recommendations on a torque wrench
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I'm very fond of my harbor freight click-style torque wrench, and it was like $20 or so on sale.
The craftsman units are NOT worth the price. They are no better than the HF. If the HF isn't good enough for you, you need to step up to a Mac, SnapOn, MatCo, or the like.
The craftsman units are NOT worth the price. They are no better than the HF. If the HF isn't good enough for you, you need to step up to a Mac, SnapOn, MatCo, or the like.
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5,919 Posts
Matco is the only tool I buy. I'm a tech though, so I use my tools alot. If its a 1 time thing for you, see if a buddy has one you can borrow. If you want to buy one for less money. Then check out both brands that Reverend mentioned
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3,580 Posts
is this the one you have? hell the price seems right! lol
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
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Make sure you get one that can measure 89lbs per inch.
This one can do from 20 to 200 in lbs.
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
This one can do from 20 to 200 in lbs.
- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
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3,580 Posts
yeah i already have a 1/4" that measures pounds per inch...i just want my big boy to be a good one.
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489 Posts
The bigger one you linkd to earlier, isn't its tolerance too lose for torquing the main cam bearing caps?
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5 Posts
Harbor Freight sells pure junk. If something is worth using a torque wrench on then its worth using a good one. Craftsman ones are decent and are easy to find.
Yeah, I used a HF one on my shocks, and snapped a bolt off cause the damn wrench was broke. It was right at the point that I said out loud... "Hmm this is a lot for 26lbs, then POP!!!!" Torque on small things isn't something to fool with. I won't buy a HF when it comes to something important anymore... :/
Oh yeah, and it looked exactly like the wrench's posted for HF.
Oh yeah, and it looked exactly like the wrench's posted for HF.
i've used the HF one for a couple of year and like it. Just if you're doing low torque you have to be careful as sometimes it's hard to feel it click. I'm glad i went that route as i don't use it all that much, but i've put together a couple of engines with it and had no problems
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17,313 Posts
:no
They used to be. Back when they still offered a lifetime warranty on them. Nowadays that's just not true. Craftsman quality has gone WAY down, and they're resting on their name.
But, if you want to spend five times as much money for the same quality just so you can have the name, I won't stop you.
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2,452 Posts
Unless you plan on re-calibrating a breakaway wrench every 6 months and worry constantly whether or not you dropped it too hard, or bumped it on something, and you don't feel like welding a socket to your workbench to do the breakaway lube (highest setting and cycle) before you use it.......
...just get a standard torsion wrench.
...just get a standard torsion wrench.
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662 Posts
I got the one from Harbor Freight in Vineland, the price was geat and it worked for what I needed (when I did the D-specs and stuff)...................
I have Harbor Freight 1/4, 3/8,and 1/2 inch torque wrenches. I am a home DIY user, hobbiest and can't (for my needs) justify buying Snap-On or Mac, Matco etc. If I were a professional or serious racer I would definatly spend the money for the higher quality tools.
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4,253 Posts
I have to agree with ReverendDexter unfortunately on this one...
My wife was a manager at Sears for years, and I have a sweet Craftsman tool collection. They used to have sales, and then employee nights for additional 10-15% off, plus my Craftsman Club 10% off, so I used to stack up the discounts and buy a bunch of tools in big shopping sessions all at once.
If you have warrantied stuff, it is as good as any.
The problem is they got rid of the warranty on the torque wrenches! I have two of their "dial-a-torque" wrenches, and on one of them the rubber grip has come loose (it is held on by two sided tape and probably made in China now)...so I took it back and they told me I am out of luck! The damn windows to see your torque setting are molded into the rubber grip, so if the grip slides, so does your torque number, and the tool is unreliable. So now I have to make sure the grip is all the way down where it belongs, zero the wrench before EVERY torque change, then carefully dial in the number while insuring the grip doesn't slide.
So...I hate to say it, but I would NOT buy a Craftsman torque wrench. Get a good one from Mac, Snap-On, Matco, etc. and be done with it for life. On the Harbor Freight one...but I haven't held one in my hand yet so I don't know for sure on that. I'd have to try one. Perhaps it is better than the Craftsman!
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2,465 Posts
Most Harbor Freight stuff is "enough to get by with" quality. I look through the store every once in a while, and while I'm strapped for cash this year, I still consider their stuff to be too expensive. The reason being you know you can just add the cost of the Harbor Freight tool to the price of the tool you're going to have to replace it with to get the job done reliably.
That said, I bought a beam type torque wrench from Sears last year, it was cheap and has a warranty, but it was also the only one that can be adjusted. The more expensive models say on the packaging that they can't be adjusted if they go off. Is that true?
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15,891 Posts
Please don't buy a harbor freight wrench. No offense to anyone that already did, but I wouldn't trust a harbor freight tool for something important like that. With out cars, especially if you go and do heads or something of the like, proper torque is a big deal. Get something of good quaulity and a torsion style wrench is a good idea. But, as long as you get a decent dail-a-torque wrench you should be ok too. I have had a snap-on dail-a-torque wrench for going on 5 years. I've had it calibrated twice and both times it was still damn near right on. It was expensive but its worth it.
This is pretty much identical to the one I have had for 5 years:
QD2R200, Torque Wrench, Adj. Click Type, U.S., Compact-Ratchet, 40-200 in. lb., 3/8" drive
I also have this one, but I have only had it a year or two:
QD32500, Torque Wrench, Adj. Click Type, U.S., Fixed, 500-2500 in. lb., 1/2" drive
The only reason I have the big one is because I worked on Diesels for a while. I take good care of my tools though, while I haven't tried to pound nails with it or anything, it has been dropped a lot and like I said the top one has only be calibrated twice and was almost still right on the money both times. The first time I think it was off by 3 ft. lbs after 2 years (The first time I had it calibrated) the year before last it was cailbrated and was only off 2. At least according to the print out I got back from snap on after I sent it in.
This is pretty much identical to the one I have had for 5 years:
QD2R200, Torque Wrench, Adj. Click Type, U.S., Compact-Ratchet, 40-200 in. lb., 3/8" drive
I also have this one, but I have only had it a year or two:
QD32500, Torque Wrench, Adj. Click Type, U.S., Fixed, 500-2500 in. lb., 1/2" drive
The only reason I have the big one is because I worked on Diesels for a while. I take good care of my tools though, while I haven't tried to pound nails with it or anything, it has been dropped a lot and like I said the top one has only be calibrated twice and was almost still right on the money both times. The first time I think it was off by 3 ft. lbs after 2 years (The first time I had it calibrated) the year before last it was cailbrated and was only off 2. At least according to the print out I got back from snap on after I sent it in.
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