Torque wrenches losing calibration

[earthmover1980]

Just out of curiosity, I have never had any of my torque wrenches calibrated. Never felt the need to. I have a Craftsman clicker, SK beam type, and Snap on Torque meters. If not abused, and zeroed out, how necessary is re calibraton? What type of wrench retains the most accuracy? How far off do they really get(%)?

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I have two SO Torqometers from the 80's. I had them checked a few years ago and they were still in spec.

 

[Firebrick43]

Beam type and split beam retain accuracy better than a a micrometer click type. Gage lab at work is always adjusting the click wrenches. The split beams not so much. Of corse split beams (except stahlwille) only go in one direction.

 

[guy48065]

They're simple mechanical systems that should never go out of spec as long as they're NEVER abused, dropped, bumped, over-ranged, exposed to high or low heat or humidity, left in the rain, pissed on by your cat, or loaned to ANYONE, EVER.

 

[Eric29]

That was my thinking until I realized that the clicker I have from craftsman that had never been dropped was torquing 80 pound bolt heads to 50 foot pounds. I then had my smaller older inch lb. clicker checked, and it was off as well.

Springs weaken over time.

They're simple mechanical systems that should never go out of spec as long as they're NEVER abused, dropped, bumped, over-ranged, exposed to high or low heat or humidity, left in the rain, pissed on by your cat, or loaned to ANYONE, EVER.

 

[unslow1]

I have several clickers that don't get used much. A couple of years ago I had them all checked. Only one was off more than 2 lbs. That one was off 4lbs. It was also probably 25 years old. Now I never worry about it. Unless I drop one or for some reason they get used as a breaker bar I won't have them checked again soon.

 

[Hytekrednek]

always remember to set your t-wrenches back to its lowest setting once finished using it "decompressing the spring" I have had mine checked and they all are still in spec 20 years later, but I do take care of them and treat them like the measuring instruments that they are. This has even been true for my 3 screwdriver type torque tools
Buy quality tools, and treat them well.

 

[Mikeske]

always remember to set your t-wrenches back to its lowest setting once finished using it "decompressing the spring" I have had mine checked and they all are still in spec 20 years later, but I do take care of them and treat them like the measuring instruments that they are. This has even been true for my 3 screwdriver type torque tools
Buy quality tools, and treat them well.

NO Truer words said then your statement. My old Bonney/Utica torque wrenches I used in aviation for over 35 years were calibrated every 6 months for entire time I worked in that field and they never were were off by more then a pound. They also were always kept dry, clean and in a protective case when not being used.

 

[CR888]

What amazes me is some members who are forced to use TW's in factory machinery repair to both undo fasteners & then do them up, never reset the setting to zero & outright punish TW's on a daily basis. These guys (members) report their mandated monthly calibration checks rarely if at all require adjustment. Their not allowed to use breaker bars and MUST use their TW to remove stubborn high torque fasteners. My point is until your forced to put some of these tools to the test (which most folks never do) you don't understand how tough these tools perhaps really are. The guy that resets to zero his TW precision instrument every time he uses it (3x a year) & makes maintenance claims that his procedures are the basis behind a TW remaining within spec, is that advice based on tested proven experience or ignorant bliss & wishful thinking?

 

[Moose97]

Where can a homeowner get theirs calibrated?

 

[guy48065]

... The guy that resets to zero his TW precision instrument every time he uses it (3x a year) & makes maintenance claims that his procedures are the basis behind a TW remaining within spec, is that advice based on tested proven experience or ignorant bliss & wishful thinking?

It's my hope that MOST members don't invent they're own use & maintenance procedures. MOST probably follow the mfr. recommendation to dial the handle down to the "minimum setting" before storage. Every mfr. manual I've seen says the same.

Why isn't this universally followed?

 

[Hytekrednek]

What amazes me is some members who are forced to use TW's in factory machinery repair to both undo fasteners & then do them up, never reset the setting to zero & outright punish TW's on a daily basis. These guys (members) report their mandated monthly calibration checks rarely if at all require adjustment. Their not allowed to use breaker bars and MUST use their TW to remove stubborn high torque fasteners. My point is until your forced to put some of these tools to the test (which most folks never do) you don't understand how tough these tools perhaps really are. The guy that resets to zero his TW precision instrument every time he uses it (3x a year) & makes maintenance claims that his procedures are the basis behind a TW remaining within spec, is that advice based on tested proven experience or ignorant bliss & wishful thinking?

I use mine maybe 15-20 times a year each, not much in other words. Even if I did not zero them every time, I would be surprised if they got so out of spec that they were not usable. I treat them this way because it is what the maker suggest, and because I paid lots for them and I want them to last. the 5 seconds it takes to zero them is of no big deal to me. I have work on assembly lines before, and yes, we were hard on the tools and they took it usually. There was a whole department with all the test gear to maintain them and test them, plus, what is a $300 T wrench when you are building Mercedes M class as fast as the line can go? Less than chump change to them! To me, a $300 wrench is not cheap, so I treat them the way I was taught to treat a good woman... with kindness and respect. I have breaker bars, iron pipe for them, and hammers if I need to get a bit gorilla-like on a fastener. I did not mean my statement to be taken as proof of anything, it was just sharing my ways and observations. To some, it is worth it to baby them and polish them, to industry, not so much. They make thousands of t wrenches every day, someone is using them hard and buying new ones.