Electronic/Digital Torque wrench?

[danski0224]

Any suggestions for a decent electronic torque wrench?

In the reasonable price point arena, are they any better (or no worse) than a click type? The Gearwrench version has decent reviews.

 

[dogdog]

Not sure what to tell you about the good ones, but the not so great ones...

I have the Eastwood version digital torque wrench for 1/2" drive and the Craftsman version for the 3/8 drive.. it's a learning curve. I always go to the clicker or beam typo for speed and ease of use.... because I don't use them too often, every time I used them it's a ground hog day and learning how to set it every time... So far the Eastwood is like that, the Craftsman is like that and the HF adapter type was like that... PITA to remember how to set it (basically the menu are confusing.)...

 

[Super Mech]

The only good thing I find about the electronic ones are the torque angle feature. Aka degrees. I have a Snap on electronic and an SK clicker. The Snap on is used only torque angle. It’s very finicky and the buttons are very sensitive.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I bought the GW 120xp, for close quarter torquing and angle. I need to read the manual every time I want to use the angle feature. If my normal GW (old USA made ones) don't have the swing arc or there's any degrees beyond the most basic "eyeball it", the electronic comes out. That said for typical TPMS sensors, intake manifolds, axle nuts, timing belt stuff, spark plugs they all get a standard clicker. Only if I need the high tooth count or angle does the 120XP come out.

I wanted a SO, but I'm just too cheap and obviously I don't use it a whole ton

 

[dnschmidt]

Eclatorq makes the best in my experience. They are the OEM for Proto, MAC and USAG. I too agree that if you're going to go digital you need torque angle as this is becoming the industry standard. Harbor Freight's Quinn digital torque wrenches with angle are made by Eclatorq and are a spectacular value as you can use a 20% off coupon with them.

I also agree that for normal stuff a clicker is more useful.

 

[m3bs]

I recently picked up a GW 85079 because I needed both higher torque range than my old clicker as well as angle. It comes with a learning curve, but I’m getting the hang of it. Kind of a nuisance to change settings, although you can do preset values to simplify things.

Overall, I prefer the simplicity of the clicker....

 

[danski0224]

I'm leaning towards the "eClick" brand at this point. Apparently, an angle function isn't included in the base wrench, I have to call the vendor.

Based on their description, it sounds like the guts are provided by Stahlwille.

 

[engineer2]

Anybody know of a decent inch-lb digital torque wrench?

 

[HomeTheaterMan]

I like my Snap On a lot. I'm sure there are some other great ones out there, but I haven't used them. However, I have used several others that I wasn't a fan of.

 

[cvairwerks]

We’ve moved back almost exclusively to manual torque wrenches at work. We’ve got one digital left, and it spends more time in the calibration lab than being used. Will be glad when it goes away permanently.

Even our factory side has gone away from the electronic stuff where they can, due to reliability and repair issues.

 

[dnschmidt]

Unless you need angle, the clicker is the way to go. The digital are more accurate due to their use of a strain gauge to measure the torque rather than depending upon a spring but they in use are much slower. Also all the lights, bells and vibration are a lot more distracting than a simple "click". For engine building the digital are fine. For thrashes at a race track they aren't the way to go.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

Ive got a 1/2" gear wrench that is dead, as in the PCB likely took a dump, it died within the first year I had it, used it a couple times, still looks new. It powers up and then goes into random dysfunction. Sometimes it does not light up. FWIW..

 

[visionguru]

Ive got a 1/2" gear wrench that is dead, as in the PCB likely took a dump, it died within the first year I had it, used it a couple times, still looks new. It powers up and then goes into random dysfunction. Sometimes it does not light up. FWIW..

You might have loose wires or corroded connections. I would take it apart and fix it. Electronic torque wrenches are actually simpler than a mechanical one. Basically, just a sensor, a PCB, and batteries, all connected by wires.

Before purchasing my 1/4,3/8,1/2 Snap On Techangles, I've watched several videos of people complaining about Snap On's poor electronic work in them. No problem for me so far. I guess electronic torque wrench should be used with more care, for moisture/oil/big shock/corrosion affect the soldering/connection points.

 

[ekimneirbo]

As an old machinist I will tell you that when digital calipers first became available, everyone wanted one. Subconsciously people felt that there was no way they were going to misread them and scrap a part. After a while when they began to fail and have glitches, most went back to conventional calipers.
The point here is that people tend to think that a digital gives them perfect accuracy and that click style torque wrenches leave a little room for variation. The truth is that both of them give good accuracy, but the click style is far less problematic over time. If given a choice beteen a digital caliper, dial indicator, or torque wrench and conventional mechanical ones..........I'll take the mechanical ones. I think people often get caught up in thinking something more technical looking is more impressive, but when they start to screw up, most people have no way to fix them.

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

You might have loose wires or corroded connections. I would take it apart and fix it. Electronic torque wrenches are actually simpler than a mechanical one. Basically, just a sensor, a PCB, and batteries, all connected by wires.

Before purchasing my 1/4,3/8,1/2 Snap On Techangles, I've watched several videos of people complaining about Snap On's poor electronic work in them. No problem for me so far. I guess electronic torque wrench should be used with more care, for moisture/oil/big shock/corrosion affect the soldering/connection points.

Thanks, I will open it up and have a look, its been shelved for years because of this,... I randomly took it out of its case the other day and just looked at it, and thought " what a shame "...

 

[visionguru]

Thanks, I will open it up and have a look, its been shelved for years because of this,... I randomly took it out of its case the other day and just looked at it, and thought " what a shame "...

My first real digital torque wrench (Craftsman Digi-tork is still mechanical) was a Gearwrench 85077, which was bought several years ago for $20 as "not powering up, for parts only", intended to use it as a break bar. When I received it, I'm surprised that it actually worked perfectly, all I did was 1 minute of cleaning the battery terminals with a scratch pen and there were no obvious signs of corrosion, which led me to suspect that the person who sold it might have been using bad batteries.

... If given a choice beteen a digital caliper, dial indicator, or torque wrench and conventional mechanical ones..........I'll take the mechanical ones. ...

For an experienced professional, that maybe true, because the "feel" that acquired from years of experiences certainly played a part in the overall accuracy.

For greener hands, digital has big advantages. I used to torque spark plugs with a Craftsman 3/8 inch pound torque wrench. At lower setting, the click is very vague. I was still pulling way past the specified value. Luckily, I stopped, or the spark plug could have snapped. That prompted me to get digital torque wrenches.

Digital wrench has real time torque values, approaching warning light, reached light, loud beep, and vibration in the handle, all help to avoid situation like that. I couldn't have torqued a cover on the engine with 16 bolts evenly without a digital torque wrench. I think for a 1/4" drive torque wrench, digital is superior, because mechanical wrenches tend to have light/vague click at low settings. 3/8" and 1/2" torque ranges, not so much. For lug nuts, I still prefer mechanical.

 

[Firebrick43]

As an old machinist I will tell you that when digital calipers first became available, everyone wanted one. Subconsciously people felt that there was no way they were going to misread them and scrap a part. After a while when they began to fail and have glitches, most went back to conventional calipers.
The point here is that people tend to think that a digital gives them perfect accuracy and that click style torque wrenches leave a little room for variation. The truth is that both of them give good accuracy, but the click style is far less problematic over time. If given a choice beteen a digital caliper, dial indicator, or torque wrench and conventional mechanical ones..........I'll take the mechanical ones. I think people often get caught up in thinking something more technical looking is more impressive, but when they start to screw up, most people have no way to fix them.

Why the mechanical and not vernier?? None of them new dangle dial calipers to break on me! It’s good to screw with apprentices by handing them my vernier brown and sharpe. My mics, height gage(for surface plate) and hite-I-cator all vernier

I do agree with you on the digital calipers except the mititoyos.

 

[Patos]

I wanted one for torquing head bolts on a Toyota matrix and it was between the GW and Acdelco. I went with the AC delco due to price, i believe, because most other specs were pretty similar. Accuracy was one of the main things I was looking for. It is easy to use,I leave the batteries out of it as it will only be used for higher precision torque values and I use my clicker Tektons for everything else.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Not worth the money UNLESS you need one that registers rotation PAST the desired torque point.

 

[m3bs]

Why the mechanical and not vernier??.

I still use a vernier caliper I inherited from my dad, although it has become more and more of a challenge with my “less than perfect” eyesight.

 

[GeddyT]

I have a Brownline Metalworks in 1/2" and an Eastwood in 3/8". Used to own a 1/4" clicker for getting to cam bearing cap bolts with the dirt bike engine still in the frame, but I lost that to the fire and haven't replaced it yet (a need has yet to arise).

Full stop, I LOVE digital torque wrenches. Both of mine are great, and I also found that Brownline's customer service was amazing. I loaded a whole bunch of stuff on top of it in the to-go box once and cracked the screen, and not only did they fix it for the cost of shipping, but they sent it back in a new blowmolded case as well.

Both of the wrenches I have store five settings in their memory, and that's the feature that does it for me. When I have to change motorcycle wheels out, for instance, I have the rear axle, front axle, brake caliper bolts, and pinch bolts. All different torque, and all stored in memory before I even put the wrench in the to-go box to head to the track. Takes one button press to switch between stored torques.

 

[danski0224]

As an update, I settled on a Snap-On Tech Angle.

Yes, way more money.

The torque range of the 3/8 version is what helped to make the decision, 5 to 125 lbs/ft. And the 2% accuracy.

The eClick started at 15 lbs/ft.

I forget the brand, but the industrial version of the Snappy wrenches (blue plastic) leaves out the vibration feature when the torque value is reached, and the cost difference isn't much.

The cost difference between the Snappy angle and non-angle versions isn't very significant either, at the price point.

I don't really like the plastic grip area, but the only metal handle version in 3/8 drive didn't have the same features as the plastic handle version at a $150+ premium.

It would be nice if the display/button area had the ability to rotate slightly on the tool for visibility and/or a display that didn't wash out quickly in off axis viewing, but the LED lights are visible in off angles.