torque wrench recommendations please

[Baby Grand]

There was another thread on torque wrenches not too long ago. SK torque wrenches had some good recommendations by other TBN members. All my socket sets are SK. They make an excellent tool. I prefer SK over anything else.

I'll second that. Have my first 3/8" set bought in 1974 - still going strong, green box & all.
Around that time I had to replace a head on an Volvo and bought a 1/2" drive beam type SK torque wrench. Never needs callibration, virtually indestructible and very affordable. Have a HF 3/4" drive clicker that has worked well for FWD wheel bearings. Also have a Craftsman 3/8" drive that I got for lawnmower head tightening - price was reasonable and it had a low enough range to work for those .250 bolts.

[mvwicker]

Hi MV - there might be regional differences in the terminology, but I think you are describing the basic defecting-pointer-over-a-numbered-scale-plate type ($15 or so) when you say split-beam - I'm going on your description of marking the back of the scale.

Just fyi, not trying to nitpick...... It took me a bit of research to track down a real split beam - oversimplifying a bit, you essentially have 2 torsion bars, enclosed in the handle of the wrench. It does click when it hits your preset limit, but there is no spring to worry about. Pricing is $100+ typically.

(Went looking for an exploded diagram of a split-beam design - I've seen one, but just can't seem to pull it up right now).

I take good care of my tools, and rarely lend 'em, but liked the rugged design of the split-beam.

I've always heard good things about SK, that should be a nice one if that is what you pick up Daugen.

Rgds, D.

Thanks for pointing that out, Dave. I did indeed mean the inexpensive "beam" type torque wrench when I wrote "split beam":
Craftsman 3/8-in. Dr. Beam Style Torque Wrench, 0-75 ft. lbs. - Tools - Wrenches - All Open Stock Wrenches
Didn't even know about the split beam type.

[3930dave]

Thanks for pointing that out, Dave. I did indeed mean the inexpensive "beam" type torque wrench when I wrote "split beam":
Craftsman 3/8-in. Dr. Beam Style Torque Wrench, 0-75 ft. lbs. - Tools - Wrenches - All Open Stock Wrenches
Didn't even know about the split beam type.

You're welcome MV. A big part of why I hang out here is for the "stuff" I don't know - I try and return the favour when I can.

You tend to only come across true split beam ones in an industrial setting; they are less widely understood. The basic pointer-to-a-numbered-plate are a whole lot better than nothing, and I've used them more than once.

For me, the split-beam 3/8 I bought was about a case of beer more ($ wise) than what a generic spring based clicker costs here. For the incremental cost of a case of beer, I went split-beam.

Lots of good examples listed here for Daugen to pick from.

by Net delivers again !

Rgds, D.

[daugen]

Tractor by Net delivers again !

[daugen]

Dr. Digi-Click 1/2-in. Torque Wrench: Torque it Down Right with Sears

right size and price, but nowhere in the specs is there any information about accuracy specs...
shouldn't I pay attention to them, or are all of these things "close enough" for non space shuttle work?

[3930dave]

Dr. Digi-Click 1/2-in. Torque Wrench: Torque it Down Right with Sears

right size and price, but nowhere in the specs is there any information about accuracy specs...
shouldn't I pay attention to them, or are all of these things "close enough" for non space shuttle work?

I'd try and find the specs, it might take a trip to a store to see the manual. Sears probably chooses not to list the specs, when marketing to a retail market. Aside from % accuracy, it should spec the valid range for the given accuracy - most spring based ones will not hold that accuracy over their entire range.

The list on Precision Instruments split-beam 1/2" is something like $235. If that is more than you'd like to spend, I'd have a look (Snap On, Mac Tools local dealers) on what a Calibration costs. A buddy of mine went that route, picking up an older Snap On from a pawn shop.

If you know 1 or more folks with a decent 1/2", I'd be tempted to just test an older Snap On against theirs, and skip the Cal if you are not re-building race engines every week.

I've had my moneys worth out of my Craftsman 1/2" spring clicker, but I wouldn't go that route again. I broke the head of the first one (looked like a casting flaw) torquing truck wheels out in the cold one Winter. Was enough of a polite PITA at the local Sears (I'd had it well over 10 years), that they replaced it for free. The replacement wrench still works (adjusts and clicks), but the twist lock on the handle does not - no abuse, and I'm the only person that has used this second one. YMMV.

Rgds, D.

[94BULLITT]

One bad thing about the clicker craftsman is the adjuster is made of plastic and the break easliy.

[daugen]

well after getting all this good advice, I thought I really ought to get my "old" unused Craftsman torque wrench out and inspect it, didn't even know what I had.
Not smart, I know.
And lo and behold it sounds like the one a few of you have, rated up to 150 pounds. Might have what I need and was simply clueless.

[3930dave]

well after getting all this good advice, I thought I really ought to get my "old" unused Craftsman torque wrench out and inspect it, didn't even know what I had.
Not smart, I know.
And lo and behold it sounds like the one a few of you have, rated up to 150 pounds. Might have what I need and was simply clueless.

Don't be too hard on yourself.... I know I'm overdue to do a proper inventory on my stuff too !

Perhaps you were just testing the full 150# setting, but if this wrench has been stored set like that, you need to relax the spring. Drop it to 100# for a day or 2, then 50#......

Either way... try and find somebody local that you can test wrenches with, esp. before doing something critical (ex. cylinder heads).

Rgds, D.

[daugen]

Don't be too hard on yourself.... I know I'm overdue to do a proper inventory on my stuff too !

Perhaps you were just testing the full 150# setting, but if this wrench has been stored set like that, you need to relax the spring. Drop it to 100# for a day or 2, then 50#......

Either way... try and find somebody local that you can test wrenches with, esp. before doing something critical (ex. cylinder heads).

Rgds, D.

thanks, when I was looking at the wrench and it was set all the way high, I knew from this discussion that I needed to fix that. Kind of like a decompression chamber, but for springs...
Now I have to look up what the torque setting is for my Land Pride mower bolts and see if 150 is enough.

here's a silly moment. I can't read the little markings on the shaft, the thing was screwed out too much. So I see Foot Foundry, and now I wonder where that is, but at least it's in the USA.
Seemed an odd supplier to Sears... and of course as I turned the knob down and all the words could be read, it was Foot Pounds, not Foundry... and a lot of reference to newton meters, but when I saw
the 150 become visible, that's what I wanted to know. I wonder who made this for Sears some ten years ago.