Budget Torque Wrench Throwdown

[Rcajun]

I need to pick up a Torque wrench for occasional home mechanic type stuff. I would love to buy a Proto/Snapon/Matco but that's overkill for my situation.

What would you guys recommend Craftsman, Tekton, HF special, etc?


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[seaway]

I have a Capri 1/2" that when new was dead on with a calibrated Snapon. I bought it at Amazon for about $40. I only use it to torque lugnuts and so far it has worked very well for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NIZ65YY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[guy48065]

HF is fine for occasional home use and in my experience they do meet spec and hold over time. They FEEL like ****, though. Hard to adjust the handle, hard to read the scale.

 

[Corndoggeh]

To be honest, HF is just fine just make sure the markings are lined up. Id trust them for any torquing except for maybe a headgasket job. Torque wrench prices move up exponentially for differences of 0.5% error.

 

[6PTsocket]

HF is fine for occasional home use and in my experience they do meet spec and hold over time. They FEEL like ****, though. Hard to adjust the handle, hard to read the scale.

My friend brought his new HF to work. They do feel like ****. That was enough for me. I have a couple of what is now Apex. One is marked Husky (HD) and the other is branded ATD. They work well but they were made in USA. I don't know how good the current inported ones are. They have to be better than the HF ones. My feeling about measuring equipment is that if what you are doing requires measuring you might as well get something you trust or why bother.

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[6PTsocket]

To be honest, HF is just fine just make sure the markings are lined up. Id trust them for any torquing except for maybe a headgasket job. Torque wrench prices move up exponentially for differences of 0.5% error.

There is also an eponential difference between HF and most other brands of the same nominal accuracy. The HF wrenches are always in the sale flyer for under ten bucks. If I am making a critical adjustment on a $35,000 vehicle I am not going to trust it to something that feels like a rusty pipe wrench when I set it. If you read the reviews, there are plenty of failures. I am not an HF hater. They have winners and losers. This is not a winner.

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[gungatim]

I used a cheapy HF-like torque wrench for years on several engine builds and it never let me down, but yeah, they're junky, ugly, and hard to adjust.

got a craftsman 1/2" for Christmas one year and it is night and day. much better quality. if I had to buy one though, I'd likely get a tekton. they look and feel great and have good reviews.

both my craftsman, (I got a 3/8" the following year) do not fit in their case unloaded, and you are supposed to store them unloaded, making the case fairly useless. the larger one's case has a clear plastic lid that screws on, a stupid design...

 

[dnschmidt]

Here's my experience with the HF wrenches. I don't like changing torque settings, being the laziest white man on earth, so I have about 8 of the HF torque wrenches all of which are set to the standard torques commonly used by car manufacturers (a good example is 89 inch pounds which is 10 n-m) all of these I calibrated using my torque calibrator which is stone cold accurate. I then put a P-touch label on each stating the measured accurate torque. I have no idea as to whether that corresponds to what the wrenches graduations say it's set to what the calibrator says. Oddly, they are extremely repeatable even though I never store them at their lowest setting which would defeat the purpose of the program as many believe you should do. After a year they still give the same torque to which they were set on my torque calibrator. Now one the reasons they do this is that I always select the torque wrench that will have the value I want to permanently set it to in the middle of it's range. So my daily driver car, a Hyundai Sonata, uses 75 ft-lb on it's lug nuts. Therefore I buy the 1/2" HF wrench which has 150 ft-lb as it's top range. Set forever at 75 ft-lb it never goes off of calibration even sitting in my trunk for years. The reason for doing what I do it that it greatly increases my use of torque wrenches. If I had to **** around with setting a torque wrench each time I use it I'd never do it. Just picking one off the cart is just as easy as picking up a ratchet so I do. When you're lazy you have to adapt your methods to account for your tendencies.

Here's a neat memory aid to help you go from ft-lb to n-m.

What's the most common commercial airliner. THE BOEING 737. This is the factor that you divide ft-lb by to get n-m and the factor you multiply n-m by to get ft-lb. Your welcome.

 

[jacked_72]

I don't like changing torque settings, being the laziest white man on earth,

You might want to rethink that turn of phrase.

 

[M6erfan]

My vote goes to Tekton

 

[bczygan]

HF!!!

 

[dnschmidt]

The truth hurts. I accept my limitations.

 

[gungatim]

Here's my experience with the HF wrenches. I don't like changing torque settings, being the laziest white man on earth, so I have about 8 of the HF torque wrenches all of which are set to the standard torques commonly used by car manufacturers (a good example is 89 inch pounds which is 10 n-m) all of these I calibrated using my torque calibrator which is stone cold accurate. I then put a P-touch label on each stating the measured accurate torque. I have no idea as to whether that corresponds to what the wrenches graduations say it's set to what the calibrator says. Oddly, they are extremely repeatable even though I never store them at their lowest setting which would defeat the purpose of the program as many believe you should do. After a year they still give the same torque to which they were set on my torque calibrator. Now one the reasons they do this is that I always select the torque wrench that will have the value I want to permanently set it to in the middle of it's range. So my daily driver car, a Hyundai Sonata, uses 75 ft-lb on it's lug nuts. Therefore I buy the 1/2" HF wrench which has 150 ft-lb as it's top range. Set forever at 75 ft-lb it never goes off of calibration even sitting in my truck for years. The reason for doing what I do it that it greatly increases my use of torque wrenches. If I had to **** around with setting a torque wrench each time I use it I'd never do it. Just picking one off the cart is just as easy as picking up a ratchet so I do. When you're lazy you have to adapt your methods to account for your tendencies.

Here's a neat memory aid to help you go from ft-lb to n-m.

What's the most common commercial airliner. THE BOEING 737. This is the factor that you divide ft-lb by to get n-m and the factor you multiply n-m by to get ft-lb. Your welcome.

you need a beam torque wrench...nothing to set...LOL

every click style torque wrench I've seen or used has a metric and inch scale, so no math needed for the conversion, but I often have to convert inches to feet when I want to use a bigger wrench...

 

[Rcajun]

Craftsman 1/2" is on sale for $44 smackers with a $10 rebates through Amex. Roughly the same at the Tekton.

Oh the initial use will be a valve adjustment on a Honda engine.


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[R. Johnson]

I had a craftsman with the red/black plastic handle and it was junk. The round head ratchet mechanism slips internally. Finally busted a knuckle with it and into the garbage it went. I picked up a 2nd hand SK and it's been great. If i had to buy new I would buy Tekton.

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[T45]

The truth hurts. I accept my limitations.

buy a stahlwille

 

[T45]

Oh the initial use will be a valve adjustment on a Honda engine.

Honestly, if you are doing open motor work....spend $100

you can get a CDI, a precision instruments, a proto etc....on sale around there.

the better apex cman and usa husky normal price is $80, snap on normal is $320.

Other bench marks costs:

>Calibration $50
>Time sert repair kit $70

 

[6PTsocket]

I had a craftsman with the red/black plastic handle and it was junk. The round head ratchet mechanism slips internally. Finally busted a knuckle with it and into the garbage it went. I picked up a 2nd hand SK and it's been great. If i had to buy new I would buy Tekton.

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The SKs were made by Danaher and marketed under their brands,KD and Armstrong, and many others including Husky and even some for Craftsman. It is all Apex today including the others they manufacture for.. There are not that many manufacturers. Precision makes their split beams and there is Snap On/ CDI. There is Sturdivant Richmont who was just bought by Snap On. The rest pretty much come from Uncle Mao's Dollar Store.

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[6PTsocket]

I forgot Proto. I guess the make their own.

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[Rcajun]

I may wait until after the Xmas bills and pick up a proto after. Hmmm....


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[Olafur]

My "AC-Delco" 1/2" drive digital torque adaptor has rebuilt several 3-600 hp diesel engines, large transmissions and differentials among countless other things over the past few years.

It's still dead accurate and works fine.

 

[guy48065]

OP never stated what range. If <100 ft-lbs the CM 3/8"-dr is a steal right now at $80. Apex isn't (or CAN'T) make them right now so when they're gone, they're gone. Only 1 week ago CM also had the 1/2"-dr on sale but I think they sold out.

 

[Bagherra]

What's the most common commercial airliner. THE BOEING 737. This is the factor that you divide ft-lb by to get n-m and the factor you multiply n-m by to get ft-lb. Your welcome.

Could have used this couple months ago rebuilding an engine using a British manual!

 

[BearDeXPS]

Finally got rid of my HF and replace with Tekton... I really like them.

 

[WhatAmIDoingWrong]

I got my Tekton for $30 and I think you would have to spend 3 times that to beat it. A Precision Instruments Split Beam wrench would be my next pick, I really want one.

 

[Coach James]

I never understood the "Good enough for occasional use" notion with a torque wrench. If a torque wrench is bad, it's bad if I use it once a year or 300 times a year.

My torque wrenches are a C-man beam type, two of the old Kobalt USA models, an Autocraft and a C-man that "releases" at the set torque.

Coach

 

[6PTsocket]

Here's my experience with the HF wrenches. I don't like changing torque settings, being the laziest white man on earth, so I have about 8 of the HF torque wrenches all of which are set to the standard torques commonly used by car manufacturers (a good example is 89 inch pounds which is 10 n-m) all of these I calibrated using my torque calibrator which is stone cold accurate. I then put a P-touch label on each stating the measured accurate torque. I have no idea as to whether that corresponds to what the wrenches graduations say it's set to what the calibrator says. Oddly, they are extremely repeatable even though I never store them at their lowest setting which would defeat the purpose of the program as many believe you should do. After a year they still give the same torque to which they were set on my torque calibrator. Now one the reasons they do this is that I always select the torque wrench that will have the value I want to permanently set it to in the middle of it's range. So my daily driver car, a Hyundai Sonata, uses 75 ft-lb on it's lug nuts. Therefore I buy the 1/2" HF wrench which has 150 ft-lb as it's top range. Set forever at 75 ft-lb it never goes off of calibration even sitting in my trunk for years. The reason for doing what I do it that it greatly increases my use of torque wrenches. If I had to **** around with setting a torque wrench each time I use it I'd never do it. Just picking one off the cart is just as easy as picking up a ratchet so I do. When you're lazy you have to adapt your methods to account for your tendencies.

Here's a neat memory aid to help you go from ft-lb to n-m.

What's the most common commercial airliner. THE BOEING 737. This is the factor that you divide ft-lb by to get n-m and the factor you multiply n-m by to get ft-lb. Your welcome.

The problem with not letting it down, is that the reading you had when you first set it is now a lower reading because the spring has taken a set. You cannot save a setting with a clicker type wrench if you want it to mean anything. If you only want it to click it will do that. If you insist in leaving it set, buy a split beam type, but they are not under ten bucks or even close. Why use one at all if you don't do what is necessary to preserve accuracy

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[bczygan]

Get all 3 of the $10 HF ones.

 

[T45]

The problem with not letting it down, is that the reading you had when you first set it is now a lower reading because the spring has taken a set. You cannot save a setting with a clicker type wrench if you want it to mean anything. If you only want it to click it will do that. If you insist in leaving it set, buy a split beam type, but they are not under ten bucks or even close. Why use one at all if you don't do what is necessary to preserve accuracy

This is BS... FYI, they make clicker torque wrenches designed for uses at fixed values. You just set and forget them. For that you need a calibration device... But they don't lose spec once in use. They just need recalibration at their service intervale (say, 5000 clicks). The issue is HOW DO YOU SET THEM....because they don't come with "scales" because they are not stable over servaral intervals....but they are just fine in between, AFAIK.

Also, the poster who is talking about this I'm guessing has access to professional calibration tools (eg, 1% or 2% instruments), given he's a distrributor.

 

[6PTsocket]

This is BS... FYI, they make clicker torque wrenches designed for uses at fixed values. You just set and forget them. For that you need a calibration device... But they don't lose spec once in use. They just need recalibration at their service intervale (say, 5000 clicks). The issue is HOW DO YOU SET THEM....because they don't come with "scales" because they are not stable over servaral intervals....but they are just fine in between, AFAIK.

Also, the poster who is talking about this I'm guessing has access to professional calibration tools (eg, 1% or 2% instruments), given he's a distrributor.

You made my case. Short term, fixed wrenches in a production situation hold setting as they are used repeatedly and checked often. Everybody knows that if you leave a spring compressed, especially compressed heavily ot takes a set and will not come back to the original length. You are the only one I have seen in many threads and many instruction manuals suggesting putting a wrench away under load.is a good idea. If you slack off you can put it away for months and even years without losing calibration. Most of us have no access to free calibration and don't go out of our way to screw it up. Fixed wrenches were never intended for home or small shop use.

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[mau5trap]

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F

This baby right here

 

[T45]

You are the only one I have seen in many threads and many instruction manuals suggesting putting a wrench away under load.is a good idea.

I think you are broadly missing the point... both the original post and my follow up ...nobody is ever going to use them on other seetings or need to re-adjust them (inbetween calibration intervals)....worst case they are disposable (they cost 20% of a standard calibration).

So you can buy a typical 4-20nm instrument or buy 5 cheap ones...and set them at 10, 10, 12, 8, 15 and get a ****-tone of clicks at those values without having to do much by way of calibration or messing about with the settings. You're talking 10K of clicks for 50 bucks with no wasted time adjusting them. That would cost you $1000 in snap on money, or $50 in harbor freight money.

Its a specific strategy that is not trivially stupid,

... if you know what you are doing and exactly what your needs are.

The other option is to just buy a stahlwille

 

[T45]

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F

This baby right here

 

[6PTsocket]

I think you are broadly missing the point... both the original post and my follow up ...nobody is ever going to use them on other seetings or need to re-adjust them (inbetween calibration intervals)....worst case they are disposable (they cost 20% of a standard calibration).

So you can buy a typical 4-20nm instrument or buy 5 cheap ones...and set them at 10, 10, 12, 8, 15 and get a ****-tone of clicks at those values without having to do much by way of calibration or messing about with the settings. You're talking 10K of clicks for 50 bucks with no wasted time adjusting them. That would cost you $1000 in snap on money, or $50 in harbor freight money.

Its a specific strategy that is not trivially stupid,

... if you know what you are doing and exactly what your needs are.

The other option is to just buy a stahlwille

That is fine short term. If they lay around under compression, I don'tcare if you got it for free or bought some top of the line clicker, you are dong what everybody is always advised not to do because it throws off the calibration, which is the reason for using the wrench in the first place. I have no more to say on the subject. Please, do whatever you feel is right for you.

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[goldie lox]

what makes this split beam one better

 

[T45]

what makes this split beam one better

Fewer moving parts inside, fewer movements for the parts to make, faster+ simpler to use, more durable,longer service intervals, lower cost of lifetime ownership, less downtime (fewer times to send in for cal cert)...ect.

 

[T45]

...you are dong what everybody is always advised not to do because it throws off the calibration...

In all fairness, this comment is a vast oversimplification. I've tried to explain it several times but you seem to be listening to some other voices.

Nothing is "thrown out of calibration" just by letting it sit. The printed scale becomes de-coupled from the original calibration IFF the spring takes a set and you try to uses the wrench up and down the scale with the scale as the only guide. But that only happens if you do the opposite of what was being discussed.

He was saying set it once and use it until it goes out of cal.-- that would likely not haappen for maybe 2,000 uses--

Its not going to just go out of calibration in the middle of the spring range overnight like you suggest. What would likely happen is if/when it fails it would fail at 20% or 100% OF SCALE (and thus fail a cert test). If either of those happens, the wrench is out of spec, but that doesnt mean all out of spec where it matters-- at say the 40% of scale where it was set.

Anyways this is just trying to clarify how different approachse to problem solving can be valid.

 

[nickelmore]

I just tested three HF 1/2 inch first one was set to 140 ft. Never reached breakpoint.

Second one broke over at 180lbs, third one was never taken out of the case.

Tested the OTC fixed style hit at 138

 

[pstemari]

...If they lay around under compression, I don'tcare if you got it for free or bought some top of the line clicker, you are dong what everybody is always advised not to do because it throws off the calibration, ...

If he's had them in his trunk for years and when checked, they haven't lost calibration, then it may very well be that the conventional wisdom is wrong.

I don't know what the long-term behavior of a spring is when maintained under tension below the yield strength of the steel. However, bolts under static load don't stretch and spontaneously loosen, so springs might well have the same behavior.

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[jerseykat1]

CDI make a good torque wrench it's a Snap-on Company. about $130 dollars.