Torque Wrench

[tbone28]

Would you guys please recommend a good torque wrench? Would rather torque my own wheels than drive down to the local America's Tire and have them do it. Thanks

[THE TECH]

I use Snap-On.

[tibra1]

+1 on Snap-on or Craftsman

OP ...Avoid any e-bay type torque wrenches..they're crap and inaccurate

[tbone28]

Thanks guys, any particular snap-on model?

[SamS]

I would like a Snap-On, but they are $$$.

I got one for $75 at Home Depot. It seems well-built, and looked better made than the Craftsman equivalent.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-h...ch-127160.html

[THE TECH]

This is the one I have:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by SamS

I would like a Snap-On, but they are $$$.

I got one for $75 at Home Depot. It seems well-built, and looked better made than the Craftsman equivalent.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-h...ch-127160.html

Thanks, bud. It looks good, but...have you used it? How is it for you?

Originally Posted by THE TECH

This is the one I have:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all

New member here, but been on long enough to give you a "looks good"

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by tbone28

New member here, but been on long enough to give you a "looks good"

[Alpha///M]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

This is the one I have:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....store&tool=all

Baller!
OP, here's one for $270!

http://www.amazon.com/Snap--Industri...3%2F8%22+drive

[SamS]

Originally Posted by tbone28

Thanks, bud. It looks good, but...have you used it? How is it for you?

Works great, used it dozens of times. If you can afford the SnapOn, then go for it. My budget was better suited for the HD version.

[surlynkid]

mine are all craftsman except for a special small one from Napa that i only use for setting up a r&p. snap-on is nice, but $$.

[tbone28]

Which craftsman do you use?

[ttt]

I'm too cheap to go with snap-on, so I got a Precision Instruments C3FR250F instead.

[tlp]

Precision is the ticket. Great bang for the buck.

[rantarM3]

Recently purchased this:

http://www.all-spec.com/products/Arm...48/64-049.html

Made in USA and graduated in NM instead of ft./lbs. Makes it a lot easier to apply torque specifications from TIS.

[surlynkid]

Originally Posted by tbone28

Which craftsman do you use?

i am not sure if any of these are still made, so i looked on sears website. i have had them a while. these three cover your desired range perfectly though.

cannot read model # -- 3/8" drive microtork 25-250 in-lbs (don't think this is made any more)
it looks like model # 34123 replaced it

model # 44596 3/8" drive 5-80 ft-lbs

model # 44546 1/2" drive 25-250 ft-lbs (don't think this is made any more)
it looks like model # 75001 replaced it


i also have a NAPA KD Tools 2955 1/4" drive beam style 0-60 in-lbs for setting up rear ends, but you should not need that for anything.

[kawasaki00]

I use snap on wrenches at work, from the tech angle to small screwdriver torque wrenches. All torque wrenches are the same when new. We have a torque wrench calibrator at work and my craftsman 1/2 drive was the closest from factory, better than the snap-on.
For home use the craftsman and precision hold the calibration very well. The mac wrenches are pretty much junk after a year, even the new ones made in france.
I have a couple snap-on that have over 20k clicks on them. I checked them both the other day and they were only off 2%.
I checked 2 of the fancy new mac wrenches made in france and they were both off 10%.
One of the best cheaper wrenches in the Kobalt from lowes. It is made by snap-on, only thing that i dont like is the forward reverse clicker is backwards from all other wrenches. They gave us some to use and they are actually very good.

[tbone28]

good info everyone. Not sure if this post made things easier or harder for me now...A lot of choices

[pbonsalb]

I use $15 Harbor Freight torque or other no name clicker style torque wrenches. They have worked well for me over a number of years on many car projects. If I built an engine I would buy or borrow something more precise. I would like the good stuff, but don't need it yet and don't want to pay for it.

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I use $15 Harbor Freight torque or other no name clicker style torque wrenches. They have worked well for me over a number of years on many car projects. If I built an engine I would buy or borrow something more precise. I would like the good stuff, but don't need it yet and don't want to pay for it.

For that you might as well tighten your lugs by hand..any torque wrench in that price range is hopelessly inaccurate

[swamp2]

I use Craftsman models. I have one larger capacity one and one smaller 1/2" drive and 3/8" I think. I'm also pretty sure Craftsman hand tools and have a lifetime warranty. Can anyone confirm and note if it applies to torque wrenches?

[pbonsalb]

I don't need a $300 torque wrench to change my lug nuts, though I would like one. I am an advanced amateur mechanic with my own personal shop and a two post lift and do all my own work (I have a 500+ rwhp, 500+ lb rwtq E36M3 in addition to my lightly modded E90M3). In informal testing by a mechanic friend of mine and me, my inexpensive 1/2 inch torque wrench matched the mechanic's Snap On. I have done a lot more than lugnuts with them over the years, such as flywheels and clutches, cylinder heads, engine swaps, coilovers, subframes, complete suspension overhauls, differential swaps, cam swaps, etc, with no issues.