best torque wrench?
- Thread starter hmenzies
- Start date
Honestly, I have 3. One good old fashioned deflection style, a good quality click style, and an inexpensive click style I got at Princess Auto here in Canada for $18 on sale (Canadian equivalent of Harbor Freight). Its the one I use the most and is accurate.
This will work fine for you and is on sale for $20.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-drive-click-stop-torque-wrench-807.html
This will work fine for you and is on sale for $20.
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-drive-click-stop-torque-wrench-807.html
BriMed1983
Been Around the Block
+1 with what Tim said. I work as a millwright and have several all different sizes and quality ranges from high end digital to the cheaper princes auto brand. For smaller jobs that 3/8 drive short handle is perfect. I've had it it for about five years now and is still very accurate and has a decent range from like 15-90 ft lbs. like any precision measurement tool just take care of it and it will last.
born2expire
let's talk shop
DO NOT BUY A HARBOR FREIGHT TORQUE WRENCH!!!!! my buddy thought the same thing and snagged one to rebuild his top end on his klx250....bad choice!!! it wasn't calibrated and on a 12ft lb bolt it crushed the aluminum thread part in the head and he had to ghetto rig it and weld in some cut in half washer and file it all back down to work. if anything snag a craftsman. definitely aa step up but if you really want to go the extra mile buy a snap on and spend the loot but most the time there is somebody out there who has already coughed up some dough and let you borrow it. just remember if its a click style to "ZERO" it out when you're done so you dont ruin the spring inside.
hmenzies
Been Around the Block
This may be a dumb question, but I'm new to all this so here goes! When the description says the torque wrench will go from 5-whatever, does that mean it will do things less than 5 ft/lbs like spokes? (about 2 ft/lbs)
Also does anyone have experience with this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-TW605-Torque-Wrench/dp/B0028081GK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336446598&sr=8-4
Thanks
Also does anyone have experience with this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-TW605-Torque-Wrench/dp/B0028081GK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336446598&sr=8-4
Thanks
The 5-80 ft pounds is the range the wrench is adjustable to. You set the desired torque on the handle and then slowly work your way up to that till it 'clicks'. Slowly work up to it is the key. You don't just go whole-hog on the thing.
Also, it's critical to develop a bit of a feel for these things. Honestly I only ever use a torque wrench on engine cases / heads. I've never used one on the side covers for example on my XS650 or any other engine. Those 6mm bolts are only 6-8 ft pounds and you don't need a torque wrench to do those.
Whichever wrench you buy, you need to make sure it's properly calibrated. Having more than one, I am able to test one against the other to confirm. Chances of both being out of whack to the same degree and matching each other is next to nill.
The one linked to in the Amazon listing looks identical to the Harbor Freight model and likely isn't worth the money. In my mind it's either a $20 HF model that you make sure is calibrated properly before going to town on sensitive bolts and even then making sure you check every once in a while and develop a feel for or spend more money on a name-brand you recognize and can put some trust against.
Bottom line is unless you're buying Snap-On or something, every wrench you look at will be made in China or somewhere else, and the difference is going to be the quality of materials and tolerances specified / demanded / monitored by the company buying the tools from the factory. Craftsman tools being an established American brand with a reputation to protect is likely going to be more picky about things than Harbor Freight selling $20 wrenches that most people in all honestly believe are crap and worth every penny of the $20.
At the end of the day I survived many years with just a deflection torque wrench. It wasn't till I decided to completely tear down engines that I invested in a couple of better / more accurate / higher load wrenches.
Also, it's critical to develop a bit of a feel for these things. Honestly I only ever use a torque wrench on engine cases / heads. I've never used one on the side covers for example on my XS650 or any other engine. Those 6mm bolts are only 6-8 ft pounds and you don't need a torque wrench to do those.
Whichever wrench you buy, you need to make sure it's properly calibrated. Having more than one, I am able to test one against the other to confirm. Chances of both being out of whack to the same degree and matching each other is next to nill.
The one linked to in the Amazon listing looks identical to the Harbor Freight model and likely isn't worth the money. In my mind it's either a $20 HF model that you make sure is calibrated properly before going to town on sensitive bolts and even then making sure you check every once in a while and develop a feel for or spend more money on a name-brand you recognize and can put some trust against.
Bottom line is unless you're buying Snap-On or something, every wrench you look at will be made in China or somewhere else, and the difference is going to be the quality of materials and tolerances specified / demanded / monitored by the company buying the tools from the factory. Craftsman tools being an established American brand with a reputation to protect is likely going to be more picky about things than Harbor Freight selling $20 wrenches that most people in all honestly believe are crap and worth every penny of the $20.
At the end of the day I survived many years with just a deflection torque wrench. It wasn't till I decided to completely tear down engines that I invested in a couple of better / more accurate / higher load wrenches.
madmatt1
Been Around the Block
Maybe my opinion is irrelevant because of the price, but I spent about $120 on my Snap-on tech wrench. (Ebay) It's a digital wrench, that does inch-pounds, ft-pounds, newton meters, and degrees. 0-100 ft lb. These things are awesome. I've used different wrenches, and can say that this one was really worth the extra money.
