Suggestions for a torque wrench
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 81
Likes: 8
From: New Bloomfield Pennsylvania
Suggestions for a torque wrench
Does anyone have a suggestion as to which torque wrench to buy? Best value? I'm looking at (probably) 1/2-inch drive, 20-150 ft. lbs. Is Sears Craftman OK? This will be for general use on my 'Vette, including wheel lug nuts, drain plugs, brake work, etc. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 104
From: Des Moines Iowa
Sears Craftsman clicker should work fine for your needs. Can usually be purchased on sale for something like $69-, if memory serves me correctly. Remember to return setting to -0- when not in use. There are better torque wrenches, but more expensive.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
If you are truly concerned about the torque you are applying, have your torque wrench calibrated. And no, this is not a sales pitch even though I do calibration for a living.
Most Craftsman torque wrenches have a tolerance of 4% of full scale. So at an applied 40 Ft/lbs on a 150ft/lb wrench, you could actually be applying 46ft/lbs and still be in tolerance.
Unfortunately, the Craftsman/Kobalt/Husky wrenches that you buy at the local retailers are often outside of their tolerance.(Even new!)
That being said, a new torque wrench(any brand) will most likely give you a better point of reference that a socket set and a "tight enough" mentality and will probably be good enough for your application.
It just depends how concerned you are about your torque. Joe Gibbs Racing sends us their torque wrenches for calibration, but they are probably a bit more concerned about their torque tolerances on their cars than you and I !
In my experience, Snap-on/CDI torque wrenches are among the best....but they also cost a lot more. They typically are 3% of full scale and are rarely out of tolerance if not right on the money.
You get what you pay for.
Most Craftsman torque wrenches have a tolerance of 4% of full scale. So at an applied 40 Ft/lbs on a 150ft/lb wrench, you could actually be applying 46ft/lbs and still be in tolerance.
Unfortunately, the Craftsman/Kobalt/Husky wrenches that you buy at the local retailers are often outside of their tolerance.(Even new!)
That being said, a new torque wrench(any brand) will most likely give you a better point of reference that a socket set and a "tight enough" mentality and will probably be good enough for your application.
It just depends how concerned you are about your torque. Joe Gibbs Racing sends us their torque wrenches for calibration, but they are probably a bit more concerned about their torque tolerances on their cars than you and I !
In my experience, Snap-on/CDI torque wrenches are among the best....but they also cost a lot more. They typically are 3% of full scale and are rarely out of tolerance if not right on the money.
You get what you pay for.
Last edited by MILTMO; Jun 3, 2009 at 03:39 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
I've got three SEARS click torque wrenches and one old school SEARS beam/pointer torque wrench. They're perfectly fine for the average DIY owner. Don't abuse them (use as a breaker bar) and always crank them back down when not in use.
If you're doing lots of automotive work, engine building, etc, then a more expensive SNAP-ON or MATCO might be considered.
If you're doing lots of automotive work, engine building, etc, then a more expensive SNAP-ON or MATCO might be considered.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 30,317
Likes: 165
From: Reading PA
Sears has them on sale right now for $59.99 each, Craftsman Club members.
I own one Sears and two from Harbor Freight. I have a 1/4 and 1/2 from Harbor Freight. The ones I got from HF were around $20 each and they are calibrated within +/- 4% as well.
I own one Sears and two from Harbor Freight. I have a 1/4 and 1/2 from Harbor Freight. The ones I got from HF were around $20 each and they are calibrated within +/- 4% as well.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
You can check your own percentage of error for your torque wrench. Since your are measuring foot/lbs, measure 12" back from the socket, attach 50 lbs of weight at that point and then find how much torque is need to just click at that point. I have 4 torque wrenchs, 3/8, 2 clickers and a beam. Suprisingly the beam is the most accurate every time. Anyway I measure them twice a year and they vary slightly each time. I put the wrench in a vice and level it for each test.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,386
Likes: 689
From: Boise ID
Question. If the tolerance is 4% of full scale which is 6 lbs in this case, that would not necessarily mean it’s off 6lbs across the entire range would it? I would think it would be closer to 3lbs at the 75lb setting.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,217
Likes: 5
From: Stark County Ohio
4% of 100 = 4
4% of 50 = 2
4% 0f 25 = 1
4% of 200 = 8
4% of 150 = 6
HOWEVER - The the MOST accurate percentage is usually found at FULL SCALE. So at 25ft-lbs the accuracy may only be say 5%.
-
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,386
Likes: 689
From: Boise ID
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,602
Likes: 20
From: Palm City Florida
Does anyone have a suggestion as to which torque wrench to buy? Best value? I'm looking at (probably) 1/2-inch drive, 20-150 ft. lbs. Is Sears Craftman OK? This will be for general use on my 'Vette, including wheel lug nuts, drain plugs, brake work, etc. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Harbor Freight.. I have 3 of them in all sizes.. Work awesome for the very few times you need one..
More money does not always equal better.. As long as it's calibrated correctly.. you are golden.. Less thna $50 for all 3 and very well made..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 764
Likes: 0
From: felton de
Torque Wrench
I have owned several. The cheaper ones the lock mechanism is not very good and before you know it you have changed the torque setting and question ??? When did I do That??? The craftmans seems to work ok but I invested in a Snap On and consider it worth every penny. When you reach the set torque it has a very distinctive click and a lock mechanism that you can't change without an planed effort. If you work on C5's you will need an inch pound wrench also IMHO
