Help with buying a good torque wrench
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 932
Likes: 14
From: CENTRAL IL
Harbor Freights ones seem to be testing pretty accurate and are inexpensive for a home diy er. If i was going to be using it everyday or on supercritical applications I am sure I would move up to the tool truck brands, but for exhaust studs occasionallty at home, the 1/4 in drive in in/lbs would suffice nicely for under 20 bucks. or if you can find one of the old style beam styles in in/lbs or convert ft/lbs to in/lbs, they are also crazy cheap and have no moving marts to wear out or fail . they can be found in a lot of hot rod catalogs.
Last edited by SIDECAR BOB; Sep 1, 2012 at 08:46 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,699
Likes: 8
From: New Jersey
I bought a Craftsman "Microclicker" 3/8 drive 10-100 ft lbs, and ended up taking it back because it it wouldn't click on anything less than 40 ft lbs. I exchanged it and it was the same thing on the second one, so I took that one back as well. I upgraded to the digital Craftsman 3/8 drive 10-100 ft lbs and am happy with this one. This is the one I ended up with. It also has a readout for in lbs and nt mtrs.
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-elect...&blockType=G10
Good Luck,
Mike
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-elect...&blockType=G10
Good Luck,
Mike
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 224
From: Glendale AZ
I went cheap and grabbed a few at Harbor Freight. Wasn't expensive and have a lifetime warranty. I bought a 3/8 and a 1/4. The 3/8 (seems to) work fine but the 1/4 has never worked right. I am gonna pony-up for one of the Craftsman digital torque wrenches one of these days.
I use my God given torque wrench, never had an issue or problem. I suppose if I was doing finite work on enternal engine parts I would prabably invest in one. I just can see spending the money on the wrench and looking up torque values on tail light screws!
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 197
Likes: 1
From: Grey Duck
I'm kind of a geek but I torque the lug nuts on my Jeep as well. If you crank down lug nuts with your air impact like everyone does the bolts actually stretch out weakening them. The last thing I need is to lose one of my 35" MR/R's right when I need it.
That being said, I have a Craftsman in/lb, a Craftsman 30-250 ft/lb (for lug nuts. control arms and unit bearings on the Jeep) and a CDI 10-100 ft/lb for just about everything else.
I used to have a couple of HF wrenches. one lost a little screw and completely blew up. I threw them both away. YRMV.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 992
Likes: 20
From: Arizona
I guess if all I was doing was changing tail lights screws I wouldn't buy a torque wrench either...
Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 16
From: N.E. Wisconsin
I've got a Snap-on, but I am a retired mechanic and used it alot for 35 yrs.
But if your just going to use it on ocassion you can get a 1/4" dr. Inch lbs. one at Harbor Freight that will put your bolts well with in spec's of the range suggested. I just recieved a flyer 2 days ago and they have have them on sale for $9.99 !
But if your just going to use it on ocassion you can get a 1/4" dr. Inch lbs. one at Harbor Freight that will put your bolts well with in spec's of the range suggested. I just recieved a flyer 2 days ago and they have have them on sale for $9.99 !
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 806
Likes: 1
From: Carquinez Straights - Northern CA
As a mechanic by trade, I have Snap-on (1/4 & 3/8 drive lb/in) and Mac (1/2 lb/ft) torque wrnches. They are great.
One rule of thumb with micrometer type, always reduce the micro adjust thimble setting to minimum after use.
One rule of thumb with micrometer type, always reduce the micro adjust thimble setting to minimum after use.
Last edited by Mickey D; Sep 1, 2012 at 11:18 AM.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Well, since I don't believe in dumb questions just dumb mistakes let me ask you this: How do you know when a torque wrench isn't working right because I've always felt that about torque wrenches? I concluded I must not know how to use them, because they always seem to exceed the torque I'm after.
Beary
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 974
Likes: 4
From: Utah
Put me in line for that question too. Only thing I can think of is tighten it down with a clicker style and then if you have an old school dial indicator type, throw that on it and compare. That being said, I only have an old school style in 3/8 drive but I have full range of TQ wrenches fro 1/4" to 3/4" and as soon as you throw any type of adapter on the wrench it noodles your reading supposedly.