If you were gonna buy a new torque wrench, to use mostly on your FZJ-80...

[thekirk]

I have to replace my Craftsman torque wrenches, since they've pretty much lost calibration, according to the machine. I'm looking at springing for a new Snap-On, which I can get at a seriously deep discount.

Question is, which one best suits the truck's ranges of torque values?

Options are, roughly:

a 1/2" 25 lb-f to 250 lb-f, convertible reading to in-f and N-m readings

-or-

a 3/8' 5 lb-f to 100 lb-f, same conversions available.

I'm reading through the FSM, and I can't really make up my mind, so I'm throwing it out there to y'all: Which range will do the most good, on an FZJ-80?

And, is there any point to a torque-angle wrench? I'm not able to find anywhere in the manual that speaks to that, but I'm wondering, ya know? What the hell are those used for, and where?

 

[Grench]

I bought a Chicago Tools $25 special torque wrench a few years ago. It -feels- about right still. Where did you find a machine to tell you where your calibration is at that cost less than the wrench?

If you're able to get a steep discount on Snap On torque wrenches, buy both. If you're getting a steep enough discount, set up a group buy for us all to get them.

 

[fzj80kidpen]

I would definitely go with the big one.
Most of the time I have been concerned with torque accuracy has been with lugnuts (75lbs), birf job stuff. So those are higher torques.
Usually if it 24 lbs or lower then that just standard 3/8 socket and done by feel for me.

 

[KingOfFools]

The best way to go would be to get both. Snap-On is big money, but well worth if your going to use them often. The reason I say get both, is most companys selling them don't recomend using them within 5-10% of their min/max readings, so you need some overlap. If you have to choose between the two, I'd go with a nice 3/8, and a less expensive 1/2 in, but thats just me. The torque angle finder... I've used mine 3 times in 11yrs as a mechanic, but the last time I used it was on the head bolts on my 80. Hope this helps, and I hope you get a deeeeep discount with Snap-On. Cheers

 

[thekirk]

Grench, I'm looking at doing my headgasket, so before I dug into it, I had one of my low-life buds run my POS wrenches by the folks at our TMDE shop. Who needed to do some training... Both my 1/2" and 3/8" drive wrenches are pretty much SOL--way the hell off, all across the ranges.

With all I've got going on with this truck, I really don't want to be buying two wrenches, thus the quandary.

And, sadly, about the only way I could swing this discount as a group discount for the board is if y'all swung by your local Army recruiter, first...

 

[instigator]

how much ya want for your crapsman torque wrenches? you do know that you can adjust the calibrations on them?

 

[thekirk]

KingOfFools... Holy crap, I'd missed that, reading the FSM. Is the angle finder used anywhere else, on the truck? On the head, at least, it looks like it's pretty straightforward, to do it without one...

 

[KingOfFools]

Not hard to do it without one, not quite as accurate. Thats a tool I would convince a friend to buy and borrow it when needed.

 

[619TOY]

I have and use three. All snap-on, 1/4" in inch lbs.,3/8" up to 75 lbs. with a flex head and 1/2" up to 250 lbs. I use the 3/8 the most but wish it were a little longer.

 

[Rookie2]

What's the highest torque you need on our trucks besides the crankshaft bolt (which you need more than 250 for anyways)? The highest I can recall is 90 ft-lbs (IIRC) for the break caliper bolts. I also thought there was a snap-on that fell in between this range... say maxed out around 150 ft-lb.


Rookie2

 

[Sully]

I just bought the Craftsman 3/8. Maybe I'll take it back...

 

[MoGas]

I have one of these for the average use. One of these for the higher torque stuff. One of these for the small items. and a Mac 0-50 in/lb dial type torque wrench for the really fine stuff. I used to be a professional mechanic so that is why I own all these. for the average joe, a 20-150 ft/lb wrench would do for most things. I had a Craftsman torque wrench that got off by quite a bit and I sent it in through Sears and got it checked and adjusted, I think it was ~25.00 to get it done. We have a calibration service that comes to our shop where I work now and calibrates all our torque devices and our company pays for our personal torque devices to get calibrated every year too. Next time he comes by I'll ask for the "walk in" price.

Dave

 

[619TOY]

What's the highest torque you need on our trucks besides the crankshaft bolt (which you need more than 250 for anyways)? The highest I can recall is 90 ft-lbs (IIRC) for the break caliper bolts. I also thought there was a snap-on that fell in between this range... say maxed out around 150 ft-lb.


Rookie2

Alot of the suspension parts are in the neighborhood of 125-140 foot pounds. One was up to 180 I think.

 

[RavenTai]

I have and use three. All snap-on, 1/4" in inch lbs.,3/8" up to 75 lbs. with a flex head and 1/2" up to 250 lbs.

same here. got them on E-bay AFAIK only thing I cannot do it the crank bolt 305' LB

 

[Trailbus]

same here. got them on E-bay AFAIK only thing I cannot do it the crank bolt 305' LB

I work in an air force calibration Lab & have had a lot of experiences with different brands. If you want parts availability, go with snapon. If you want durability & customer service, go with Mac or CDI (http://www.cditorque.com/). I would go CDI myself & might even buy preset wrenches for certain frequently performed maintenance. That is your best bet for accuracy.

A little less accurate but more convenient would be these torque limiters. http://www.geartronics.com/x4page3.htm

 

[RavenTai]

http://www.cditorque.com/).

Those look familiar, that must be who makes Snap-On's torque wrenches. (or vise versa?)

we used Proto and Snap-On at work (A&P / AMT) both hold their accuracy. I checked the three I have on a digital test stand, dead on through most of the range, minor variation at the extremes. mostly the bottom.


never messed with Mac torque wrenches, what I have used of Macs products I have found to be variable, some of their stuff is very good, some of it is not good.

 

[MoGas]

Those look familiar, that must be who makes Snap-On's torque wrenches. (or vise versa?)

It says right on thier logo "A Snap-On Company"


Dave

 

[Beowulf]

Does anyone know if a Snap-On truck dealer can test and/or recalibrate torque wrenches?

-B-

 

[Grench]

I think each of those guys is a franchise. It probably depends on what they've chosen to stock.

 

[MoGas]

The calibration equipment is rather large so I doubt there is.