Recommend Torque Wrench?

[jyl]

My wife has offered to get me some tools as an "after-Christmas present". Among other things, I'm planning to ask for one or more torque wrenches.

What size(s) and range(s) of torque wrench(es) should I have for general maintenance and projects? As an example of what I mean by "projects", I'm not going to be rebuilding engines, but a brake upgrade is probably in my future.

And is there a favorite brand out there?

[Paul Thomas]

I prefer Craftsman. It breaks, they give you a new one, no questions asked. A 1/2 inch torque wrench that goes from25 to 150lbs should be fine.Get a case with it and dont forget to wind it back to zero after you use it. That is the only one i own and have never wanted anything else.

Paul

[garrickl]

Stahlwille .... german tool maker torque wrenches are the best.

[ChrisBennet]

The clicker type torque wrenches by their nature, wear and go out of spec. The ones you get from a "tool truck" like Snap On or Mac can be recalibrated.

For torquing wheel lugs and such I use a Craftsman 150-ft/lb. The plastic handle is especially nice because it won't scratch a fender.

For low torque fasteners like valve cover nuts, a beam type offers excellent accuracy (better than the clicker type). They are really inexpensive and don't go out of calibration.
-Chris

P.S. If a Sears/Craftman (non-beam type) torque wrench breaks you will discover that Sears does not guarantee them. BTDT

[J P Stein]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet
P.S. If a Sears/Craftman (non-beam type) torque wrench breaks you will discover that Sears does not guarantee them. BTDT

I can vouch for that. My 1/2 drive Crapsman is now a breaker bar.
I'm having trouble finding a beam type replacement.

[RoninLB]

I use a flex head 3/8 Snap-On for head stud nuts. easy to maneuver and has a max of about 50lbs.. If you need a part number I can get it...................................Ron

[jyl]

Hmm, more complicated than I'd thought.

Any experience with the "SK" brand?

[pwd72s]

John, I'm about to post a link to an earlier thread. One thing I can add is that when Evren was here, we checked torque on his wheel lugs. The new Craftsman I bought for him (he paid, I just did the shopping) was the 1/2" drive 25 to 150 model. It and my Snap-on both clicked at the same 95 ft. pound setting.
torque wrench quality

[TimT]

P.S. If a Sears/Craftman (non-beam type) torque wrench breaks you will discover that Sears does not guarantee them. BTDT

Thats strange. This past summer I exchanged my broken sears/craftsman torque wrench for a new one. My torque wrench was about 5 yrs old, and it was exhanged without question or receipt.

I guess it depends on the individual you are dealing with when the warranty decision is made.

[david914]

I bought a 1/2" Craftsman torque wrench ("snap" type) years ago and the locking ring at the handle broke about 6 months after I got it. Took it back to Sears and they said that torque wrenches weren't covered under their lifetime warranty.

Since then I've purchased a 3/8" wrench from Griot's and have been very pleased with it. It comes with a nice case and lifetime warranty (including calibration).

[ChrisBennet]

The locking wring on my Sears torque wrench broke also. That's when I discovered that the warrantee doesn't cover them. When you think about it, clicker torque wrenches go out of calibration so they probably couldn't guarantee them. In a sense, this makes them disposable.
-Chris

[john walker's workshop]

after a short warranty period, even snap-on just sends in the wrench for repair and charges you for it. same with air tools.

[TimT]

I guess I was lucky then, I walked into sears with my broken torque wrench, and walked out with a brand new one. No questions asked.

Craftsmen recommend periodic recalibration of the torque wrench, this should not be covered under the warranty. I work in an industry where the wrench is required to be calibrated every day it is used.......

If something on the wrench fails, the wrench is replaced..

I guess the sears poeple were asleep at the wheel when I showed yup with my broken wrench

[ChrisBennet]

Originally posted by TimT
I guess I was lucky then, I walked into sears with my broken torque wrench, and walked out with a brand new one. No questions asked.

Craftsmen recommend periodic recalibration of the torque wrench, this should not be covered under the warranty...

Tim,
Do you know if Sears has a recalibration service?
-Chris

[HarryD]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet
Tim,
Do you know if Sears has a recalibration service?
-Chris

For tight wads like me, I check the clicker by using my beam type one. If they agree, I assume the clicker is ok.

If it goes out, I will look at the repair vs replacement cost and decide at that time.

[KTL]

Originally posted by jyl
Hmm, more complicated than I'd thought.

Any experience with the "SK" brand?

John,

The SK brand like Pelican sells is very similar to the Craftsman torque wrench. For all intensive purposes, they're identical. I have both and have compared the two side by side. Same plastic handle, same shaft with increments, same ratchet head. Only thing different is the locking mechanism. The SK stops on each increment whereas the Craftsman stops wherever you stop turning it. So, the Craftsman is the better deal since you get the same thing for about $20-30 less (depending on Sears' current pricing and Club days).

The box for the Craftsman wrench says it's only a limited warranty. Just gotta deal with the right "new kid" when you return it!

I got a dial-type Snap-On off e-Bay that I really like. It goes from 0-250 in-lbs. Kinda bulky/wide, but it has a shorter handle than most.

[Wayne 962]

The beam-type wrenches are the best and most accurate, but are a pain to use, and not very common. SK is an excellent quality brand, similar to Snap-On and Mac. Craftsman is good too, but it's important to note that Craftsman (Sears) doesn't make any of their own tools, so they are usually identical to another brand...

-Wayne

[Noel]

For lug nuts that don't require extreme accuracy, I use a $17 clicker wrench I got at Autozone. I find that for the money it is pretty good...and if I loose it at the track or drop it. I can buy 6 of them for the price of a Sears or "Off the truck type."

Noel

[Wil Ferch]

My take on this ?...

1.) Get ( any brand) clicker...about 1/2" drive up to 150 ft-lbs, for most purposes and for wheel lugs, etc. Price, about $80-up.
2.) Calibrate it once in a while.
3.) Buy a $30 beam type , which does *not* go out nof calibration....and use it a "gauge" to tell when the clicker goes out of adjustment. An "in between" sloution is a beam type with a "tell-tale" indicator...however , this is lot more expensive.

---Wil Ferch

[47silver]

i bought the smaller s+k from pelican and plan to get the higher torgue one soon. the smaller one is great for plugs etc.

gary