I decided it was time to add a torque wrench to my tool chest and bought a $20 Harbor Freight click torque wrench (10-150 ft. lbs.) to experiment with. I understand I'm supposed to reset (exercise?) the tool before each use by running it through its adjustment range three times, but I barely have the hand strength to twist it from 10 to 150 ft. lbs. once, never mind three times. Are all torque wrenches so difficult to reset, or would a better quality wrench be easier to handle, or is there a technique that would make the process less strenuous?
Effort required to reset/exercise cheap torque wrench
- Thread starter CMayo
- Start date
BillK
Well-known member
Does it actually say that in the instructions ? I have never heard of that myself and I use torque wrenches almost every day.
CraigStu
Well-known member
I can't say it is wrong but I was an auto tech for 30 years and never heard about exercising a TQ wrench. I do always set it to it's lowest setting when finished using it but that is all. I suppose a high end wrench might be a little easier to run up to it's max setting but I don't know how much easier. I picture some mechanism inside that is putting more and more pressure against a spring as you turn the grip. Better machining quality, better materials could help, but that spring still needs to be compressed or stretched.
I had to check (thought it might have just been internet scuttlebutt), but the it's actually in the manual (https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/0-999/00239.pdf).
1. BEFORE EVERY USE, exercise Torque
Wrench. Loosen Lock Knob
(see step 5 on page 3), then perform
the following exercise three times:
a. Turn Knurled Handle to the right until
maximum torque setting is reached.
b. Turn handle to the left until minimum
torque setting is reached.
I found a YouTube of a guy doing this with a similar (might even be the same) wrench, and he didn't seem to struggle nearly as much as I do, so maybe it's just my wrench?
Jeff Ivers
Well-known member
On my cheap one, after I loosen the lock knob and start tightening the wrench toward maximum torque, it starts turning hard and I have to loosen the lock knob a bit more - usually several times before hitting max torque.
On mine, the lock knob has a limited range and I always back it off to the full extent possible, so there's no additional loosening to be had. I think I'm just going to carry it back to HF when I'm in town in a couple of weeks and get their opinion... maybe mine's defective and they'll offer to swap it out for me.
gizardlizard
Well-known member
This rates right up there with checking turn signals, brake lights and horn before driving each time. Nobody does it. Just store it on the lowest setting with the minimum amount of spring pressure and you’re good to go. Get it calibrated yearly and no….most of us don’t do that either lol.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Lol. That's a new one to me too.
Laughing... that's good, practical advice, thanks! I can definitely ignore the instructions (I'm an expert at that)!
Schurkey
Well-known member
Hazzard Fraught junk. Complete with worthless instructions.
At most--if I kept the thing at all, which is unlikely--set it to a lower torque spec than what you intend, and "click" it two or three times. Then re-set to whatever torque spec you actually need, and it should be good-to-go.
If you actually wanted 100 ft/lbs, set it to 60 or 70, click it twice, re-set to 100 and have at it. From that point on, it's ready for additional use, until it's been put-away overnight, or put away for two years, or whatever. Supposedly, "exercising" the mechanism frees-up any sticking parts thus preventing over-torquing when in actual use. Not sure I buy into that, but it costs nothing but ten or fifteen seconds.
At most--if I kept the thing at all, which is unlikely--set it to a lower torque spec than what you intend, and "click" it two or three times. Then re-set to whatever torque spec you actually need, and it should be good-to-go.
If you actually wanted 100 ft/lbs, set it to 60 or 70, click it twice, re-set to 100 and have at it. From that point on, it's ready for additional use, until it's been put-away overnight, or put away for two years, or whatever. Supposedly, "exercising" the mechanism frees-up any sticking parts thus preventing over-torquing when in actual use. Not sure I buy into that, but it costs nothing but ten or fifteen seconds.
Dave Carney
Well-known member
I use the HF torque wrenches because of all the poor experiences I had with more expensive ones (which had the highest cost per use of any tool I ever owned). I keep a spare HF of each size in inventory, then when they break I just toss them and go onto the next one. Anyway, I do the exercise thing each time but I only run it through one time, not three times. It wears on me too, so it's one and done. I then store them at the lowest setting. So far so good.
wyb2
Well-known member
I was in your shoes maybe 10 yrs ago, sounds like HF is still selling the same torque wrench. It’s a total bear to get up to 150 ft-lbs. Though I’ve also never heard of the reset procedure, but I probably never read the manual.
If you find yourself needing 150 ft-lbs with any regularity, you will probably find yourself needing more and will have to buy another torque wrench. Then that one will become your go-to for anything over 80 or so.
For what it’s worth I actually did a DIY calibration check of mine a couple years after buying it. A bolt head sticking out of a stud, some rope, some exercise weights, and a tiny bit of math. Not fancy, but probably within the +/- 10% they claim. It checked out. Haven’t done it again.
Viper98912
Well-known member
Yea umm...I definitely don't go all the way up and down on the turns every time I use it, I just adjust and go. I hope I'm somewhere close on tightening torque!
Nonetheless, I have all three sizes, and for the largest size, mine is stiff but definitely not unbearable. If you're working on a car or something, that level of work is much more strenuous than turning the knob. If you've already backed off the lock nut thing at the bottom, then yes perhaps yours is faulty and see if HF will swap you out a new one.
Nonetheless, I have all three sizes, and for the largest size, mine is stiff but definitely not unbearable. If you're working on a car or something, that level of work is much more strenuous than turning the knob. If you've already backed off the lock nut thing at the bottom, then yes perhaps yours is faulty and see if HF will swap you out a new one.
I don’t know what to say Mike. I thought everyone knew this trick.
It’s become such a second nature move for me I also cycle my digitals thru their entire range…
