Good Torque Wrench?

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
Harbor freight coupon will get you $9.95 ones.
bumpy

And - you get what you pay for.
YES - I have a HF - but besides being cheapies, they're "shorties"!
(My HF is relegated to riding in the trlr)

A quality "click type" TQ wrench from Home Depot is much longer, for great leverage - at a decent price & lifetime warranty.(IIRC about $80)
That's one of my -"stay at home tools"- along with the "beam" type I've owned since the 1950's.
What was good for flatheads then, still works just fine now..;)

Snap-on and others are excellent - but higher $.
"Anything" Craftsman - isn't what it used to be, and (IMO) may be on the way out in the near future.

No big deal to 'zero out' a click type wrench. (Why not?)
No big deal to do your own "ballpark" calibration. Google it.
No big deal to check -and abide by- the wheel mfgr's TQ specs and appropriate sequence. No lubricant.
Re-check TQ (on any wheels) after 100 miles.

Lastly - **NEVER** let a tire shop employee (or?) use an impact wrench that he "claims" is set to a certain torque.
*YOU* must watch and be ready to call a halt and insist on hand torquing lugs. (Remember, he may have worked at Mickey D's or Taco Bell last week)..:R


~

I agree totally --- I have both -- Old Beam type and a 30 year old click type craftsman. The guys at the tire shops use "Torque sticks and just a gadget in my opinion. Whenever I have tire work done, I INSIST that the lugs get TIGHTENED with the lug wrench NOT the air gun. Their argument is that they check the torque with a torque wrench. That only proves that ther is AT LEAST "X" lbs. of torque.. and it could easily be well over the recommendation. When They use the torque wrench to tighten, your more likely torque to the correct setting. I usually recheck with my torque wrench and find at least 3 or 4 that are incorrect.