Torque wrench lube question

[bchee]

I have a click type torque wrench, with the handle that turns to set the torque.
It comes in a case.

Last time I used the wrench a few months ago, I opened the case and it was covered in quite a lot of thick oil. I thought it was strange but used it anyway. I wiped it down and put it back.

I used it today and it was covered in even more oil.

Where is it coming from, and should there even be this much oil leaking out?

 

[bchee]

Any advice? Do I need to get it recalibrated?

 

[jerk_chicken]

Who's the manufacturer? Got a pic?

Whenever in doubt with a torque wrench, yes, get it recalibrated. It can save your *** later.

 

[mkdive]

I'm guessing the oil is coming out of the ratchet head? not down by the handle?

 

[bchee]

Its a Husky brand, 1/2" drive, up to 250ft lbs.

The oil is very thick, like gear oil, maybe like in a shock absorber. I know there has to be some grease to keep the ratchet head lubed, but this is WAY too much leaking out. It was several teaspoons a few months ago, and several teaspoons again this last time. Definitely more than the volume of the ratchet head, which is why I thought it was so weird.

It's hard to tell where its coming from, because it lies flat in the case, and the whole head and shaft were covered.

Thanks

 

[-B-]

I bet it is the oil running out of the cheap grease.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Chinese use oils and greases to lube tooling that is a nasty, smelly stuff, does this stuff by chance have a strong odor?

Charles

 

[bchee]

The oil didn't smell any worse than I thought it might.
What I'm more concerned about is how much is coming out. Is the whole shaft and handle supposed to be filled with fluid? I thought it was just the head, like a regular ratchet.

 

[bchee]

I bet it is the oil running out of the cheap grease.

do you mean they are separating?

 

[Treeman]

Teaspoons of oil???? As far as I know, micrometer wrench mechanisms only have light amounts of grease on a few of the moving parts within the wrench. Is someone playing a trick on you? That is weird. Maybe contact Team Torque and ask them. Please share what you find out.

 

[bchee]

Teaspoons of oil???? As far as I know, micrometer wrench mechanisms only have light amounts of grease on a few of the moving parts within the wrench. Is someone playing a trick on you? That is weird. Maybe contact Team Torque and ask them. Please share what you find out.

that's exactly what I thought

 

[Stress]

Hey bchee, did you ever solve this leaking torque wrench mystery from 2009? I ask because I have the same model wrench and it is leaking oil (or liquified grease) from the pins or screw heads in the top of the shaft just like you describe.

 

[Qualitytools]

Interesting, please share your finding when you solve the misterey.

 

[Stress]

I took the ratchet head off of my wrench to see what was going on. That was a mistake.

As soon as I punched out the pin holding it on, the head and insides flew out along with the rest of the oil. It looks to me like the grease that was applied to the spring and other moving parts during assembly had liquified a little with age (only 5 years!). This oil then moved past the parts near the top of the wrench shaft and out the pin and o-ring at the top.

I'm going to wipe it clean and re-grease with some bearing grease if I can figure out the proper way to put it all back.