New HF digital torque adapter -PICS-

[SMKS]

EDIT - I guess these aren't that new.

I haven't seen anyone post about these. I think they're pretty new, but perhaps I just haven't seen them before. The earliest reviews on the HF website are from February, so perhaps they've had them for a few months.

I've been wanting one of these to compare and check torque wrenches. I just happened to see this at HF yesterday. Regular price is $39.99. It was on sale for $29.99. With a 20% off coupon it came to $23.99 + tax.

One thing I noticed right away, it's made in Taiwan, not China. The reviews say it comes with a calibration certificate, but I haven't opened mine yet so I'm not sure.

I'll post a mini-review soon, but I have a couple other projects first. I decided to post a few quick pics to show it to anyone who might be interested.

It's item number 68283.

========================================

UPDATE

Since quite a few other people here are already familiar with this tool, I'm not going to do a thorough review. But, here's a little more info and a few more pictures.

On one of the closeup pics it sort of looks like the screen is scratched, but it's not. It had a protective plastic film on the face and I hadn't removed it yet when I took the pic.

Inside the box you'll find a pretty detailed calibration certificate and the manual. The torque adapter has a nice case that holds it and the two drive size adapters.

One downside is that it doesn't include a plate or block specifically for clamping in a vise. On other models I've seen they come with an adapter that's specifically made for clamping in a vise. On this model, I just clamped the 1/2" male drive into my vise.

I tested it and it works as advertised. It beeps and the LED color changes when the preset torque is reached. I used it it check a couple of my torque wrenches and they both checked out as within spec.

Overall, this torque adapter seems to work pretty well. I mainly bought it to check my torque wrenches and it appears to work fine for that.

 

[d_rock]

I saw this too while I was picking up some expendables there. looking forward to your review.

 

[RangerDaleXp]

I haven't seen anyone post about these. I think they're pretty new, but perhaps I just haven't seen them before. The earliest reviews on the HF website are from February, so perhaps they've had them for a few months.

I've been wanting one of these to compare and check torque wrenches. I just happened to see this at HF yesterday. Regular price is $39.99. It was on sale for $29.99. With a 20% off coupon it came to $23.99 + tax.

One thing I noticed right away, it's made in Taiwan, not China. The reviews say it comes with a calibration certificate, but I haven't opened mine yet so I'm not sure.

I'll post a mini-review soon, but I have a couple other projects first. I decided to post a few quick pics to show it to anyone who might be interested.

It's item number 68283.

http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-torue-adapter-68283.html

I will say it has been out for at least 8 months. I have one and it works well for checking Torque Wrenches......

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I haven't seen anyone post about these. I think they're pretty new, but perhaps I just haven't seen them before. The earliest reviews on the HF website are from February, so perhaps they've had them for a few months.

I've been wanting one of these to compare and check torque wrenches. I just happened to see this at HF yesterday. Regular price is $39.99. It was on sale for $29.99. With a 20% off coupon it came to $23.99 + tax.

One thing I noticed right away, it's made in Taiwan, not China. The reviews say it comes with a calibration certificate, but I haven't opened mine yet so I'm not sure.

I'll post a mini-review soon, but I have a couple other projects first. I decided to post a few quick pics to show it to anyone who might be interested.

It's item number 68283.

http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-torue-adapter-68283.html

Your link does not work, looks cool

 

[franzdom]

Your link does not work, looks cool

Odd, link worked fine for me right out of your quote. Probably a browser or picnic issue.

 

[pipsters]

I think I speak for everyone when I say we can look at pictures at HarborFreight.com...use it THEN post...

 

[Need4racin]

I always thought it would break if used on anything near its limit. Also how much slack does it have?

 

[unslow1]

I'm interested to see if I can use it to check torque wrenches.

 

[SMKS]

I think I speak for everyone when I say we can look at pictures at HarborFreight.com...use it THEN post...

Interesting that you speak for "everyone," when no one else had complained like you.

Did you even know it existed?

I was just going to post some of my phone pics of it hanging on the hook at HF, but I thought some people would like to see some clearer pics.

This is a relatively new item, so lots of members probably don't know it exists. I think letting people know about it is worthwhile.

 

[t100]

seems to be the same thing with different button/display layout.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81780

instruction vid:

 

[pipsters]

Interesting that you speak for "everyone," when no one else had complained like you.

Did you even know it existed?

I was just going to post some of my phone pics of it hanging on a hook.

This is a new item, so lots of members probably don't know it exists. I think letting people know about it is worthwhile.

Yes and Alltrade and Eastwood have their own branded ones as well, varying slightly in design.

You were posting in the same thread several months ago on the subject...

I dunno I appreciate the pics but look forward to you using it.

I'm getting the Eastwood one that also does angle torquing, two birds with one stone.

From research I've done they are actually a beam torque wrench with some electronic parts in them, kinda ironic, very old tech with new tech coexisting.

 

[SMKS]

Yes and Alltrade and Eastwood have their own branded ones as well, varying slightly in design.

I knew about the other brands as well, but I guess everyone knew about the HF one but me.

My store has never had them before my visit yesterday.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

that would be handy, what torque range is it?
hurry up with the review!

 

[Chadwilliam1]

nevermind I looked harder at the pictures.

 

[pipsters]

I knew about the other brands as well, but I guess everyone knew about the HF one but me.

My store has never had them before my visit yesterday.

It's cool, I don't think I've ever seen it on sale for the price you got it for though, although I haven't been following it super close.

 

[kald]

I always thought it would break if used on anything near its limit. Also how much slack does it have?

No slack. It measures the torsion on a short internal adapter very accurately. I've had mine for a few months and like it. Seems to be a quality unit. I still prefer a torque wrench but this very useful for calibration of them. I calibrated an old husky back to with in 4% with it.
The 1/4 & 1/2 hf torque wrenches I picked up are within 2% as well.

 

[TwoInch]

what does "fits for different driver sockets" mean?

is that a typo?

 

[kissmeimgerman]

what does "fits for different driver sockets" mean?

is that a typo?

It has adapters for both 1/4 and 3/8 drives

 

[TwoInch]

i get that much, but is the wording not screwy?

seems like a translation error.

 

[machine_punk]

I remember someone else posting about this unit a while ago and saying he liked it.

I'd be interested in seeing this done the other way around...someone using a certified/calibrated professional torque wrench to check THIS device (with both adapters, with an assortment of different wrenches). I must admit, I am a bit baffled. This device is advertised as a torque wrench, not as a calibration device. Is using a torque wrench to calibrate another torque wrench normal practice? I was under the assumption that you had to take your torque wrench to some sort of standards lab to verify accuracy.

IF this device is not accurate (and having a digital display on it does not automatically indicate accuracy--just ease of reading the torque value), then you use it to calibrate your other torque wrenches, what have you accomplished? At best, you have made them 'all the same, but not necessarily accurate.' At worst, you have given yourself a false sense of security in the accuracy of your torque wrenches, when in fact each wrench is now completely different from each other and you have no way of determining which, if any are even close to accurate.

I am certainly open to the possibility of this tool being accurate and a good buy, but I wouldn't go and check other torque wrenches with it until I was sure of its calibration and accuracy (i.e. don't check 'more accurate' things with 'less accurate things.') At a minimum, I'd want to have this thing professionally calibrated, before I used it to calibrate other devices.

M_P

 

[Danglerb]

My two cents; Use it to check if the cheap other torque wrench is fubar, not if its perfect, and less than $25 with coupon and LIFETIME warranty, can't beat that with a stick.

 

[unslow1]

I just picked one up. I don't have anything to do lower ranges. I'm going to test it against a wrench that is still new in the plastic. If it tests good I'll check my others. If it doesn't I have a friend that has his shop ones calibrated every month that I can use to test it.

 

[TwoInch]

I remember someone else posting about this unit a while ago and saying he liked it.

I'd be interested in seeing this done the other way around...someone using a certified/calibrated professional torque wrench to check THIS device (with both adapters, with an assortment of different wrenches). I must admit, I am a bit baffled. This device is advertised as a torque wrench, not as a calibration device. Is using a torque wrench to calibrate another torque wrench normal practice? I was under the assumption that you had to take your torque wrench to some sort of standards lab to verify accuracy.


M_P

its designed to be a cheap alternative to buying a torque wrench, by using a ratchet or breaker bar and this adapter. which is kind of a gimmick, since HF sells torque wrenches for less than this adapter. its not designed to check other wrenches and calibration measures.

that said, testing torque wrenches with another torque wrench against each other is fairly common practice, and so is mounting the square drive in a vise and hanging weights from the handle of the torque wrench, with calculations. neither will calibrate, but will give an estimate of accuracy within some degree.

in my eyes, perfect torque is not as important as even torque across multiple fasteners. if my torque wrench is set at 100ftlbs and is clicking at 95ftlbs, i would be fine with that, as long as its consistently 95ftlbs every time.

 

[unslow1]

Just did some testing with it. It seems to be pretty accurate. All ft lbs.

KD beam- 90 = 88.5 Same either direction.
40 = 39.5

New Performance Tool clicker tested multiple pulls same either direction.

70= 68.9, 68.3, 68.8
145= 142.6, 142.2

I tested a 3rd clicker which I had replaced because I didn't trust it. It was off by 20-30 on every pull. How much does it cost to calibrate a cheap wrench? It may just become a breaker bar. It doesn't even have a brand stamp.

 

[pipsters]

its designed to be a cheap alternative to buying a torque wrench, by using a ratchet or breaker bar and this adapter. which is kind of a gimmick, since HF sells torque wrenches for less than this adapter. its not designed to check other wrenches and calibration measures.

This is another (similar) product it just costs more...something tells me they are probably similar in accuracy..

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0031QPJZG/?tag=atomicindus08-20
.

• Convert any ratchet into a torque wrench
• Use as a calibration devise for existing torque wrenches
• 4 Torque measurement settings
• Light and audio notification when reaching specified torque
• Both peak and trace settings

Test:
Well I took it to work and checked it on the lab tester and it is very accurate (at least the one I received). For the whole range it was about +/- 0.5 max, off of what the lab tester measured in most cases it was less. This was also true for counter clockwise direction, which is great news for Dodge guys that have left hand fasteners. Really the accuracy is better than the +/- 2% that AllTrade states. Also it is accurate below the 29.5lb-ft, when I tested it the unit started registering at about 3.4lb-ft and it was again with +/-0.2 of the lab tester, this is true of the high end I took the unit to an even 150lb-ft and it was on still. For standard testing though we only test the max of the wrench, 60% of range, and 20% of range. I did this and found that the bottom 20% of the max happens to be the 29.5lb-ft that the unit is rated at. So AllTrade is following standards when making this product.

Also look at the pictures, this guy is using some sort of military grade calibration equipment. Anyway interesting stuff. I would bet these things are more accurate than the standard torque wrenches. That unit above even comes with a square you can put on the end to clamp in a vise to test your wrenches.

Also I 100% agree consistency is the most important!

 

[RangerDaleXp]

Powerbuilt has one too. Like stated from others. It is not designed to calibrate torque wrenches, but it will at least give piece of mine that any of my torque wrenches are within there specs. Remember, Torque wrenches are set to be within +/- 4% and the super special calibrated ones are around 2%. I have seen some saying 6%. I think the HF is 4% and the Powerbuilt is 2% but it has been a while since I looked at the one from Powerbuilt....

 

[unslow1]

Powerbuilt has one too. Like stated from others. It is not designed to calibrate torque wrenches, but it will at least give piece of mine that any of my torque wrenches are within there specs. Remember, Torque wrenches are set to be within +/- 4% and the super special calibrated ones are around 2%. I have seen some saying 6%. I think the HF is 4% and the Powerbuilt is 2% but it has been a while since I looked at the one from Powerbuilt....

That is the real reason I wanted it. I was getting a reading I just didn't trust. Turns out I was correct. I have a feeling that at some point it was used as a breaker bar or dropped. Has anyone ever adjusted a clicker yourself? I'm not going to spend $40 to repair a $50 wrench. Now that I have a way to check it I want try to fix it. If it doesn't work I think I'll just toss it to make sure it doesn't get used.

 

[RangerDaleXp]

They show +/- 1% on the Powerbuilt.....

 

[rodm1]

I remember someone else posting about this unit a while ago and saying he liked it.

I'd be interested in seeing this done the other way around...someone using a certified/calibrated professional torque wrench to check THIS device (with both adapters, with an assortment of different wrenches). I must admit, I am a bit baffled. This device is advertised as a torque wrench, not as a calibration device. Is using a torque wrench to calibrate another torque wrench normal practice? I was under the assumption that you had to take your torque wrench to some sort of standards lab to verify accuracy.

IF this device is not accurate (and having a digital display on it does not automatically indicate accuracy--just ease of reading the torque value), then you use it to calibrate your other torque wrenches, what have you accomplished? At best, you have made them 'all the same, but not necessarily accurate.' At worst, you have given yourself a false sense of security in the accuracy of your torque wrenches, when in fact each wrench is now completely different from each other and you have no way of determining which, if any are even close to accurate.

I am certainly open to the possibility of this tool being accurate and a good buy, but I wouldn't go and check other torque wrenches with it until I was sure of its calibration and accuracy (i.e. don't check 'more accurate' things with 'less accurate things.') At a minimum, I'd want to have this thing professionally calibrated, before I used it to calibrate other devices.

M_P

well sead

 

[SMKS]

I am certainly open to the possibility of this tool being accurate and a good buy, but I wouldn't go and check other torque wrenches with it until I was sure of its calibration and accuracy (i.e. don't check 'more accurate' things with 'less accurate things.') At a minimum, I'd want to have this thing professionally calibrated, before I used it to calibrate other devices.

M_P

This is a valid question, but your concerns would be the same for any of these torque adapters regardless of brand. I guess I'll just have to buy another tool to check the adapter, then another tool to check that tool and then another....

Also, it does come with a calibration certificate. I opened mine and it's in there.


I checked a couple torque wrenches I have and it gave very similar readings for both wrenches. So, I'm pretty convinced that both wrenches and the adapter are relatively accurate.

But I guess they could all be wildly off, it's just that they're all off by the same amount.

 

[RangerDaleXp]

Sorry, The last post was the 3/8 version....

 

[RangerDaleXp]

That is the real reason I wanted it. I was getting a reading I just didn't trust. Turns out I was correct. I have a feeling that at some point it was used as a breaker bar or dropped. Has anyone ever adjusted a clicker yourself? I'm not going to spend $40 to repair a $50 wrench. Now that I have a way to check it I want try to fix it. If it doesn't work I think I'll just toss it to make sure it doesn't get used.

The only one I have done had a hole in the side. It was a cheap 3/8 torque wrench someone gave me. Not sure on how it is done on a sealed unit......

 

[Danglerb]

If you have a cheap clicker, take it apart, clean and lube, then reassemble and see how it goes. I think calibration is just a nut setting some preload on the spring.

 

[unslow1]

If you have a cheap clicker, take it apart, clean and lube, then reassemble and see how it goes. I think calibration is just a nut setting some preload on the spring.

I just did. Some metal filings came out. Now it has become a breaker bar. I did write bad on it to make sure it doesn't get used as a torque wrench.

 

[unslow1]

I just got back in from the garage. Neighbor wanted to borrow a screwdriver. Since I was going to be out there for a while I decided to take apart that torque wrench to see how it worked. It was junk anyway so why not. After cleaning out he metal shavings I figured out how it worked. About 20 minutes to run a thread chaser and tap and die. Then after I reassembled it it worked. It took about 4 tries to calibrate it. It was so simple to calibrate I don't think I'll ever pay to have it done again. All you do is take off the big nut on the end and adjust the threaded sleeve up and down. It just sets a preload. Then tighten the bottom lock nut back on it. I'll let it sit a few days and check it again.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I just got back in from the garage. Neighbor wanted to borrow a screwdriver. Since I was going to be out there for a while I decided to take apart that torque wrench to see how it worked. It was junk anyway so why not. After cleaning out he metal shavings I figured out how it worked. About 20 minutes to run a thread chaser and tap and die. Then after I reassembled it it worked. It took about 4 tries to calibrate it. It was so simple to calibrate I don't think I'll ever pay to have it done again. All you do is take off the big nut on the end and adjust the threaded sleeve up and down. It just sets a preload. Then tighten the bottom lock nut back on it. I'll let it sit a few days and check it again.

I think it would be great for a write-up with a few pics thrown in.

Whatcha say?

 

[unslow1]

I wish you would've suggested that before I reassembled and calibrated it. I'll take pics if I do it again. I really didn't think I would be able to fix it. I would be happy to explain it if someone else needed to do it.

 

[SMKS]

Well, since quite a few other people here are already familiar with this tool, I'm not going to do a thorough review. But, here's a little more info and a few more pictures.


Inside the box you'll find a pretty detailed calibration certificate and the manual. The torque adapter has a nice case that holds it and the two drive size adapters.

I tested it and it works as advertised. It beeps and the LED color changes when the preset torque is reached. I used it it check a couple of my torque wrenches and they both checked out as within spec.

Overall, this torque adapter seems to work pretty well. I mainly bought it to check my torque wrenches and it appears to work fine for that.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Putting that tiny square drive in the vise doesn't do it any good, will mar it and chip the chrome eventually. Here is what I made for my Craftsman 44599.

 

[unslow1]

I just used an impact 1/2 to 3/4 adapter. No chrome to damage.