Are digital torque adapters any good?

[unclebilly]

When I rebuilt a spec miata engine last fall, I was disappointed how inaccurate my craftsman click type torque wrench was, my nearly identical crappy tire maximum torque wrench wasn’t a bunch better. I also have an old Snap On dial torque wrench. In the end, I took them all to work and checked the calibration and all were terrible.

We use a 16:1 torque multiplier as part of our assembly line at work so we check our torque wrenches weekly. It’s amazing how bad even a brand new Proto torque wrench was.

I’ve seen those sub $100 digital torque adapters on the interwebs and am thinking about getting one, I’m mainly interested in one that 4-150 ft-lbs.

Who has these? Are they any good? Are they reliable? I have some engines to rebuild and these are less expensive than a new torque wrench that is reasonably good. The one shown is merely an example and likely not the exact model or brand I would get.

[SCadaddle]

I bought the one offered from Harbor Freight a year or so ago. It was inexpensive seems nicely made and packaged and seemed to match up with my torque wrenches for "beeping" at the same time of "clicking". Plenty of youtube videos on these doo dads. Would I use one to torque rods on a crankshaft? I dunno.

[john70t]

Use the right drive for the torque range.
Sure you can use a 1/4" drive with adapters to secure a 13/16" bolt, but why?

[David Inc.]

I bought a $50 one from Amazon, 15-200 lb ft range I think, that came with a calibration sheet showing tolerance under 1%. Pretty dang good. I used it to check my other clicker wrenches which were thankfully "okay" depending on how they were used.

[sc_rufctr]

I've never owned or used a digital torque adapter. Just Old School "click style" torque wrenches.

The thing for me is: What does a pro mechanic use?

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

I've never owned or used a digital torque adapter. Just Old School "click style" torque wrenches.

The thing for me is: What does a pro mechanic use?

Prob his $600 Snap-On Torque Wrench that he purchased a year before the $29 Quinn was availabe.

[Bill Douglas]

Somewhere rattling around in the back of my brain I remember hearing/reading that bendy torque wrenches don't go out of calibration. So they can be used to regularly check the correctness or calibration of the click type ones that are easier to use.

[cockerpunk]

ive seen a bunch of comparisons between torque wrenches, and all were under 2%.

which is far more accurate than the friction in the system is controlled. ie, if you use it, and it fails, it wasnt the torque wrench that failed it.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Prob his $600 Snap-On Torque Wrench that he purchased a year before the $29 Quinn was availabe.

True... LOL

[Superman]

Before rebuilding my 911 engine I took my Harbor Freight torque wrenches to the guy at the airport who certifies the torque wrenches of aviation mechanics. They were all well within spec.

[stevej37]

BTW...I was at HF yesterday and they had three shelves devoted to the Quinn Torque Adaptors.
But no product.

I asked a clerk and was told...they have had lots of inquiries about it and can't get them in yet.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by stevej37

BTW...I was at HF yesterday and they had three shelves devoted to the Quinn Torque Adaptors.
But no product.

I asked a clerk and was told...they have had lots of inquiries about it and can't get them in yet.

Stink. It sounds like they were all talk, but no torque.