Recommend an Inch-Pound Torque Wrench

[steelespeed]

Hi guys,

Looking to add an inch-pound scale torque wrench to my tool box for working on a couple of motorbikes in my garage. Looking to go up to around 200 in-lb. I read some older posts and don't mind spending a few bucks on this type of tool.

I see CDI and Precision Instruments both get good reviews. Is one better than the other? CDI seems to be a tad cheaper and USA made...not sure if all the Precision Instruments are. Also looks like I'll be going with a micrometer type for now.

Thanks for the help!

 

[JBradley500]

I've got the cdi clicker for my bikes. I'm not a torque wrench guru but I believe that I have read the ratcheting head is imported. Someone will correct me if I am wrong I'm sure. It's a nice piece anyhow.

 

[bob15]

Seekonk....made in USA as well.

0-300inch pound dial. with the low torques, i think these are better as they give you an idea how much torque you are applying and not just "waiting" for a click:

http://www.seekonk.com/Prod-24-1-104-54/seekonk-tsq-300-38-dr-rigid-frame-dial-type-torque-wrench-0-300-inlbs.htm

 

[devoncoolman]

Id go with cdi. I own all snap-on torque wrenches mainly because i like the snap-on ratcheting heads. And its easy for me to just hand it to my driver for calibration. Cdi or Pi will both suit you very well and provide many years of service.

 

[Aerogt01]

I have trusted CDI to complex composite parts. They are awesome. I would highly recommend them.

 

[u118224]

I prefer the Snap-On Torq-O-Meter for inch pound. I got mine on E-Bay.

 

[Bagherra]

I got a CDI and i'm happy with it

 

[jvitez]

I bought a Toptul 1/4" inch-pound torque wrench. It works fine for my hobbyist use, and is very nicely built and easy to use.

 

[motofool33]

i just grabbed a CDI computorque 3 3/8" drive 10-100lbft on the zoro sale. i cant wait to get it open.

The PI beam style was my second choice as its not a screw style clicker that will loose its calibration fast if you forget to zero it.

 

[funks]

I have a CDI and its ratchet head *****. Goofy thing allows you to put the direction tab in the middle by accident which means stripped bolts.

 

[ClineWrench]

My first choice would be precision instruments or CDI. However I do have a Craftsman 3/8 drive inch pound clicker that isn't the best but certainly not the worst either.

 

[malykaii]

I have been wondering the same. I too want to add a 1/4 torque wrench to the collection.

Any love for the beam style? Park tool makes a very well reviewed one for $40. I think it's USA made for all those coo fan boys.

 

[jvitez]

I've got an old Indestro 1/2" beam style torque wrench. It's cool, but I hardly every use it. Feeling a click is a lot easier than looking at the scale and making sure you're not making a parallax error. Beam styles would be fine if you're doing a lot of bench work where you can see the scale easily.

 

[mrborohachi]

For 1/4 I'd go with the Husky USA clicker over the Park. I've seen and handles the park at my LBS and it's pretty chincy. Seen Protos on sale. On my GFs IPhone will post when on my computer

 

[Wamsutta]

Snap-on QJR117F

 

[crab]

I'm going to add a 1/4 inch drive in. lb. wrench to my 3/8 and 1/2 inch ft. lb. wrenches and I'll probably buy snap-on because that's what the other 2 are but the 2 mentioned would be fine I think. Actually I've heard that P.I. makes the snap-on wrenches, if that's true you might be able to save a few bucks. On the other hand it's easy to have the snap-on guy check them and calibrate if needed. He has replaced several tools for me so I probably should give him the business. I believe an in.lb. wrench needs to be very accurate, not much room to play with torque spread. The smaller range wrenches [0 to 150 in. lb.] will be more accurate and when you get up around 300 in. lbs. you can use a ft.lb. wrench, 300 in. lbs. = 25 ft. lbs.

 

[motofool33]

I'm going to add a 1/4 inch drive in. lb. wrench to my 3/8 and 1/2 inch ft. lb. wrenches and I'll probably buy snap-on because that's what the other 2 are but the 2 mentioned would be fine I think. Actually I've heard that P.I. makes the snap-on wrenches, if that's true you might be able to save a few bucks. On the other hand it's easy to have the snap-on guy check them and calibrate if needed. He has replaced several tools for me so I probably should give him the business. I believe an in.lb. wrench needs to be very accurate, not much room to play with torque spread. The smaller range wrenches [0 to 150 in. lb.] will be more accurate and when you get up around 300 in. lbs. you can use a ft.lb. wrench, 300 in. lbs. = 25 ft. lbs.

CDI is owned by snapon, PI made thier Beam style ones also.

Snapon guy could calibrate any torque wrench or atleast check it.

i used to calibrate alot of instruments just need the tool to check them.

 

[n8n]

CDI is owned by snapon, PI made thier Beam style ones also.

Snapon guy could calibrate any torque wrench or atleast check it.

i used to calibrate alot of instruments just need the tool to check them.

Not any :/ I handed him an old SO T-O-M from what I believe was a 1950s transmission service set, and he said he couldn't do anything with it, too old, no parts

 

[motofool33]

Not any :/ I handed him an old SO T-O-M from what I believe was a 1950s transmission service set, and he said he couldn't do anything with it, too old, no parts

he cant replace the parts, but he could stick it in the torque tester and tell you it reads this much at each section across the scale.

testing the torque wrench to a calibrated tool si just comparing what it reads when you pull on the wrench. changing/calibrating the tool would be different if it is a spring driven unit(micrometer click type) and is OUT of calibration you would be changing the spring to a new one to get it back in calibration.

but if you coudn't get parts what you can do is record its actual reading for each step across its range, and then use those numbers when using the wrench. and then recheck as often as you feel you need to and adjust numbers accordingly.


for instance when you calibrate a Micrometer measuring tool. all your doing is rezeroing the unit and verifying it reads right on the top side of its scale and a few places throughout the scale.

 

[Adam.C]

Depends on how much you are looking to spend. I would think long and hard before I bought another clicker. The electronic torque wrenches have SO many advantages. Only reason Im still using clickers is because I haven't found used techangles for a good enough price.

 

[JBradley500]

For 1/4 I'd go with the Husky USA clicker over the Park. I've seen and handles the park at my LBS and it's pretty chincy. Seen Protos on sale. On my GFs IPhone will post when on my computer

I was sniffing around home depot the other day and the 1/4" torque wrench was from Taiwan, but the other two were the USA made ones.

 

[motofool33]

Depends on how much you are looking to spend. I would think long and hard before I bought another clicker. The electronic torque wrenches have SO many advantages. Only reason Im still using clickers is because I haven't found used techangles for a good enough price.

the CDI Computorque 3, 3/8 High Accuracy with zoro's 30% sale is 266$ new hard to beat that even used.

 

[Adam.C]

the CDI Computorque 3, 3/8 High Accuracy with zoro's 30% sale is 266$ new hard to beat that even used.

You can pretty easily find used techwrenches for $150. The nice thing about these wrenches is they really never go out of calibration. There are no springs. Of course Snap On recommends having them checked yearly in aerospace, nuclear and similar industries.

The A models have a few easily fixed technical faults. I've been looking to pick up a broken one cheap. You shouldn't need the angle feature for the 1/4" wrench. Usually that's just engine bolts and usually 3/8 torque range.

 

[wafrederick]

I have a 1/4 drive Matco and I do use it once in a while.Use it on one of the Chrysler 4.7 bed bolts(main cap),one bolt is torqued in inch pounds followed by a certain degree turn.

 

[Coach James]

I have been wondering the same. I too want to add a 1/4 torque wrench to the collection.

Any love for the beam style? Park tool makes a very well reviewed one for $40. I think it's USA made for all those coo fan boys.

I wouldn't say I love them, but I have two beam style that work fine. I wouldn't hesitate to use a beam style as long as I had enough clearance to see.

Coach

 

[steelespeed]

I do have beam style in both 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive. They are fine where space permits but can be a bit of a pain pretty much everywhere else.

I am not a pro tech with daily or weekly access to a tool truck, so calibration convenience isn't necessarily a pro/con. I'll have to send it in or hunt down a service. I'll pop in to Home Depot to take a gander, but I am still leaning towards CDI or Precision Instruments due to the positive comments here regarding both.

I'll take a look at the electronic wrenches but it might be a bit out of reach financially.

 

[crab]

My experience with electronic measuring devices is that temperature, battery charge level, even static electricity can change the reading. I know electronic scales need to be calibrated before each use, no thanks, I'll stick with mechanical gauges. Pointers can change with temperature also. I suppose a dial unit would be best but I'm not building nascar motors here. That's all just a long way to say that I like click wrenches.

 

[Adam.C]

Strain Gages can be effected by temperature swings, not sure about voltage. Clickers are great because you can use them without looking, otherwise they **** big time. They must be reset after each use, should be exercised prior to use, and many or most users pull too hard into the click, over torquing and or producing unacceptable variations unknowingly.

Beam type are really better in a lot of ways. The reason to switch to electronic is twofold:
1) to measure run down or prevailing torque to inspect locking devices, or measure friction to control bolt preload
2) if angles are specified

Okay a couple more reasons:
They are super accurate, produce less variation, and can be had used for slightly more than new (trustworthy) beams and clickers. New models count fasteners. Electronic wrenches have all of the benefits of dial wrenches, but are more robust, can be used blind, etc

 

[bob15]

I have found dial wrenches (such as the Seekonk torque wrench) the best for low torques. No chance of over torquing if you watch the dial (example of avoid is in post # 11). No need to re-set to zero when done. It also allows you to feel the toque and also know how much torque is being applied at the same time.

At work I have dial wrenches in:

0-30 in/lbs
0-150 in/lbs
0-600 in/lbs

And I wouldn't change any of them to a clicker.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I like the dial kind for the best precision, but it does have the drawback of absolutely sucking in confined spaces so I have a clicker unit for what I do and am very careful with it. I don't use it often but when I do use it it's necessary.