1/4" torque wrench recommendation

[scott37300]

Right now I have an older 3/4" beam torque wrench, a 1/2" craftsman digitork click style, a 1/2" snap on click style, and a 3/8" craftsman microtork click style. So far they have been pretty good for me. I'm just a home mechanic so they don't see daily use but I do like to use them instead of just hand feel.

I'm thinking about adding a 1/4" torque wrench that is inch pounds for the smaller jobs since all my other ones are foot pounds. Or a 3/8" in inch pounds, not sure which one would be better. I don't want a cheap pile of junk but also not looking to spend a ton of money since I won't be using this much. Was thinking around 100 bucks or so. I know the craftsmans aren't the best but they have served me decent over the years and the 25-250 in lbs microtork one is only 80 bucks.

What are my options a 100 dollar or so 1/4" in lbs torque wrench?

 

[Seanbev24]

My current in.lb. torque wrench is a craftsman that has been okay, but I'll be buying this one in the near future...

http://www.tooltopia.com/precision-instruments-m1r200hx.aspx

 

[Fedwrench]

Gearwrench. US made, durable, accurate, and won't break the bank.
http://www.tooltopia.com/gearwrench-85050.aspx

 

[buick215]

I am not a fan of Harbor Freight but there torque wrenches can't be beat. They are dead accurate and the prices are incredible. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-inch-drive-click-stop-torque-wrench-2696.html

 

[Toolhorder]

Normally I'd say Snappy but since CDI is Snappy I'd just buy a CDI. I've noticed a lot of guys here have them.

 

[scott37300]

Thanks guys.

That PI looks nice and is all steel. 135 isn't to bad either considering I'm spending 100 bucks no matter what.

That gear wrench is also nice for under 100 bucks.

 

[PistolWhip]

Depending on the adjustment range you need, the Utica torque drivers are awesome. I use one for firearms work. Never really needed it for anything automotive as my 3/8 and 1/2 torque wrenches have had no problems getting anything done.

The Uticas aren't wrenches, they're drivers. They usually have small adjustable ranges, the one I have is like 6 to 30 inch pounds and uses standard 1/4 bits and shank sockets.

 

[bgott]

I'd normally say Snappy but they have went to laser markings on the barrel. It isn't too bad on the larger wrenches but on the inch-pound wrenches it's almost impossible to read. I mean cheater glasses/ window light impossible. I got lucky and found a new in box 3/8" inch-pound wrench with the stamped markings, even with my old eyes I can make out the markings without glasses.

 

[scott37300]

Are 1/4" torque wrenches a good thing to have or would I get more use out of a 3/8" inch pound torque wrench? The main reason I'm looking at getting one of these is that I need to do an intake manifold gasket on my grandma's 3.8L impala and the factory manual has a bunch of the torques in inch pounds and my 3/8" torque wrench is ft pounds.

Do you guys that have an inch pound torque wrench have it in 3/8" or 1/4" drive? Which one would you get if you could only have one drive size?

 

[Seanbev24]

I prefer 1/4". They're lighter for doing a bunch of fasteners (oil pan, intake manifold, etc) and will fit in smaller spaces. It's unlikely that you'll be torqueing anything bigger than a 14mm head to under 200 in.lbs.

 

[scott37300]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone. I'm leaning towards the PI for 135 or the gear wrench for around 100. The PI doesn't have any plastic like the GW does so it might be worth the extra 35 bucks. But then again it's for something I don't see myself using a whole lot.

Here is my torque wrench collection as of now, soon to be a 1/4" in the mix also.

 

[2oolhound]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone. I'm leaning towards the PI for 135 or the gear wrench for around 100. The PI doesn't have any plastic like the GW does so it might be worth the extra 35 bucks. But then again it's for something I don't see myself using a whole lot.

I guess it's a type of plastic, here's what GW calls it - Elastomer handle grip for comfort and oil resistance

Considering what you have now I'd get a small 1/4" drive. I like the smaller lighter feel for working with aluminum or around carbs/electrical and delicate things that come loose or warp unless you apply maximum allowable torque to the fasteners.

 

[MattT]

It's unlikely that you'll be torqueing anything bigger than a 14mm head to under 200 in.lbs.

What about preloading bearings?

 

[scott37300]

What about preloading bearings?

Are preloaded bearings torqued to more than 200 INCH pounds?

 

[83diesel]

I'd normally say Snappy but they have went to laser markings on the barrel. It isn't too bad on the larger wrenches but on the inch-pound wrenches it's almost impossible to read. I mean cheater glasses/ window light impossible. I got lucky and found a new in box 3/8" inch-pound wrench with the stamped markings, even with my old eyes I can make out the markings without glasses.

In the diesel field where you are covered in oil and grease all the time the laser markings tend to disappear after a few years and SO does not warranty the markings disappearing. I stick with the Matco style that has deep engraved markings or equivalant.

 

[MattT]

Are preloaded bearings torqued to more than 200 INCH pounds?

I can't recall ever working on any taper bearings that called for more than 200 inch pounds. And if you did ever run up on one it would be within the working range of a normal 3/8" torque wrench.

 

[Toolhorder]

In the diesel field where you are covered in oil and grease all the time the laser markings tend to disappear after a few years and SO does not warranty the markings disappearing. I stick with the Matco style that has deep engraved markings or equivalant.

Wow really? My dealer sends mine in for anything wrong. Recently the body of one of my techwrenches chipped off chrome and he sent it in and 2 weeks later I had a new wrench w/new calibration sticker on the side.

 

[scott37300]

Pretty sure I'm going to go with the PI torque wrench. I like the look of it and that it's all steel. The gear wrench looks nice also but have read a lot of nice stuff about the PI torque wrenches on here.

With the 30-200 in lbs 1/4" drive torque wrench added to my collection I should have everything covered from 30 in pounds to 600 ft pounds, not taking into account the 20% upper and lower range accuracy issues.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.