Clickers vs. Split beam style torque wrenches

[l_bilyk]

Discuss the pros and cons. Split beam doesn't go out of calibration as easily as far as i know. But is it any less accurate?

 

[eschoendorff]

Nope. Not less accurate. Just harder to read in certain conditions. I have both styles. 99% of the time I use my clickers. If I was doing something very precise and had complete access, I would probably use my Sturtevant Richmont beam types.

 

[Big_John]

Beam type wrenches are usually +/- 4% of reading accuracy.
Click types are either +/-4% or +/-4% Clockwise and +/-6% Counter Clockwise.

The beam types do have an advantage in that they are usually cheaper and more reliable. The clicker type is easier to use, but you really need to have them calibrated on a regular basis.

If you do buy a clicker, buy a decent one and ALWAYS reset to zero when you aren't using it.

 

[l_bilyk]

Yes i know about taking tension off the spring. My 3/8" is a clicker. I'm still looking for a good 1/2" tho

 

[Fast Orange]

If you can get a good,straight-on view of the indicator on a split-beam,they can be very accurate.However,the graduations are pretty fine,the user has often got a little "shake" going on,so there is a lot of room for operator error.
For these reasons,I much prefer a quality "clicker".Unless you are using it often and at the top of the range,with proper care and storage,you might never need to get it calibrated.
One word of advice-NEVER-NEVER loan a torque wrench to ANYONE. If you have to,do the torqueing for them-just NEVER let anyone use the tool out of your sight and guidance.How can you have confidance in a tool that there is no way to verify it's accurracy short of sending it out ,when you don't know what someone else did to/with it?

George

 

[kartracer55]

split beam and beam torque wrenches are tow different things... what are we talking about here?

 

[Fast Orange]

I may be suffering from a brain f@rt here- I'm talking about the simple type of TW that has a long "needle" that measures the deflection of the stressed main beam.
I completely forgot about true "split beam" types. However,the same oppurtunity for operator error occurs with the split beam-parralax,shakes and inability to accurately read the guage will all induce error.

George

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Beam type wrenches are usually +/- 4% of reading accuracy.
Click types are either +/-4% or +/-4% Clockwise and +/-6% Counter Clockwise.

The beam types do have an advantage in that they are usually cheaper and more reliable. The clicker type is easier to use, but you really need to have them calibrated on a regular basis. :

The vast majority of the beam type ones I've seen were warranted to be accurate to within 2% (even the Craftsman ones).

The man who calibrates our torque wrenches at work (hundreds of them for a major airline) says that by far, the beam type is more accurate and tends to stay that way. Second to that is a dial type, esentially a bending beam inside a rigid housing hooked to a dial.

Clickers vary alot in quality and accuracy, so he told me.

Charles

 

[Thumper]

I have both and have used both types when building engines. For tough to see spots I would use the click type, if its out in the open a beam type will work well . As with any torque wrench steady even pressure is the key for good readings. Remeber it is a precision instrument and should be treated as such. It comes down to which type you feel best using and which you prefer.

 

[Big_John]

The vast majority of the beam type ones I've seen were warranted to be accurate to within 2% (even the Craftsman ones).

The man who calibrates our torque wrenches at work (hundreds of them for a major airline) says that by far, the beam type is more accurate and tends to stay that way. Second to that is a dial type, esentially a bending beam inside a rigid housing hooked to a dial.

Clickers vary alot in quality and accuracy, so he told me.

Charles

Craftsman lists their beam type torque wrench at +/-4% in their latest catalog as does Utica. There's not a heck of a lot of places even building these wrenches anymore.

While there may be some that have a stated accuracy better than this, and in past years this may have been more common, the majority of beam wrenches coming through our calibration lab have +/- 4% manufactuers stated accuracy.



For a +/- 2% accuracy wrench, you really need to get into a good quality indicating type wrench such as a Snap-On Torqometer.

 

[Big_John]

If you can get a good,straight-on view of the indicator on a split-beam,they can be very accurate.However,the graduations are pretty fine,the user has often got a little "shake" going on,so there is a lot of room for operator error.
For these reasons,I much prefer a quality "clicker".Unless you are using it often and at the top of the range,with proper care and storage,you might never need to get it calibrated.
One word of advice-NEVER-NEVER loan a torque wrench to ANYONE. If you have to,do the torqueing for them-just NEVER let anyone use the tool out of your sight and guidance.How can you have confidance in a tool that there is no way to verify it's accurracy short of sending it out ,when you don't know what someone else did to/with it?

George

I agree with every point you've made except one. Even though you may be the only one using this wrench, I really suggest you have it calibrated on a regular basis. Good care will help keep your wrench accurate, but its still a good idea to have it checked as wear, age and fatigue will affect its accuracy. If nothing else, its for piece of mind.

FWIW, I've seen lots of brand new quality name wrenches not accurate as they were pulled out of the box.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I thought I'd compile some of the more known, and unknown torque wrench and torque measuring device manufacturers and what they make and the accuracy range of their products.

*****

Quoting from the Sturtevant Richmont web page featuring their current beam type torque wrenches.

http://www.srtorque.com/tabeam.html

"Accuracy of S/R flat beams is +/- 2% of Indicated Value from 20% to 100% of wrench capacity in both directions.
This accuracy is not merely high, it is fully bi-directional and the repeatability is excellent!"

*****

Actually of the two Craftsman beam types, the 1/2 drive says 4% accuracy, while the 3/8 drive fails to specify at all. I own one of each, about 15 years old, and two more, one of each drive, about 30+ years old, and all four list accuracy at 2%, warranted for the life of the tool.

*****

Indeed, Seekonk lists their beam type products as 4% accuracy.

http://www.seekonk.com/torqstart.html

"Seekonk deflection beam torque gauges are designed with pivoting handles which direct torquing force through a fixed point for more accurate performance. They are manufactured to exacting standards to assure accuracy to within +/- 4%. Constructed from chrome plated alloy steel. Conforms to ANSI/ASME B107.14M - 1985."

*****

Proto does not make beam type torque wrenches, but their micrometer and dial types have the following specs…………..

http://www.stanleyproto.com/default.asp?TYPE=CATEGORY&CATEGORY=TORQUE+WRENCHES

"Proto micrometer torque wrenches are calibrated to ±3% of torque reading clockwise and ±6% of torque reading counterclockwise at 20% to 100% of full scale."

" Proto wrenches (dial) are accurate to ±3% actual torque reading in both directions over a range 20% to 100% of full scale"

*****

Nobar, an English manufacturer of torque wrenches and calibration equipment specifies an +/-3% for all of their torque wrenches.

http://www.norbar.com/products_category.php&category_multid=1

*****

CDI, which is owned by Snap-On and manufactures all of the SO torque devices, specifies for dial type "Accuracy: ± 3% of indicated value, CW & CCW, from 20% to 100% of full scale" and for micrometer click type, "Accuracy: ± 4% clockwise ± 6% CCW of indicated value, CW, from 20% to 100% of full scale"

They do not manufacture any beam type wrenches.

*****

Tohnichi America Corp manufactures a line of torque devices including beam type indicating wrenches, they specify a 3% accuracy for them.

http://www.tohnichi.com/products02.htm

*****

K D Tools makes 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive beam type torque wrenches, which I suspect are the Craftsman models (K D is owned by Danher Corp, who makes the Craftsman tools for sears) and K D specifies 4% for their beam products.

http://www.kd-tools.com/29552957.htm

"Pointer moves clockwise or counterclockwise (+/-4%) to measure torque in English and metric"

*****

Precision Instruments, and old line maker of torque measuring devices makes dial and clicker type, in addition to a "split beam" type that is an enclosed beam of some sort.

http://www.torqwrench.com/

Dial type are accurate to 2%, clickers to 3% and split beam to 4%.

*****

If you visit some of these web sites, you will find a wealth of information on the manufacture and use of various types of torque measuring devices.

Charles

 

[Big_John]

Good stuff here. There's a bunch of info out there if you take the time to look for it.

I have to say though, I haven't seen a flat beam wrench in years. I didn't know they still made them.

 

[W-Cummins]

Some good information. The percision instruments stuff sure looks just like Snap-On stuff must have copied it?? anyway they both list 1% dial accuracy models

 

[kartracer55]

Or spend 1/2 as much as a snap on and get 1% accuracy with a proto

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Torque unit converter

Here is a great unit converter for torque units.

http://www.tohnichi.com/conversion.htm

Lets say you go on Ebay and buy a great torque wrench, only problem is, it is only marked in metric, say Nm. Your car manual only gives the wheel torque spec as 90 lb/ft. You go to the handy dandy converter above, and plug in 90 and set the units to lb/ft and you get.....

122.4 Nm or 1240 Ncm

You also get other less commonly used values, all of 'em, at once.

Charles

 

[kartracer55]

One thing you have to remember with the info posted a few posts up, The accuracy is the maximum itwill be out... a +/- 4% torque wrench may very well be more accurate than a +/-2% torque wrench, that comes down to quality and construction. As I said, the proto I bought said accurate to 3% but the calibrationc ertifciate showed well under 2%, and even under 1% in once case.

Jim

 

[6PTsocket]

Eastwood just came out with a line of torque wrenches. From all indications, they are the split beam type. They look like a clicker with rotary adjustment but they only work clockwise and don't have to be turned down after use to preserve accuracy. They claim 3% of full scale accuracy, down to 20% and the lowest reading is 20% of the highest so the whole scale should be usable. That is the advertising. Has anyone actually used one?

 

[Loscaldazar]

Eastwood just came out with a line of torque wrenches. From all indications, they are the split beam type. They look like a clicker with rotary adjustment but they only work clockwise and don't have to be turned down after use to preserve accuracy. They claim 3% of full scale accuracy, down to 20% and the lowest reading is 20% of the highest so the whole scale should be usable. That is the advertising. Has anyone actually used one?

They look identical to Precision Instrument's Split beams, only more expensive (if I'm looking at the right ones on their website).

So that would make them one of the best torque wrenches around!

 

[atthebeach]

I have 3 clickers with over lapping ranges. Periodically, I compare one against another to check accuracy. While I have had to replace one that after a number of years stop clicking, they seem to retain their accuracy over time. I do handle them with care, release the spring tension while in storage, and they are kept in a stationary tool box....no travel where they might get banged around.

I usually have my hands and torque wrench in a confined area where I don't think it would be practical to have a beam type in my line of sight.

 

[KnurledNut]

I usually have my hands and torque wrench in a confined area where I don't think it would be practical to have a beam type in my line of sight.

The split beam referred to clicks as well.