New torque wrench time..go digital?

[UNYboater]

I see an adapter on Auto-zone's website that goes in-line to standard socket wrenches (OEM/3/8 in. drive digital torque adapter); has anyone had any experience with those?

I see the digital unit on Pelican that I like but was wondering if anyone here has used that one & what did you think of it?

What are other good options?
The new Craftsman ones have terrible reviews right on their own website!
I don't have Snap-On connections but might be able to look at one through a friend. Thoughts?

[JFP in PA]

Buy Snap-On. We have used their inch pound and foot pound units literally for decades, never had a failure, and periodic calibration testing has shown they hold their accuracy.

I am not a fan of digital torque wrenches, only because the battery tends to go bad just when you need the tool the most. Buy a “click” type.

You will not find “a deal” anywhere on Snap-On stuff, you can buy them from their website or one of their local reps, prices are the same. Their stuff is anything but cheap, but they hold up and hold their resale values based upon their outstanding reputation.

[bar10dah]

I have two Craftsman torque wrenches, for two different ranges. I like them. However, I haven't had them calibrated in quite a while. There's an outfit I found online that'll calibrate them for something like $50 each, if I recall correctly.

The problem with Craftsman is, they used to offer lifetime warranties on their torque wrenches. So after a couple years, you could take them back to Sears and ask them to recalibrate them. Sears would just trade it in and give you a new one. Craftsman got tired of this, and made all their torque wrenches limited to one year warranties.

I've been in charge of a PMEL, for those of you that know what that means. Digital display or click-type, an accurate torque wrench is an accurate torque wrench. No need spending extra money on a digital version, that like JFP says, can lose it's battery when you need it the most. Also, the beam type torque wrenches, for the most part when you buy a quality one, were nearly as accurate as the click-type. But, the angle that you're viewing the pointer created the biggest margin of error. If you do choose to use a beam-type, always look straight down on the pointer.

I really do like my Craftsman torque wrenches. But if I had to do it all over again, I'd buy a Snap-On. Much more expensive than the Craftsman, but I've always heard good things about them.

[j911brick]

You couldn't pay me to own a Craftsman torque wrench. The ones I had in the past had plastic handles and always fell apart. I'm getting that attitude about everything Craftsman these days. I own 2 Snap-on digital wrenches (1/4 and 3/8 drive) and I luv them. I also have a another Snap-on torque wrench which is suppose to be supper accurate, and I have a 250lb and 600lb Mac clicker wrenches. I'm about to pull the trigger on a 1/2 drive Snap-on digital. Torque wrenches are one of those things you don't want to take short cuts on.

[UNYboater]

Originally Posted by j911brick

Torque wrenches are one of those things you don't want to take short cuts on.

Agreed. I am picking up a Snap-On wrench from an ex-mechanic. He's had it recently re-calibrated so I feel ok about buying that used. Better than the junk I bought new before!

[Miguel Antonett]

I hear you... but I rather have a "clicker" instead of digital. Somewhow the digitals never get the same reading twice in a row...

[UNYboater]

I have an old beam torque wrench; it's a little tough to read under the car though. I thought about putting the digital on the beam to double-check!

[randy_k]

Originally Posted by Miguel Antonett

I hear you... but I rather have a "clicker" instead of digital. Somewhow the digitals never get the same reading twice in a row...

Not sure if this relates. But I had a pair of digital calipers. Same thing. Every Time I read the dimension of something, it was different. Scrapped that and went back to good old analog.
Randy