snapon digital to replace beam torque wrench for finding breakaway force?

[Grant Gunderson]

I own a lot of torque wrenches and torque limiting screw drivers.

All are Snapon and wera (torque limiting screw drivers). I’ve been very happy with them. I don’t mind spending the $ for quality tools.

I also own a Park beam style that I only use for setting the clutch on Shimano bike derailleurs as a click type won’t work for that.

I recently purchased a used Vermont Ski Binding tester. For testing ski bindings and ensuring they release at the proper values. These things are stupid expensive like $6k+ new. All they are is a dummy foot that gets inserted into a ski boot you then insert their “tester” into it and rotate until the binding releases and then read the release value. Their “tester ” is just a beam style torque wrench that reads in NM.


It has two indicators on the scale that read the maximum torque it released at. Instead of paying a fortune to get this old beam style recalibrated by them I’d like to purchase something new and of better quality. So that perked my interest in a digital Snapon torque wrench. Never used one as I like my clicker types. So my question is instead of setting it to a predetermined torque level, can you use those like a beam style to read the actual breakaway torque like you can with the old beam style? I need to be able to measure both CW and CCW forces too.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

I have the Icon digital torque wrench and it does read the torque readings as you are applying force. I have not tried it in reverse, however. I would imagine it does. In theory you should be able to set the torque higher than the breakaway force and read the value at breakaway.

Another option is a torque adapter like this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-59-59-ft-lb-digital-torque-adapter-58705.html

Everything I have read says the design is inherently very accurate. It should be easy to test if you have good torque wrenches already.

 

[bigfunwmu]

Yes, digital wrenches can do this. HF Icon and Quinn both can. Snap-on should, but I haven't done it with one. Just set it to display max applied torque and run the setup until it releases and see what the screen says.

Also, regular click style wrenches can do this in a way. If your spec is something like: release force must be greater than 20 and less than 40; set the click style wrench to 20 (or 19) and it should click without the release opening. Then stop and reset to 40, and the thing should open before the wrench clicks. Not perfect, but you can do it before you spend the cash on the digital wrench to make sure things work how it sounds like they should. With the extra geometry on that device, the "40" on that scale to measure total release force may not be the same "40nM" at the head of the torque wrench

 

[LXCam]

My snap on’s will flash the max torque settings in both directions on their own. I use/log the breakaway value every time I’m tearing down a problem engine that has an unknown issue.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I've used techangles for breakaway and more often sustained pinion rotation measurements. A cheap 1/4 beam/pointer style is easier IMO

 

[Grant Gunderson]

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Cruzan80]

Why do you think the beam is out of calibration? My understanding is they are based on the properties of the metal itself, so unless very fatigued thru too many cycles, or been in a fire (excessive heat), etc. they should be fine still.