Recommend a Torque Wrench

[General Lee]

I would like to have a Torque wrench, mainly for lug nuts on vehicles and my 45HP tractor. Can you guys recommend a decent one that won't hit me in the wallet. It wouldn't be used to much so it doesn't have be the best. Just good ol' reliability is fine for me.

 

[t100]

PI 1/2" drive 250ftlb split beam, even Snap On rebrand theirs.

here is the link.

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F&source=froogle&kw=PREC3FR250F

 

[96snma]

Cdi- it's a snap on industrial brand. Bought mine new off eBay for 100. Comes with the calibration sheet

 

[Roland-5.0]

PI 1/2" drive 250ftlb split beam, even Snap On rebrand theirs.

here is the link.

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F&source=froogle&kw=PREC3FR250F

I have the same with a snap on handle and I love it....its just to bad it was over 400 almost 5 on the tool truck. Highly recommended from me

 

[Steinmetz]

I would like to have a Torque wrench, mainly for lug nuts on vehicles and my 45HP tractor. Can you guys recommend a decent one that won't hit me in the wallet. It wouldn't be used to much so it doesn't have be the best. Just good ol' reliability is fine for me.

Deflecting beam type. You can find a suitable one for maybe thirty bucks.

 

[simplec6]

9.99 HF 1/2" or a beam if you don't trust the HF.

 

[General Lee]

Deflecting beam type.

No clue what that is

 

[Steinmetz]

For example:

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-torque-wrench/p-00944978000P

 

[FiveFinger]

No clue what that is

The old school torque wrenches that had a fixed head and an arrow attached to the head with a long rod. The more torque the more the beam bends and the arrow stays straight. The amount of "deflection" indicates the amount of torque. They are accurate, cheap, and durable. However, they do not have a ratchet head.

 

[woody 73]

The old school torque wrenches that had a fixed head and an arrow attached to the head with a long rod. The more torque the more the beam bends and the arrow stays straight. The amount of "deflection" indicates the amount of torque. They are accurate, cheap, and durable. However, they do not have a ratchet head.

Well said you can pick them up very cheap at flea type places and you can work on your tractor with complete confidence, that it will read correct every time.

 

[air]

PI 1/2" drive 250ftlb split beam, even Snap On rebrand theirs.

here is the link.

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F&source=froogle&kw=PREC3FR250F

I have that torque wrench and it's absolutely AWESOME.

 

[CWP1616L]

Precision Instruments split-beam.

 

[Roland-5.0]

I wouldn't trust a deflecting beam type for anything I'd ever work on. Might be OK at best for wheel nuts but I wouldn't build an engine with it.

 

[spazzer]

PI 1/2" drive 250ftlb split beam, even Snap On rebrand theirs.

here is the link.

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F&source=froogle&kw=PREC3FR250F

x 100+

I have the snap-on version, TQFR250E. Its my go-to torque wrench unless I have a torque-to-yield fastener.

 

[humpdawg]

PI 1/2" drive 250ftlb split beam, even Snap On rebrand theirs.

here is the link.

http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=PREC3FR250F&source=froogle&kw=PREC3FR250F

I like my split beam.

 

[Neuswede]

I have that torque wrench and it's absolutely AWESOME.

Excellent choice and USA made product.

 

[SMKS]

To the OP-

If you're looking for a low priced, then HF is probably your best bet. They're made in Taiwan and the same wrench appears to be sold under many different brands.

I have had the 1/2" version for several years. I use it mainly for lug nuts. It's not as nice as my CDI or Armstrong torque wrenches, but it works fine. The only thing I'll point out is that you need to keep your eyes on the faceplate screws. They can sometimes work themselves loose.

 

[brownbagg]

i use Proto, mine go up to 750 ftlbs

 

[General Lee]

Precision Instruments split-beam.

Alright, I'm learning quite a bit here, what is split beam or why is called that?

130.00 is more than I wanted to spend but so far this wrench is leading the vote.

 

[Roland-5.0]

Plus it adjusts in seconds and you don't need to set it to the lowest setting to store it.

 

[Steinmetz]

I wouldn't trust a deflecting beam type for anything I'd ever work on. Might be OK at best for wheel nuts but I wouldn't build an engine with it.

Your rational basis for this belief?

 

[sensei_]

I use an australian deflecting beam torque wrench. easy to use and unlike the sears one, it has a click mechanism. no ratcheting head with can be annoying.

 

[Roland-5.0]

Your rational basis for this belief?

Speaking from experience. Would you torque your crank bearing caps on your race engine spinning at 7k with a torque wrench that you rely on how far you can bend a rod against a sticker with numbers. Maybe accurate +or- 10-50 flbs depending how many times that wrench has been bent?

 

[FiveFinger]

Speaking from experience. Would you torque your crank bearing caps on your race engine spinning at 7k with a torque wrench that you rely on how far you can bend a rod against a sticker with numbers. Maybe accurate +or- 10-50 flbs depending how many times that wrench has been bent?

I do not claim to be a torque wrench authority but I have always heard that the beam type wrenches are much more durable, rugged, and less likely to lose calibration than the click type wrenches.

The best ones IMO are the digital units with a strain gauge design but are cost prohibitive.

 

[Steinmetz]

Speaking from experience. Would you torque your crank bearing caps on your race engine spinning at 7k with a torque wrench that you rely on how far you can bend a rod against a sticker with numbers. Maybe accurate +or- 10-50 flbs depending how many times that wrench has been bent?

Unless that's what you want to believe, it's simply not so. I own probably two dozen torque wrenches of all types, as well as a torque testing machine. Unless the wrench has been stressed beyond the elastic limit, there is no effect on accuracy at all, and it's next to impossible to stress to the elastic limit due to the configuration of the wrench. I've tested many of the deflecting type wrenches, and as long as they have not reached the fatigue limit (probably 300,000-500,00 cycles) they are generally within 2% of full scale reading. And as a practical matter, neither you nor I will live long enough to reach the fatigue limit.