3/8 or 1/2 Torque Wrench.. Which one?

[J13ntv]

I think im going to spring for a snap-on torque techwrench torque wrench. I am not a professional mechanic however do most of my own mechanic work. I used to have a 1/2 but loaned it out to someone ages ago and no longer have it..

Do most people only have a 1/2 dr torque wrench or do you use the 3/8 just as much?

I know the 1/2 is good for engine work, lug nuts etc but the handle just seems to long to be able to use in most spots...

What does everyone recommend and or use constantly, would your first torque wrench be a 1/2 or a 3/8? If I buy the 3/8 I can get a 1/2 adapter and still be able to torque up to 100ft lb in my opinion, no?

Thanks

 

[35mastr]

I personally have both and I think I may even have a 1/4 inch one here also.
They all have there place of use.

 

[Skin]

Either 1/2 or 3/8 that can do 10/20-100+ft-lbs will cover most of what you'll venture to do on your own [wheels/suspension/brakes, head gaskets etc..]. I wouldnt worry about the drive size so much as i would the wrench being +/- 2% within a useful range.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

If you are looking to buy an electronic techangle torque wrench, get a 1/2" drive as most of your torque to yield fasteners will be from 50 to 90 ft-lbs and the longer handle will be easier to control. Room to swing is not much of an issue with these as the engine is usually out of the car. If you are buying the electronic techwrench, I would get a 3/8" as this would cover most situations where they are needed. If you can, I would also add a 1/2" drive regular clicker style (CDI) or split beam clicker (PI) for normal, everyday use tightening suspension bolts and wheel lugs.

 

[dwm]

I have all 3 (all TechWrench), and I use them all about equally. Just got done using the 1/4" ten minutes ago. A tip: take the batteries out of a TechWrench when you're done using it (there's a spot for them in the case). Otherwise you wind up with dead batteries fairly quickly (I'm guessing the memory storage is NVRAM instead of EEPROM).

 

[Sterff]

I have 4 torque wrenches. One 1/4, two 3/8, and one 1/2. If I could only pick one I would pick my 10-150 ft lb. model.

 

[sf6669]

Most axle nuts need more than 150 ft/lbs. My recommendation goes to the TQFR250E.

 

[J13ntv]

Thanks for all the input thus far. I guess my only concern is although the 1/2 250 is good for just about everything, the handle is longer and I guess I just see that being an issue for fitting in most spots where as the 3/8 drive is shorter and would? Since I'm not a professional technician I don't use it every day so I don't come across as often where a 1/2 drive and a 3/8 drive would and wouldn't fit due to handle length.

 

[diesel research]

Most axle nuts need more than 150 ft/lbs. My recommendation goes to the TQFR250E.

While this is true, along with a few other heavy torque bolts in automobiles, most are not quite so sensitive to minute variances. Your smaller fasteners are more subject to tighter tolerances. Therefore, if you can only have 1 techwrench, I would probably go for 3/8s.

A standard cdi or pi 1/2" will do most of the work you need it to accurately enough. Some headbolts do have higher torque values along with angle requirements, although you may be able to get away with "analog" protractors.

There are a LOT of bolts that do not need even the minimum 50ft-lb of most 1/2 drives.

Guess you will have to analyze which ones you encounter the most?

 

[BajaBound]

I recently bought the Precision Instruments 50-250 (awesome torque wrench) but I then found out that my axle nut needs 264 ft/lbs of torque which was a bummer so I am looking at getting the HF 50-300 for that one nut.

 

[tw33k2514]

I recently bought the Precision Instruments 50-250 (awesome torque wrench) but I then found out that my axle nut needs 264 ft/lbs of torque which was a bummer so I am looking at getting the HF 50-300 for that one nut.

I would honestly just use the TW to get it to 250 and then put a breaker bar on it and give it a little extra.

As far as the OP, it really depends what your working on. If it is just your vehicles I would just look and see what fasteners take what torque and buy whatever TW covers that range. Personally I own 5 torque wrenches. But I work on everything.

 

[J13ntv]

Based on Recommendations it seems like the 3/8 fits more applications.

To further add to the situation, a fixed head or a flex head? I do realize a flex head techwrench is not as precise in an angle but when straight I'd imagine it is the same accuracy.

 

[psychoclaw84]

I own both 1/2 drive and 3/8 drive Torque Wrenches.

• The 1/2 drive has a larger scale, ranges from 25 ft/lbs to 250 ft/lbs.
• The 3/8 drive has a larger scale, ranges from 10 ft/lbs to 100 ft/lbs.

Most of my torque wrench uses require the 3/8 drive torque range. As for the 1/2 drive, I use it on Axle nuts and Flywheel plates.

I never owned an inch/lb torque wrench, although I use those at work on precision semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Any type of low torque applications used on my personal equipment; I use feel/touch on tightening fasteners.

The suggestion would be both, make sure you do not duplicate torque ranges and you will be assured that you will have all of your torque needs addressed.

 

[moronmountain]

To me it depends on what you do most of the time. If you're up and over 65+ ft. lbs. most of the time, you may find you don't like the short handle on the 3/8 wrench.

 

[SMKS]

I have the following:

Armstrong 3/8" drive - 50 to 250 in/lbs
Armstrong 3/8" drive - 10 to 100 ft/lbs
Craftsman 3/8" drive - 5 to 75 ft/lbs
Harbor Freight 1/2" drive - 50 to 250 ft/lbs

The two Armstrongs get used far more than any other. I'd say get a 3/8"

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I accidentally fell into owning lots of torque wrenches, wasn't in the plan, just happened..............

Here is my collection..................

Front and center, Seekonk 1/4 drive 30 to 150 in/lb micrometer type

Just behind the Seekonk is a Sturtevant-Richmont (SR) CCM150I interchangeable head micrometer type (with no head) 30 to 150 in/lb

Front right is a SR CCM150F interchangeable head micrometer type with a 1/2 drive head, 30 to 150 ft/lbs

Front and left is a SR CCM750I interchangeable head micrometer type with a 3/8 drive head, 150 to 750 in/lbs.

I have 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drive ratchet heads for the Sturtevant Richmont CCM series torque wrenches and can swap the heads between the torque wrenches as needed.

Second row left side, is a Snap-On dial type "Torque-O-Meter" 1/2 drive, 0 to 250 ft/lbs

Second row right side is a Snap-On dial type "Torque-O-Meter" 3/4 drive, 0 to 600 ft/lbs with no extension handle

Middle, third back is a Gedore 4507, German made 5 to 40 ft/lb with a 1/2" female square drive, micrometer type. The male push thru square drive plug is missing, but I am ordering them 1/2 to 1/2 and 1/2 to 3/8

Left side, third back is the new Precision Instruments 1/2 drive flex head split beam C3FR250F, 40 to 250 ft/lbs

Just behind the Snap-On and Gedore... is the new PI 3/8 drive flex head split beam C2FR100F, 20 to 100 ft/lbs

To the far right, past the PI 3/8 drive, sitting on top of the reddish box is a Utica interchangable head 10 to 150 in/lb micrometer type with both 1/4 and 3/8 ratchet heads. I have seven of the torque wrenches but only one of each of the heads.

Red box to the left is a early '70's vintage Craftsman 3/8 drive beam type, 0 to 50 ft/lbs

Blue box is a early '70's vintage Craftsman 1/2 drive beam type, 0 to 150 ft/lbs

Far right in the plastic package is a '90's vintage Craftsman 1/2 drive beam type, 0 to 150 ft/lbs

Also far right is a '90's vintage Craftsman 3/8 drive beam type, 0 to 50 ft/lbs

To the left, the electronic meter in the package is a Craftsman 44599 electronic torque measuring system, 0 to 150 ft/lbs

Last but certainly not least, is a English made System Norbar 3/4 drive (push thru square drive plug) ratchet, clicker type, 370 to 1100 ft/lbs with its metal case and extension handle. Over five feet long and has a nearly two foot extension handle with it

Charles

 

[andrew88]

I am using 1/2 Torque Wrench. It is better in my opinion !

 

[Superbec]

I am using 1/2 Torque Wrench. It is better in my opinion !

are you serious?

 

[FigureItOut]

My experience is confirmed by what I've read here. I'm not a tech but do everything on my own vehicles, and I use my 3/8" far more often. As was said, the smaller fasteners seem to be more sensitive, so I spent more on my 3/8". I use the 1/2" (HF) for lug nuts, and the occasional hitch install, and my understanding is that super-accuracy isn't critical there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

 

[Marc Benjamin]

If you can only have 1 techangle buy the 3/8 first. The 5-100 ft-lb's a pretty darm good range. Also, most lug nuts are under 100 anyway.

Don't worry about the short handle leverage. Believe me, it's so easy for that tech angle to turn red trying to stop at say 80 ft-lb for a car lug nut. I always go over by a lb or two and I'm not even really pushing down hard.

Also, for a home user who does not have a lift, often you won't have enough swing space under the car (say torquing the drain plugs) which can render the much longer 1/2 useless.

Enginework and the 1/2? Well there's a pretty good chance you'll have some clearance problems like the hood with that 1/2. Also trying to not go over the lower scales with that much leverage is quite challenging.

Here's mine in action. Torquing a thermostat housing fastener to 7.5 lb-ft.