help me understand ..beam torque wrenches

[yellowbox]

i have 2 beam torque wrenches from the 1950s one is a 3/8 drive the other 1/2 drive
now I got these from my father , he worked for chyrsler
the question I have is ... do these need to be calibrated ?
since they are bout 60 yrs old should I use them or toss em ?
it is my understanding that beam torque wrenches tend to stay very accurate
hell , I don't know maybe they are worth something , as they say Chrysler corp on them ?? who knows

 

[Danglerb]

Need pictures, maybe test them vs some calibrated torque wrench?

 

[ar_rahko]

Don't throw them out, beam style are some of the best you can get. Please do put on some pics. Also take a look on ebay. The old beam style are pretty expensive.

Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2

 

[sac02]

Beam types rely on the modulus (inherent mechanical property) of the steel beam. That isn't going to change over time. Unless you have physically damaged the beam (flexing it too far - past elastic deformation into plastic (permanent) deformation), scale or indicating arm, or are heating the steel to hundreds and hundreds of degrees F (to change its mechanical properties), it shouldn't change.

 

[SteveCh]

All I have is a half-inch beam I bought in about 1970. No idea whether it's accurate, all I know is I've been using it ever since and rebuilt a bunch of engines over those years. I have no plans to get anything else.

So, I'd keep them and use them.

 

[Steinmetz]

i have 2 beam torque wrenches from the 1950s one is a 3/8 drive the other 1/2 drive
now I got these from my father , he worked for chyrsler
the question I have is ... do these need to be calibrated ?
since they are bout 60 yrs old should I use them or toss em ?
it is my understanding that beam torque wrenches tend to stay very accurate
hell , I don't know maybe they are worth something , as they say Chrysler corp on them ?? who knows

Round cross-sectional beam, or rectangular cross-sectional beam?

If the indicator needle is not at zero at no load, simply deform the indicator needle until it reads zero. Sturtevant Co. documents state that the life of a deflecting-type torque wrench is limited only by fixity between the head and the beam.

 

[Steinmetz]

Incidentally, Walter P. Chrysler is generally credited for the development of the beam-type wrench (I wouldn't say "invention" because there were other devices available).