trik396

I'm looking to buy a new torque wrench to install my head studs. Any opinions would be appreciated as to what to buy.

Thanks.

R Walter

I've got a couple of these: (1) up to 250 inch lbs, (2) 20 - 250 ft lbs

I don't use them often and they seem pretty reliable for the price I got them on sale 4 - 5 years ago.

John Faughn

For working on something that costs a fair amount , get quality , do not go cheap & have a chance at a problem , the clickers are good for getting in a hard spot were reading a gauge & getting a good position for getting the leverage to get that much torqu , the dial TQ wrench's are more accurate & need calibration less often .

trik396

I've got a couple of Craftmen clickers. I want something better after reading about how high a percentage they can be off. I'm thinking electronic, something $200-250.

wthomps

Yes, do NOT buy Craftsman torque wrenchs, they are pure junk. I'm setting up 2 new service trucks at work. We got 3 new Craftsman torque wrenches (2x 3/8dr and 1x 1/2dr) and I sent them down to the stress lab to have the calibrations checked and then logged into the sytem. Right out of the box the thing was WAY out of spec. If I remember right it was about 8% out which equates to about 20ft/lbs at the top end (250ft/lbs). Our snap on clickers that spend all year bouncing around in the service trucks and taking general abuse are more accurate at the end of the year than this one right out of the box. That along with the fact that we found out that a snap on clicker is only going to cost us about $45 extra means no more Craftsman, EVER.


In my personal box I've got a Cornwell long arm 1/2" drive flex head digital and a Mac 3/8" drive friction drive flex head digital. Both are made by the same company (unsure who), but I'm impressed with the quality. I had the calibrations checked at work and were about 2% off which is far within spec. I paid about $450 for both including shipping as I got them off ebay. WELL worth the money I spent on them. The only torque wrench I like more is the snap on digitork just for the vibration feature and being able to set your alarm tolerance.

I've used alot of brands out there at work (Snap-On, Mac, Blue Point, Craftsman, CDI, Proto, etc) just for comparison.

tmleadr03

This is the best one I have ever used, though out of your price range.

http://www.archetypejoint.com/newsle...01_snap-on.cfm

trik396

I'm looking at a couple of snap-on electronic models on ebay right now.

trik396

Do these electronic wrenches make a "beep" or something to let you know you've reached desired torque or do you have to look at the scale???

PaulDaisy

They beep and the handle vibrates as you approach the torque setting.
-P

trik396

Thanks....

wap

So the dial type you have to look at is one of the most accurate?

A buddy of mine has one that someone gave his dad and he said it is a $300+ wrench. For that price it should be accurate, right?

trik396

The problem that I can see with a dial type is trying to read the dial when you're torquing the back few cylinders down. The cowl might make that impossible. They are accurate from what I've read. The electronic ones are very accurate as well.

tmleadr03

Very accurate and easy to use. Does angle and torque in the same tool. You can angle, lets say 90* in stages by torqe as far as you can pull then ratchet and torque some more. It keeps track of how many degrees its pulled so far.

Rob C

Matco tools also has an electric one as well.

tmleadr03

It does? Whats its name I have been trying to find it online but cant.

Edit: just found it but it doesnt do angle and torque like the Snapon one.