texchappy
Well-known member
I need to torque some strut tower bolts down to 25 ft/lbs. I have a Craftsman 1/2" dr. 150 ft/lbs beam style torque wrench. Will it be accurate at the bottom part of the range?
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Beam style Torque wrench at lower end
- Thread starter texchappy
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Loscaldazar
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Generally accuracy for torque wrenches is 20%-100% of scale, or for your torque wrench, 30 ft-lbs to 150ft-lbs.
SMKS
Well-known member
Like posted above, most clicker torque wrenches are only listed as accurate from 20-100% of scale. But I don't know if beam wrenches are also limited in that way. I actually don't remember reading anywhere that they are.
Your torque wrench isn't ideal, but it will probably be close enough for strut tower bolts.
Your torque wrench isn't ideal, but it will probably be close enough for strut tower bolts.
SMKS
Well-known member
If you're actively looking for cheap, then the HF torque wrench is the way to go. They're not the nicest wrenches but they're totally fine. I have one that's still accurate after something like 7 years.
Perform a search to find more. There are tons of threads about it.
Also, can you provide a link to the Neiko wrench? The same wrench sold at HF is sold under many other brands.
I wouldn't encourage you to buy a new torque wrench just to torque those strut bolts.
Perform a search to find more. There are tons of threads about it.
Also, can you provide a link to the Neiko wrench? The same wrench sold at HF is sold under many other brands.
I wouldn't encourage you to buy a new torque wrench just to torque those strut bolts.
Stinger
Well-known member
The Harbor Freight 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 clicker TQ wrenches can be bought for $9.99 with a coupon (just saw one in a car magazine last week) and they have been tested in Car Craft magazine against more expensive brands (Craftsman, Snap-On, etc.) and aced the test, better than many of the expensive units.
FriendOfYours
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You're torquing strut tower bolts? Bit of blue loctite and "tight enough" is usually sufficient
If you're actively looking for cheap, then the HF torque wrench is the way to go. They're not the nicest wrenches but they're totally fine. I have one that's still accurate after something like 7 years.
Perform a search to find more. There are tons of threads about it.
Also, can you provide a link to the Neiko wrench? The same wrench sold at HF is sold under many other brands.
I wouldn't encourage you to buy a new torque wrench just to torque those strut bolts.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MB53ZE/?tag=atomicindus08-20
FriendOfYours
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Yeah, same head and adjustment as the HF
Really surprised that they were 1/2" and are being replaced by 9/16" with the mod I'm doing. It's for a MINI Cooper.
What year is ya cooper? Sounds like the shock nuts?
Steinmetz
Well-known member
I need to torque some strut tower bolts down to 25 ft/lbs. I have a Craftsman 1/2" dr. 150 ft/lbs beam style torque wrench. Will it be accurate at the bottom part of the range?
If this is a deflection-type torque wrench, you should be OK.
Steinmetz
Well-known member
Generally accuracy for torque wrenches is 20%-100% of scale, or for your torque wrench, 30 ft-lbs to 150ft-lbs.
That stated range of accuracy applies to clickers. There is no "20%-100%" limitation on the validity of Hooke's Law.
Steinmetz
Well-known member
Like posted above, most clicker torque wrenches are only listed as accurate from 20-100% of scale. But I don't know if beam wrenches are also limited in that way. I actually don't remember reading anywhere that they are.
Your torque wrench isn't ideal, but it will probably be close enough for strut tower bolts.
I don't think the OP's referring to a "clicker".
SMKS
Well-known member
I don't think the OP's referring to a "clicker".
Yes, I'm aware of that. I would encourage you to read more than the first sentence of the post you quoted. I specifically mentioned that the 20-100% range refers to clickers and may not apply to the OP's beam wrench.
Loscaldazar
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If this is a deflection-type torque wrench, you should be OK.
That stated range of accuracy applies to clickers. There is no "20%-100%" limitation on the validity of Hooke's Law.
Ahh damn you are correct. I assumed clicker.
OP, you should be fine with a deflecting beam, only limited by your sight of the gauge!