1/4 drive torque wrench

[Berserker]

Any suggestions for a 1/4 drive tq wrench? Rarely use it. Only time I wanted on was when doing heads on my bike. So not looking for anything expensive, but wouldn't mind having one.

I haven't seen a Craftsman one.

 

[mrholeshot]

What range do you need it in?

 

[kc-steve]

Any suggestions for a 1/4 drive tq wrench? Rarely use it. Only time I wanted on was when doing heads on my bike. So not looking for anything expensive, but wouldn't mind having one.

I haven't seen a Craftsman one.

I know of several because I use one for bicycles. I'm not sure of the range you need but Park Tools sells one, 0-60 inch/pounds.

http://www.parktool.com/product/torque-wrench-TW-1

And I also bought a wider range 0-200 inch/pounds from Harbor Freight as a cheap back up for $20.

Steve

 

[Berserker]

I'll have to look at my manuals. I think its higher. I am nut using 1/4 because its small stuff, I am using it because space is limited. 1/2 and 7/16 sockets. On my bikes the frame is above the heads. I've done it 3 times now, and gotten lucky. I have used dog bones too.

 

[kc-steve]

Well, then maybe you just need an adapter/reducer/extension/swivel with a regular foot/pound torque wrench. Something should fit the need. But a 1/4" torque wrench above the range of 100 inch/pounds would probably be the same as converting inch/pounds to foot/pounds (or vice versa) and have a (edit) better reading in foot/pounds with the larger wrench. Typically, torque wrenches are most accurate toward the mid-range of their scale.

Steve

 

[littletoes]

I have two PROTO that range upwards to 200 inch pounds, one is 20 years old, the other is only about 2 years old.

One is kept in the gun room, the other in he shop.

I'd reccamend 'em.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i guess HF is always an option if you want to go that route.

 

[Rickster]

 

[Berserker]

I am wondering if I may have trouble finding one that goes high enough. I could get off my **** and walk 20 feet and look.

The next time I need it will be when I am tearing an engine apart, and will already have spent to much money.

 

[rockwithjason]

the city bought us several for our shop. we have a proto, a mac and two harbor freights. the interesting thing is when we sent them for calibration the mac and proto always seem to need adjustment and the HF's don't. don't know why but that's how it is.

 

[Berserker]

How many of you guys calibrate yours and how often? I never have. I have tried one on another bolt from another wrench. Mostly because I was curios how well a bigger wrench did at the low end. I tried one of my ftlbs at 10lbs against a incher. While not scientific, it seemed to do ok.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i usually try to check them every 3 months and calibrate them when needed. the PI hasn't needed calibrating since i bought it, but it still gets checked.

 

[Berserker]

Do you do it yourself, against a known nut? One guy said thats what is shop had.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

Do you do it yourself, against a known nut? One guy said thats what is shop had.

doing a calibration test on a known nut will usually get you fairly close. i usually started with a to test b, then b to test a. now i actually have one of the local auto parts store do it. they've got a nice machine that makes it quick and easy.

 

[Berserker]

Rocker housing on my bikes are 14lbs, so 168 inches.

 

[rockwithjason]

we send ours out once a year unless there is a special project we need them for. it's all about documentation for us.

 

[Fedwrench]

Rocker housing on my bikes are 14lbs, so 168 inches.

I would opt for this Gearwrench model. It's US made, strong, accurate, and durable.

http://www.tooltopia.com/gearwrench-85050.aspx

 

[mepilotunot]

I would also go with the gearwrench one. They are well built and I have sold several as an offbrand. I always keep them on the truck.

 

[Elroy]

I am using it because space is limited. 1/2 and 7/16 sockets. On my bikes the frame is above the heads. I've done it 3 times now, and gotten lucky. I have used dog bones too.

If space is limited you might want to consider a beam style wrench that doesn't have a "ratchet" head. A fixed head will be much more compact and thus better fit into restricted access applications