Need help choosing electronic torque wrench

[jonti48310]

KDT-85074 http://www.americastoolwarehouse.com/automotive-tools/product/KDT-85074.html?gclid=CI7m8J2OjcsCFcQjgQodXOQDkg

Does anyone have any experience with this torque wrench?

It seems like a good quality torque wrench and is about half the price of Snap-On. My main torque wrench for bigger jobs right now is the 25-250 ft/lb Matco click style torque wrench (the same one that Home Depot sold under the Husky name). What I'm really needing is a good quality 3/8 drive because all I have at work is the HF one. Regardless, I'm in need of one that does angle measurements. And a digital flex head torque wrench that does angles, ft/lb, in/lb, and NM seems pretty damn tempting. I do a lot of motor work so I need this style for doing cylinder heads, balancer installs, etc. because it has the flex head and angle capabilities. The work I do varies everywhere from GM 2.2 Ecotecs to LS and Gen IV GM motors.

I would much rather grab the 3/8 version to be honest, but i don't know if 100 ft/lb will be enough for the torque to yield bolts and other motor work. I've heard many people complain about getting the error message after over torquing bolts when doing angles because they go past the 100 ft/lb max spec of the 3/8 torque wrench. The 3/8 version of the Gearwrench goes from 10-100 ft/lb. http://www.americastoolwarehouse.com/automotive-tools/product/KDT-85073.html

The plan right now is to replace my 1/2 Matco with the electronic Gearwrench, and to replace my 3/8 Harbor Freight with the Precision Instruments 3/8 split beam flex head. Then I'll grab the 1/4 Tekton for smaller jobs.

Plan B would be to keep my Matco 1/2 drive (which I really like), buy the 3/8 version of the electronic Gearwrench, and go with the Tekton 1/4 in/lb for smaller jobs. I'd rather go this route but it all depends on if the 3/8 electronic torque wrench can do the jobs i need it to do.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And sorry ahead of time if this post sounds confusing.

 

[country83]

If you're doing head bolts on cars you'll need more than the 100 ft-lb, the reason people get error messages is because they're overstressing the wrench beyond its max torque rating during angle application. 60ft-lb plus 90 degrees (or whatever) could easily be 150 ft-lbs final torque or more.

 

[BillK]

jonti,

I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to torque wrenches. I know they have been out for a while now but I just don't feel comfortable trusting the "angle" feature on those wrenches. Besides, I was always taught that a torque wrench is for torque and should never be used for any other purpose.

On 45 and 90 degree turns you don't need it anyway. On the oddball angles I have a Snap On torque angle gauge that has served me well for 15 years or so and there is no doubt about its accuracy.

I would just get a good quality 3/8 drive wrench and use the manual gauge when you need to do the angles. You really need a 1/4" drive in lb wrench too if you are working on any modern engines.

Thats my 2 cents worth

 

[dnschmidt]

I sell Eclatorq digital torque wrenches (they are Mac's supplier by the way - they use the "Christmas Tree" light system on both sides of the display that's how you can tell). Eclatorq makes very nice angle torque wrenches but I don't recommend them for exactly the reason previously mentioned. You start on a torque to yield bolt at some reasonable value (let's say 30 ft-lb) by the time you've added the 45 degrees you are way over the 100 ft-lb the wrench is rated for and you've put the wrench into error mode which forces you to return it for resetting. Instead I recommend the following: buy a good digital torque wrench, I of course recommend the Eclatorq as they make great stuff, but, use a digital angle meter to get the angle. This digital angle meter can be attached magnetically (it has a magnet on the back) to any breaker bar, ratchet or wrench and use that to get the angle. I've attached pictures. Proto sells this Eclatorq product and Brown Line Metalworks sells a very similar digital torque angle meter, not Eclatorq, that does the job just fine. The Gearwrench product is very good. but I assure you that you will put the wrench into error mode as it only goes up to 100 ft-lb and you will exceed that in many instances. Gearwrench makes a larger version of this wrench that goes up to 250 foot-lb that's about a yard long making it clumsy to use. I think the digital angle meter is the way to go for these torque to yield bolts.

 

[jonti48310]

Thanks for all the input and great information guys!

Country83, that is pretty much what I've heard as far as over stressing the wrench and that was what I was worried about and debating on about the 3/8 version so thanks for clearing that up for me.

BillK, that makes a lot of sense on angles. And for the most part it is what I've been doing without this style torque wrench. At work I use a digital adapter (as dnschmidt talks about) and mark my bolt before for reassurance. Gearwrench states that the angle accuracy is within +/-1%, now how true that is may be a different story. LOL

Dnschmidt, great information and thanks. I'm really leaning on doing the 1/2 Gearwrench version and wonder if maybe the flex head capability may get me past the setback of how long it is. I have a kent-moore J-Tool digital angle meter that I've been using at work but it to has proven to be clumsy to use as it is bulky and doesn't do well in tight spaces. Another feature I like about the Gearwrench (similar to the digital angle meters) is that it allows you to use the ratcheting mechanism on the torque wrench while still maintaining the angle you were at.

Thanks again for the replies everyone. I think I know which route I'll be going now.

 

[ScottsGT]

A couple years ago I did my first "angle" torque job on my son's Blazer. I bought the cheap gauge you put between the wrench and the socket. I was ready to kill myself after that job! It was a complete rework of the heads after he overheated it due to a POS water pump from Advance Auto that blew out the gaskets. Oh, and an inattentive son that didn't pay attention to his gauges. (We all know the second reason is the real reason)

 

[Astro_Pneumatic_Tools]

Got a chance to use Matco's new one, it's pretty sweet. Not sure if it's out yet.

Love the models coming out with TTY angles. Makes my engine building days of sorta just thumbing it look silly.

______________
Chris
Product Manager

 

[dnschmidt]

The Eclatorq Digital Angle Meter also allows for the ratchet to be reset without disturbing the angle as I'm pretty sure the Brownline Metalworks model does as well. To each his own but I own the 1/2" Gearwrench model and it's really long. If you're doing it on an engine stand you're fine. If you're doing in the car it's a pain in the ***.

Here is the Amazon page for the Brownline Metal Works model. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP8E61E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[chipss36]

My take, I just went through and am still working at upgrading all my torque wrenches, at first looked at electronic , about the only ones I have seen I liked were S.O. but way out of my price range, had an Eastwood for like a day and sent it back, ended up going pi split beams, 3 of them a standard click type for inch pounds and a torque angle gage for tty stuff still less than one s.o. tech angle, I suppose if I was using them daily it would be different , but for tool I use every now and then battery powered stuff is a hassle. And just not liking all the plastic. Think this will work out better for me long term.

 

[guy48065]

Got a chance to use Matco's new one, it's pretty sweet. Not sure if it's out yet.

I hope "new" means they have stopped rebranding Apex e-wrenches. I've had lots of unrepairable electronic failures of the Apex (Matco, Gearwrench, Craftsman) and zero issues with CDI, Jetco and SO.