Torque wrench

[DWBOX2000]

Good suggestions? I was looking for something that got as low as 7ft lbs. Just for DIY stuff.
Thanks
David

[jdraupp]

I have all three of the harbor freight ones (except for the 3/4 one) and they all work for what I use them for. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket then you can feel free to climb the price ladder.

[rexcramer]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

Good suggestions? I was looking for something that got as low as 7ft lbs. Just for DIY stuff.
Thanks
David

7 ft lbs = 84 inch lbs; You get what you pay for with Harbor Freight. Having said that, I have a bunch of their tools in my collection. I have their 3/8 torque wrench and it works well. They claim +/- 4%.

1/4 in. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench

[JayG]

If you are looking at 7 ftlbs, I am guessing you are changing a waterpump.

Get a 1/4" one. 2 reasons. first, that is a low torque value and would be a the bottom of a 3/8" wrench and will not be very accurate at the low end of the range. 2nd, a 1/4" one will be a lot easier to fit in the area

the HF one is fine for occasional DIY stuff and if you search for coupons, they often are on sale for $10-$12

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by rexcramer

7 ft lbs = 84 inch lbs; You get what you pay for with Harbor Freight. Having said that, I have a bunch of their tools in my collection. I have their 3/8 torque wrench and it works well. They claim +/- 4%.

1/4 in. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench

Yeah, the 3/8 will twist those bolts right off. You need the 1/4 for that low.

[DWBOX2000]

Yes, wAter pump and spark plugs. Harbor freight seems logical for the amounts I am using.

There is a craftsman at Sears 3/8 inch drive which I think was for 20-140lbs ( don't quote me on that) for $40. 1/2 price. Couldn't use on pump. Maybe I will buy thAt and get the smaller one at harbor freight.

Thanks
David

[BYprodriver]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

Yes, wAter pump and spark plugs. Harbor freight seems logical for the amounts I am using.

There is a craftsman at Sears 3/8 inch drive which I think was for 20-140lbs ( don't quote me on that) for $40. 1/2 price. Couldn't use on pump. Maybe I will buy thAt and get the smaller one at harbor freight.

Thanks
David

Got your priorities backwards on that!

[Kurt V]

I've got the Craftsman torque wrench and two HF torque wrenches, including the 1/4" in/pounds wrench. All still read within spec when I had them calibrated.

[Gforrest2]

I have a $10 Harbor Freight 1/2" torque wrench. I only use (and trust) it for my lug nuts. For everything else, I use a recently calibrated Snap On 3/8" wrench.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by Gforrest2

I have a $10 Harbor Freight 1/2" torque wrench. I only use (and trust) it for my lug nuts. For everything else, I use a recently calibrated Snap On 3/8" wrench.

Good for you, however not everyone can afford pro quality tools as a diy mechanic. The harbor freight torque wrenches are just fine for everything I've torqued on my boxster thus far.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

Good for you, however not everyone can afford pro quality tools as a diy mechanic. The harbor freight torque wrenches are just fine for everything I've torqued on my boxster thus far.

I find the HF tools to be reasonable good and for my needs are great.
If I was a pro and used my tools all day every day, I would invest in the best I could find.

[Steve Tinker]

With a big difference in pricing between cheap and expensive torque wrenches, the average home mechanic can't really tell what's an acceptable quality just by looking.

I've always gone on accuracy when buying a torque wrench - but what is an accepted % accuracy of (say) a quality tool like Snap On vs a cheap Chinese or Indian wrench?
Is a 4% accuracy tool really acceptable especially on critical stuff?

[Mark_T]

Am I the only one shaking my head at people that would own a Porsche and then buy some cheap piece of crap torque wrench to use on it?

I'm not rolling in money (Mr. Lando would say I am poor), and I am by no means a professional mechanic, or even close, but I have three torque wrenches - 1/4, 3/8. and 1/2 - and they are all Snap-on. I bought them for very reasonable prices on Ebay and then had them checked and calibrated at a local shop. I know I can trust these tools, which is more than I can say for the junk they sell at places like HF or Princess Auto.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

Am I the only one shaking my head at people that would own a Porsche and then buy some cheap piece of crap torque wrench to use on it?

I also buy salvage parts and parts without Porsche logos on the box from time to time...eek!

If we want to keep this train running, how dare we own Porsches and touch them ourselves. After all, the doctor designed them to only be handled by the dealer service gods.

Yes, I own a 13 year old Boxster and I use a torque wrench I bought at harbor freight on it. I've used it on numerous jobs and I bet I got them done just as well as if I had used your snap on torque wrenches. We all choose our priorities differently.

[Joe B]

I will never buy another Harbor Freight torque wrench. I had one malfunction when I was tightening a front brake rotor bolt on my Ducati Supersport, resulting in a stripped out hole. I had to install a Helicoil. I threw the torque wrench away.

[rexcramer]

1. I thought we had already stipulated for the court that most of us are trying to do this on the cheap.

2. Which is why we are driving +/- 15 year old cars that are prone to explode at the most inopportune moment leaving us with expensive German lawn ornaments.

3. I use to shake my head, but after I bought a Boxster, I just smile a lot.

4. I vow to never buy anything from Princess Auto. Mostly cause my local store is 1,260 miles north of here and I would need to renew my passport thus negating any potential savings.

In conclusion; will an off brand tool be worth the gamble? Right or wrong it appears that several members have made the decision to take that risk.

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

I use a torque wrench I bought at harbor freight on it. I've used it on numerous jobs and I bet I got them done just as well as if I had used your snap on torque wrenches.

You would lose that bet.

[plus3db]

Bunch of tool snobs

[Steve Tinker]

Lets just forget the pissing contest of who's got the most expensive tool, and decide what is the expected % accuracy Vs cost of a good torque wrench.

I've just been on the Australian Snap-On website and their "standard" TW's start off at over $US250 each with a 4% accuracy - that's damned expensive (but that's Aussie for you) for something I'm only going to use every 6 months or so.
HOWEVER if I was building up a crankshaft that requires great accuracy, I wouldn't use any TR with an accuracy of only 4% - Snap-On or otherwise.... Torqueing up your wheels or suspension fasteners @ 4% is one thing .......
Snap-On's better stuff (2% repeatable) starts at $US750 plus here and your going to require at least 3 sized drives if your serious. It is probably different cost wise in the US & Canada, but even so, that's a lot of money invested for a non pro hobby!!

[JayG]

Ouch. I guess you get taxed heavily for living down under!
A little like the extra cost to live in San Diego.

I did a little searching on the web and a few sites that did testing said the HF digital TW adaptor is very accurate and can be used to check the accuracy of another TW. Foe $30 its probably a good investment regardless if you spend $10 or $1000 on a TW.

I guess you could set your TW to what you want and then check and adjust with the digital adaptor. That way each time you use it, you can set it to the correct torque regardless of what the handle says.

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-digital-torque-adapter-68283.html