What is your favorite torque wrench?

I just dismantled a donor bike for parts and almost stripped the project bike to be cleaned and all the good stuff. I realized that I will need a handy torque wrench to make sure that either I don't snap bolts or have loose parts with vibration overtime.

What is your favorite torque wrench and why?

I bought an inexpensive one from Harbor Freight but I don't know how accurate it is.



Any suggestions that will not break the bank will be much appreciated.

 

i have a simliar one from harbor freight and compared to my 100 dollar one it is pretty accurate.

 

Was looking into getting some beam type craftsman from sears. Surprisingly cheap, supposed to be more accurate than click type.

 

Beam type is great because it measures torque consistently and never needs adjusting other than bending the needle back to zero. It is based on calculating beam deflection in response to a torque, and is very linear in angle before the reaching yield strength. Beam deflection is a property of the material (Young's Modulus) and it's geometry, so there's no way it can go out of adjustment unless one of those change.

The only real problem with beam types is operational, you have to "see" the scale while turning the bolt, and you have to "read" the scale correctly EACH time you use it. And it's easy to misread the scale in the moment, just once, and shear a bolt. Some also have two heads and two scales so they can be read upside down.

Remember dynamic friction is lower than static friction, and the torque reading is only valid WHILE the bolt is turning. If you stop too early, then try to turn the bolt again, it'll take more torque to overcome the static friction than it took to get the bolt to that position while it was moving. So you have to read the torque while it is turning.

What I did, since I also didn't want to break the bank, I have two sears craftsman beam torque wrenches (3/8" and 1/2" drive) that I got for like $25 each. Then I have two click Harbor Freight'ers, a 1/4" and 3/8". You need to remember that Torque wrenches are only accurate over the middle 60% of their stated range (i.e. if it says 5-75 ft-lbs, you can only trust it between 20 (70*0.2+5) and 60 (75-70*0.2) ft-bs. You need multiple torque wrenches that overlap to handle all of the torque ranges you might need.

I use the HF's more often because it's easier to set the torque then turn until it clicks. Since they are HF's, some times I'll set a lower torque, just to make sure it does click and I don't overtorque, then move up to the proper torque and try again. If it's a really important bolt, like the brake caliper bolts, I've used the HF, then checked it with the beam type, and it's been dead on (within the margin of error).

If I were you, I just wouldn't expect the HF's to be something you pass on to your grand kids, but for a short time (I've had mine for 4 years) they've been working fine.

 

I had two , a 1/2 " drive , and a 3/8" drive click type , but when a digital one came up on special for less than 1/2 price at the auto shop , I grabbed it .I love it . Each one is individually tested for accuracy and the results included with the unit. It,s less than 1/2 % out at its worst and will read scroll through 3 different types of measurements at the touch of a button. Having said that ,I do have several projects on the go , so the expense was justifiable , or so I convinced myself at the time , cheers , Murray

 

Buy true quality and it will last a lifetime.

I soldiered along with the beam type for years, but I much prefer the "clickers."

I have both Craftsman and K-D Tools.

You need two to cover your XJ properly: One with a 10ft/lb~100ft/lb range; and an inch-pound, 25 in/lb~250 in/lb which covers the low-torque stuff (like 7.2 ft/lb case bolts and 6 ft/lb clutch bolts, etc.)

 

I have a "Husky" picked up at Home Depot and it works well.

Been looking to pick up a low torque model but have yet to find a quality tool at a reasonable price.

 

Check this out:
Neilsen Torque Wrench - 3/8 - Range 5-80 ft/lb ct0737

Its unbelievably cheap (14 quid) so I'm suspicious, but tt does apparently have the range for all the bolts on the bike.
What are your thoughts?

 

if you can't see the pointer on a beam type, it's useless.
if you have one that your not sure of, test it with a bolt a vise and some weights or a scale

 

It doesn't have the range for all the bolts on the bike. Your clutch basket bolts on the 550 only go to 5.8 ft/lb. Your rear axle nut goes to 79ft/lb.

Torque wrenches ARE NOT ACCURATE at the extremes of their range. That wrench would likely break clutch basket bolts or hub pillars; and you wouldn't get your axle nut right.

The way to accurately cover all of the bolts on the bike is to have an "inch-pound" wrench (25 ~ 250 in/lb) AND a wrench with a 10ft/lb ~ 100 ft/lb. range.

 

If somebody is looking for a deal:

https://www.grainger.com/product/CRAFTSMAN-INDUSTRIAL-Torque-Wrench-22N742

 

I mostly use a beam style, ever since the clicker style snapped bolts on my YJ (jeep).
When the clicker is required I do as Polock suggests and get a bolt in a vise and verify the 'click' operation.

 

Fr those that have wrenches that don't click right, or stopped clicking, etc..... have you been diligent about putting the oil in the hole? What about backing off the end of the handle? Following the directions? I've never had any problem with mine.

Dave F

 

I use a beam type, it's a pretty old unit, I think it ended up in my garage from my grandpa's days as a mechanic. Still works like a charm and reads dead accurate when compared with new ones. Although I prefer a new clicker one for certain applications.

 

I still have my beam one from my teen days. Was all I could afford then. Put an engine together with it and never had any issues. I have both in/lb and ft/lb Craftsman clickers now, prefer those for most applications. They do need to be cared for though.

 

Well, I bought the craftsman clicker which looks a lot better than my HF one. And I just got a beam style one on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/P-A-Sturtev...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

For $3.75 can't go wrong and this is the small one with a max range of 250 in/lbs for the small stuff. Now I should have almost everything I need to put my project back together.