My torque wrench test

[03protege]

Ok maybe I should call this a test it was more for peace of mind.

I have had some Harbor Freight Torque wrenches for quite some time, but I wanted better ones. A few months back I picked up a Proto 1/2" for about $60 and it was in great shape well I went back to that same pawn and they had his little brother the 3/8" for $50 so I got him to. Initially it looked pretty rough but I thought I could clean it up, well it is worse than I originally expected. While cleaning it and shooting PB blaster inside I could see rusting liquid coming out no good

Anyway, last night I was so bothered thinking about I may have just screwed myself over I had to go in the garage and experiment.

I took my Proto 3/8" set it to 75 ft lbs (80 is the max) and I tightened a fastener, I then used a fine marker to mark the location of the nut. After this I broke it free and grabbed the Harbor Freight and started to tighten it back up and sure as **** it clicked on the EXACT spot.

I repeated this test with my two 1/2" torque wrenches set to 120 ft lb and achieved the same result, the line realigned perfectly.

In short while I know this means nothing as far as the actual accuracy of the wrench it was very reassuring to know that it is spot on with the Harbor Freight and I feel that the chances of them both being off the exact same amount is fairly slim.

Anyway, you think anyone copied the other? Proto's on the outside HF in the middle

 

[lutter94]

It would be interesting to try this. Take a bolt with a jam nut on the other end. Secure one torque wrench, with a vice perhaps, use care so you don't scratch it. But tighten the two torque wrenches against each other. See if they click at the same time.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

maybe take a fish type scale and set to a torque number and see if they both click at the same reading on the scale as you pull it from the end of the torque wrench.

 

[rlitman]

What I do, is grab my 1/2" drive 1/2" 8 point double square socket. I then snap it onto one torque wrench, and slip a second torque wrench in the other side, so I can feel both click at the same time.

 

[P_I_Torque]

Up to you Protege, but if you want I can offer to get you some calibrated readings. Probably can't service the tools but would be willing to capture some readings for you and send the tools back. Send me a PM if you like.

I know Proto makes their own torque wrenches, I've been in their facility and have seen them being made. Pretty sure Harbor Freight does not source from Proto. But pretty much all Micrometer Adjustable click wrenches looks alike.

 

[ghnl]

I check my clicker wrench against a beam type wrench using a 'coupling nut' (long nut for coupling threaded rods together). The coupling nut is 5/8" hex - put a 5/8" socket on each wrench with the coupling nut in the sockets. Set the clicker to a few different settings and see if it clicks when the pointer on the beam wrench is at that number.

 

[Stephenw]

http://shopngarage.com/2011/11/torque-wrenches-part-ii-calibration/

 

[ex-x-fire]

The lastest issue of Car Craft tested those torque wrenches.

 

[Zrexxer]

Pretty sure Harbor Freight does not source from Proto.

Unless you call blatantly stealing Proto's design "sourcing." But that's what the Chinese are best at.

 

[XSSIVE]

The lastest issue of Car Craft tested those torque wrenches.

They tested the harbor freight ones? What were their findings?

 

[dgreen1069]

The 1/2" Proto looks very much like the Kobalt ones sold at Lowes. Does anyone know if they are one in the same? I like the fact that they are all metal.....no exposed plastic parts like the Craftsman one I broke.

 

[TejasBimmer]

I bought the HF torque set... I needed a cheap set to leave it in my truck for off roading use.
Cheap = no problem.

I also was interested in how close it was to the marked settings.
What I used was my company's calibration machine ... I ran only 10 trials each for low, medium and high values noted on the wrenches.
So if it was their 1/2 driver (20 to 150 ft #) wrench... to took readings at 20, 75 and 150.
Each was within 10% spread of the markings.... I say for cheap tools that is very impressive.
Granted I would never use them for head work torquing... get something more precise and accurate. Which equates to much more money.

I have thought of conducting a GR&R... but I would have to get some operators to do the actual test and then I would crunch the numbers.

 

[ex-x-fire]

The car craft test had a HF 1/2 clicker, a snap-on clicker, a craftsman clicker, a craftsman digital torque wrench, & a HF digital torque adaptor (68283). They tested them on a calibrated scale, all tested with in 3.0lb-ft of each other.

 

[XSSIVE]

Thanks for the info. Makes me feel better about the 1/2" HF I use for my lugs. I was always curious just how accurate it was based on the crazy low price.

 

[johnnie5]

youtube checking or calibrating torque wrenchs and you can do it yourself easily

for something accurate and important like a head bolt i would check the setting before using it on the bolt

 

[03protege]

Up to you Protege, but if you want I can offer to get you some calibrated readings. Probably can't service the tools but would be willing to capture some readings for you and send the tools back. Send me a PM if you like.

I know Proto makes their own torque wrenches, I've been in their facility and have seen them being made. Pretty sure Harbor Freight does not source from Proto. But pretty much all Micrometer Adjustable click wrenches looks alike.

Thank you I will consider that, first I want to check and see if the local snappy dealer has a tester in his truck.

 

[P_I_Torque]

Thank you I will consider that, first I want to check and see if the local snappy dealer has a tester in his truck.

Many Snap-on dealers have a TC series torque comparator on their truck which would be perfect

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

the latest CarCraft Mag. has an article on torque wrenches and about the $39 Harbor Freight Torque wrench tester. all good the most important thing is to reduce the torque setting when storing a click TW