Snap On Torque Wrench Problem

[xbeatles4x]

Hey guys, I bought my first snap-on tool ever. It is a TQFR100C that looks brand new and has the calibration paperwork and sticker on the box from November of 2015. I did buy it second hand but suddenly it seems to have a weird issue.

The thumb wheel on the torque setting side seems to have started to bind and sometimes I can't turn it easily or at all. The calibration of the tool seems fine mostly when I was testing it compared to my other torque wrench but sometimes it doesn't click at all.

At the upper end say around 75ft lbs it clicks perfectly and very pronounced. At the lower end of 20ft lbs it seems to click but not quite as loud. Around 50 ftlbs it barely makes any click and around there is where the thumbwheel gets stuck.

So what do I do? I am not too familiar with how snap on works with repairs or adjustments on tools. Tools are just a hobby of mine. I assume that since it is snap-on and part of the reason people buy snap on is for their warranty, so how do I get this taken a look at?

The main reason I went with a split beam versus my harborfreight clicker is that I wanted something that was precise and durable that I could hold on to for life.

 

[T45]

Nobody over the internet can take responsibility for what happens if the wrench fails. Send it in to get repaired...budget $50 and just get it looked at.

The CDI manual PDFs are online, and you can download them...they are very helpful for the clicker series. but yours is a split beam, presumably Precision Instruments, I have not gone thru their manual but it may also be out there.

The manuals are good to read, even if you are not intending to fixit DIY. they have helful tips/tricks on storage, maintenance, correct usage. And also give you a sense of the amount of work needed to keep up or repair a device.

edit: owners manual, but not the calibration guide is here:

http://images.myautoproducts.com/images/Product_Media/Manuals/PRE/PRE-C5D600F_manual.pdf

edit2: here's the calibration manual

https://www.dropbox.com/s/33jskc8hy7g8gxk/Split Beam Repair Manual.pdf

courtesy of GJ thread

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=252138

post #2 http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4059338&postcount=2

 

[xbeatles4x]

I was more curious to know what are the motions that I would need to go through if I, as a hobbyist, needed a repair / warranty. I have never been down the tool truck route before nor have I owned a split beam wrench before. I went on their website and plugged in my address and area but it would spit out saying that no one would service my area.

Do I literally have to stop by the local tire shop and ask when the truck comes by or is there a more formal way of going about this.

I guess I felt frustrated and wanted to vent here a bit. Maybe this has happened to someone else before.

Previous owner did say they bought it and never used it. Is it possible that in just over a years time of sitting with no use that grease inside could have hardened?

Also, how does the warranty process work assuming I did find a truck that would assist me? Do I pay him the $50 and he sends it off on my behalf to get looked at? Do I mail it directly to snap on?

 

[T45]

I was more curious to know what are the motions that I would need to go through if I, as a hobbyist, needed a repair / warranty. ...

Do I literally have to stop by the local tire shop and ask when the truck comes by or is there a more formal way of going about this.
....

Also, how does the warranty process work assuming I did find a truck that would assist me? Do I pay him the $50 and he sends it off on my behalf to get looked at? Do I mail it directly to snap on?

Hey, it ***** to have this happen to you. The good news is you can call them and ship in it via fedex and they will likely fix it. Usually under a week.

Because the snap-on warranty is generally limited to the first purchaser, the process is likely to set you back some money for shipping and the cost of parts/labour. The prices they charge tho seem reasonable for what i have seen. A normal cert-check service is $50 and up by most non-oem providers.

So if you get a bill for $50-85 and a fixed device its basically a very small fee for the actual fix.

A tooltruck might help you, in a couple of ways...first they can sanity check it with a torque checker (to see if the cal is technically out of spec). and a good driver will also be able to double check for any simple problems/misadjust ment etc...and also send it in maybe without a shipping fee. But whether that is worth the hassle of changing a driver...is up to you so its hard to tell what your personal situation is.

If its a 3/8 unit, you can get a new PI one on sale for $110 (check hot deals thread), so you might want to get a repair-quote upfront. Closer to $50 just get it fixed by SO...

Split beams usually are not crazy hard to field repair, which means you are likely to get the unit back in working order in a reasonable amount of time at a reasonable cost.

I would be highly circumspect that a one year old unit would be DOA or non-repairable. But it may need to be opened up if a simple adjustment doesnt bring it back in spec. There are times when a lubricant goes bad, or some FOD gets in the mech and that needs to be cleaned up.

 

[md21722]

Since you did not purchase the tool from Snap On they have no obligation to fix it free of charge as warranty is to the original purchaser. Torque wrenches are serialized so they know who bought it. Since you don't have a Snap On man, I would call corporate. Explain that you have a new torque wrench that doesn't work right, it seems defective. Explain what it does wrong. They will explain the potential cost of repair and if you decide to go ahead, they will open a repair ticket and send you a shipping label. Don't bother arguing with the customer service department on whether or not there should be charge. They are not the ones who decide. Then you send in the torque wrench. Drop a note in the box that explains the problem and say seems defective. If there is a cost, they will call you to confirm the cost. If you agree, they will proceed with the work. If not, they will send it back to you, possibly charging you something for the shipping. If you don't hear from them for a while it was probably done as a good will repair. Normal turn around is 3-5 business days plus shipping. For flat rate repairs, the cost includes shipping both ways. For warranty work, shipping is free.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Thanks guys. Seems odd that they only warranty to the original purchaser. I'll call in the morning and see if tomorrow I can chase down a snap-on guy that might have more experience with this device.

 

[md21722]

It's posted right on their website:

2. Personal Use Warranties for Products. Customers buying Product for personal use can obtain the Product warranty information by calling the Snap-on Customer Care Center via telephone at 1-877-762-7664 or e-mail [email protected]. During the applicable duration of the applicable personal use warranty, at its option, Snap-on will repair or replace its Products which fail to meet the personal use warranty standards, or provide a refund by repaying or crediting Customer with an amount equal to the purchase price of such Products. Repair, replacement or refund shall be at the election and expense of Snap-on, and is Customer's exclusive remedy in place of all other rights and remedies. This warranty only extends to the original Customer and cannot be transferred or assigned. To obtain warranty service contact the Snap-on Customer Care Center via telephone at 1-877-762-7664 or e-mail [email protected]. The following information will be required with the customer’s warranty request: (1) date and proof of purchase, (2) where customer purchased the product, (3) full name, (4) shipping address, (5) phone number, (6) e-mail address, (7) item number(s) or approximate weight of return package. Warranty requests that do not include all of the required information will not be processed. Once the warranty request is validated, the customer will be provided an RGA number and will be sent a shipping label either electronically thru e-mail or thru the U.S. mail, and must ship the product to Snap-on. Upon receipt of the product, the warranty claim will be reviewed and the product will be inspected. If the warranty request is found to be valid, the product will be repaired and returned to the customer or a replacement product or refund will be shipped to the customer. If the warranty claims is found to be invalid, the original product will be returned to the customer. By repairing or replacing a Product, or providing a refund, Snap-on does not waive a claim that a Product nevertheless has been subject to abnormal use. You can obtain further information regarding the personal use warranty by writing: Snap-on Tools Company LLC, Consumer Warranty Information Center, 2801 – 80th Street, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53143. This address cannot be used to obtain warranty service. Any product mailed to this address will be returned.

If you choose not to (1) use a carrier that offers tracking or (2) insure or declare the full value of the product, you will be responsible for any loss or damage to the product during shipping. Replacement or refund will not be issued unless a valid proof of delivery can be provided.

 

[xbeatles4x]

If I am offered no warranty through snap on then couldn't I send it to precision instruments to inspect and repair / calibrate? I imagine they would be best suited to do is since they manufacture the wrench to begin with.

 

[scissorman]

Torque wrenches also DO NOT fall under any kind of warranty as far as calibration is concerned. The last time I asked about calibrating a Snap-on torque wrench through Snap-on it was around $75 and that was probably 15 years or more ago. I was also told it would take about 2-3 weeks for the turn around since Snap-on sends it out.

 

[xbeatles4x]

I completely understand calibration not being covered under warranty. But my issue doesn't seem to be from lack of calibration more so that the thumb wheel has too much resistance to the point that it doesn't want to turn and that it wouldn't click some of the time.

 

[PavelK313]

Strange problem. As I also own split beam SO torque wrench that has to be 10-15 yo and it works flawlessly.

 

[L.Cheapo]

In my experience SO customer service has been excellent. Worth calling them and seeing what your options are.

If I bought a used torque wrench, I would have figured the cost of a calibration into the price. You have no idea what has happened to that tool throughout its life. Just because it may not have been used, or used very little, does not mean it did not encounter some other event that would have caused calibration error. With a precision tool, you want accuracy. The tool is "probably" accurate, but can you be certain when you're torqueing a critical fastener?

I know, as others have said, that SO has a flat rate repair/calibration service. I have heard various prices from $50-$75. I believe my dealer might have said $65 when I bought my Techangles. I do not know if the price is the same for everyone, or just the original purchaser. As I said, worth a call to SO customer service. Let us know what you find!

 

[Buckgnarly]

I have had two used SO torque wrenches sent in to be calibrated/repaired. Both times I called and they paid shipping both ways. One was fixed for 75 bucks and they replaced the labels/cleaned up and calibrated. The other was not able to be fixed due to lack of parts (old model)...cost me nothing, they even sent it back free.
GREAT service from SO.

 

[donpauli2]

So you bought a tool second hand and are aggravated by several answers that explain you may have to pay for a repair and then you complain you don't understand why it wouldn't be warranted and have never set foot on a truck but don't want to deal with them. Any of this information can be found with a Google question. Sounds like you just wanna complain about Snap-On


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scissorman]

My Snapon dealer comes today so I'll ask him at least about the pricing for calibration and if it's a universal price and then I'll also ask about the problem you're having to see if that portion is warrantable then I'll post back. My Snappy dealer usually shows up around 3pm pst.

 

[xbeatles4x]

So you bought a tool second hand and are aggravated by several answers that explain you may have to pay for a repair and then you complain you don't understand why it wouldn't be warranted and have never set foot on a truck but don't want to deal with them. Any of this information can be found with a Google question. Sounds like you just wanna complain about Snap-On


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I full well understood that I would be doing a new calibration. No questions about it, it is a used wrench and I wanted to ensure the precision of it. The thumb wheel binding was the only thing odd about the wrench that appeared after a bit of use. My confusion lied on the fact that I have never dealt with snap on before and when I went on their website to search for someone local it said no one would service the areas of either my house or work address. I found it odd and inquired here as to what seems to be the normal thing people do.

I also wanted to ask the people here if maybe this was a common thing about the wrench or about buying a new split beam wrench that needs to be broken in and the thumbwheel would be a bit difficult to turn but I take it at this point the answer is no, my wrench seems to be peculiar.

My Snapon dealer comes today so I'll ask him at least about the pricing for calibration and if it's a universal price and then I'll also ask about the problem you're having to see if that portion is warrantable then I'll post back. My Snappy dealer usually shows up around 3pm pst.

Thanks Scissorman.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

First, the warranty for torque wrenches is only for a year against defects and doesn't include calibration.

So right off the bat, your on your own. Either send it to Snap-On for repair/estimate or a service like Angle Repair (in WV). I've used the latter a few times and they get positive feedback on the forum.

However, a standard calibration is going to run ~$50-60 (depending on shipping). I'd suspect with any repair you could easily be at $100.

 

[xbeatles4x]

I called them and was quoted $63 to get it flat rate repaired and calibrated. Seems rather reasonable so that is the route I will be going.

 

[anndel]

I called them and was quoted $63 to get it flat rate repaired and calibrated. Seems rather reasonable so that is the route I will be going.

It is reasonable, go for it.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Sorry for bugging you guys. I didn't realize they do mail order stuff too. I was under the impression that these things had to be done through a snap on truck. Anyway the nice person on the phone said turn around time is around 2 weeks so hopefully in 2 weeks I have my wrench back and in good working order so that I can start re assembly on my VW 1600 motor.

 

[md21722]

Snap On is generally great to deal with as you've found. When I call them I rarely have to wait for a person and times when I've been talking to someone and they've said they'd have to check and call me back they do so and its only about 5-15 minutes later. Good luck with your repair and engine build.

 

[country83]

Often the "binding" you describe is the gears between the thumbscrew and the number dial binding. Needs to be taken apart for adjustment/repair.

The TQFR100C is made by CDI, a SO owned company, not Precision. The older wrenches of that style were Precision, however.

 

[anndel]

Sorry for bugging you guys. I didn't realize they do mail order stuff too. I was under the impression that these things had to be done through a snap on truck. Anyway the nice person on the phone said turn around time is around 2 weeks so hopefully in 2 weeks I have my wrench back and in good working order so that I can start re assembly on my VW 1600 motor.

I bought all of my Snap Ons via online. Some from the classifieds here on GJ, some from the truck when I used to work on cars back in the mid 1980s but mostly from snapon.com.

 

[T45]

I called them and was quoted $63 to get it flat rate repaired and calibrated. Seems rather reasonable so that is the route I will be going.

This sounds good outcome all around...

+1 Post an update when you get the unit back

...and let us know how it went.

 

[JDon99]

Are they covering shipping? I have a 3/4" tq wrench that binds a little while turning the dial, but not to the point where I cannot turn it. It was like that new.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Are they covering shipping? I have a 3/4" tq wrench that binds a little while turning the dial, but not to the point where I cannot turn it. It was like that new.

The process was as follows. I told the representative the product number and she verified that it was new enough to still service. Then I read the serial number to her. She said it was eligible for the flat rate repair / calibration. She sent me an email with a pre-paid shipping label and I verified that the $63 it would cost included the cost of the shipping it to them and shipping it back to me.

Whatever it is worth when I called in I pressed the option as though I am a hobbyist and not a professional person. Prices might be different or the process might be different.

 

[scissorman]

Talked with my Snap-on dealer today and he said the calibration is a flat $63 charge and usually includes minor repairs such as the issue you have with yours. Warranty is only one year from date of purchase to the original purchaser.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Talked with my Snap-on dealer today and he said the calibration is a flat $63 charge and usually includes minor repairs such as the issue you have with yours. Warranty is only one year from date of purchase to the original purchaser.

Thank you for following up with that. It means a lot to me.

 

[xbeatles4x]

I wanted to post this thread with an update. I received my wrench back today and I am overall very happy with my experience. My tool is working well now. Sorry how I came across initially with my post, my post was more that of asking what do I do in my predicament. I wasn't necessarily complaining or feeling that I was entitled to anything just clueless how this worked without access to a tool truck.

Thanks for all the posts everyone. My issue is all wrapped up.

 

[JDon99]

I wanted to post this thread with an update. I received my wrench back today and I am overall very happy with my experience. My tool is working well now. Sorry how I came across initially with my post, my post was more that of asking what do I do in my predicament. I wasn't necessarily complaining or feeling that I was entitled to anything just clueless how this worked without access to a tool truck.

Thanks for all the posts everyone. My issue is all wrapped up.

Good deal. Is there any sign that they tore it apart? Did they send another calibration sheet?

 

[xbeatles4x]

I did not receive a new calibration sheet, just a sticker on the wrench saying when it was last calibrated (a few days ago). There is evidence that they did tear it apart. The enamel glue thing that is on the side covering the adjustment bolt is new now and still slightly tacky.