First Torque Wrench

[Rob G]

I never owned a Torque Wrench before and am getting ready too do some service on my 89 911. Is there anything I should look for in a good quality wrench? Which brand would you all recommend? What to stay away from.

Rob

[GrantG]

If your budget allows, I think Stahlwiile is the best (had lots of bad luck with the newer Craftsman ones):

Stahlwille catalogue

[JJ 911SC]

Buy cheap by twice... and risk doing some damage.

I got a trio of electronic GearWrench one (from Amazon).

I like the fact that it provide audible feed back so you don't have to look at it (I could never get use to the mechanical "click" one).

If one is to believe the calibration certificate that come with them (apply to all company) the are very accurate.

[Jeff Higgins]

I know this may kind of go against the grain a bit, but I have never used anything but a simple beam type torque wrench. You know, the kind with the big, long pointer that swings across a scale affixed above the handle. They are absolutely reliable and accurate. It takes a bit of care and attention to use one, but that's o.k.

I've seen too many of the click type that have gone out of calibration. In my line of work, we kit up and ship or travel with an awful lot of torque wrenches that are that are set to a predetermined torque value for use on a specific job, with that value set by a calibration certification lab. You would be very surprised just how many high-end clicker type torque wrenches are out of our tolerance range when new, and just how many have to be re-set after every deployment. I lost confidence in them many, many years ago. By their very nature, the beam types simply cannot go "out of cert". I'll stick with those, and save some money to boot.

[TimT]

Beam type +1

I love watching the guys on the tech line at a DE checking lug nut tension...

The wrench clicks and they continue turning the wrench a few degrees...thanks...for slightly over tensioning my lug nuts...

I have 3/8 drive beam type that was my great grandfathers it is still as accurate as the physics and material properties allow...

[Rob G]

Thank you all for the info. Ive had a beam type in my tool box for some time and have never used it. I thought it was a outdated tool and didn't think they were all that accurate. I guess I'm wrong. I will start using now

[arbita1]

I have the Husky ones (3/8" drive and 1/2" drive) from Home Depot. I've had them for a few years and they have been very good and are priced decently.

[euro911sc]

you really want more than 1. Probably about 3 (BIG to 200ftlb, medium 120ftlb, and small inch lbs.). You want to have a wrench that is measuring in the middle of the range as the accuracy drops off the closer you get to the edge of the wrench's specs.

Last year I borrowed a digital torque meter and put a bunch of clickers to the test. I had harbor freight, craftsman, snap-on, and one from lowes... Kobalt? None of them were on the spot, but they were all very consistent. Meaning, if my HF was 5% under at the 65 mark it was about the same 5% short at the 120 mark. The Craftsman was closest to spec., but none were that far out. IRRC the largest error was 8ft lbs at 150 setting...

Some of them were 'tunable' but I did not attempt to do any of that. What I decided was that I could accept the 5%-ish error and make the adjustment to my settings on the handle when using the wrenches.

There is a new wrench out that is digital and purportedly has some new patented design:

Brown Line Metal Works BLD0212 Digital Torque Wrench

The Brownline Metal Works wrench. I may ask Santa to drop one off. They are not that expensive and seem to offer a lot of nice features.

Torque wrenches can be calibrated at your local airport mechanic's facility.

-Mcihael

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by Rob G

Is there anything I should look for in a good quality wrench?

Yes...quality.

I bought one in 1975. Not having the opportunity and money, I didn't calibrate it till some 20 years later at my place of work. Well it was still in spec. In fact, being a clicker type, it is even accurate in the lower 20% of its full range, an area they do not certify.

High quality, storing and using it properly are the key.

Including the one above, I now have 3 Snap-On torque wrenches that cover me from pretty well 0 to 250 lbf.ft.

They're not cheap, but you can buy one just like them from Precision Instruments, the suppliers of Snap-On torque wrenches I've been told.

This one will be the best all-around wrench with a range that is most useful.

[fred cook]

Buy the best quality that you can find/afford. Also, consider buying a 1/2" drive that goes up to 150 ftlbs or so and a 3/8" drive that goes up to 25 or 30 ftlbs. The smaller wrench will allow you to properly torque small bolts and nuts like the 8mm (13mm socket size) fasteners that only need to go to 8-15 ftlbs. When reassembling an aluminum engine, cleanliness, attention to detail and proper torque/torque sequence will help create a dry engine. Good luck!

[Rob G]

Michael and Traveller, Thanks for the info. I found it on line for *(M2FR100F) $137.95. The old "Beam" type I have had in my tool box is 1/2 inch. I think the 3/8 would be a better fit. Christmas is on its way

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by Rob G

Michael and Traveller, Thanks for the info. I found it on line for *(M2FR100F) $137.95. The old "Beam" type I have had in my tool box is 1/2 inch. I think the 3/8 would be a better fit. Christmas is on its way

If you have the coin now try to get a 1/4 inch drive wrench as well. If not, place one on your wish list.

Its too bad they don't carry the 5 to 75 lbf.ft. torque wrench that I got from Snap-On. That is even a better range.

Their M2F100F goes from 10 to 100 lbf.ft. but it is a fixed drive (non-ratcheting).

The 1/4 inch torque wrench that I have goes up to 200 lbf.in. which is about 16.6 lbf.ft., so you would get some good overlap.

[ajwans]

These Aussie torque wrenches are both deflecting beam and clicker type. Once the
beam has deflected to the specified torque they trip the little spring loaded trigger
and make a click.

Somebody gave me an old one which was missing all the bits and I sent it back to
the manufacturer for refurb. They replaced the mechanism and sent it back with a
certificate showing it still accurate to 2%.

Warren & Brown is the manufacturer.

andy

[haycait911]

my Snappy beeps and vibrates, hard to miss. and the Snap On guy will calibrate once a year.

[lupin..the..3rd]

Originally Posted by Traveller

They're not cheap, but you can buy one just like them from Precision Instruments, the suppliers of Snap-On torque wrenches I've been told.

x2 on precision instruments. i recently bought one of theirs and it's like a work of art. leagues better than the china-made plastic crapsman.

[Traveller]

Originally Posted by lupin..the..3rd

x2 on precision instruments. i recently bought one of theirs and it's like a work of art.

Which model number did you end up getting?

[911pcars]

First torque wrench?

+1 on a beam-type torque wrench. They're pretty inexpensive.

Any tool that needs to be adjusted will need it.... eventually, except it doesn't tell you when unless you pro-actively inquire.

Sherwood

[lupin..the..3rd]

Originally Posted by Traveller

Which model number did you end up getting?

http://torqwrench.com/tools/item.php?StockCode=C3FR250F

That one. I particularly like that you don't have to zero it out after each use like you do with most others.

I bought it here for $156.99:
http://www.amazon.com/Precision-Instruments-PREC3FR250F-Torque-Wrench/dp/B002XMSFIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323723741&sr=8-1

I use it mostly for wheel lugs. A 3/8" drive model would be more appropriate for general engine and body fasteners though.

[GrantG]

Originally Posted by lupin..the..3rd

I particularly like that you don't have to zero it out after each use like you do with most others.

That's one of the big advantages of the Stahwilles too (another is that it has removable attachments, so you can torque with a square drive, open-ended wrench, Torx, etc.), and is built like a tank - nearly indestructible and hold their callibration almost indefinitely.

[notmytarga]

I might have missed this above: It is important to back off the setting on the clicker-type to avoid the spring from developing less spring.... memory etc.

I have noted that on the newer high end bikes I am finally justifying, the torque recommendations are etched etc. into the fitting for cranks, seat binders etc. Overtightening is far more of a problem.

I have cheap torque wrenches, but I use them really carefully! I have read good instructions on this site, in Waynes book too. Torgue must be determined as the lubed fitting is being tightened - it is a dynamic event. Makes me squirm to loosen headstuds to reset them, but I must.