curls

Would a good quality torque wrench with a 20 - 250 ft-lb range be sufficient for most standard DIY jobs with most cars? I'd suspect the smaller (3/8") wrench with 20-250 in-lb would be good for small bolts like in the head and internals, but the larger (20-250 ft-lb) would be good for suspension, brakes, wheels, etc...

Opinions?

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I use two torque wrenches for the exact reasons. One Snap-on digital and one Craftsman.

feelgood13

sears has torque wrenches on sale this week. i was going to pick up a 3/8" for my wheels, now you telling me i need the 1/2" also??

Nakamichi

Can't you just buy the 1/2" torque wrench and buy a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter? Seems cheaper.

feelgood13

6 inches of adapters sticking out is not going to be too practical is space is a concern. is a 3/8" strong enough to tighten lugs?

Alin10123

What i do is i bought a 1/2 and it came with a 3/8 adapter that was only about an inch long.
With regards to the lugs, i've got a socket set that comes with a deep 1/2 inch socket. I think it's for changing out spark plugs. But it fits onto my torque wrench perfectly and i use that for my lugs. I think it's an "ace hardware" kit which i think is made by craftman or something.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I use the 3/8 Snap-on for precision works. It measures from 5-100 ft lbs as well as inch lbs. The 1/2 drive Craftsman measures 20 to 150 ft lbs which I usually use for lug nuts or heavy stuffs.

A Cake On

I am looking for a good torque wrench too. I did my suspension install with the help of my boss using his Craftsman and I didn't like it. With the particular one that I was using it was very hard to tell when you reached the desired torque setting. The "clicking" was very inaudible. As a result, one of the bolts I put on my car that was supposed to be 37 fl lbs ended up being like 80 ft lbs. It seemed like it was taking far more than it should to torque it down, because I passed the stopping point. Now whenever we see 37 ft lbs in a set of instructions we laugh because it is our dreaded number.

Sorry to get so off topic but I once rented a double ended torque wrench from Murrays Auto that was made by performance tool. It had 3/8 on one side and 1/2 on the other. The clicking was loud as hell, and it also had considerable give when you reached the torque setting you wanted. All around convenient tool. I think the model number was M210. It was only about 30 bucks. Maybe not as reliable as Craftsman in the long run, but if you end up buying another because the first one fails, you still didn't spend as much as you would have with Craftsman. I know I can find one of these online but I would love to find it in Murrays again and just pick it up, no such luck.

aaronng

Is this the one you were mentioning about? http://www.toolking.com/productinfo....roductid=13406

curls

Sorry, my original message should be edited for the following:

Not sure which to buy (can only buy one, at least for now).

Mastercraft Maximum: (comes with plastic case, lifetime warranty)
1/2" drive, 50-250 ft-lb, sale $69.99
3/8" drive, 25-250 in-lb, sale $59.99

Regular Mastercraft: (no case, but does come with lifetime warranty)
1/2" drive, 35-250 ft-lb, reg. price @ $79.99
3/8" drive, 25-250 ft-lb, reg. price @ $69.99

As I said, I only really need it for lug nuts and the odd suspension part (swaybar brackets, LOL). Do you think the 3/8" drive 25-250 ft-lb would be good? I like it because its a bit shorter (manouverable) but also goes down as low as 25 ft-lb. The Maximum one (1/2" drive) only goes as low as 50 ft-lbs which is only going to be good for lug nuts it seems.

xizor

I use my 1/2" for everything, I have a 3/8" but have only use it for very few things. The 1/2" is easier to tigthen things with, the 3/8" can probably do 80ft/lb, but it takes a whole lot more force since its shorter

curls

So a low-end of 35 ft-lb would be sufficient for most stuff aside from engine internals?

If so, I'm buying it today.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't use a rental torque wrench. There is no telling how it was used and if it's even accurate.

Vegito

If that is correct, in/lb - divide by 12 to get foot pound

A Cake On

thats the guy.

I actaully feel the same way. I made them take the torque qrench off of the sales floor and sell it to me, and before I toolk it I had the manager give me the OK to return it after it was used. I claimed I didn't like the brand that they actually had for renting. They agreed with no hassle, this way I was the first to use it.

STL

Here is a 10-150 ft-lbs 1/2" drive one on sale for just $13:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...Itemnumber=239

TacoBellSauce

i actually dont use a torque wrech when tightening my wheels
does it really matter?
i havent had a problem yet

curls

I was actually looking at the 3/8" version of that one but on eBay. Here's the harborfreight link: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=807

Is "Pittsburgh" a decent brand or is this a "get what you pay for" brand / store?

xizor

I have harborfreight ones and have been happy w/ them, very easy to use and inexpensive. my friend has the exact same one rebranded for $50. a lot of people look at the price and write it off as junk, but I think its decent... maybe not perfectly accurate, but who knows

curls

$12.99 for the 1/2" and $18.99 for the 3/8"... shipped together, will be cheaper than one 1/2" one here.

I'm calling them on Monday to see if they ship to Canada.

aaronng

Torque wrenches cost too much here in Australia. A made in china , no guarantee on calibration and accuracy one costs US$25. A snap-on one is US$205 2nd hand!

bz268

My suggestion is, for examples:

If you need to torque 50 ft-lb, you should get a wrench that has a range between 0 and 100 ft-lb.

Basically, you want the torque you need in the middle.

So, if you have a wrench that has a range between 25 and 250 ft-lb, the optimal torque is around the middle which is, in this case, around 115 ft-lb.

For the 50-250 ft-lb wrench, it is best to use it to torque around 100 ft-lb.

Remember, it will not be accurate to torque anything far away from the middle. So, DO NOT torque 35 ft-lb with a torque wrench with a 25-250 ft-lb range. Things are going to fly all over the place in the freeway...

And for the hard to reach places, you may want to use one that has a flexable head. SnapOn sells those... or... maybe one of those twisting torque wrench instead...

jlukja

I forgot to post this earlier. Sears is having a sale on their torque wrenches this week. Regular price $75, sales price $59

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...orque+Wrenches
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...orque+Wrenches

rtlltj

which of those 2 would you say is more useful on jobs for the tsx? I'm just thinking ahead if I do any mods like rear sway bar etc. Anyone see the use for the shorter one?

Tsx536

Nice find Jan

jlukja

Hoping JTso or someone else who mods a lot chips in.

It depends on the socket set you have. I bought a cheap 3/8 drive 10-75 wrench from Harbor Freight Tools because I have a cheap socket set with 3/8 drive and a 1/4 converter.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

If you are getting just one, then get the 1/2" drive 20-150 lb wrench. It's suitable for most auto service tasks.

bmerton

A point or two have been made regarding use and I'll echo a couple and add my own (having had an Air Force Type II Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory under my purview).

* Don't use a torque wrench within the lower or upper 10% of its limits. It's not as accurate there. Probably still good enough for automotive work, but just be aware that operating a wrench near its limits is not optimal.

* Always store your wrench on the lowest setting. Be careful not to adjust down BELOW the lowest setting (which is certainly possible to do on many wrenches). Storing on the lowest setting ensures that the springs and mechanisms inside are not under constant high pressure. Metal springs under pressure over time will become more "used to" being at pressure and will trip easier was the explanation I was always given.

* Build yourself a clicking jig. That is, take a piece of scrap metal plate and weld an old used socket to it (with the part that would accept the bolt against the metal plate and the part that accepts the wrench sticking outward. Bolt it to the edge of your workbench. Before you use your wrench, set it to the desired setting, put it in your jig (like you were going to tighten your workbench, as it were), and tighten to your setting three times before you actually use the wrench on what you intend to tighten. You only need to this after initially setting the wrench...not before each and every bolt. You need to do this with "clicker" type torque wrenches...I don't think it's necessary with the analog beam-type wrenches, which brings me to the next point:

* Buy a clicker-type wrench. Soooo much easier to use...especially when you're really having to use your body to put enough torque on a bolt and can't easily read the scale.

* Keep extensions/adapters/deep-well sockets to a minimum for maximum accuracy. If you must use extenders that move the wrench farther away from the torqued surface, google. There are formulas out there to help you figure what the setting on the wrench really needs to be to get the desired torque at the end of your two-foot long string of adapters.

* Let the wrench "surprise" you. Much like firing a weapon accurately, you should be applying slow, steady, even pressure and when the wrench clicks, it should be a bit of a surprise when it does. Too many times, I see mechanics set a torque wrench to put tires on and they fprcefully, quickly click the wrench. Well...they *did* exert enough force to click the wrench, but may have overtorqued the nut or undertorqued, even. Slow and steady.

* Don't use a torque wrench to loosen bolts and don't use it to overtorque. The mechanisms in torque wrenches are not designed to withstand that kind of use.

* Yes...as others have stated, 3/8" is strong enough to do lugs. My "big" wrench is 3/8 and I usually have to use a 3/8-to-1/2 to use the socket I need to tighten lugs.


Good, quality wrenches (long-lasting, consistent, need adjustment less) in my experience:
Mac, Proto

Next best:
Snap-on

If you can't find those brands locally, keep your eye on eBay. That's what I did.



(How's THAT for a first post!) Hope it helps!

curls

So I still haven't got a torque wrench... but am asking for one for Christmas.

Since the Mastercraft ones I mentioned on page 1 all go up to 250 ft-lbs, which is really high, I was thinking this one is more suitable for everyday auto tasks (lug nuts, suspension stuff, etc...):

http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000F...e&mqnodeid=APS

What do you think everyone? Since the range is 20-150 ft-lbs I think its a more suitable range than 25-250 on the Mastercraft.

SPARKIE

Eric,
Last week Crappy Tire had a 1/2 "drive one for $48 but no storage case . I bought it. A couple days ago I went to Princess Auto, they had a 1/2 inch c/w storage case for $ 17.77 (10-150lb) so I bought it and took the other one back. Put the savings toward the 8 Amp angle grinder kit with 30 discs and storage case for $39.00.

curls

I don't know if I'd trust a $18 torque wrench, that's the only thing... hrmm... decisions decisions...

edit: This is the one you got? http://www.princessauto.com/_osn.?CT...REA=OSN&T1=1/2

Is it a click-type? Solid build?

curls

so i went out and got the Princess Auto one... lifetime warranty so if i dont like it i'll bring it back and get something else.

I figure having any torque wrench is better than none at all.

SPARKIE

Up till now I've been borrowing my neighbors for the last four years and its always worked great. I didn't realize it was the same one from Princess Auto till I bought mine.