Torque Wrench question
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 541
Likes: 36
Harbor Freight sells quality torque wrenches very reasonalbly priced. That being said I have purchased 1/4 , 1/2 , and 3/4 inch drives from them. They are accurate and I have never had a problem with them. RIGHT TOOL FOR RIGHT JOB
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 86
From: Centeral Coast, California
I have to call you on that one. I wouldn't be afraid to use one that's brand new on something non-critical.....but then again if there's a toque value called for it's likely critical to have accuracy and precision; and that's NOT Harbor Freight torque wrenches!
You are right about the price though....they're reasonably priced. I'll give you that one.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
Wha....? Huh?
I have to call you on that one. I wouldn't be afraid to use one that's brand new on something non-critical.....but then again if there's a toque value called for it's likely critical to have accuracy and precision; and that's NOT Harbor Freight torque wrenches!
You are right about the price though....they're reasonably priced. I'll give you that one.
I have to call you on that one. I wouldn't be afraid to use one that's brand new on something non-critical.....but then again if there's a toque value called for it's likely critical to have accuracy and precision; and that's NOT Harbor Freight torque wrenches!
You are right about the price though....they're reasonably priced. I'll give you that one.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 90
From: Charlotte
If I'm going to use torque wrenches for a living, I'll buy a better quality. For something that I'll use a handful of times a year, Harbor Freights is fine.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 14,731
Likes: 2,536
From: Mountain Top, Alabama
And, reset the torque wrenches to zero when finished and stored.
I also rely on the HF inch pound torque wrench, used frequently on carbon fiber bicycle components. Never an issue. Lots of fasteners you can develop a feel for, small fasteners thru carbon is NOT one of those.
I also rely on the HF inch pound torque wrench, used frequently on carbon fiber bicycle components. Never an issue. Lots of fasteners you can develop a feel for, small fasteners thru carbon is NOT one of those.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
Wha....? Huh?
I have to call you on that one. I wouldn't be afraid to use one that's brand new on something non-critical.....but then again if there's a toque value called for it's likely critical to have accuracy and precision; and that's NOT Harbor Freight torque wrenches!
You are right about the price though....they're reasonably priced. I'll give you that one.
I have to call you on that one. I wouldn't be afraid to use one that's brand new on something non-critical.....but then again if there's a toque value called for it's likely critical to have accuracy and precision; and that's NOT Harbor Freight torque wrenches!
You are right about the price though....they're reasonably priced. I'll give you that one.
http://www.hotrod.com/articles/ccrp-...rench-testing/
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 1,538
From: Ohio
Just for fun, I looked at HF and they have most of their torque wrenches an sale, for $20.00 apiece.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...=torque+wrench
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...=torque+wrench
Last edited by Black_Gold; Jan 7, 2017 at 01:34 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,512
Likes: 345
From: Ohio
scratch - I've seen that article a number of times and the problem for me is 1) it never tells you the accuracies or even the part numbers of the equipment they're using to test the torque wrenches and 2) it doesn't address the root cause of the problems people have had with harbor freight torque wrenches...
They use aluminum and even soft iron ball bearings, their springs are sub standard, their production levels are kinda shoddy (i've opened up two of them for adjustment and found absolutely no lubricant, like that step was totally skipped in manufacture), and probably worst of all, the slip faces (the parts that rub together and then break at the applied torque setting) are rough and unmachined.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everybody needs to buy $200 torque wrenches just to work on their harley's. Sometimes a $20 tool is all that's needed.
But there's no way on earth Harbor Freight torque wrenches are on the same level of quality as CDI, Stanley-Proto, Snap On, or even most Craftsman wrenches.
They use aluminum and even soft iron ball bearings, their springs are sub standard, their production levels are kinda shoddy (i've opened up two of them for adjustment and found absolutely no lubricant, like that step was totally skipped in manufacture), and probably worst of all, the slip faces (the parts that rub together and then break at the applied torque setting) are rough and unmachined.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying everybody needs to buy $200 torque wrenches just to work on their harley's. Sometimes a $20 tool is all that's needed.
But there's no way on earth Harbor Freight torque wrenches are on the same level of quality as CDI, Stanley-Proto, Snap On, or even most Craftsman wrenches.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
I agree with you, but for a tool that I use a couple times per year, i'm good with it. if it were something that I was making a living at, yeah, it's never a bad idea to go for the good stuff.