Torque wrench questions

[Huskymaniac]

1. What brands do you guys like? I want to get a "click" type.
2. I have read reviews of some wrenches where people are complaining about the click being too faint. They claim that it resulted in them over tightening. I always thought that the wrench clicks to prevent further tightening at the torque set point. So how are they over tightening? I suppose if you go slowly enough the static friction could allow you to apply a torque above the setpoint but even that should be limited, no?

[Hocrest]

I have a 3/8" Craftsman and a 1/2" Harbor Freight I prefer using the Harbor Freight one.

The lower the torque, the "lighter" the click, so for the 150 lb axle nut the click is easy. For the 20 lb Cam Cover bolts you have to pay attention or you can over torque.

If I worked rebuilding engines and trannies everyday and the torques had a 1% tolerance I may want a better quality, for tightening lugs and axle nuts and occasionally doing more precise work, Harbor Freight is the way to go.

[ZMan]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

I have a 3/8" Craftsman and a 1/2" Harbor Freight I prefer using the Harbor Freight one.

The lower the torque, the "lighter" the click, so for the 150 lb axle nut the click is easy. For the 20 lb Cam Cover bolts you have to pay attention or you can over torque.

If I worked rebuilding engines and trannies everyday and the torques had a 1% tolerance I may want a better quality, for tightening lugs and axle nuts and occasionally doing more precise work, Harbor Freight is the way to go.

+1 and the click indicates you've reached the torque, but doesn't limit it - you can continue to pull on it until you snap the bolt.

[Huskymaniac]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

I have a 3/8" Craftsman and a 1/2" Harbor Freight I prefer using the Harbor Freight one.

The lower the torque, the "lighter" the click, so for the 150 lb axle nut the click is easy. For the 20 lb Cam Cover bolts you have to pay attention or you can over torque.

If I worked rebuilding engines and trannies everyday and the torques had a 1% tolerance I may want a better quality, for tightening lugs and axle nuts and occasionally doing more precise work, Harbor Freight is the way to go.

Is that the same brand as "Pittsburgh"?

[Cam]

Craftsman Torque wrenches are going to be your best bet as far as warranty, quality, and price. Anything else is going to be shoddy, expensive, or used. The actual tolerance on a torque wrench is affected as much by the person using it as it is by how well the torque wrench is made. Like previously stated, once it clicks you can keep using it as a normal wrench, so over-tightening is a real possibility. It is also true that the less the load on the inner spring, the less noticeable the click will become.



As far as using the torque wrench for accuracy, these are proven methods to ensure the torque is as close to the setting as possible.

1) NEVER jerk the torque wrench to make it click; it must be a smooth motion all the way up to the click.

2) Always back the torque wrench off to the set point (or lowest marked setting) when not in use. Failing to do so will result in the spring wearing out inside the wrench over time, making it no longer properly calibrated.

3) If you are tightening a fastener and you run out of room, ratchet the torque wrench back, and the wrench clicks without the fastener turning anymore THEN THE TORQUE IS NOT ACCURATE.

4) NEVER drop your torque wrench. Treat it like a sensitive, calibrated tool. After all, that is what it is.

I would say snap-on makes really impressive torque wrenches. However, unless you have a lot of money to throw around or are building engines/profiting off your car work, then I recommend Craftsman.


On a side note, most often the actual torque applied to a particular bolt is somewhat irrelevant. It is definitely important that it be in the ballpark (+/- 10%) but when applying torque to load bearing parts/assemblies it is actually more important that all the bolts on the piece be torqued EQUALLY. For instance, if your flex-plate is torqued to 65 ft. lbs on one side, and 50 ft. lbs on the other, there is a chance your flex-plate could crack from having an unequal distribution of load throughout the part. Just something to think about...

[Hocrest]

Sorry Cam but I just want to point out that the Craftsman torque wrenches vary in warranty period from 90 days for electronic to 1 year for click style. The Pittsburgh wrenches from HF have a lifetime warranty.

On another car board one of the members compared his Snap On digital, HF click and Craftsman click. The SO was most accurate and consistent, the HF was close to that and the Craftsman was significantly behind.

All of your tips for care and accuracy are spot on. Especially dialing it back to 0 when done since most home users will go weeks or months between uses.

[Huskymaniac]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

Sorry Cam but I just want to point out that the Craftsman torque wrenches vary in warranty period from 90 days for electronic to 1 year for click style. The Pittsburgh wrenches from HF have a lifetime warranty.

On another car board one of the members compared his Snap On digital, HF click and Craftsman click. The SO was most accurate and consistent, the HF was close to that and the Craftsman was significantly behind.

All of your tips for care and accuracy are spot on. Especially dialing it back to 0 when done since most home users will go weeks or months between uses.

What's even better is the price. It is on big sale right now AND there is a 20% discount code! I got a 3/8th for $12!!!!! The tax and shipping were only an additional $4.20. Since I will use this mostly for servicing my mowers, I can't go wrong for this price. Thanks guys.

[kwren]

Originally Posted by Hocrest

Sorry Cam but I just want to point out that the Craftsman torque wrenches vary in warranty period from 90 days for electronic to 1 year for click style.

"Sears" no longer gives a lifetime warranty on any tools...
Some may know, or remember that when Kmart went bankrupt a short time back, The "powers that be" all got together to decide how to handle the Bankruptcy situation...

Some one suggested, gee, we are bankrupt... why don't we just buy Sears! So... bankrupt Kmart bought Sears. The name Sears, under new ownership had no obligation to honor any of the great guarantees of the previous Sears and didn't. That even applied to Sears refrigerators and other appliances.

However, you might find a store that has someone there that out of the goodness of their heart would help you out.

The click... I think most people can feel the click, no need to hear it.

Keith