school me on a torque wrench.

[SK-Mike]

Just a DIYer, not a pro mechanic, but occasionally would have been nice to have a torque wrench for small things like installing a prop on an outboard engine that calls for specific amount of torque, or even small things like torqueing oil pan drain bolts to proper specs.

What size should I look at? 3/8 drive, 1/2?

What features are good to have.

And finally what price range? would like to stay under $200 max, and under $150 if possible.

Thanks.

 

[dnschmidt]

You can't get away with only one wrench. The tool used to torque the prop on a boat and the one used to torque oil pan bolts will always be different. One would be near or over 100 ft-lb and the other would be near 100 inch-lb. For the money you can't beat Precision Instruments split beam torque wrenches. Since made in America seems to matter to you, and they are, they're the obvious choice.

 

[SK-Mike]

Thanks for the info. Since I'd be torqueing oil pan bolts more often than a prop, maybe I should buy that one first then later on look into a larger wrench for prop nuts. Thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely check them out.

 

[E.Marquez]

Just a DIYer, not a pro mechanic, but occasionally would have been nice to have a torque wrench for small things like installing a prop on an outboard engine that calls for specific amount of torque, or even small things like torqueing oil pan drain bolts to proper specs.

What size should I look at? 3/8 drive, 1/2?

What features are good to have.

And finally what price range? would like to stay under $200 max, and under $150 if possible.

Thanks.

This will quickly turn into a "Who makes the best truck" thread
I use TQ wrenches everyday and own a few

If your only going to buy one, you need to look at the assemblies you want to TQ something on and write down the spec TQ.
a TQ wrench is not accurate in the first and last 10% of the scale commonly. (it varies by brand and design)

That range will drive you to the wrench be it ftlb 3/8" or inlb 1/4"
The honest answer is, you will likely need more then one to cover your wanted TQ range and quality that is accurate, repeatable, calibration capable and repair parts available is not cheap super cheap....

I work on "just" motorcycles and light auto and have 6 ..the cheapest one is the split beam 1/2" at about $155 that I use for non critical things like lug nuts...It is a Precision instruments brand, they used to make TQ wrenches for Snap On...of the "cheaper" brands they are pretty decent. and hit all the marks cited above.... with accuracy being at the lowest end of acceptable for me.
Nice thing about split beams TQ wrenches is you can leave them set at a value and not ruin the calibration. Cant to that with a clicker type.
My others are a mix of Snap on TECHANGLE digital and Snap on Clicker types.
What ever you get, consider sending it in for calibration..and then do that again every few years and or if you drop it, or leave it set to a TQ value (unless its a twin beam or digital)
I use http://anglerepair.com they can do most all split beam and clicker types and some digital..

So figure out what you need, then look at solution from CDI and Precision Instruments for a wrench that meets your needs...Or I can give you my Snap On reps contact info and you can drop $400 to $900 per wrench for a 1/2 dozen or so...lol

 

[JohnDeere1]

CDI is what I have and is rebranded in many brands wright,cornwell,snap on etc I bought my 2 1/2" torque wrenches used off ebay in like new snap for $50 each one is Wright one is Cornwell and they are both CDI and accurate. I also have a USA craftsman same as sk i paid $25 for it new in package its ok and my 1/4 is cornwell/skidmore they are very very nice but you adjust it with an alle wrench.

 

[Wamsutta]

Somebody will be here shortly to recommend Tekton and Harbor Freight.

 

[Qualitytools]

There is not a one size fit all torque wrench as already mentioned above. That being said you will need at least 2, one to cover the light stuff inch/lbs and one to handle the larger fasteners ft/lbs or nm. Besides the Precision Instrument already suggested have a look at Norbar. They are a British family owned business and their wrenches are used by top manufacturers and re-branded. I found them to have their accuracy to +/-3% better than the average 4%, their wrenches come with a calibration certificate, they are affordable and their accuracy is amazing. After all, you want a torque wrench to be accurate other wise why would you bother using one right?

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I'm a fan of breakaway (click) torque wrenches for most tasks. Yes, they need to be set to 0 when not in use, but not having to be able to see the scale is sure nice. And you don't have to be so careful with your free hand.

 

[The Fall]

Oil pan bolt: just snug them up. You just need to compress the crush washer. I remember in auto tech classes guys bringing out the 3/8" split-beam torque wrenches for oil drain plugs. I was seriously concerned with them going way overboard and not setting it right. I just got the F80 and did it for them.

Like folks mentioned, you need all three drive sizes. You don't want to aim for the low or high end of a drive size, closer to the middle. That's going to take some cash-money considering you're gonna need at least two if not three torque wrenches. The HF ones seem to be incredibly accurate, but you're right to have misgivings about them (they are from HF after all). It's all a question of how much money you have and what you want to spend. The Snap-on ones that beep and give you festive colors as an indicator are the bee's knees. But that's a lot of cash-money. Made in USA if you can. We use Snap-on, but those might just be CDI rebrands. Probably best to go straight to the source then.

 

[jessesandy]

I'm a fan of breakaway (click) torque wrenches for most tasks. Yes, they need to be set to 0 when not in use, but not having to be able to see the scale is sure nice. And you don't have to be so careful with your free hand.

Heard from an old timer that the clicker style shouldn't be stored with the mechanism at a "sloppy/loose" zero where the internal parts can rattle around.
After you back off all the tension to zero, turn the adjuster forward to have a very slight tension in the mechanism.

This old timer wasn't always sober, so...

 

[cvairwerks]

If you back a click type to zero, you've probably honked it up. Turn them down to the lowest marked value and not past.

 

[Olafur]

In all likelihood a 1/2" drive digital torque adapter will cover the range you need. With great accuracy.
For example the AC Delco ARM602-4 1/2” 4-150lb.ft.

I got one five years ago and use it professionally. It has thousands of torque cycles on it already and is still going strong. Not bad for just over $50.

And don't let the price tag fool you, nothing cheap about it and it's more accurate than most mechanical torque wrenches. My new Precision Instruments torque wrench isn't very impressive when stacked against it in real life situations. And just as prone to user error, actually even more because you don't get instant feedback regarding the max torque you actually put on the fastener. The adapter does that.

 

[Bagherra]

I'm a fan of breakaway (click) torque wrenches for most tasks. Yes, they need to be set to 0 when not in use, but not having to be able to see the scale is sure nice. And you don't have to be so careful with your free hand.

Not 0 but the lowest torques setting....I have a couple of TW that start at 30in-lbs...wouldn't want to try setting that to 0....

 

[biggziff]

Somebody will be here shortly to recommend Tekton and Harbor Freight.

For the incidental use specified by the OP either of those would be more than adequate.

Tool snobs are snobby.

 

[WhiffySpark]

For the incidental use specified by the OP either of those would be more than adequate.

Tool snobs are snobby.

If you’re torquing something why would you take chances with Chinese junk? I mean I think that’s common sense. I have a 1/2 techangle for tires. I don’t torque anything else

 

[biggziff]

If you’re torquing something why would you take chances with Chinese junk? I mean I think that’s common sense. I have a 1/2 techangle for tires. I don’t torque anything else

Because these wrenches have been tested and they do a more than adequate job for the occasional use. I have a Snap-On digital, several MAC, Craftsman and a HF digital thingy and one of their wrenches. They all work closely enough that unless I'm torquing the insides of a race engine, I'd grab any of them to do the job.

 

[HaroRider]

I have done headgaskets and also rebuilt an engine with my HF torque wrenches. All vehicles are still in service, and working fine.

I did just buy a Snap On digital techangle 1/2", but more for the niceness factor not the need.

 

[Unruh]

i always see high quality torque wrenches on Craigslist, Facebook marketplace and offer up.

 

[Eslader]

Somebody will be here shortly to recommend Tekton and Harbor Freight.

For the home user, why not? We're torquing down lug nuts and head bolts here, not building moon rockets. It's more important that the torque across all the bolts be even than accurate to within a thousandth of a ft/lb. If the torque spec is 80, then 78 or 82 will be fine.

Obviously for the people who do this for a living, you want better stuff, but for home wrenchers on a budget there's nothing wrong with the less expensive gear.

 

[zktk01]

Might be able to get away with a Torque adapter.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085WMOOU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VYURT0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[engineer2]

Good thread. I'm looking for a click-type inch pound torque wrench for blind spark plug installation. Looking online, there is mostly the <$30 Chinese stuff and the $140 CDI. Good to hear the cheap stuff is OK for most applications.

 

[bpjr]

For the typical stainless bolt threaded into aluminum on an outboard motor you likely need an inch lb torque wrench. I use the cheap HF inch lb clicker on outboards and small car oil pan bolts, mcy parts, etc. For cars I normally use a ft lb Klein that was pricey. I will say that the cheapo ft lb HF I have checks exactly with the Klein when tested.

 

[zbullock]

Just ordered a Precision Instruments due to good reviews. Before that I used a shop supplied Snap On Split Beam and was always happy with it.

 

[Roberts210]

I have an old Craftsman 1/2" click-type I bought new in the late 1970's to rebuild a girlfriend's VW engine. The ratchet part stopped ratcheting years ago and I finally dealt with it and bought a rebuild kit. Now it works great and I have ALWAYS reset it to zero after every use.

 

[Finky198]

I’ve gotten away with the HF 3 sizes clickers ( coo was Taiwan) not sure if it still is.
I also have their digital torque adapter and a CM beam style in 3/8”. As others have pointed out the HF are plenty adequate and are in my experience very accurate. Our shop has snap on 1/2 clicker that’s been tested. And my 1/2 HF clicker was within +/- 2ftlbs of the Snap on. I doubt there all like that but good enough for what I do.


The fact that the OP is asking about torque tools means he on the right path to safe successful repairs. I’d much rather see people using torque wrenches even if their not 1-2% accuracy like some of the top tier its better and safer than guessing and or foregoing the act altogether.

 

[ItsNemo]

A lot of torque specs I've seen are a range anyway, 72-87ft-lbs...in that case, any ol' clicker wrench is going to do. Aim for the middle and have at it.

I have 5 torque wrenches, 1/4 in-lb, 3/8 in-lb, 3/8 ft-lb, 1/2 ft-lb short, 1/2 ft-lb long. Each gets pulled out for applicable jobs depending on torque and access. None of them are expensive though (a couple are powerfirst, the Canadian version of HF), the priciest is at best $60. I've never once felt as though they weren't accurate enough.

 

[SMKS]

If you’re torquing something why would you take chances with Chinese junk? I mean I think that’s common sense. I have a 1/2 techangle for tires. I don’t torque anything else

Most, not all, of the HF torque wrenches are made in Taiwan.

The Tekton is made in Taiwan, not China.

 

[bpjr]

No matter which wrench you buy it needs to be checked every now and then for accuracy...even new wrenches have glitches. A friend of mine bought a new Craftsman to assemble a VW engine for an experimental airplane he built. After just a few hours in the air the engine failed and he dead sticked on a back road in the boonies. After going though everything he found the Craftsman was so far out of calibration all the engine bolts were super loose. The culprit of the engine failure was a loose rod cap.

After his episode I frequently check my torque wrenches...no matter whether cheap or expensive.

 

[skippy_ps]

1/2" 250 ft lb Tekton. Checked it a couple of times against a digital torque adapter and it's within 2 - 3% at 100 ft lbs.

 

[yamaha0343]

The Huskys from HD have worked well for home use for me.

 

[ItsNemo]

No matter which wrench you buy it needs to be checked every now and then for accuracy...even new wrenches have glitches. A friend of mine bought a new Craftsman to assemble a VW engine for an experimental airplane he built. After just a few hours in the air the engine failed and he dead sticked on a back road in the boonies. After going though everything he found the Craftsman was so far out of calibration all the engine bolts were super loose. The culprit of the engine failure was a loose rod cap.

After his episode I frequently check my torque wrenches...no matter whether cheap or expensive.

The thing about that...after using a torque wrench enough times you get a feel for it. I am pretty sure I could pick up any ol' torque wrench, set it to my desired torque, and know fairly certain if the calibration was out or not. You get muscle memory about what certain torque values feel like.

 

[packet]

If the bolt is critical enough that you're going to torque it, you might as well make sure it's accurate. So, I figure if you're going to spend some money for the premium tool for any job, it should be on the torque wrench.

I use CDI Computorq torque wrenches. I have 3 of them and have used them for everything from lug nuts to reassembling the engine on my air cooled 911. Zero issues.

 

[Sloper0204]

The thing about that...after using a torque wrench enough times you get a feel for it. I am pretty sure I could pick up any ol' torque wrench, set it to my desired torque, and know fairly certain if the calibration was out or not. You get muscle memory about what certain torque values feel like.

I would almost pay money for that one. Would love to hear the mechanical contractor try that on this next outage so I could ****** his *** out the gate.


"I could feel that it was within tolerance."

 

[WhiffySpark]

I would almost pay money for that one. Would love to hear the mechanical contractor try that on this next outage so I could ****** his *** out the gate.


"I could feel that it was within tolerance."

A lot of times good enough is perfectly fine. Torquing things like drain pan plugs is just a waste of time.

I’ve said before the only thing I used a torque wrench for is headgaskets and lug nuts. Nothing else was ever torqued. Never had any comebacks over that either

 

[WhiffySpark]

Most, not all, of the HF torque wrenches are made in Taiwan.

The Tekton is made in Taiwan, not China.

Same cheap ****.

 

[BK13]

Just curious, just how accurate do you need to be torquing an outboard prop?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sloper0204]

A lot of times good enough is perfectly fine. Torquing things like drain pan plugs is just a waste of time.

I’ve said before the only thing I used a torque wrench for is headgaskets and lug nuts. Nothing else was ever torqued. Never had any comebacks over that either

Keeping it in perspective, you are correct.

My comment is based on being part of the Mechanical Reliability and Quality Assurance group on an industrial facility. We just finished a construction project where we required the mechanical contractor to turn in calibration documentation for all of their torque wrenches as well as verify calibration on a skidmore weekly. Anyone that would have told us they could feel if it was out of calibration would have been kicked offsite immediately and all of their prior completed work verified.

 

[ItsNemo]

I would almost pay money for that one. Would love to hear the mechanical contractor try that on this next outage so I could ****** his *** out the gate.


"I could feel that it was within tolerance."

A lot of times good enough is perfectly fine. Torquing things like drain pan plugs is just a waste of time.

I’ve said before the only thing I used a torque wrench for is headgaskets and lug nuts. Nothing else was ever torqued. Never had any comebacks over that either

Whiffy covered it pretty good...for general automotive work, +/- 10% is fine for most things and hence even a harbor freight torque wrench is plenty accurate. For critical applications obviously you need to be dead on.

Also if you read more carefully, I was saying you can usually feel if a torque wrench is off...not that I could torque blindly.

 

[bpjr]

Just curious, just how accurate do you need to be torquing an outboard prop?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OB props are lightly snugged up just enough to take the fore & aft play out. The prop shaft has a hole which lines up with a hole in the nut for a cotter pin. Some nuts (not many like this anymore) have slots in the top instead of a hole. You just line the holes (or slots) up enough to get the cotter pin in. The only time you need a wrench if if the fit is so tight you have to use one to get it all the way on.

I won't go into breaking shear pins or ruining a slipping rubber hub by tightening too much...

 

[WittHay]

I find that 3/8 drive ft.lb. torque wrenches are fairly long and you depend on the tw to be fairly accurate as its hard to get the right feel like you would have in a regular wrench or ratchet.

I use a GearWrench 3/8 and I wouldn't call it cheap junk. Its accurate enough for the non rotating parts that i need to torque.

Something about using a Craftsman torque wrench for a Volkswagen engine in a experimental aircraft, the whole thing is a recipe for disaster. Match the quality of the torque wrench to the application.