Torque wrench?

[look 171]

I have an old torque wrench for 30 years, bought used, maybe a Craftsman, don't remember? This thing knows to grow to about 10' long when I am under the car. A bit cumbersome to use. In actuality, about 18". Anyone use those Amazon special, Chinese ones? Looking at electronic ones where the torque spec is dialed or keyed in instead twisting like ones I have. Its worn and dirty. I think I can't hear it click anymore. What is a good size you guys like for general use? I still can use this big thing for large stuff, but at most, I only need it up to about 120-140lbs for most suspension work. I'm cheap and this isn't something I use often. 100 bucks or below, maybe? Any thoughts?

[Brian 162]

I have both 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive Icon click style torque wrenches from Harbor Freight. I use the 1/2 inch one mostly. It’s been fine but it can be hard to get in place in tight areas.
It does get good reviews, I don’t remember what I paid but it was over $100

[A930Rocket]

I’ve got the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 snap on torque wrenchs. The 1/2 is 35 years old and never calibrated but probably accurate enough for what I do.

The 1/2 can be cumbersome in tight quarters.

I also have an Icon digital 3/8 torque wrench I like because it can measure degrees.

I bought a Tekton 3/4 torque wrench for the over 200 lb ft fasteners. The E46 crankshaft pulley bolt was a ridiculous 300 lb ft or so.

[look 171]

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and buy the 3/8 just for the smaller stuff such as items with torque valves under 100 lbs. I have a 1/4" Tekton for Carbon bicycle parts but useless for cars. None of you have use the digital ones? Where's Paul when we need him

[rwest]

I have the Snap-on 3/8 and 1/2” digital ones. I sent the 1/2” one in for calibration prior to my last top end rebuild.

Project Farm and several other YouTube channels have done comparisons of many brands of wrenches.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rwest

I have the Snap-on 3/8 and 1/2” digital ones. I sent the 1/2” one in for calibration prior to my last top end rebuild.

Project Farm and several other YouTube channels have done comparisons of many brands of wrenches.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Proj. Farm. Thank you

[Zeke]

My 3/8ths TW is a beam. I'm not sure when I would cross over and use the 1/2" click but I can always start with the beam, set the clicker to the same ft/lb and compare. My 1/4' is inch/lbs. Got it for turbo valve covers.

Suspension work. You think line mechanics use a TW? On AL components they might. My normal TW is the size of the wrench, not the ratchet as it's the same length for all the sockets. Wrenches get longer as they get larger. After about 3/4" I just pull the box end until it takes more than one hand and stop there.

Nothing has fallen off yet. I wrenched regularly on bikes and go karts starting at age 13. Didn't know a TW from a yard stick. Nothing fell off.

[A930Rocket]

^^^ I broke a lot of fasteners years ago. It was always that last umph, that did it.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Zeke

My 3/8ths TW is a beam. I'm not sure when I would cross over and use the 1/2" click but I can always start with the beam, set the clicker to the same ft/lb and compare. My 1/4' is inch/lbs. Got it for turbo valve covers.

Suspension work. You think line mechanics use a TW? On AL components they might. My normal TW is the size of the wrench, not the ratchet as it's the same length for all the sockets. Wrenches get longer as they get larger. After about 3/4" I just pull the box end until it takes more than one hand and stop there.

Nothing has fallen off yet. I wrenched regularly on bikes and go karts starting at age 13. Didn't know a TW from a yard stick. Nothing fell off.

It isn’t about things falling off, any ape can over tighten a fastener. It’s about proper torque and not over tightening things.

[look 171]

For a long time, I never use a TW on most things even I had that big thing hanging on my garage. It was purchased for a head job on my toyota pick up truck when I was poor back in college. For most things, I did exactly what you did Milt, pull on it until it was tight. But then again, I tend to over tighten things and nothing fell off.

[Bob Kontak]

I have a Proto 1/4 inch. Over $150
Icon 1/2 inch. $140-ish
Multiple 3/8 drives of lower quality.

My go-to is a craftsman beam 1/2" a friend gave me from his Dad's stash after he passed. For 40 years prior I had a comparable SK.



This one is on Ebay. Used for $23 plus shipping and goes to 140 ft lbs. Lots of options on Ebay.

I struggled with posting a link

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

^^^ I broke a lot of fasteners years ago. It was always that last umph, that did it.

Vic Elford said in his driving book you have to wreck a lot of cars to become be a decent race car driver.

Snapping bolts off is part of learning. Also injuring yourself from your own wrench/ratchet misuse provides experience. Not necessarily wisdom, but that's another discussion.

[rfuerst911sc]

I have a 1/4 " and 1/2 " from Harbor Freight and a 3/8 " from Ace Hardware that have served me well over the years. Never have had them calibrated so ignorance is bliss

[cabmandone]

I have 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2. Actually about two of each with varying torque ranges. I read somewhere that you should only use a torque wrench within a certain range of its torque settings. If you're too low or high it won't be accurate is what I think they were saying. Most of mine are now Masterforce from Menards. I think they're designed like Proto tools IIRC.

[Cajundaddy]

My torque wrench is probably 50 years old from back when I was a fleet mechanic in college. It is a 1/2" drive click type and still works fine but with old eyes I have a harder time reading the numbers these days.

There are some things I really want proper torque values like head bolts, brake calipers, lug nuts etc. Most suspension parts are large bolts and all get a bit of Loctite so I estimate and get torque values "close enough". Somewhere around 80 ft lbs is enough to keep it together but not enough to snap it off. So far, so good.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by speeder

It isn’t about things falling off, any ape can over tighten a fastener. It’s about proper torque and not over tightening things.

No, it is about things falling off. Now an ape can break bolts but I seem to have enough innate talent. YMMV.

I use a TW where it is needed. Most suspension work is not one of those needs. I have never seen a TW laying near an alignment rack in half a century.

[908/930]

If you are wanting 120-140 ft/lb you are into 1/2 drive, I think all of them will be pretty long about the same as yours. Did you look at the 1/2" digital torque adaptor? Never tried one but then can just use a ratchet on it.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Zeke

No, it is about things falling off. Now an ape can break bolts but I seem to have enough innate talent. YMMV.

I use a TW where it is needed. Most suspension work is not one of those needs. I have never seen a TW laying near an alignment rack in half a century.

Torque specs are about proper torque for a fastener that engineers determined when they designed a machine. It's usually the minimum necessary to stay tight but sometimes that is a LOT. There are certain applications where it is not critical if things are over tightened and others where it is critical.

I work on cars a lot including engines, suspensions, brakes, you name it. I use torque wrenches infrequently and only where necessary but I also have a good sense of how tight things need to be. I am constantly running into fasteners that were over tightened by the last moron whose only concern was that they did not fall off. Threads and metal are not infinitely strong and can be fatigued and damaged by dumb mechanics.

You might also be a guy with a good sense of how tight things need to be. As for alignment racks, most of the techs use impact wrenches and it's all about speed and things not coming loose. That does not mean that they are properly tightened. The tire shop I use actually uses torque wrenches a lot more than I do, like on all lug nuts, for instance. I know that my cordless impact puts those on exactly right with no damage and I can get them off again. I can't tell you how many lug nuts I've encountered that seem like they were put on by an ape at the zoo. Un-fking-believably over tightened.

YMMV.

[Bill Douglas]

I bought one about 30 ears ago in case I ever need it. Umm.

[Zeke]

@speeder, I'll torque everything on my suspension from now on...





...if I can find the not chart generic spec for a shackle nut. I'll make sure all my castle nuts line up with the cotter at the precise torque value even if I have to go though the bin to find one.

I'm not sure where the subject of wheel nuts and studs came from, but that's another thread or hundred.

But me, being the ape that I am, actually use a TW on those. You would think such a moron as I would not bother. Even this moron has had to face the tire shop debacle on the side of the road because this moron didn't redo all the nuts after leaving the tire shop.

I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but while in college I worked at a tire shop every Saturday. Old school. Funny, but being both an ape and a moron, I never broke a stud, never cross threaded a nut and never heard of anyone that worked there ever have a car come back with loose or overtightened nuts. Hell, I never saw a hubcap come off. I did say old school, so yeah, lots of wheel covers. Still have my tool.



Fact no. 2, if I dented a WC, I bought it. That didn't happen either. Not bad for an ape working all day for a twenty dollar bill (we did quit at 4 to clean up and bust a case of beer — I didn't have to buy, proper perks, that).