I need an in/lb torque wrench.

[chavist93]

I'm going to be doing a valve body rebuild on my truck pretty soon and I'm going to nees an in/lb torque wrench. At least this tool I "need" so maybe my wife wont complain. Ive dont a good bit of reading the last souple days and a coupe threads mentioned that Sturtevant Richmont was the best. From browsing online I see that Sturtevant Richmont make craftsman professional and kleins torque wrenches. Although I am leaning towards Proto just because im a Proto fand and I like the metal handle over plastic. There is also CDI and Precision Instruments which both look nice. I definately want a clicker type. Price is not really a concer because they all range from around $140-$170, not much of a difference. So help me out guys before my head explodes! Would you go with 1/4" or 3/8"? Any personal expreience or preference?

I found this article on proto, seems they were recently improved. It makes it sound like they will hold their calibration longer?
http://www.stanleyproto.com/default...nch.htm&LEFT=PR_2006UpgradedTorqueWrenchL.htm

 

[Deafautotech]

i own craftsman standard in lbs torque wrench and it is working good and have no problems. i dont use it much because most of chrysler and ford are use foot lbs....

 

[chevy302dz]

All of those would be good choices so it's more of a perference thing. For a valve body I would probably go with the 1/4". Also here's one more to add to the list:

http://www.all-spec.com/1/viewitem/TCI150RA/ALLSPEC/prodinfo/w3path=cat

 

[bmwpower]

I have a Snap On in/lb. wrench. If space is a concern (it was for me) get the ratchet-less version. The head is as wide as the socket itself allowing you to get into tight spots. The other makers usually have ratchet-less models as well.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You need to look at the range of torque you will be working with. Foot pounds and inch pounds are easily converted, and wrenches are easily bought with any scale on them. I'm not sure what you are planning to do, are you meaning that you will be doing a "valve job" on the engine's cylinder head? or are you talking about an automatic transmission valve body?

For the auto trans work, a 1/4 drive tool is probably the best way to go. These are easily available in 40 to 150 or 40 to 200 inch pound ranges. Using a clicker at these low torque settings requires quite a bit of finesse as you must quit pulling the moment you begin to feel the tool start to "break" or click. You DO NOT follow thru the click entirely, or you will have greatly overtorqued the fastener and not even realized it.

SR makes a very good tool. The handle has rubber on it, over a knurled metal finish. It is not cheesy at all. The ratchet drive heads tend to be a bit bulky on the SR wrenches but according to the guy who calibrates all of our torque wrenches at work (a major airline with hundreds of them) the SR torque wrenches are the best he has ever seen.

CDI is owned by Snap-On and makes all of SO's torque tools. They are very good.

Truth of the matter is, even the cheap Chinese ones usually check OK when you do a calibration check, but they may wear quicker or lose accuracy easier and need adjustments at the next calibration.

I have a Seekonk brand 1/4 drive clicker (40 to 150 in/lb) that works nicely, and also have a SR that reads up to 750 in/lb that takes interchangeable heads, and I have both 3/8 and 1/2 drive heads for it.

The calibration shop at work says Proto (of which we have quite a few) are the hardest and most expensive to calibrate since they have to disassemble the tool and change parts to adjust it, no calibration screw on the ones we have. He has a whole wall of small parts drawers with various blocks he can swap out in the tool to calibrate it. We don't buy Protos any longer.

If you have just one job, and the working area is not too restricted, You should simply consider a bending beam/needle type tool, they are quite cheap, and at least as accurate, and depending on the tool, many cases they will be more accurate than a clicker. They will stay accurate unless you abuse or overtorque the tool, at which point it, or dial type tools are trash.

Charles

 

[chavist93]

Charles, the valve body requires 71 in/lbs first time around and 97 in/lbs to finish. So there is no ft/lb torque wrenches that go low enough. I'm sure I will have other uses for it in the future though. Do you know of any online retailers for SR? I can't seem to find any. Klein sells them under their name but doesnt cary the 1/4" version. How old are the protos you have at work? The link I posted above was dated nov. 06 so the redesigned models have only been out around a year now. Proto claims 30,000 cycles before a need recalibration. That would be many lifetimes for me as little as I would use it.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The Protos we have at work are ten to twelve years old. Indeed, they may have been redesigned.

One consideration, SR torque wrenches only work right hand, they do not work backward. The ones I have, have replacable heads, and thus the head can be reversed if needed, minor consideration however.

Keep your eye on this one on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRECISION-INSTR...ryZ42265QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Charles

 

[Danglerb]

I'm not sure exactly why, but most of my mechanic friends won't touch the insides of an automatic transmission. They pull it, and send to a shop, then put it back in, nothing else except filter and fluid changes.

6 ftlbs and 8 ftlbs sure isn't much, and from the sound of it the critical thing is getting close to the same torque on each spot, and that tends to be more technique than wrench.

OTOH what do I know I just got home with my HF 1/2" drive $11.95 torque wrench, which oddly enough seems better quality than the $14.95 1/4" drive torque wrench I bought on Thursday.

 

[jimmycrackcorn]

I own a SO 5-75 fl/lbs torque wrench that i have gotten away with torquing VB's with, those specs with my torque wrench i would torque at 8.5 ft/lbs converted. I have been looking to get a in/lbs torque wrench for the accuracy. Torque wrenches are more accurate towards the middle of the scale. I have even gotten use to just using a speed handle and the turn of my wrist, cuz im so use to it.

Just curious to why you are rebuilding your VB? Are you putting in a shift kit?

 

[chavist93]

Jimmy, It's an 02 ranger 4x4 with the 5R55E 5spd auto. The rangers and explorers with that ****** had some issues which I am now experiencing at about 60k miles. Ford issued a tsb for it with an updated parts kit for the valve body. So I am going to install the updated parts alnog with a shift kit and a new epc solenoid.

 

[chavist93]

One more quick question. When it says the accuracy is from 20% to 100% of full scale what exactly does that mean?

 

[Danglerb]

If the torque wrench is rated to 150 inlbs, best accuracy is usually between 20% and 80%, or 30 inlbs and 120 inlbs. Inside a clicker you are changing the length, maybe the preload on a spring, its just hard to calibrate over a very wide range.

More than 100%, like 160 ftlbs on a 150 ftlb rated wrench, could damage it, but might also be due to a mechanical limit in motion so that one or two more twists on the handle and the force to make it click might be MUCH higher than indicated.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

They (the Proto link you give) say accuracy is within 3% RH and 6% LH at 20% of scale, 60% and 100%, that would be 3 in/lb off at 100 in/lb setting........ or 6 in/lb at 200 in/lb setting (which is 100% of scale).

Charles

 

[eschoendorff]

If I were you, I would just go to Sears and buy the Craftsman inch/lb torque wrench. I have one and it works just fine. Made in USA and the price is right when it's on sale.

 

[Danglerb]

About half a dozen issues effect the exact torque and most of them have errors larger than 4%. We are talking about common working grade tools that require calibration and hold 4% accuracy for a reasonable number of uses. What you put on the threads, and how you use the wrench makes a bigger difference than the brand, and no brand is a substitute for periodic calibration and proper use.

*** note on accuracy, check the wording carefully, does the accuracy statement refer to the full scale reading of 200 inlbs, so 4% is + or - 8 inlbs at all settings, or does it refer to the setting, so 4% at 70 inlbs is + or - 2.8 inlbs?

My HF torque wrenches say calibrated at the factory and tested to accuracy of +- 4%, which I think implies accuracy at a given setting, but kinda vague, and I suspect in practice if you take one back to HF and say it won't hold 4% calibration they say go get a new one out of the pile. With any wrench until its tested, you can't know how well it works.

 

[jimmycrackcorn]

Jimmy, It's an 02 ranger 4x4 with the 5R55E 5spd auto. The rangers and explorers with that ****** had some issues which I am now experiencing at about 60k miles. Ford issued a tsb for it with an updated parts kit for the valve body. So I am going to install the updated parts alnog with a shift kit and a new epc solenoid.

I have done many of those, there is also an update on the servos witch requires you bore out the the case and insert brass bushings to prevent binding. http://www.servobore.com/

Just curious to what its doing?

 

[chavist93]

I have done many of those, there is also an update on the servos witch requires you bore out the the case and insert brass bushings to prevent binding. http://www.servobore.com/

Just curious to what its doing?

Jimmy, It seems like it is slipping in OD at highway speeds, when taking off from a light going uphill it doesnt want to shift from 2-3 unless I let off the gas and if you manually put it in 1 gear there is no engine braking. It's just like rolling to a stop in neutral. I am actually thinking its just the seperator plate gasket thats blown out. I'm going to take the vb off, test all the solenoids, put in the Ford tsb parts and the new seperator plate with the bonded gasket. All this is if I can decide on a torque wrench. I know any of the major brands will serve me just fine for years, I dont know why I dont just choose one.

Jimmy, any tips on the job? Should be pretty straight forward and simple even for a hobbyist like me. I think I may weld in a drain plug while the pan is off.

 

[sha_ba_do_bang]

I'm not sure exactly why, but most of my mechanic friends won't touch the insides of an automatic transmission. They pull it, and send to a shop, then put it back in, nothing else except filter and fluid changes.

Nobody messes with them because they are difficult

Also you would be surprises how many transmission shops and rebuilders don't even HAVE torque wrenches nor do they torque anything! Thats also why they have lots of comebacks.

For a first timers i would definatly get a torque wrench and a clean workspace.

Jimmy, It seems like it is slipping in OD at highway speeds, when taking off from a light going uphill it doesnt want to shift from 2-3 unless I let off the gas and if you manually put it in 1 gear there is no engine braking. It's just like rolling to a stop in neutral. I am actually thinking its just the seperator plate gasket thats blown out. I'm going to take the vb off, test all the solenoids, put in the Ford tsb parts and the new seperator plate with the bonded gasket. All this is if I can decide on a torque wrench. I know any of the major brands will serve me just fine for years, I dont know why I dont just choose one.

Jimmy, any tips on the job? Should be pretty straight forward and simple even for a hobbyist like me. I think I may weld in a drain plug while the pan is off.

Not as straightforward as you think, there is a reason most mechanics won't touch an auto. I would say just be clean and organized. I would also recommend against the ford update and go with Transgo's kit

They make drill and tap drain plus, I still install a drain plug in everything i build. I started doing it when i was learning because there was a pretty could chance the pan or trans would have to come back out, and they are only $2 so i save the money being able to save the fluid

Brendan

 

[chavist93]

Thanks Brendan, why do you reccomend the transgo kit over ford? I was leaning towards the ford parts because of the new seperator plate with the bonded gasket. I'm not sure if you can use that with the transgo kit, but I dont see why not.

 

[jimmycrackcorn]

This particular unit has a drain plug/fluid level check, dunno if a shift kit will save it. Fluid condition will start to tell you the story, if you do go with the kit anyway you can air check the overdrive band with the valve body down.
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/2002/transmission/transmission_failure.shtml

 

[KingPerformance]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=16437&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have one, and use it all the time. Love it.

 

[Danglerb]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=16437&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have one, and use it all the time. Love it.

5 to 40 inlbs, makes its kind of limited doesn't it?

That low aren't you looking mostly at preventing damage to small bolts as opposed to torquing for preload or stress or something?

 

[KingPerformance]

5 to 40 inlbs, makes its kind of limited doesn't it?

That low aren't you looking mostly at preventing damage to small bolts as opposed to torquing for preload or stress or something?

Or breaking breadboard/wafer. As for limited ... what do you mean? Most valve bodys require aprox 35 in/lb. The exception to this would be the valve body to case and in thoes exceptions you would need a 3.8". 1/4" Torque wrench IMHO is a waste in the automotive field.

 

[Danglerb]

I'm just curious about how it might be used when the max is 3.3 ftlb. I'm not going to touch a valve body, but I think my car has a number of bolts with torque settings around 8 to 12 ftlbs, so I am very interested in what might work best. The 1/4" drive clicker I just bought was actually what I had in mind with its 200 inlb range.

 

[KingPerformance]

I'm just curious about how it might be used when the max is 3.3 ftlb. I'm not going to touch a valve body, but I think my car has a number of bolts with torque settings around 8 to 12 ftlbs, so I am very interested in what might work best. The 1/4" drive clicker I just bought was actually what I had in mind with its 200 inlb range.

I use mine for electrical connections/components, valve body's, valve covers, oil pans, transmission pans, ECU's, dash boards, window regulators, glass, plastics ... anything that has a low torque spec that needs a consistent pattern and torque applied. You will also need to take note of the pattern you torque your bolts in. When in doubt of what pattern to torque in, use the cylinder head pattern and step the torque value up in 1/3 increments.

 

[ColdDuckTime]

I use mine for electrical connections/components, valve body's, valve covers, oil pans, transmission pans, ECU's, dash boards, window regulators, glass, plastics ... anything that has a low torque spec that needs a consistent pattern and torque applied. You will also need to take note of the pattern you torque your bolts in. When in doubt of what pattern to torque in, use the cylinder head pattern and step the torque value up in 1/3 increments.

This sounds like excellent advice.


All of those German companies that sell heavily into the electronics biz sell this sort of thing, too. Just as an example (although I don't own this brand):

http://chadstoolbox.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1001

 

[mike944]

......For a first timers i would definatly get a torque wrench and a clean workspace.

Not as straightforward as you think, there is a reason most mechanics won't touch an auto. I would say just be clean and organized........

+100x on the clean workspace. Your work area should be clean like a hospital operating room. only lint-free cloths for cleaning. Particles of dirt, or lint caught in the wrong place are easily big enough to cause an auto trans to not shift at all. Particles that you can't even see with the naked eye can cause operational problems.

 

[chavist93]

I just noticed something about protos torque wrenches. Their website says they are accurate from 20% of full scale to 100% of full scale. That means on the 40-200 in/lb wrench it is accurate all the way through since 40 in/lbs is 20% of full scale. All of protos are this way.

So what is the purpose of say a snapon 5-75ft/lb tr when it's only going to be accurate from 15-75? Why dont they just mark it 15-75? The proto inthe same range is 16-80 ft/lbs which would be accurate from 16-80.

 

[Danglerb]

For a given design there will be some range where the accuracy is best, what they get advertised as is called "marketing" and thats a number they pull out of the air. (last word cleaned up a bit). If SnapOn sold amplifiers I am sure they would go to 11.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I just noticed something about protos torque wrenches. Their website says they are accurate from 20% of full scale to 100% of full scale. That means on the 40-200 in/lb wrench it is accurate all the way through since 40 in/lbs is 20% of full scale. All of protos are this way.

So what is the purpose of say a snapon 5-75ft/lb tr when it's only going to be accurate from 15-75? Why dont they just mark it 15-75? The proto inthe same range is 16-80 ft/lbs which would be accurate from 16-80.

After re reading the Proto description of their torque wrenches and looking at them, I think they really didn't change them much at all from the older ones like I've seen at work. They improved the springs, they tightened up the tolerances, made the metal a little harder on the rocking block, but it sounds like they didn't actually start over with a new design (they all work about the same). Its more like they tweaked the existing design.

Charles

 

[eschoendorff]

If SnapOn sold amplifiers I am sure they would go to 11.

They do. They are marketed as MESA/Boogie.

 

[chavist93]

Ok, well I finally got one. I just won a brand new Snap-on QD1R200 on ebay for $117+$12 shipping.

 

[Deafautotech]

Ok, well I finally got one. I just won a brand new Snap-on QD1R200 on ebay for $117+$12 shipping.

Damn! that good deal for new snap on 1/4dr torque wrench!

i was looking for that one from my snap on guy to make a deal but problem is i dont use it much so i dont want spend a money and not use the tool... i am rather spend on tools that i will use more often....

 

[jay50]

You need a dial torque wrench, not a clicker. Get a 105 in/lb, either Proto or Precision instruments.

 

[Danglerb]

Why a dial? I'm thinking many times it won't be easy to put the wrench where I want it and still see the dial.