Recommendations on infrared digital thermometers?

[motorheadjohn]

I've had a problem with a caliper sticking (not sliding correctly) on my truck. It's a common problem on the rear-disk equipped heavy-duty Dodge Rams. It wore the inner pad to the metal backing plate and destroyed the rotor. The truck had 55k miles on it, so I replaced everything...all 4 rotors and all new pads. $556 for parts!

So...with that much invested in new brake hardware, I'm thinking of how to keep an eye on this in the future. Removing the wheels to look at the pads is a PITA. What about checking and comparing the rotor temps with an infrared thermometer?

Can anyone recommend a good digital infrared thermometer? I have already checked out the models on ToolWarehouse and I'm going to go price the SnapOns right now. I'm sure I will find plenty of uses for it once I have one. I'd prefer not to break the bank...after just spending over $550 on parts, but I'm willing to buck up for a quality tool. Any suggestions on what works well for you?

 

[bmwpower]

I bought a RayTek MT6 when I was epoxying my floors (to watch the min. floor temp). I really like it. It's got pretty good specs.

http://www.raytek-northamerica.com/cat.html?cat_id=2.3.5

I bought it for like $50-60 on eBay, brand new.

 

[KeukaDan]

Raytek is the name brand way to go. I could almost guarantee that they make the thermometers for Snapon. I have used the basic and the high-end raytek's and they are nice but I have also compared them to a generic infrared thermometer and they were the same for all of the measurements I tried through a range of temps going up past 500 degrees centigrade. I personally own a generic and a raytek MX.

One thing to look at is how much the distance to target ratio changes. the farther you are from the target, the larger the target needs to be to get accurate data. You need to understand that the laser point is not the exact target, only the center of the targeted area.

 

[jerryW]

Try to get the largest range you can afford. Makes it easy to check exhaust temps when tuning.

I've got 3 different one's myself. All from swap meets, from as low as $5 to $40. Gor the one for $5 because the guy didn't know it had an almost dead battery and would light up but not diplay temps. Also does't have the laser but whose complaining.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

I bought mine from Harbor Freight because I figured that they were all made overseas anyway. It has the laser pointer and it works fine on everything I have used it for so far: brakes, engine temp and catalytic converter temp. I try not to buy Chinese, Taiwan etc.. but it was affordable. I guess I do not have the need to have a 10 inch, 12 inch or higher distance models versus the 8 inch one I bought. I really don't have any applications where the extra 2 or 4 inches will keep me from serious bodily harm. And if it is off 2% at 750 degrees that whole 15 degrees doesn't make that big of a difference to me.


-BWP

 

[KCHOTBOAT]

I have a HF one also that I use for my powder coating setup. It has worked fine for two years now.

 

[evildky]

I have the Craftsman, looksidentical to the Raytek only red, I'm sure they make it for them, anyhow a year of tossing it arouns and it still works great

 

[Big_John]

I bought a RayTek MT6 when I was epoxying my floors (to watch the min. floor temp). I really like it. It's got pretty good specs.

http://www.raytek-northamerica.com/cat.html?cat_id=2.3.5

I bought it for like $50-60 on eBay, brand new.

I have the same thing. They're reasonably accurate with out spending a bunch of cash. Got mine on Ebay too.

 

[ironroad 9c1]

yea i bought a harbor freight one also ,i checked it against a fluke and it was dead on ,the raytech we have at work is 3-6 degrees higher.

 

[l_bilyk]

Can anyone comment on ES thermometers?