Bought used torque wrench, should I get it calibrated?

[4getr34]

I just started simple DIYs on my car and figured I get a torque wrench for my next spark plug job. I ended up getting a used snap on QD275 (built in 2003)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0618942929&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I contacted the seller and according to him, he has used it only a handful of times and kept it in good condition. Should I send it to the factory and fork out 60 bucks for a calibration? What would you guys recommend?

 

[A_Pmech]

Send it out.

 

[Ghostrider]

Yes plus 4 characters

 

[davesnothere]

If it were my money, i'd spend the $60 on a used s/o bent flex rat, and do the plug job with that.

 

[MrMark]

Send it in. You'll have no confidence otherwise. With torque wrenches, it is almost better to buy used and pay for the calibration because the out of the box calibration may not even be trustworthy on a new wrench. I sent in a brand new Armstrong and it was out. They can get beat up in shipping and you don't know how many people dropped it or messed with it before you get it.

 

[Toolhorder]

Find a dealer that has a calibration checker. My dealer has one with a big dial on it and a drive hole where you attach the torque wrench. You can check the gauge reading to your wrench and see how close it is. I bought both my original click type wrenches in 1998. I checked them a month or two ago and both were dead on to his gauge. I was the first guy in inquire about sending in my wrenches for rebuild and he pulled it out still new in the box and never used (his tool for checking them)
I'm happy after all these years of use they still work 100%
I put them in the protective plastic case after every use and I don't leave them loaded up or anything.
I would check with a local dealer before sending it in. I don't think they need calibration as much as people think or are told.

 

[Danglerb]

Wow not something I would buy off ebay with as is no returns.

Find a convenient way to check it, if its not close to meeting spec I would suspect some kind of damage and buy a new torque wrench with a warranty. $160 in on a potentially damaged torque wrench would not make me happy.

 

[036.6turbo]

Where would you send it to? I check on having my Craftsman calibrated, and the cost of calibration, was almost more than a new wrench!

 

[Boiler]

You wouldn't. Think about this: the cost to SHIP it is more than the cost of a HF torque wrench....

That says something to me...

 

[ryan_289]

I found a calibrator for $50 on craigslist. What are those things worth?

 

[4getr34]

good advice guys. i'm going to try to get it tested locally first. if its off, i will send it in.

 

[glenmore]

I just did this thru Snap-On.

For the West Coast, call 775-883-8585 to confirm details.

Snap-On Repair Center
3602 Challenger Way
Carson City, NV 89705

Prices depend on the model torque wrench. Around $38 calibration only, $60 for repair and calibration.

When buying a used SO torque wrench, it is probably a good idea to keep these costs in mind.

BTW, the SO people I dealt with were all super nice.

 

[billymade]

Never used them and Snap-On maybe more cost effective but this is a option:

www.teamtorque.com

 

[Patrick Boyle]

I think most any larger city will have a calibration lab of some kind. They usually hang out around commercial airports to get business from the aviation mechs. Mine here in Jacksonville charges $30 for calibration as long as no parts are needed, and I can just drop it off. YMMV

 

[Bull]

Can someone with personal experience with an online/by mail calibration service shime in? I really need to get my dad's old C-man dialed in.

 

[Ponyhntr]

I use Angle Repair and Calibration Service in WV. www.anglerepair.com. Very affordable and quick turnaround!

 

[Toolhorder]

I'm surprised in all these replies nobody recommends checking the calibration first with a cal. checker like I recommended. You guys are just tossing good money down the drain.

 

[joshthedieseltech]

$25 to calibrate, mine are done once a year

http://www.anglerepair.com/

better safe than sorry

 

[MrMark]

I sent mine to Angle. I wouldn't put a lot of faith in the one on the SO Truck. These cal units like Angle uses cost a lot of money. Both of mine were out. One new, one old. I have a few more, two Hazet, which Angle will not do. I'll probably send them to TeamTorque.

 

[ajchien]

What about checking it against a beam torque wrench?

 

[Bull]

In what circumstances will they tell you that your wrench is hosed, and can't be recalibrated?

In my younger, more ignorant days, I stored the C-man with a load on the spring, and I might even have used it as a breaker once or twice. Can't remember, but have a bad feeling that I did.

As for checking the calibration myself, I don't have a relationship with a truck guy and would not trust my own Mickey Mouse methods.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm surprised in all these replies nobody recommends checking the calibration first with a cal. checker like I recommended. You guys are just tossing good money down the drain.

Problem is, you have to have access to a accurate, calibrated, checker. We have them in our tool room at work, every time the tool is checked out, we give them the torque we plan to use on it, they set it and check it before we get it issued to us. It is then charged to the work documents so we have traceability of the tool to the job preformed.

These checkers have to be calibrated themselves every six months at work. If I want to get a torque wrench calibrated, I just go straight to our calibration room and he runs it thru the full check and gives me a print out. Sadly, most people don't have access to such services, and it can cost as much to ship and calibrate and reship as the tool is worth.

Charles

 

[billymade]

The torque wrench usage and calibration issue seems like a vicious cycle that just takes consistent effort and money to keep them accurate... as stated above, your cheaper torque wrenches are not cost effective in this regard. If you are committed to the time/money it takes to stay accurate with your torque wrench; you are going to spending the money to do this anyway. So, I guess in the long haul, it comes down to if you want your torque wrench to be usable for a longer period of time or keep buying cheap ones... I guess this is the classic dilemma for any tool you use constantly. Ultimately, a higher quality tool will: last longer, have less downtime and makes more sense to repair.... the quality tools will have the service, parts to back it up.
Sounds like the typical dilemma of any tool we choose to use; welcome to the vicious cycle of tool use!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The best torque wrench from the standpoint of not needing calibration is the plain old bending beam, pointer type. Unless they have been abused by torquing beyond their limits, they will be accurate. Second to that, is the Precision Instruments split beam torque wrenches, as they do not have any springs in them, and they too rarely get out of calibration. Dial types, while having a somewhat finicky mechanism, also are basically a bending beam type in a housing with a dial attached, so they too don't get out of calibration, they work or they don't.

Last choice for a torque wrench, if you don't want to fool with calibration is the micrometer type, springs, internal rocking blocks, screw collars, all kinds of stuff to cause them to lose calibration.

Charles

 

[plinker]

I had bought a torque wrench off ebay (PI clicker 50-250lb 1/2 drive) and the seller said it would be checked out by Teamtorque.
Anyhow when I recived it, the return address was from Teamtorque and had been checked out. I think they were selling it, not 100% sure.

FWIW I got a card in the mail a couple weeks ago reminding me to have it checked, I dont plan to yet as I have not really used it much.

 

[justanengineer]

Problem is, you have to have access to a accurate, calibrated, checker. We have them in our tool room at work, every time the tool is checked out, we give them the torque we plan to use on it, they set it and check it before we get it issued to us. It is then charged to the work documents so we have traceability of the tool to the job preformed.

These checkers have to be calibrated themselves every six months at work. If I want to get a torque wrench calibrated, I just go straight to our calibration room and he runs it thru the full check and gives me a print out. Sadly, most people don't have access to such services, and it can cost as much to ship and calibrate and reship as the tool is worth.

Charles

Very well stated. The "checker" I had in my old tool room required a pretty ridiculously tight tolerance to be certified, but even so, it wasnt uncommon to find it 10 lbs out at the end of six months. Ive been told that the temperature of the shop, the person doing the calibration itself, and few other seemingly irrelevant things have a lot of influence in this.

One day I might have to take the checker I have now in for calibration, but being only for hobby use that might be a bit overkill as opposed to just calibrating my wrenches.

 

[glenmore]

In what circumstances will they tell you that your wrench is hosed, and can't be recalibrated?

.

Along with the wrench you enclose prepayment when you send it to SO. $38 for calibration and $60 for the works. My impression was that for $60, no matter what was wrong with it (as long as it wasn't abused), it would be made as good as new. This was just my impression. When you look at an exploded view of the innards, there are only a few parts that tend to wear.

 

[wxm]

It depends on what type of jobs that you use it for. For normal DIY auto work, it is probably more important to torque the fasteners evenly than the torque spec itself. I have a few torque wrenches and I usually use them the check against each other and I call it good as long as they are "close" enough. I even have the Alltrade Torque Adapter as my own "calibration".

 

[Danglerb]

This is not Toolaide I am willing to drink, too many variable in normal use to expect any torque wrench to have more than about +- 5% accuracy, regardless of type or calibration.

 

[Gregg33]

Take it to (or borrow) a friends, then double check it with yours. I'm no expert, but my hunch is the most the wrench would be off (unless it's seriously been abused) is 10%, for most applications I doubt it would matter, maybe cyl. heads would be more critical though.

 

[ace3838]

www.weedonengineering.com try out these guys for calibration.

 

[chrispyny]

I know the poster above me replied to a thread that was 4 years old, but now that its back from the dead and others here will read it, i feel the need to comment With a simple remark.
For all you guys so worried about calibrating your torque wrenches, costs involved, shipping etc., just google how to do it yourself. It comes out remarkably close and is rediculously easy.
I only use beam style torque wrenches but if i had the click type, its what i'd do.

Ps, i read that the aircraft industry generally ONLY uses beam style wrenches. So what does that tell you?

 

[66354dream]

I know the poster above me replied to a thread that was 4 years old, but now that its back from the dead and others here will read it, i feel the need to comment With a simple remark.
For all you guys so worried about calibrating your torque wrenches, costs involved, shipping etc., just google how to do it yourself. It comes out remarkably close and is rediculously easy.
I only use beam style torque wrenches but if i had the click type, its what i'd do.

Ps, i read that the aircraft industry generally ONLY uses beam style wrenches. So what does that tell you?

X2 on the zombie thread AND the beam type torque wrenches, I have never bought a clicker.

 

[CutterFarms]

What about checking it against a beam torque wrench?

I check mine on a snap on dial torque wrench but I mainly just work on farm equipment and been ok so far.