Torque wrench
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 200
Likes: 2
From: chicago il
Torque wrench
I'm not planning on doing any technical work on my C6, however, i do like to remove my wheels for cleaning them and the wheel wells. Question: what are you suggestions for a reliable, reasonably priced torque wrench for checking the torque pounds of the lug nuts?
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,836
Likes: 9
From: Rushsylvania Ohio
Easy solution is to go to Sears and get a Craftsman brand. Get a 1/2" drive micrometer style that will "click" when the proper torque is reached. Torque spec for the C6 lugs is 100 lbs-ft.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 200
Likes: 2
From: chicago il
Easy solution is to go to Sears and get a Craftsman brand. Get a 1/2" drive micrometer style that will "click" when the proper torque is reached. Torque spec for the C6 lugs is 100 lbs-ft.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I bought one recently. Good wrench, and reasonable. Plus you know where to go if you need to ask about where to get it calibrated some years in the future (hoping, of course, that Sears is still in biz).
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 6
From: Bedford, TX
I just use an old-fasioned beam type with the pointer. It is a Craftsman though. There isn't any high degree of precision required for most torquing tasks. You just want to eliminate those huge guessing errors.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Harbor Freight
www.harborfreight.com
1/2" CLICK STOP SQUARE TORQUE WRENCH
Torque range: 10 to 150 ft. lbs.
ITEM 239-1VGA
$19.99
Perfect for torquing lug nuts....
www.harborfreight.com
1/2" CLICK STOP SQUARE TORQUE WRENCH
Torque range: 10 to 150 ft. lbs.
ITEM 239-1VGA
$19.99
Perfect for torquing lug nuts....
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Harbor Freight
www.harborfreight.com
1/2" CLICK STOP SQUARE TORQUE WRENCH
Torque range: 10 to 150 ft. lbs.
ITEM 239-1VGA
$19.99
Perfect for torquing lug nuts....
www.harborfreight.com
1/2" CLICK STOP SQUARE TORQUE WRENCH
Torque range: 10 to 150 ft. lbs.
ITEM 239-1VGA
$19.99
Perfect for torquing lug nuts....
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,537
Likes: 1
From: Southlake Texas
"Beams, dials, clicks and digits:
The flat-beam is the oldest, simplest and, according to some, the most accurate of all torque-wrench designs. It's still made in a wide variety of capacities, from small ounce-inch models to those with a top capacity of perhaps 300 pound-feet or more.
The flat-beam torque wrench has lost ground to other types of wrenches, however, because it has what some consider inherent disadvantages. To wit, you always need to see the scale when using it, and you have to interpolate readings that fall between scale markings. The flat-beam does not click, buzz, flash or vibrate when it reaches the torque setting you want, but it takes more than its share of abuse and rarely needs calibrating."
EDIT: Lots of aerospace and engineering contractors in the DFW area. And, they use quality, beam torque wrenches on some of the most advanced and expensive aircraft in existence.
Last edited by WHT; Oct 13, 2008 at 05:27 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22,136
Likes: 23
From: In the woods looking for my thrown putter.
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
I have one. Works great. Might not be as accurate as the more expensive ones but it's close enough. I checked it against a dial indicator PROTO that I also have and it was withing a few pounds. More than adequate for torquing lugs nuts.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,836
Likes: 9
From: Rushsylvania Ohio
I know we are talking about lug nuts here, but I would have to say you have not built too many engines in your lifetime to make a comment like that one!
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,644
Likes: 13
From: South of Boston MA
I'm using an S&K brand that was a Christmas gift about eight years ago. You dial in the torque spec and it clicks when you reach that number. I'm sure it wasn't a $20 purchase but it works great. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,933
Likes: 13
From: The Beautiful Inland Empire WA.
NAPA sells a good one for about $59. Comes with nice case to keep it in so that it stays calibrated and does not get bounced around in the ol' tool box......mine works great and I did take it to the tire shop to test its calibration when I bought it. It was spot on. You dial in the torque you desire and it clicks at that amount of force......to those who say close enough...ever warped your disc brakes because your wheel torque was way off on one side? It can happen!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,026
Likes: 178
From: Jacksonville, NC
I am sure I will get flamed on this one but I just learned they make torque sticks for impact wrenches. I also own a TQ wrench and I am going to use the torque sticks in star pattern with increasing torque values while checking with the torque wrench. Just curious to see how accurate the torque sticks are. I read several post on other forums that some tire dealers use them exclusively with no problems or fear of liability issues. But, to answer the question, I did a lot of reading and it looks like precision instruments who use to make snap ons is a good but expensive TQ wrench. My is a cheapy but I don't know the accuracy.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 6
From: Bedford, TX
Here is the one I use:
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,576
Likes: 1
From: Webster Groves (St. Louis) MO
Easy solution is to go to Sears and get a Craftsman brand. Get a 1/2" drive micrometer style that will "click" when the proper torque is reached. Torque spec for the C6 lugs is 100 lbs-ft.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Lots of good brands out there, but you can always find a Sears store close by. I have a few Craftsman and a few other brands as well and they all work fine.
Craftsman is what I have. Nice thing about Craftsman is Sears will replace any Craftsman tool w/o a receipt, regardless of age or condition. If you feel it isn't working to standards, walk into a Sears store and ask for a new one.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 14
NAPA sells a good one for about $59. Comes with nice case to keep it in so that it stays calibrated and does not get bounced around in the ol' tool box......mine works great and I did take it to the tire shop to test its calibration when I bought it. It was spot on. You dial in the torque you desire and it clicks at that amount of force......to those who say close enough...ever warped your disc brakes because your wheel torque was way off on one side? It can happen!!
I'm torn about Harbor Freight tools. A lot of them are adequate. Some aren't. It is hard to pass up a chance to buy a whole set of tools for the price of one Snap-On or MAC wrench, though. The quality is "good enough" for the casual mechanic, or as a second set for a pro. A few of their tools are downright gems at breathtakingly low prices. Others are a bit too dubious for me. But since bankrupt Kmart bought Sears and destroyed any reputation for quality Craftsman might once of had, Harbor Freight really is a place the backyard mechanic needs to shop.
