OT: Torque wrenches

[liquidtiger720]

So, I am in the market for a torque wrench and don't know terrible much about them. I really do not want to spend over $120 for one, so I have a few questions.

1. Would a limit of 150ft/lb's be enough for me, the ocassional DIY'er(I really dont/wont do anything major).
2. Clicker type or beam type? I was leaning toward clicking type.
3. Do the clicker type's have to be recalibrated? If so, how much would it costs, how often would I have to do it, and where?
4. How does this one look? I was eyeing this the last time I was at sears, and its on sale now. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00944595000&subcat=Torque+Wrenches

5. would having a 1/2 - 3/8 inch socket adapter effect the torque values?

Thank you in advance. :D

[Mobius]

1. Would a limit of 150ft/lb's be enough for me, the ocassional DIY'er(I really dont/wont do anything major). Enough for everything except the wheel hub bolts (214 ft/lbs) and perhaps some crankshaft bolts.

2. Clicker type or beam type? I was leaning toward clicking type.Oh, absolutely click type. Beam wrenches work, but half the time they're useless because you can't see the damn scale without contorting yourself into some terribly akward position.

3. Do the clicker type's have to be recalibrated? If so, how much would it costs, how often would I have to do it, and where?Not for quite some time, as long as you store them with the tension set back at 0 ft/lbs.

4. How does this one look? I was eyeing this the last time I was at sears, and its on sale now. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00944595000&subcat=Torque+WrenchesThat's the one I have. Works fine for me.

5. would having a 1/2 - 3/8 inch socket adapter effect the torque values?Na, not enough to matter. Using a long extension could, however.

[Rigmaster]

My 0.02 cents about this- buy a cheap ~$20 1/2" clicker type wrench from Harbor Freight or one of the chain auto parts stores. This will cover 99% of the things you need to torque on your car, and if it breaks or gets way out of calibration, you can use it as a breaker bar and buy another one and not lose much $$$.

Keep in mind that sear Craftsman torque wrenches are NOT covered by their lifetime handtool warranty- not sure but I think they have a 1 year warranty.

If you are "the ocassional DIY'er", I can't imagine you needing anything more than the 1/2" clicker with a 0~150 lb-ft range. To be honest, the only thing I really use my torque wrench on around here are cyl head bolts and wheel lug bolts when I'm at the track- and the ocassional crankshaft main + rod bolts + nuts.......
Most of the other stuff gets tightened by feel, and that works for me.

Bret.

[liquidtiger720]

like this? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=239

Thank you for your opinions. Maybe ill get the cheapo one and spend the saved money on some other tools =).

[Rigmaster]

Yep, that's the one- FYI, my local HF retail store flyer has it on sale for $11.99 until Mar 26th..... Hard to beat that price IMHO.

Bret.

[Mobius]

My 0.02 cents about this- buy a cheap ~$20 1/2" clicker type wrench from Harbor Freight or one of the chain auto parts stores. This will cover 99% of the things you need to torque on your car, and if it breaks or gets way out of calibration, you can use it as a breaker bar and buy another one and not lose much $$$. Ugh. I'll just say this. My Harbor Freight torque wrench broke before I could torque all my wheel bolts down. Cheap, worthless crap.

[Kalevera]

Tools are so cool. I've been collecting a lot of them recently...even built a few (a la Don Gale and his "Poor Man's" line of products....hehe).

Best tools to have, in my opinion: 1) AIR compressor and impact wrench, 2) Oxy-Acetylene Torch (and/or a MIG welder and a Plasma Cutter), 3) a good die grinder, and last but not least 4) (just for immaturity's sake) -- the one in your pants

You can do a hell of a lot with that stuff :)

best, whit

[Shimamura3]

Tools are so cool. I've been collecting a lot of them recently...even built a few (a la Don Gale and his "Poor Man's" line of products....hehe).

Best tools to have, in my opinion: 1) AIR compressor and impact wrench, 2) Oxy-Acetylene Torch (and/or a MIG welder and a Plasma Cutter), 3) a good die grinder, and last but not least 4) (just for immaturity's sake) -- the one in your pants

You can do a hell of a lot with that stuff :)

best, whit

Ditto - I'd like to add a TIG to round off your list. Nothing's cooler than a plasma cutter!

[Kalevera]

ooh...yes, quite handy. I don't own one, though :(

[liquidtiger720]

too advanced for me lowell =).

...dosnt that harborfreight thing have a lifetime warantee? meaning if it broke, they will replace it? or is that outside of the warantee

[632 Regal]

although your stuck on harbor freight, check out the "kobalt" torque wrenches at uhhhh WTF umm not hoe depot...well maybe thats where i got it, it was online though. made by an offshoot fron snapon, look up kobalt torque wrench, its top notch, about 60 bux and used by the more critical engine race rebuilders, think mine goes to 150 lbs, its the clicker type.

12 beers, im not as sharp man.

[2MuchTorque]

I just did some research a purchased a 3/8" 0-50ft/lb dial type. It cost more than you are willing to spend…but just remember you get what you pay for.

Check the accuracy of any wrench – not just the overall accuracy (usually 2-4%) but the point at which the wrench is accurate. For example, if you buy a 0-100ft/lb wrench that states it is 2% accurate from 20% to full range then what you have is a wrench that is not (as) accurate from 0-20ft/lb, but is 2% accurate from 20-100ft/lb. My dial type is 2% accurate over the full range.

Why the 3/8"? I already have a ½" 0-150ft/lb bar type (19" long) for bigger stuff. The 0-50ft/lb is for the smaller stuff that I know others can do by 'feel' but it seems that most of my work (not just on the car) is in this range. Also, consider the size. A 12" wrench is going to fit in tight quarters that a 19" wrench cannot. (And, with the dial type one can always use a short length of pipe for extra leverage).

[Ted K]

Home Depot has Husky T-wrenches for around $60.They have nice hard plastic case.

[Rigmaster]

Good points Mr Torque, but I would argue that 99.9999% of the people in the world will be well suited with a standard clicker-type wrench.

In your worst case example, you said that the cheaper wrench may not be very accurate at the lower ranges such as 0-20 lb-ft. I would say that even if it has a 10% error at those low ranges, at 20 lb-ft setting, it may vary from 18-22 lb-ft, which is probably well within the torques spec anyway.


Bret.



I just did some research a purchased a 3/8" 0-50ft/lb dial type. It cost more than you are willing to spend…but just remember you get what you pay for.

Check the accuracy of any wrench – not just the overall accuracy (usually 2-4%) but the point at which the wrench is accurate. For example, if you buy a 0-100ft/lb wrench that states it is 2% accurate from 20% to full range then what you have is a wrench that is not (as) accurate from 0-20ft/lb, but is 2% accurate from 20-100ft/lb. My dial type is 2% accurate over the full range.

Why the 3/8"? I already have a ½" 0-150ft/lb bar type (19" long) for bigger stuff. The 0-50ft/lb is for the smaller stuff that I know others can do by 'feel' but it seems that most of my work (not just on the car) is in this range. Also, consider the size. A 12" wrench is going to fit in tight quarters that a 19" wrench cannot. (And, with the dial type one can always use a short length of pipe for extra leverage).

[MantecaBMW]

Husky long handled T-Wrench 250 ft lb.....$50 bucks with a hard plastic case......can't beat it.....