The very well known manufacturer of torque wrenches, etc, tells me that my torque wrench, a very sentimental item of my brother's, is 'obsolete' and can no longer be 'repaired' - I sent it in just to be calibrated. This is a 0-150 '/lb click-style/'micrometer wrench circa 1970. In the past I checked an "/lb click-style/micrometer against a 'beam' type. It appeared 'successful'. Thoughts? Alternate suggestions? Anyone know a calibration service, preferably in the Boston area? Thank you!

 

Im sure not as pro as most...but i use this periodically to verify it clicks..amazingly enough it is damn accurate so far..
and i use at very low torque numbers like 2-10 pounds..pretty decent..
if it doesn’t match send it out..there is no price and your brother’s wrench..

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-...ter-63917.html

 

As I replied in similar posts, all Costco Tire shops have a torque wrench tester, since they verify the accuracy of their wrenches every day. If you ask nicely, I'm sure the tire center manager would let you test the accuracy of your wrench on their machine.

 

good to know.wonder how many increments... i may have to go to a different one though..
my last tire trip to costco they stripped my crv wheel stud and when i got it fixed bythe dealer manager told me i was not smart going there vs some local tire barn for half the money..long story short there was a scene and my faith in costco tire is now suspect as it seems skill level dropping...

 

There is Cal Tech in Billerica and my preferred shop Pro-Calibration in Brewster( bit further than Billerica). Probably going to be around $30 to have done. Good luck.

 

The click-type wrenches are as accurate as you 'think' they are. In actual practice and during legitimate calibration checks, click-type wrenches are the worst of the lot. But, folks like them because they are 'easy' to use; so they convince themselves that they are accurate. Self-fulfilling prophesy, I guess.

The most 'repeatable' torque wrenches are the beam-type pieces. They are relatively accurate, unless they are damaged by dropping and/or by damaging or 'moving' the indicator plate. Electronic torque wrenches are the most accurate, but they require recalibration due to signal 'drift' as electrical components age/heat-cycle.

For the garage mechanic, beam-type torque wrenches are the best choice with dial-types just slightly behind. They have more complicated mechanisms which can wear and be subject to stress/damage. But, I will guarantee you that folks you know will swear by their 'trusty' click-type wrench [which they have used for many years]. For most applications on a vehicle they are likely fine...unless there is internal damage. Beam-types are really better, however.

 

Thank you! My wife's Mum lives in W Harwich, so Brewster isn't quite so far out of the way.

 

There are youtube videos that show how to test and adjust your wrench yourself. Looks pretty easy.

 

I couple my click-type torque wrenches to my beam-type, and verify that they pop at the set value as confirmed on the beam-type. Simple to do at home.

Live well,

SJW

 

When I was a manager at Costco (before I retired), we had to pay for many a stripped wheel stud that wasn't our fault. Usualy, when wheel studs get stripped when they are overtightened, which is incurred by the last person who worked on it. Costco "inherits" the problem since the member says " it was fine when I brought it in,,," It is almost impossible for Costco to cause this damage. First, we hand start all lug nuts, second, our air impact gun are limited to 50 ft-lb in the clockwise direction, and third, we hand torque all lugnuts using wrenches that are checked daily. Sorry for my rant, but I take a lot of pride in our company practices, and when you install 500 tires a week, not to mention rotations, you better do it right.

 

The owners name is David Michaud. Really nice guy. He he’s been doing it for a really long time. That is closer than me. I hope he can help you.

 

Costco is NOT the Costco you left..
i take great care of my cars and Costco is the ONLY one who worked on it..they got them off.. and admitted they must have not threaded by hand enough on (i forget how many they are supposed to 3 by hand?)
anyway got lazy and did NOT thread it on enough by hand before the air wrench, and left if off knowing they were going to strip it any further if forced (assume that is the 50 pounds you refer to that stopped them)....
said get it fixed come back to tire shop .. OK no issue all is well thank you hand shake agreement..
i took to dealer..as i do ALL my service that i do not do myself (oil changes if on sale etc..warranty..) said i was over charging them and should have went like most people go to bell tire and had them do it... um ...no...i read my honda service manual.. it was not that easy..
all was good until he basically said i was ripping him off.. and that set me off... like i told him i woke up today and said i want costco to strip my stud so i can spend 1/4 of my saturday (after appointment 2 weeks) having my wife drive it with 4 studs..and hear the bitching..so i can get you to write me a check that you have it out in the store (while i have 225 bucks worth of groceries in my cart) because the tire manager made me wait 18 minutes for the store mgr to get to me and give me my lesson on how i was trying to screw him and not let the tire mgr give me the damn check.. fk that...

again, the costco you knew no longer exists, at least by me. he also looked like he was 18 yo.

 

A beam type torque wrench has no ratchet...so in many cases it's useless, because you cant swing it enough to achieve the correct number.

I have all types. I check the click type against the beam....so far so good.

One thing to remember is for the click type wrenches to remain in calibration the longest. REMOVE ALL TENSION from the setting handle and return it to ZERO after each use.

Another thing that people forget is the torque wrench is accurate without any extensions....as you 'add' extensions the torque wrench becomes more and more in-accurate.

Unkahal

 

Sorry about your issue. I doubt that 18 year old was a Costco Tire Center Manager. Our philosophy is the member is always right, even when the member isn't right. Why do you think we take back all the merchandise by members who abuse our return policy. The Costco I knew must still exist, since the stock I own is making my retirement very comfortable.