Want to read something interesting, read the Car Craft article Hands On: Shop Tools - Testing Torque Wrenches from the April 2013 issue ( yes, they're up to April already... go figure). For some reason it ended up focused on the Harbor Freight torque wrench and the digital torque adapter. Kind of interesting considering all the torque wrench discussion that comes up on all the forums.

The adapter is really interesting because it could be used as a calibration test for one's torque wrenches... clamp the square male end in a vise and twist away with your wrench and see what the strain gauge says. It uses a digital strain gauge to read out torque. The adapter was surprisingly accurate when tested on a digital calibration bench unit. They had the adapter average within 0.10 ft/lb from the desired torque value. I'd buy one, but I own a beam style wrench that tested accurately and they do hold accuracy virtually for life since the characteristics of the steel will not change, so it seems superfluous to do so. Still...

The HF torque wrench did very well in the accuracy testing too. It is good news for the average guy doing his own work on his bike and doesn't need to use a torque wrench on a daily basis and thus does not want to spend a large sum of money on a torque wrench.

But the interesting part was the testing they did when they let the wrench sit under tension for 30 and 60 days. Tells a lot about what happens if one screws up with a clicker torque wrench, leaving it sit under load.

Of course there was this comment from the Fiero forum:

"I used to work in a calibration facility and there were a couple things I noticed. The click type torque wrenches, no matter what brand, were always the worst. They were the most inconsistent, and held their calibration the worst. The dial torque wrenches were repeatable and held their calibration well, but they were a pain in the butt to calibrate properly. The digital wrenches were great, I never had one out of tolerance but they are expensive. Other than the digital ones my favorites were the simple bending beam type torque wrenches. They're the cheapest and they were always very accurate."
Kind of reinforced my experience and opinion on my old beam style. I do think this guy was talking some superaccurate calibration. Also maybe had wrenches where the users didn't bother backing off the loads or had long periods of using them loaded. That would be a good argument for a careful user who would take good care of them, buying and using the clicker type. The wrenches would hold a whole lot longer.

It also points out the average guy can get a good tool for as low as $9.99 if they catch the HF torque wrench on sale. It will do fine for the weekend mechanic or the guy with a small tool budget... as long as they take care to back off the load on the wrench.

The real beauty of the test was to find out about the adapter/strain gauge for low buck garage mechanics. If one is totally **** about accuracy, this would be th primo garage item. That is why I posted this... well, mostly why.


HF sells an inch/lb version that can be had for reasonable money. I wish I'd seen that article a while back. I could have gotten either one for like $10.

I just felt it was good news for those interested. One trick I had given me on another forum was to use tape and a Sharpie marker to mark the back side or edge of a beam style when working in a position making reading the scale difficult

 

Nice. Always back off the settings before you put the wrench away.
I still kick myself on the Craftsman tq wrench policies. Never again will I buy a craftsman for the price. I am not comfy with the HF either, but they are probably made in the same factory.

 

Thanks KLX.


Dragone, what are the Craftsman torque wrench policies?

 

2 S&K clickers here; ft/lb and in/lb. Always zero'd. No torque-related tragedies so far... I'm comforatble using these. Something about those wiggly plastic handles on the beam-style wrenches always gave me the creeps....

 

90 day return to store warranty only. No lifetime. Similar to their electrical tools I think. The plastic lock ring cracks easily, I did not read the fine print on the tq wrenches.

 

Your call, but when I can read something like I did from a reputable source like Car Craft that carries a lot of weight. It also lets a guy on a budget know they can buy a tool that WILL do the job for a good price.

That in no way is meant to impune Snap-On, Proto, Mac, or any others. If I was making a living using a torque wrench on a near daily basis I'd be looking at one of the dial indicator ones (aka real big bucks) or at least a top line clicker just to be sure to have the best. But when the budget is thin and the use is minimal, knowing a tool like the HF torque wrench is a good accurate buy, that's a good thing. That is why I posted this.