Torque Wrench Lifespan

[bob_the_builder]

I need to replace the intake gasket on my Silverado so I thought this project would give me a good reason to purchase a torque wrench. I have a cheap Mastercraft 1/2" drive torque wrench which I typically use for tire changes. I figure for tires the accuracy is not that important. However for smaller bolts such as intake manifold, brake calipers, etc... the accuracy is important.

I have been considering a 1/4" drive (40-200 in-lbs) for small engine work and a 3/8" drive (5-75 ft-lbs) for brake calipers and mid range fasteners.

I guess my question is assuming the torque wrench is well looked after (set back to lowest setting each time, not dropped, etc...) can I expect it to last a really long time? Living in Canada my online options are very limited due to high shipping costs and import fees if shipping from the US. Unless I go with a no-name brand I think my least expensive options would be Gearwrench. I do have a Snap on Industrial account so I do get a small discount off Snap on tools. Therefore I am also considering a CDI or Snap on click type torque wrench as well. Even with my discount I am still looking at a $120 dollar difference between Gearwrench and CDI/Snap On. Does it make sense to spend the extra money or regardless of which torque wrench I buy in the next 5-10 years it will be time to replace it.

I do not wrench professionally and just work on family and friends cars out of my garage so the torque wrench will not be used on a daily bases.

Bob

 

[hautpot]

The thing that would make a click type torque wrench inaccurate is the main Spring. So with proper care, the torque wrench can technically still go out of calibration like a micrometer.

You can send it in to a calibration lab and if it fails calibration they can fine tune it back to spec.

I say the brand doesn't matter. If you are not going to get it routinely calibrated, the torque wrench is only for estimation. Some labs don't care what brand it is or where it is made, they just test it its best ability and record it.

 

[SMKS]

You can also buy a torque adapter and use that to check torque wrenches.

My Harbor Freight torque adapter has been a good purchase. I've used it a lot more than I thought I would, but maybe I buy more used torque wrenches than some people here.

Anyway, my experience is a properly stored clicker torque wrench stays in calibration a lot longer than some people here assume. I had a USA-made Craftsman clicker, the kind that were sold under many different brands, for more than 10 years and it still checked out as in spec.

My HF torque wrench is about 7 years old and still checks out as in spec.

My CDI torque wrench purchased NOS from Harry Epstein -with a 1989 production date- still checks out as in spec. It was properly stored from the factory at the lowest setting.

Here's a post from another thread on this topic:

I’m working on my girlfriend’s VW and I needed to tighten the axle nut to 221 ft-lbs. My torque wrenches top out at 150 ft-lbs because I never (until now) needed anything higher than that.

I didn’t want to buy another torque wrench just for this job, so I decided to rent the torque wrench from O’Reilly Auto Parts.

Normally I wouldn’t trust a torque wrench that’s surely been abused, but I decided to give it a shot because I could check it with my torque adapter.

They had two torque wrenches. One was obviously broken and would not ratchet. The person working the counter said he knew customers rented them to use as breaker bars. The second torque wrench seemed to work OK, so I took it.

This torque wrench is made in Taiwan and has a fine tooth mechanism that’s a copy of the old Facom design. It wasn’t ratcheting great because the screw in the center was loose. I adjusted it using the instructions for all the Facom-based designs (tighten screw fully then back off ¼ turn) and it was working better. It’s rough in the reverse direction, which leads me to believe it has been used as a breaker bar and may have a couple chipped teeth.

Before using the wrench, I tested it with my torque adapter and found it was still quite accurate. I tested it at 50 and 70 ft-lbs and at both ranges it was generally within one or two ft-lbs. I was shocked.

I suspect this shows that us GJ’ers may be worrying too much about how often we need to have our torque wrenches calibrated, if this one was still pretty close after spending time as a rental that seems to have been abused.

 

[bob_the_builder]

Do the Snap on Techwrench Torque Wrenches hold up well compared to the click type?

Bob

 

[george4]

I have an old 1/2 dial Snap On from about the 1960s. A friend had it checked about a year ago through the dealership he worked at and said it was still accurate.

 

[RumT]

I have a Craftsman 1/2" 250 ft lb that is over ten years old and still passes calibration.

 

[s14kev]

I have a micrometer style Snap on that did 5 years in a tire shop. Used hundreds of times daily. Still passes calibration.