Torque Wrench suggestions...which one and where to buy--

Anyone have any suggestions on good, quality torque wrenches, smaller ones in particular--which ones are good ones and where can one get them? I'd love to get some Stahlwille (sp?) wrenches, but they're a little more money than I wanted to spend.

I'd like to get a smaller one that fits in nooks and crannys for various nuts and bolts, especially valve covers. Thanks--
JW

http://www.facom tools
http://www.snapontools

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Clay Mcguill www.geocities.com/the912guy

[This message has been edited by ClayMcguill (edited 12-30-2000).]

[This message has been edited by ClayMcguill (edited 12-30-2000).](You know, I oughta just quit trying to remember these linksand just copy-and-paste them...)

[This message has been edited by ClayMcguill (edited 12-30-2000).]

Craftsman makes a nice one with a digital readout for a hundred bucks.

Sears Item #: 00944597

Not cheap, but about a third the cost of the SnapOn ones. Then again, the SnapOn ones might be three times better...

[This message has been edited by JackOlsen (edited 12-30-2000).]

I have two of the Sears "digital" torque wrenches Jack mentioned...on small, one large. If I recall, they're under $80.00 for each one.

To use them, you screw the handle (which has a marker on it) up until the desired torque setting lines up on the shaft and then lock the handle. When using them, the torque wrench will "snap" free once the torque setting is achieved.

I used to work on my old MR2 with these and they were great, because you could torque something down that you couldn't see using the old arrow indicator sweep style wrenches.

Worth taking a look at, I think.

Good Luck,

Bill Wagner

Oh, absolutely, 'clicker' type torque wrenches are the only way to go. I admit I have cheap ones.

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'83 SC

I have a nice MAC 1/2" drive. Was in the Harbor Freight Store and got a killer price on a 1/2" and 3/8" drive so bought one of each for $19.99ea. Took all three over to my buddy the Porsche Wizard who has a torque wrench test block. The cheapies were as close to specs. as the spendy one. I guess is I was making my living with the thing using it everyday I would use the expensive one and it might last longer but for as offten is I use them what the hey.

Randy Jones
1971 911

PS Sears warranty on torque wrenches is one year.

The click type torque wrenches that Stahlwille makes are expensive but I believe worth it. Frequently I forget to turn my Craftsman torque wrench back down to "zero" when I finish using it, which is bad for the tool. I suppose if I did this enough I ought to have it recalibrated! You can be this careless with a Stahlwille torque wrench and not worry as there is no spring in the adjusting knob to hold the torque value. Brian at Stahlwille just set me up with a complete set of tools and rollmaster...didn't include one of their awesome torque wrenches though...someday. Their catalog is free...Stahlwille.com

I have Craftsmen of both the 3/8 and 1/2 variety. They were cheap and work well. I occasionally borrow a mechanic buddy's Snap-on and torque a couple of things to ensure that mine are still calibrated correctly. Sofarsogood! The Craftsmen have elastomers inside, like a Mtn. bike shock, so returning them to Zero for storage is very important so that the elastomer does not develop memory and become inaccurate. If you plan on forgetting to do this, save your self the headache and spend more for a Snap-on or the like. Best of luck.
Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe

I have the Craftsman 3/8" drive torque wrench model No. 944596. It measures from 5 to 80 ft pounds and 5 to 110 N-m. There is another Craftsman that measure from 20- 120 lbs. (I think 120). I looked but could not find one that measure both the low lbs and high lbs. I beleive its the one Bill describes. You turn the handle to mark the lbs. and it provides a very readable "click" when the torque is reached. I think the price was $80. The package says it is warranteed for only 90 days, however. This is my third torque wrench and I really like. Just wish the I here Orchard Harware are shutting down a number of locations and at the locations they are offering pretty good discounts. Orchard sells Craftsman.
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Paul
78SC Targa

thanks, Randy. I have not tested my THREE Harbor Freight torque wrenches, so that's nice to hear. I have the 1/2m the 3/8 and the 1/4, at a total cost of about $45, with cases.

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'83 SC

Does anyone know if there is a problem using a 1/2" drive with a 3/8" adapter? Does the adapter mess up the torque reading. The instructions to my torque wrench (clicker type) said it would not affect the reading.

911SC Do it yerselfer:

Putting an adapter like 3/8 -> 1/2 inch on your torque wrench will not alter the torque readings. There are some adapters available for torque wrenches that put a slight extension on the end and require you to adjust your readings to compensate for the length.

pbs911 and anyone else interested:

Sears sells 3 types of digital torque wrenches. Here are the stats:

Part No: 44593 3/8 inch drive, 25-250 INCH-lbs
Part No: 44594 3/8 inch drive, 10-75 Ft-lbs
Part No: 44595 1/2 inch drive, 20-150 Ft-lbs

Note that 44593 is in INCH-lbs, not foot-lbs. All of them have metric scales too.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bill Wagner

Digital torque wrenches? I'm familiar with the "click" type and the pointer type. Somewhere I recall reading that the pointer type was more accurate on long studs than the "click" type. Anybody know why? Has the digital revolution conquered this?

Dan and others,

The beam-type is more accurate because of pure simplicity ... it only depends on Hooke's law for the spring rate and the stability of the scale location to stay accurate until the flexible arm is bent to the point of yielding, at which point the tool is ruined! The click-type has a complex mechanism, subject to wear, and needing calibration and adjustment at periodic intervals.

The term 'digital' for the click-type is quite deceptive and not the least bit accurate! All that has happened is that the traditional barrel and thimble vernier markings have been replaced by a paper/plastic tape applied/adhered to the barrel, and the thimble is replaced with a black plastic housing with a clear window and dial to adjust. It is cheaper to manufacture, more likely to fail entirely when the glue holding the tape in place comes loose ... but it looks and sounds Hi-Tech--so much a part of marketing these days, and it is easier to read than a traditional vernier!!!

The 3/8" 'digital' Craftsman I have ... had to be sent back for repair and re-calibration because of the tape coming loose! It cost $50, only about $20 less than a new one at the time!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 01-01-2001).]

The term "digital" is pure marketting hype, and when I got mine, I wondered how they ever came up with the term "digital". I think Warren might have just explained it..on both of mine, which are relatively new, there is no "digital" readout...you line up an indicator with markings that are etched into the shaft of the wrench by unlocking and screwing the handle up so the indicator matches the desired torque setting...seems quite analog to me! I couldn't understand how Sears ever came up with the term "digital" to describe this.

It sounds like a previous version, which I think Warren is referring to (who knows...maybe MINE are the old versions) actually had some type of numeric read out. This doesn't exist on mine. Possibly we're referring to two different wrenches.

Go by a Sears Store and see what they have. The two I have of this type both sell for less than $100.00. Their strength is that on working on parts where the guage can't be seen on the older "analog-sweep" types it's a good wrench at a reasonable price, and the lengths are relatively short compared to my "analog-sweep" type. On the other hand, if you're trying to torque something down (like wheels or valve covers) that constantly need to be tightened in relatively small increments the readjusting of the "digital" wrenches can get to be a pain (on the other hand, it can prevent you from accidentally misreading the analog gauge on the sweep types..like torquing a bolt to 45 ft-lbs instead of 35 ft-lbs).

Good Luck,

Bill Wagner

[This message has been edited by Bill Wagner (edited 01-01-2001).]

Thanks again Warren for clarifacation. I think I'll just add a beam type to my collection mainly for those long through bolts and head studs. As a footnote, cleanliness and the hardness and smoothness of those hardened washers is perhaps more critical than the calibration of the torque wrench!

One thing about Craftsman, is that I could take it back after a few years and exchange it for a BRAND NEW ONE. I had one that I borrowed/stole from my brother that was at least 10 years old. I think he was using it to break lug nuts also. Anyhow, the plastic lock ring broke. I took it to Sears and the girl behind the counter told me to go back and pick a new one out! No questions at all! I was honest and did pick the closest one to the original, but I don't think she had a clue. You got to love that CRAFTSMAN name. I once saw a guy who brought in a shovel from the turn of the century. They found the name under all the rust and dirt and pointed him back to the new ones.

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8 9 9 1 1, The last of the line.

Craftsman warranty is hard to beat. A friend of mine found a craftsman pocket knife with a broken blade. While in Sears one day, he showed it to the clerk. She said, they dont offer this knife any more so take your choice. I have also found some good bargains on specialty tools in pawn shops.

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

Craftsman 'traditional' warranties do not apply to torque wrenches! If it is one day past one year, forget it! The 3/8 drive wrench I had the tape come loose on was about two years old, and was treated just like a worn out set of tires by the 'large' mall store staff here! They really aren't trained to have any concern for customer service any longer ... and I predict they will be following Montgomery Wards path into history within five years! There is a separate facility here where appliances are serviced out of, and that's where I had to take the wrench to send it off for repair and recalibration!

One additional note, there is a third type of torque wrench, a variation of the beam-type ... the more expensive Stahlwill models are of this type ... a totally enclosed housing to 'cover' the beam, and a dial indicator os used to readout the torque by measuring the beam displacement. Probably the most expensive of all, but ultimately, Classy and heavy, but reliable, too! two versions, with and without a 'follower needle' are available. The follower needle stays at the highest torque value applied.

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa