Torque Wrench for Professional use?

[MeTanto]

Curious of some recommendations for a torque wrench for professional use. Thanks.

 

[mtwaterguy]

More info needed. Drive size, click or elect.

 

[Local]

cdi torque wrenches are a great buy, they make them for snap on without the snap on markup. You can buy them at amazon or ebay. You can't go wrong with proto or wright. We use all at work but the cdi is cheaper so I would go with that personally.

 

[PBCampbell]

Gobs of commercial brands. Precision Instruments seems to have a following for automotive use with their split beam wrenches. If you have some particular use in mind add another post and I'm certain the recommendations will follow.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

What type of work? Drive sizes desired? Electronic, clicker, split beam, regular beam type??? Lots of info needed before anyone can make an educated suggestion.

Charles

 

[MeTanto]

Looking for 1/2" drive click type. For automotive, mostly engine assembly.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

PI Split beam

If not abused, doesn't get out of calibration.

 

[MeTanto]

How's about the micrometers?

 

[bart1]

I like the split beam type.
PI
Stahlwille

 

[PBCampbell]

Utica, Seekonk, Norbar, Proto, etc.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Utica, Seekonk, Norbar, Proto, etc.

You left out PI, CDI, Warren & Brown................

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Most of my collection. I've added some small beam type since this pic. An 80 in/oz, and a 200 in/lb and a 50 or so in/lb, all Sturtevant Richmont.

 

[MRunabout]

What torque range are you working with?

 

[PBCampbell]

Most of my collection. I've added some small beam type since this pic. An 80 in/oz, and a 200 in/lb and a 50 or so in/lb, all Sturtevant Richmont.

I remember your post on that Norbar but I never realized how enormous it actually was.

Oh and Mountz hasn't been mentioned yet....

 

[mkodama]

I use the Precision Instruments split-beam and dial torque wrenches on a professional level for automotive service and repair, and they hold up very well. Customer service is also good, and repairs and calibration checks have a quick turnaround time.

 

[skylinegtr20]

I have a Hazet 3/4, Snap on 1/2 digital, Mac 3/8 digital and Mac 1/4 digital. All are checked monthly for calibration.

- Hazet has never lost calibration in the 8 years of ownership.
- Snap On a bolt cracked, calibration was lost off, had to get recalibrated for $180... since then has been good. Owned for 11 years
- Mac 3/8 has been perfect, owned for 5 years
- Mac 1/4 has been perfect, owned for 5 years.

I believe the snap on and mac are made by the same company (they look identical)

 

[tdkkart]

Just picked up a new 250ft/lb CDI off Amazon the other day for $142 I think, seems to be a nice wrench. CDI is the manufacturer of many of Snap-On's torque wrenches, and you can tell, looks just like a SO.

 

[MeTanto]

Looking for 10 to 175 pd range

 

[BFHtime]

For engine assembly I would expect 3/8 would cover most of what you need. Remember the range of the tool. A 1/2 would not be as accurate at lower torque ranges. The would be for most passenger and light duty vehicles.

 

[Matt Irvine]

Most of my collection. I've added some small beam type since this pic. An 80 in/oz, and a 200 in/lb and a 50 or so in/lb, all Sturtevant Richmont.

Is this a norbar? We have a similar one at work, except about 8' long and inch drive! I believe this one looks like 3/4?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

It is a model 1500 in ¾ drive. Same tool is available in 1" drive also. 370 to 1100 lb/ft or 500 to 1500 Nm. Its 1570 mm/62 inches long and with the extension handle its 2070mm/81.5 inches long.

From looking at the web site, this appears to be the biggest/largest/highest range torque wrench they make.

Charles

 

[MRunabout]

I've never seen a 1/2" torque wrench go down into the 10 ft/lb range. You may have to get a 3/8" to cover the lower range and use the 1/2" to cover the upper range.

 

[shaggymutt1]

I recently bought a used snap on on ebay for $80 It is in perfect condition with case.

 

[jgreen-fsi]

cdi torque wrenches are a great buy, they make them for snap on without the snap on markup. You can buy them at amazon or ebay. You can't go wrong with proto or wright. We use all at work but the cdi is cheaper so I would go with that personally.

This. I picked up one from ebay and one from amazon and they are pretty much identical to my SO. Great value.

 

[PBCampbell]

I've never seen a 1/2" torque wrench go down into the 10 ft/lb range. You may have to get a 3/8" to cover the lower range and use the 1/2" to cover the upper range.

Look through Norbar's website. They have 1/2 drive as low as 6 - 35 ft/lbs. A servicing dealer for any of the major brands could put together a torque wrench to just about any specification when it comes to the tube type.

 

[tdkkart]

I've never seen a 1/2" torque wrench go down into the 10 ft/lb range. You may have to get a 3/8" to cover the lower range and use the 1/2" to cover the upper range.

I had a 1/2" drive that went down to 12lbs, never trusted it to use it that low. Under 20lbs I go to the in/lb and do the conversion.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

A 175 lb/ft torque wrench will have a low end of 35 lb/ft for accuracy. This is ANSI specs. Whatever the max is, the bottom is 20% of that, anything lower, even if the tool has scale lower, is not considered/tested/certified usable. It will take a couple of torque wrenches to cover the range specified. For engine building, get a beam type and be done with it, most accurate, easy to use, cheap, troublefree.

Charles

 

[kelpaso1]

PI Split beam

If not abused, doesn't get out of calibration.

Curious as to how someone can abuse a torque wrench besides not setting it back to zero when not in use or using it as a breaker bar?

 

[bart1]

Curious as to how someone can abuse a torque wrench besides not setting it back to zero when not in use or using it as a breaker bar?

You don't have to set split beams to zero.

Abuse? Breaker bar, dropping them, leaving in the elements...