FiendFX
Well-known member
Looking for low torque application such as spark plugs, intake manifold bolts and other that needs 25 ft lbs and below.
Affordable accurate 3/8 torque wrench?
- Thread starter FiendFX
- Start date
C2250 - 3/8" Drive Torque Wrench - eTORK
C2250 3/8″ Drive Torque Wrench 50-250 in.-lb, 6-28 N.m [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”15″ gal_title=”C2250 Gallery”] Additional Features: Wrench clicks and/or releases when...
etork.com
Anyone has experience with these? Accurate or trustworthy?
47chevy COE
Active member
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- Jan 10, 2013
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- 32
Define affordable….in my mind, precision instruments and cdi are affordable. ($100-$150)
dnschmidt
Well-known member
They are great and that's from a guy that sells Eclatorq digital torque wrenches. The design comes from an American that once owned a company that made very nice torque wrenches in America but these are his design (but made in China). He stole Norbar's method of torque setting which is miles better than the silver on silver impossible to read designs commonly seen on cheap torque wrenches. I have three of these wrenches and they all are dead on calibration right out of the box. For a cheap torque wrench they simply can't be beat. The tactile feel (sound and release point) are easily felt as well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.C2250 - 3/8" Drive Torque Wrench - eTORK
C2250 3/8″ Drive Torque Wrench 50-250 in.-lb, 6-28 N.m [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”15″ gal_title=”C2250 Gallery”] Additional Features: Wrench clicks and/or releases when...
Anyone has experience with these? Accurate or trustworthy?
I wouldn't buy what he calls a digital version as they are not digital torque wrenches but analog wrenches with a digital display. A true digital torque wrench uses a strain gauge to determine torque and not a spring as these do.
I have Precision Instruments split beams in 3/8” and 1/2”… they have been terrific.
Before I had the Precision Instruments ones, I had the Harbor Freight clicker ones that you could get for like $10 with a coupon… and to be honest, they were amazing for the money.
Why aren’t there 1/4” split beam torque wrenches?
richfinn
Well-known member
Good move, I love my Norbar's. Much easier to set when your eyes are getting old
47chevy COE
Active member
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- Jan 10, 2013
- Messages
- 32
Hmm, I hadn’t heard that about cdi.
I bought a Snap-on 3/8 in a 1/4 body torque wrench at a flea market for $60. Checked it against a beam style and it dead on. I believe the torque range is 40 to 200 inch pounds. I have another Snap-on that's 150 to 900 inch pounds. To round off my 3/8 I have a 20 to 100 foot lbs PI split beam. I like having multiple 3/8 torque wrenches that overlap to cover a wide range.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
Probably because you'd never be able to hear or feel the "click". I have three split beam PI torque wrenches and my main complaint with all of them is that at the lower torque settings of each of them it's very difficult to tell when the wrench has both released and clicked. I have the whatever to 250 ft-lb, whatever to 100 ft-lb and whatever to 600 inch pound models and all of them share this liability. Mid range and higher they're fine. At the lower end not so much.
toddmorr
Well-known member
I will say that method of reading the scale is so far superior to squinting at barely legible figures on the beam
sparkness
Well-known member
I have the tekton, very legible scales, decent price
GirlnAgarage
Well-known member
CDI
milkovich
Well-known member
Another here. +1 CDI/Williams, no complaints.
Has anyone used Proto?
Has anyone used Proto?
toddmorr
Well-known member
Garcky
Well-known member
Just my opinion, but I consider consistency and readability to be more important than precise accuracy. If the stated torque is 100 inch pounds, 95 or 105 will do just fine. The point is to tighten all fasteners in the assembly the same.
Again, that is my opinion.
Again, that is my opinion.
joshmodelskidoo
Well-known member
2 hf ones, power torque from oriley auto parts and an old school beam one. Not really a fan of the 1/2in hf one or the 3/8 power torque one but they have been reliable and not really a real good reason to replace unless i go with a flex head with torque angle gage built in. I do kind of like my 1/4in hf one that does in lbs. i think it’s fairly smooth.
dnschmidt
Well-known member
^^^^ He did say affordable.
Are you selling them again? I thought in another post you had said you stopped once HF/Kobalt came onto the scene.
Do you know of any brands that sell a 3/8, 5-125ft-lb (ish), flex head unit? (I don't care about angle really but it would be nice).
Consider an old school beam - pointer type (example below, not an endorsement of the specific model)
The nice thing about the pointer type is they are very reliable and hard to damage in a way that isn't obvious. Is the pointing beam pointing at 0 before use?
I have a pair of those wrenches in 3/8 and 1/2. Sometimes I use them outright, other times I use them to verify my cheap HF clickers. The clickers are nicer to use but I like that the simple beam style doesn't require any setup.
The nice thing about the pointer type is they are very reliable and hard to damage in a way that isn't obvious. Is the pointing beam pointing at 0 before use?
I have a pair of those wrenches in 3/8 and 1/2. Sometimes I use them outright, other times I use them to verify my cheap HF clickers. The clickers are nicer to use but I like that the simple beam style doesn't require any setup.
MattGarage
Well-known member
Used a beam for years. Have used clickers since (HF which I carefully check) - but no improvement over beam.
I just picked up a 20-200in lbs torque wrench from HF. Compared to my CDI it feels like junk. Rough engagement, doesn't even click on the lower 1/2 just kinda barely flops over and I had to work it for a while to get it to do that. Not very impressed. I mean, I got my $18 worth I guess. I'm going to try and use it on the 'something is better than nothing' mentality, but it's not a high quality unit to be sure.
Sweetcorn
Well-known member
Are you saying the certs they send out with the wrenches are incorrect or that the +/- % window of accuracy is too large as delivered?
jayemm
Well-known member
I prefer to choose a higher quality torque wrench for the smaller fastener sizes that fit within the in-lb range. Do not even want to overtorque trans pan bolts or strip out trans case threads or throttle body bolts/threads, etc. There's a lot of soft aluminum on these engines. Some places it doesn't make sense trying to save a few bucks. The larger sized fasteners have more 'leeway' and I can get a better feel on those. Just my preference.
i use proto from 18 inch to a couple four footer, proto is my go to on torque wrenches
I have a 3/8 drive Proto that was my dad's and maybe even my grandpa's. It's a little rough around the edges but it's still dead nuts with my SO tech angle.