My first torque wrench.
 

Looking to invest in a good torque wrench for future use. I've never had one myself and have always borrowed from friends.
What's the best option out there right now? Some new fangled digital SnapOn deal? Brownline? Stick to older non-digital? Looking at both 3/8" and 1/4" drive so I can do my flywheel/pp, crank pulley bolt, and cam cap bolts.
Should I hold out for some sort of sale at Sears or something?

u hate on me but u dont own a torque wrench :facepalm:

I have the twist style Matco ones and I love them and have built many engines with them, but I'd love the digital Snap-On one.

I always had a reliable option to borrow one from a mechanic friend of mine who happened to be my roommate... He moved away since the last time I needed it. I had no necessity to own one before.


You probably don't own your car.

Snap-on is great for their life time warranty but $$ to re-calibrate over time. Brownline---? I don't know never had one. Craftsman I have 3 or 4 rarely use but its OK. I believe 1 or 3 year warranties now compare to the old ones as for life-time warranties. Don't know who re calibrate them.

You probably don't own your cars.

hey I own my cars....

Digital snap on doesn't go low enough for several torque specs while engine building (ka/sr)

Even the 1/4" drive? Actually idk if they make a digital 1/4" lol.

Get one that'll do in-lb. then divide in-lb by 12 to get the low torques

I'm assuming you mean get a ft-lbs and divide by 12 for in-lb lol.


Unfortunately when it comes to stuff that requires very small in-lb like the cam cap bolts and even valve cover bolts, the ft-lbs usually still don't go low enough to convert them. If they do it won't physically click at such a low torque value (I'm talking like 90 in-lb area) and you inadvertently over tighten waiting for the click.

For as little as I use mine, I got an in-lbs and ft-lbs from amazon, and they seem to be accurate. Tekton is the brand, i think homedepot sells them.

I used a 1/2"

It does inch pounds
..... still doesn't go low enough (pretty sure the lowest in-lb converted is the same as the lowest ft-lb)

Tekton is pretty cool and affordable

Be aware even a quality torque wrench can become out of calibration. I always compare two different torque wrenches before doing an important job, if I have any doubt about their past history. Leaving a torque wrench tight should never done, ALWAYS loosen them before storing them.

Get a used click type on eBay. They're $100-$150 with a fresh calibration

i have a snap-on 3/8in digital torque wrench that does torque angle and can switch between several units of measurement. it goes down to 6.8nm which is way lower than any torque specs i have seen on a KA or on my nissan in general.

i would say that for 80% of people working on their s-chassis in their garage it is overkill. i use it at work building engines and doing other precision automotive repair, sometimes its even overkill for that but the digital torque angle features are very useful tightening down multiple bolts and keeping track of several stages of torque angle when installing cylinder head bolts or camshaft adjusters or when working with aluminum hardware or stretch bolts. not to mention i think it was like $400.

in my garage at home i have a craftsman 1/2" torque wrench i use to torque lug nuts and also to torque some engine components to spec (cam gear bolts, etc.) i think it was about $60 (i have a matching one at work i use only to torque lug bolts and nothing else) its a good deal and has a lifetime warranty so you can just swap it out at sears for another one.

i think you can get a good snap-on or mac 1/2" torque wrench for like $150-$250 that would last a lifetime and offer just as much if not more than you need for like 99% of the time.

According to numerous reviews online, the Sears/Craftsman lifetime warranty does NOT apply to torque wrenches.


I don't believe the Snap-On 1/2" goes low enough to do the cam cap bolts, they don't go very tight.

Probably because of the calibration/storage aspect

I picked up a nice SnapOn 1/2" 30-250 ft lbs and a little 3/8" in-lb guy for those cam bolts and 5-10-15ftlb front cover stuff and so on. Well worth the money over a harbor freight joint.

They have a standard 1 year limited warranty

Torque beam wrenches are cost effective for the lower torques too

i would invest in multiple torque wrenches. buy them as you need them. initially, but one that is most useful the most often (i.e.- a 0-100 or 0-150 ft lb tq wrench, for torqueing wheels, etc.


all tq wrenches have a margin of error from the factory (+/- X%) and all torque wrenches must be recalibrated.. not sure where you could get that done in the civilian world?


beam/gage type wrenches are said to be the most accurate as well as the least prone to damage once dropped (of course we don't want to drop them on purpose but it happens.)


the the internals on the micrometer/click type wrenches are more prone to damage once dropped, and are also more prone to erroneous readings from the start.


out here in the quality assurance world of the submarine, we actually have a procedure in which you have to exercise a micrometer torque wrench 6 times at 60% before you can use it (to get out any errors.) this is done by placing a nut/bolt in a vice, setting the torque wrench to 60% its total capacity (i.e.- our 250-1000in/lb tq wrenches are set to 600in lbs and then torque is applied to the nut/bolt in the vice until the torque wrench 'clicks', then do it 5 more times.


probably a little more information than is needed sorry, its somewhat a favorite topic of mine

Yeah its cool you get to control the precise torque yourself with the beams.
The physics/materials science behind them is neat too. Reliable and predictable.

Bought a husky today... pretty nice

snap on is awesome, I have the click style in 3/8 and 1/2...also have craftsman 1/2 bar style...no issues on any of them!

to the topppp

I have a husky as well, the quality is there, works great. And lifetime warranty

I've always been facinated with how torque wrenches work, if you don't know, seriously look it up, it's cool haha

And btw, husky does make a 1/4 inch as well, goes from like 3-20 ft/lbs iirc

I only TQ my lugs unless it's something important engine wise

Anyone here have a Precision Instruments torque wrench?
I'm about to pull the trigger on one of their 1/2 split beams.

Not anymore, just swapped a broken one with a lifetime for one that's not. :rant2:

I broke my first craftsman one within the year and was able to get a replacement for free. I broke my second wrench after 3-years of owning it and now use it as a breaker bar.

I am borrowing my buddy's 1/2 torque wrench (not sure what model of precision instruments but the photo is below) and I'm going to buy this next year. I would recommend since I've used this plenty of times at the track and home use.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...e_Wrench_1.jpg