Digital Torque wrench

subarub4 · Oct 9, 2015

Out of these here which one would you get? I need to be able to switch between in.lbs and ft. lbs

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UO0KCE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004INRUVC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VYUQI2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The range what I need at least for this is 45 in. lbs and 180 in.lbs

subarub4 · Oct 10, 2015

no one?

turfgnome · Oct 10, 2015

It depends on what you need, they do not all have the same torque range. I keep more then one torque wrench to get a wider range. I do not have one so I hate to recommend one. But I would look at the ones with the double a batteries as they would be easier to keep on hand.

scissorman · Oct 10, 2015

I personally would NEVER trust a digital torque wrench, caliper or Mic. I have first hand experience at failures of all three digital tools.

subarub4 · Oct 10, 2015

the inch pound one I have you can hardly hear it click and I dont want to have 4 different Tq wrenches around.. I mean they are the HF torque wrenches so I can't say how spot on they are

scissorman · Oct 10, 2015

subarub4 said:
the inch pound one I have you can hardly hear it click and I dont want to have 4 different Tq wrenches around.. I mean they are the HF torque wrenches so I can't say how spot on they are

Buy a QUALITY torque wrench of the rating and drive size you need and you wont have a problem.

subarub4 · Oct 10, 2015

IS CDI good?

scissorman · Oct 10, 2015

subarub4 said:
IS CDI good?

I believe that CDI is owned by Snap-on, I wouldn't hesitate buying a CDI wrench if I didn't already own 6 Snap-on torque wrenches in various sizes/drives/types.

speed bump · Oct 10, 2015

I have been pretty happy with my Danaher Napa torque digital torque wrench. It can also be found a Craftsman or Gearwrench branded wrench. I really like my Snap-on Tech wrench but unless you find one used they are spendy.

Whichever one you buy know that they have a a propensity for draining batteries so if its going to sit take at least one battery out.

kkinla · Oct 10, 2015

If you get a digital torque wrench, get one with a built in angle meter, or get a HF digital torque adapter and use it with your regular ratchet.

subarub4 · Oct 11, 2015

What CDI model does the angle feature as well?

funks · Oct 11, 2015

I got a CDI torque wrench and for some reason - the ratcheting head feels a bit cheap compared to my Precision Instrument torque wrenches..

DodgeMech · Oct 11, 2015

CDI is a snap on without the snap on 80 tooth head, basically, which means it's a good torque wrench

between the three you listed, i can't pick one...cuz they ain't all one drive size and one range

subarub4 · Oct 11, 2015

but say the CDI 1002TAA-CDI should of no issue with the range I posted in in. lbs right?

DodgeMech · Oct 11, 2015

subarub4 said:
but say the CDI 1002TAA-CDI should of no issue with the range I posted in in. lbs right?

no, range too high, lowest it reads is 10 ft/lb, which is 120 in/lb...you're prolly gonna want a 1/4 drive...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BANZ90W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

this one would fit ya, but i have no idea of the quality of that brand

Jacobson · Oct 11, 2015

I use this $30 thing. It seems to be calibrated to my C-man torque wrench.
I never trust it, but it's always accurate.
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-digital-torque-adapter-68283.html

guy48065 · Oct 12, 2015

subarub4 said:
but say the CDI 1002TAA-CDI should of no issue with the range I posted in in. lbs right?

If $400+ is in your budget you will have no problems with that wrench--but it doesn't read as low as you specified. If you can live without the angle feature the 2401CI3 is the one you want. It doesn't appear that CDI makes a 1/4-dr. torque/angle digital. Angle probably just isn't necessary in a 1/4" wrench. On such small fasteners stretch isn't usually a factor (in my experience).

CobraRed · Oct 12, 2015

scissorman said:
I personally would NEVER trust a digital torque wrench, caliper or Mic. I have first hand experience at failures of all three digital tools.

I've QC'd $100,000 turbine engine parts for years with the metal Mitutoyo Absolute calipers that go to 10ths. While I still use a traditional micrometer, I'm sure their digital are just as good.

Personal preference is understandable, but publicly noting you would NEVER trust something like these is just dramatic.

guy48065 · Oct 12, 2015

My 2 cents about the above post: I calibrate dozens of torque wrenches every year and to date I have only seem a couple electronic ones--at ANY price--fall more than 1% out of spec. Clickers regularly fall by several times that margin, usually due to being stored cranked up.
E-wrenches are pretty foolproof compared to purely mechanical ones.

kkinla · Oct 12, 2015

guy48065 said:
My 2 cents about the above post: I calibrate dozens of torque wrenches every year and to date I have only seem a couple electronic ones--at ANY price--fall more than 1% out of spec. Clickers regularly fall by several times that margin, usually due to being stored cranked up.
E-wrenches are pretty foolproof compared to purely mechanical ones.

Did you test the E wrenches with angle meter for angle accuracy?

PCMusicGuy · Oct 12, 2015

I'm on my second Brown Line. The first one stopped working the first time I used it to torque caliper bolts and wheels on my car. Their customer service was very good though and they had the new one out the next day. I've only used it a few times since. Overall I'd say it is a nice wrench, but it is too large. 22" is really inconvenient for nearly everything I would work on outside of torquing the wheels. The only other thing I didn't like about it is how quickly it shut off. It doesn't remember any settings so you have to reenter them every time.

guy48065 · Oct 13, 2015

kkinla said:
Did you test the E wrenches with angle meter for angle accuracy?

Yes--and I was surprised at how accurate and repeatable it was.
I got the same results from a $150 GearWrench as a $500 SnapOn.

For those who haven't used one: A digital torque + angle wrench has an accelerometer inside that senses the angle of the handle. It's probably a tri-axial sensor since the tool can be used in any position. When in the T/A mode it only measures (and accumulates) angle while actual torque is applied. This allows you to reposition the wrench or ratchet it without affecting the angle. There's some very clever engineering.

kkinla · Oct 13, 2015

guy48065 said:
Yes--and I was surprised at how accurate and repeatable it was.
I got the same results from a $150 GearWrench as a $500 SnapOn.

For those who haven't used one: A digital torque + angle wrench has an accelerometer inside that senses the angle of the handle. It's probably a tri-axial sensor since the tool can be used in any position. When in the T/A mode it only measures (and accumulates) angle while actual torque is applied. This allows you to reposition the wrench or ratchet it without affecting the angle. There's some very clever engineering.

What about the torque adapters, are they as accurate as the e wrenches?

knobby · Oct 13, 2015

kkinla said:
What about the torque adapters, are they as accurate as the e wrenches?

Yup as accurate as they are unwieldy in tight confines...

guy48065 · Oct 14, 2015

kkinla said:
What about the torque adapters, are they as accurate as the e wrenches?

Sure are. $30 is amazing for a +/-2% torque adapter...I bought one for myself.

And absolutely it takes space...and any extension makes applying torque more of a challenge. For tight spots there's still that SO that is just as accurate...for $500. Wanna bet that US-made SO e-wrench has the same chinese electronics in it?

subarub4 · Oct 16, 2015

PCMusicGuy said:
I'm on my second Brown Line. The first one stopped working the first time I used it to torque caliper bolts and wheels on my car. Their customer service was very good though and they had the new one out the next day. I've only used it a few times since. Overall I'd say it is a nice wrench, but it is too large. 22" is really inconvenient for nearly everything I would work on outside of torquing the wheels. The only other thing I didn't like about it is how quickly it shut off. It doesn't remember any settings so you have to reenter them every time.

Yeah I saw that in the reviews about the memory and all

guy48065 said:
If $400+ is in your budget you will have no problems with that wrench--but it doesn't read as low as you specified. If you can live without the angle feature the 2401CI3 is the one you want. It doesn't appear that CDI makes a 1/4-dr. torque/angle digital. Angle probably just isn't necessary in a 1/4" wrench. On such small fasteners stretch isn't usually a factor (in my experience).

well the 1/4" is not for that I need the angle one for my cams they are hex head but I'm going to be switching to a 6 pt bolt they have to be set to 77 ft. lbs and then set to a 45 degree angle.

subarub4 · Oct 16, 2015

DodgeMech said:
no, range too high, lowest it reads is 10 ft/lb, which is 120 in/lb...you're prolly gonna want a 1/4 drive...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BANZ90W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

this one would fit ya, but i have no idea of the quality of that brand

I ordered that to test I figure it can't hurt, I could never hear my 1/4" Tq wrench click you had to go very slow to feel when the click point was.. it cost me a stripped cam cap bolt on one head.

Burgerkong · Oct 16, 2015

If it's not too late, I have a CDI 3/8" wrench that goes to 250 in lbs that I have no need for, it's new, PM me.

Digital Torque wrench

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