How accurate can this torque wrench shortcut be?

[Bennylava]

How accurate can this thing be compared to a real torque wrench?

Also you'll often want to use Loctite instead of that ARP grease that improves the accuracy of the reading.

Is it asking for trouble later on?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VYUKTC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Jay870]

My understanding is that those are very accurate. Just can be a PITA to use and impractical for tight areas.

 

[jayemm]

In addition to being accurate, this one appears to be pretty durable after seeing what Todd at Project Farm puts his through.

 

[Wrench97]

How accurate can this thing be compared to a real torque wrench?

Also you'll often want to use Loctite instead of that ARP grease that improves the accuracy of the reading.

Is it asking for trouble later on?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VYUKTC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Use what the manufacturer lists to use, either grease or loctite will change the torque spec from dry.

 

[Bennylava]

Use what the manufacturer lists to use, either grease or loctite will change the torque spec from dry.

There are times when they don't mention anything, so you assume they mean just put it in dry. But sometimes you need a little extra insurance, so you want to use some loctite.

Aside from that, ARP claims their grease gives you a more accurate reading, so you'll get closer to what the manufacturer actually wants.

 

[cannuck]

Aside from that, ARP claims their grease gives you a more accurate reading, so you'll get closer to what the manufacturer actually wants.

What ARP means is when you are tightening their fasteners TO A LUBRICATED SPEC it will be more consistent and accurate with their grease than someone else's. That in NO WAY applies to other fastener operations. Using grease of any kind when tightening a threaded fastener to a given dry spec can reduce strength dramatically or break the fastener. This is why there is for good reason a lot of discussion around wheel bolts and lug nuts on this website.

 

[rsanter]

You need to read the specifications on the u it
They are not all the same, some have terrible %accuracies

 

[Packard V8]

FWIW, the $29.95 unit from HF has proven to be dead nuts accurate in our shop.

jack vines

 

[Doozer75]

FWIW, the $29.95 unit from HF has proven to be dead nuts accurate in our shop.

jack vines

??? How do you know it is dead nuts accurate ???



I bought one of these, with the calibration certificate, for use in my test lab.
It was off by 35% of the indicated reading, tested with a NIST traceable standard
load cell, under current certification from an independent gauge house.
I crushed it in the vise and threw it in the scrap bin.
Stop being fooled by fancy looking tools for cheap. Have them certified.


--Doozer

 

[AdAstra]

??? How do you know it is dead nuts accurate ???



I bought one of these, with the calibration certificate, for use in my test lab.
It was off by 35% of the indicated reading, tested with a NIST traceable standard
load cell, under current certification from an independent gauge house.
I crushed it in the vise and threw it in the scrap bin.
Stop being fooled by fancy looking tools for cheap. Have them certified.


--Doozer

You’ve mentioned not liking and avoiding metric units… was it possibly reading in N•m and you were applying lbf•ft?

That would give a readout of 135 for an applied torque of 100 units, which is suspiciously the difference you got….

I’ve used a dozen of those ACDelco and similar cheap and nicer strain gauge torque meters from various brands and never seen one off by more than a percent or two. They’re even accurate below their rated range, like at 5% of full torque they are usable.

 

[seber]

You’ve mentioned not liking and avoiding metric units… was it possibly reading in N•m and you were applying lbf•ft? That would give a readout of 135 for an applied torque of 100 units, which is suspiciously the offset you got….

I’ve used a dozen of those and similar cheap strain gauge torque meters from various brands and never seen one off by more than a percent or two. They’re even accurate below their rated range, like at 5% of full torque they are usable.

I dealt with a lot of load cells during my career. While cheap ones can be affected by temperature, it is almost impossible to be off by 35%.

 

[AdAstra]

I dealt with a lot of load cells during my career. While cheap ones can be affected by temperature, it is almost impossible to be off by 35%.

Yep, my thoughts exactly, it’s not like the torsion element can magically shrink that much. User unit error seems more likely and exactly accounts for the 35% difference quoted.

 

[ronkz650]

35% off likely means the display was reading in nm when believing it was reading ft/lb.

 

[Doozer75]

I am a mechanical engineer and work in a test lab.
I know WTF metric and imperial units are.
Can't you even imagine these torque tools can fail ?
They are cheap cheap cheap.
It is like rolling the dice if you get a good one.
Gamble on.


-D

 

[Doozer75]

You’ve mentioned not liking and avoiding metric units… was it possibly reading in N•m and you were applying lbf•ft?

No I did not.
I said they were the units of the enemy.
I like metric just fine.
I was just looking for a reaction.
Joke is on you.

-D

 

[jayemm]

are we having fun yet.

 

[dchawk81]

??? How do you know it is dead nuts accurate ???



I bought one of these, with the calibration certificate, for use in my test lab.
It was off by 35% of the indicated reading, tested with a NIST traceable standard
load cell, under current certification from an independent gauge house.
I crushed it in the vise and threw it in the scrap bin.
Stop being fooled by fancy looking tools for cheap. Have them certified.


--Doozer

I would have returned it for a refund or warranty before I'd crush it and toss it.

 

[Bennylava]

Stop being fooled by fancy looking tools for cheap. Have them certified.


--Doozer

Do you have a recommendation on a certification? I have to ask because there's fake certifications floating around out there, where it's just a made up name, hoping people will believe it. Not super common granted, but when you're buying off amazon it's best to be familiar.

 

[Doozer75]

Do you have a recommendation on a certification? I have to ask because there's fake certifications floating around out there, where it's just a made up name, hoping people will believe it. Not super common granted, but when you're buying off amazon it's best to be familiar.

You pay a gauge calibration service.
If you have ISO 9000 then you have to have NIST traceable calibration.
Very standard thing.

-Doozer

 

[Doozer75]

I would have returned it for a refund or warranty before I'd crush it and toss it.

Typical consumer grade response.
My time to jerk with returning it is worth more doing something else.

-Doozer

 

[dchawk81]

Typical consumer grade response.
My time to jerk with returning it is worth more doing something else.

-Doozer

But it was worth your time to crush it before tossing it...

 

[Doozer75]

But it was worth your time to crush it before tossing it...

Yes, part of our ISO procedure to prevent using a non conforming gauge
to manufacture product.

-D

 

[dchawk81]

Yes, part of our ISO procedure to prevent using a non conforming gauge
to manufacture product.

-D

Ok.

 

[Doozer75]

Not trying to be a jerk.
That is just what we do.

-D

 

[seber]

ISO can be really useful if well constructed. Ours was not quite as strict on purpose. Defective equipment must be removed from premises. As such that meant out the door and into the exterior dumpster. That allowed employees to salvage repairable units. Engineering was at the other end of the building so I didn't benefit from that, but a lot of others did.