I think as an DIY hobbiiest it's a good idea to not buy the cheapest tools, because you for shure buy them twice. That is ny personal experience.

When i was young and startet working on my cars i only had very cheap tools. Allways had broken tools and bloody tools. Especially on old, rusty bikes and cars.

Then there came a time where i was able to afford tools in a mid price range. And to buy them was a good decision. Because it is more fun to work with tools that do not brake or ruin anything if you use them with mind. Also it's about your own safety.

I have 3 torque wrenches i own 20 years now. Bougth them used, but in very good condition. They work in different torque ranges and they work good for me. I know they should be calibrated from year to year. Maybe that is also an aspect.

If i need special torque wrenches - for example for the central wheel nut (460 Nm) i lend one.

Personally i would prefer to go with an used good quality torque wrench that has an actual calibration instead of buying a new 20 USD no name torque wrench.

I would recommend to always buy the maximum quality you can afford. I know that not everybody can afford high quality tools. And that is absolutely OK. But if you like to work on stuff yourself it will be worth it. Also i would recommend to look for used tools in good condition.

Regards from Germany
Markus

Bolts are springs. Torque is used a crude measure of bolt stretch. The intent is to stretch them all the same length. Other less tangible items such as the surface finish of the threads, contamination or oil on the threads, and whether the bolt has been previously torqued have a greater effect on the final bolt stretch than installation torque. That is why bolt stretch is directly measured on high performance applications such as connecting rod caps where possible. It is also why you don't re use flywheel or rod end cap bolts. Arguing over 2% versus 4% is silly. Make sure the threads are clean, or cleaned and oiled for wet torquing. Pick a torque wrench so you are torquing near the middle of the range on the wrench and have at it.

And all of my torque wrenches have gold inlay - that makes them better.

I have HF torque wrenches and they work fine. Can they break? I suppose so, but I think I'll know it if they do. As our friend Pedro has said, most of this stuff is common sense: with a little experience and knowing the size of the nut and the length of the lever arm (wrench) you're working with should pretty much tell you how hard to crank on the thing. I get the distinct impression he hardly ever uses a torque wrench. IIRC, he's even said as much.

A torque wrench is a measuring device, and measuring is usually important for most applications. A Harbor Fright hammer is fine but I would not use their torque wrenches. I'm a retired pro and have electronic snap on torque wrenches that get calibrated. They calibrate to +/- 1/2% so they are very accurate. I would not use a torque wrench on the water pump. If you have no feel for "tight" then use one, otherwise, use a small ratchet and save your money up for a good wrench. Tools are your freinds, buy good ones when you can.

Sorry to create such a fire storm. It's funny how with so many things, there are so many varying answers. I will not be tearing apart a motor anytime soon where the accuracy might be more important. For spark plugs, would it make a big difference if I torqued to 21 or 23 instead of 22? Same with the water pump, 6 or 8 lbs versus the desired 7?

I would vote for the middle ground, you don't have to pop for Snap-On, but I wouldn't use harbor Freight either. I have a 3/8" Craftsman and a mid-priced 1/2" Proto.

IMO no, you can have a llarge variance in actual applied torque by having dirty threads, oil, or anti-seize vs. dry threads.

I don't think the price savings justifies skipping the Craftsman. On other things for sure since its just a matter of removing something, holding something or putting something back on, etc. But any measuring tool used on the cooling system should be at least Craftsman quality. I haven't been in Sears in a while (have they gone under yet?) but they generally stand by their tools for years. Harbor Freight will probably give you a new tool on the spot too, but only because there are only two people working the whole store.

Craftsman tools no longer have lifetime warranties on most tools which is why when I went to buy my socket set I opted for another brand. A lot of my tools are kobalt from lowes which I've read several places are actually designed by snap on. I broke an extension on a lug nut and they swapped it out with zero paperwork.

I don't use torque wrenches. I go by feel.

They call me the Torque Whisperer. Or maybe the Nut Whisperer, I can't remember which.

Yeah, my buddy thinks I am nuts worrying about torquing the spark plugs. I'll probably get the craftsman and be done with it though. Middle ground. They were 80, on sale for 40 so the price seems doable. Won't take care of my water pump issue, but reading Pedro last night, seems like changing it might be a waste of money at this point.
Thanks again everyone, always interesting.
David

Good point. I totally forgot about the Lowe's Snap-On thing...which is usually where I go because it's closer than Sears.
Even the Kobalt basic hand tools very well made for DIY applications. I purchased this ratcheting screw driver last week with interchangeable metric bits stored in the handle and was impressed with the sturdy feel and precise ratcheting action.

With a low use tool like a torque wrench, warranty isn't what you need to concerned with. Accuracy and repeatability is what's needed. If the mechanism that measures and indicates torque goes off you won't know it until you are breaking stuff or have stuff leaking or falling off. That's why it's important to buy a good one that you have confidence in the maker and treat it right. The cheaper and most dependable are the old beam type that really have no moving parts. The clicker types and springs and cams and the electro is, well they have electrons that can get out.

I no longer work on cars professionally and haven't for a while, but bolted connections are very important. Luckily designers have good knowledge of how the joint will work and design around the ability for it to be done right.

We use only one brand, Snap-On; I personally have six different capacity units ranging from a 5-35 inch pound torque driver, up to a rather large click style wrench that can accurately read at 600 ft. Lbs. While not cheap, every year they are tested for calibration and not one of them has ever needed adjustment, including the 40 year old unit I purchased new and which is used every day. Don't cheap out on quality and accuracy.

No offense but some of us can't buy tools that would cost 1/10 of the cost of our car. Also, not being a shop, I can not first of all deduct from my income taxes (likely knocking at least 25% off cost) and secondly, recoupe from my customers. Nothing wrong with any of that, I just can't do it. Yeah we would all love to have the best of tools but sometimes it just isn't wise money. Sometimes we have to cross our fingers and just hope for the best. Based on everything posted here, ideally I would want a snap on tool but it appears for my purposes, something cheaper seems more logical. I will then cross my fingers and pray often to "Ferdinand". Forgot who the boxster designer was.

Amazon reviews can be helpful, there's bound to be someone with extensive use of a tool doing a review. This clicker sold by Lowe's for $45 but Amazon has it for just under $40 with free shipping if you've got Prime. The HF 1/4" is $22.

TEKTON 24320 1/4-Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench, 20-200-Inch/Pound - - Amazon.com

store the torque wrench at the lowest setting to preserve accuracy...

There are lots of snap on and Mac tools for sale on Craig's List. These can be usually bought for half price and then be calibrated. Take a look.

A friend of a friend at diner the other night (this guy is in upper management at Lowed corporate) told me that Lowe's had purchased the rights to the Craftsman tool line....where this is going ???

Bringing torque wrench back. After trying to do my spark plugs, size of wrench should definitely be considered. I had to tighten one click at a time due to space. Stunk.

No easy way around that. Extensions and angle.