuts'.... also, if you've got something that needs 7 lbs of torque, then 5 to 80 lb wrench is probably not the best tool for that job either.

 

Since Sears and KMart became one entity their warranty practices have gone to ****.

This. Lowes is usually cheaper than Sears, lifetime warranty. Plus, I have one 5 minutes from my house.

Compare apples to apples homes. That does not equal this.


Just about everywhere that sells hand tools has a lifetime warranty. So the craftsman lifetime is crap. Especially when you break a ratchet and they now give you a "repair kit". ACE Hardware has a lifetime warranty on tools. Actually bought my father 2 torque wrenches from them a few years ago. Cheaper than sears and no need for extended warranty as a lifetime was included.

 

Harbor Freight is fine for general maintenance. I wouldn't use one for engine work.

 

A word to the wise about the digital units all the rage now , while they are accurate they tend to finnicky with use and will need regular calibration as they can go off by 20%or more very easily . If the battery bleeds you now have a nice breaker bar

I worked in the tool repair dept. for an auto plant for a while and the manual wrenchs had to be calibrated monthly , thats 2 or 3 life times for the average mechanic . When we went to digitals the work load increased so bad the vendors had supply " loaners " to keep up with the turn over .

For Joe garage guy this doesn't mean much but if it,s dead when you need it ... I've seen a boat load of them turn off and not turn on again .

 

I never did trust digital tools, other than volt meters.

 

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yeah, that's the one that I bought at HF that didn't work at all. Wouldn't release (click) - it was basically a short breaker bar. Had to bring it back.
I guess somehow I managed to buy the only POS tool HF ever built (?)