Harbor Freight Torque Wrenches?

[mthomas58]

I normally don't buy cheap stuff, but since I don't have any torque wrenches and have been pouring tons of $$$ into the car lately, I picked up a couple of economy t-wrenches at harbor freight today for $20.00 each (Pittsburgh Brand).

Did I just flush $40 or will these be OK in the short term?

Thanks!

[charleskieffner]

there is a reason my proto torque wrench cost what it does. think about this........what is the calibration + or -? if your bentley manual calls 6 ft lbs, will it read 6 ft lbs.? best bet is to grab buddies wrench, torque your wheel nuts to 96# and then check to see how much deviance there is from quality torque wrench. or take to tooling calibration shop if there is one around you. it helps if your surrounded by aerospace shops where you live. i wont say you pissed your money away but i would be damn careful about not dropping it and each and every time you use it, release lock collar or wrench will take a set to that specific torque.

1/2 torque wrenches are less expensive than 3/8. 1/4 torque wrenches very spendy but damn handy!

[Laneco]

There's nothing wrong with buying stuff from Harbor Freight, especially consumable things like cut-off wheels, abrasive discs etc.

But the place to save money is NOT on your torque wrench. Incorrect torque can damage $$$ parts or cause possibly catastrophic failure.

Return it (good return policy) and either buy, borrow or rent a good torque wrench. Lesser items can be cheap, but definately not the torque wrench.

sorry.
angela

[defcon65]

Are they the click-style or scale and pointer? They can be tested against a pro-grade T wrench for accuracy and you can go from there. Scale and pointer tend to be more accurate over the long run and don't need to be calibrated. I buy plenty of cheap HF stuff, but on hand tools I go Craftsman all the way - lifetime guarantee.

Regards,

[cary]

I have 2 of them. I have them in my a-x tool bag. They match my Snap On ones in the shop.
I think they're better than my original Craftsman ones.

[mthomas58]

They are the click style. I'll stop by my old mercedes wrench's shop on sat and check their calibration. If they're OK I use them, if not I'll return them and get something good. I'll follow-up with the results!

Thanks for all the advise!

[Vin-barrett]

Originally posted by mthomas58
They are the click style. I'll stop by my old mercedes wrench's shop on sat and check their calibration. If they're OK I use them, if not I'll return them and get something good. I'll follow-up with the results!

please do. Interested in the outcome

[Superman]

I had my three HF torque wrenches calibrated by the aviation calibration guy in Olympia. They were within aviation spec. That was after using them a fair bit. But then......

Eventually two of them failed, and I have lost confidence in the one that still 'works.' The clicker mechanism stopped 'catching.' That is, when I go to apply torque, the ratchet part slips.

[rnln]

I broke 2 of them. My third one work for couple months now. Actually I wouldn't say I broke them since I used them only once or twice, stored them, next time the torque doesn't work anymore.

[mthomas58]

These comments appear to confirm: "you get what you pay for"!

[TerryH]

Clicker and dial torque wrenches are basically ratchets. If they are cheaply made, not only can the measured torque be off, but you could hurt yourself if they break unexpectedly. Also consider that they may not hold calibration for a very long time as the internals wear out.

Because most good tools can span generations, I never consider cost over quality.

[911pcars]

I don't trust their long-term accuracy. How would you know when the accuracy goes off by 10 ftlbs? They can be accurate today and not next time. I would use them for less critical fasteners, like lug nuts maybe.

Instead use a beam-type torque wrench (cheap, accurate and easy to calibrate). BTW, even new click-type wrenches have a +/- accuracy factor, more expensive wrenches can go out of calibration as well, and you'll need more than one torque wrench to accurately measure the range of fastener sizes on a car.

Sherwood

[Quicksilver]

If you ever do engine disassembly you really must use a beam type torque wrench. You should record the breakaway torque of all critical fasteners such as rod bolts and head studs. The torque will tell you if you have stretched bolts, pulled studs, and other types of warning signs of greater trouble.

[KCinBR]

I broke mine tourquing the lugs......I think they are C R A P
you may have better luck.

[bhaubold]

We use torque wrenches at work on concrete anchor bolts (Hospital). Mostly, we use a 10-75 lbs Craftsman for about $50. I have to have it calibrated every six months to satisfy the inspector ($45). And my guys aren't very careful with this wrench. Much like animals. Surprisingly, the wrench has tested right on the money the last two times of calibration. Who would have thought!

[yelcab1]

I personally go for Craftsman wrenches. I calibrate them myself and found that they are right on.

The newer design of the 25 ft-lbs one is junk though. It clicks over every 1/10 of a lb, and that is 250 clicks over the low to high range. Who wants that !

[JP911]

My Craftsman clicker-type torque wrench lasted about 5 years, which isn't bad. It might still be working, but somebody picked it up at the track and when they were done they essentially disassembled it by accident and it never went back together. I now have a Snap On, which I'm hoping will last.

[88911coupe]

Should a torque wrench be used a few times before actually torquing something. For example, if I'm putting my wheels back can I just pull the wrench of the shelf and go at it or should I "practice" and a few bolts to get everything warmed up, so to speak?

[TerryH]

They should be warmed up and calibrated before they are sold.

[azasadny]

My S&K torque wrench has served me well and is durable and a good value for the money.