Torque wrench advice

[Scott68FJ40]

I have decided to finally break down and buy a torque wrench. I have always borrowed them in the past.

Any advice on what torque range I should look for? I see a lot of 3/8 drive ones that go up to 100 ft #'s and wonder if that is big enough for most of what I will need for my FJ40?

 

[Gumby]

Depends on what you torque. The 3/8s one will do for manifold bolts, and pressure plate bolts. You will want a 1/2 drive one to do head bolts and lug nuts.

If I was going to get one I would get a half drive digital read out. They are accurate at low torque specs and work well for high specs too. Some of the clicker types just don't work well below 50 lbs/ft or so.

Or for the price of a digital you can get a 3/8 inch pound and a 1/2 foot pound clicker type.

deflecting beam type are useless unless you are really cheap or really hard on stuff. Good for a off road bag. Dial indicator types are too fragile and not any more accurate than a digital.

This is what I use

GearWrench KDT85071 Digital Torque Wrench 12DR 25 250 ft lbs

I have clicker type for the kids to use on lug nuts.

S-K Hand Tool 74530 Micrometer Adjustable Clicker Torque Wrenches to

 

[Corbet]

If your going to own just one, I'd get the nicest 1/2" drive you can justify.

 

[Scott68FJ40]

I will probably end up with more than one, but since I am currently rebuilding an axle, I think that a 3/8 drive that goes up to atleast 100 ft lbs would be a good start.

 

[Joe_E]

Look on ebay and craigslist.

I got an almost brand new 1/2 drive snap on clicker in box for $90 and a nice used digital snap on 3/8 w/ box and cert. for $145.

 

[Gumby]

Why would you ask if you already know what you're going to regardless of the answers you get?

 

[KLF]

Regardless of what you buy, get it calibrated. I've seen brand new Matcos that were waaay off, but once calibrated worked great.

 

[Scott68FJ40]

Why would you ask if you already know what you're going to regardless of the answers you get?

Did you even read this thread? I got specific advice about wrenches and what tasks they would be good for. Based on my current project one of them seems to fit the needs more than the other.

 

[Bighead]

Gumby...how often do you get the wrenches calibrated?

Depends on what you torque. The 3/8s one will do for manifold bolts, and pressure plate bolts. You will want a 1/2 drive one to do head bolts and lug nuts.

If I was going to get one I would get a half drive digital read out. They are accurate at low torque specs and work well for high specs too. Some of the clicker types just don't work well below 50 lbs/ft or so.

Or for the price of a digital you can get a 3/8 inch pound and a 1/2 foot pound clicker type.

deflecting beam type are useless unless you are really cheap or really hard on stuff. Good for a off road bag. Dial indicator types are too fragile and not any more accurate than a digital.

This is what I use

GearWrench KDT85071 Digital Torque Wrench 12DR 25 250 ft lbs

I have clicker type for the kids to use on lug nuts.

S-K Hand Tool 74530 Micrometer Adjustable Clicker Torque Wrenches to

 

[IH8Wood]

I've bought used Snap-on pretty cheap off eBay, had them calibrated, and I'm into them 1/2 of what they cost new. I have a 3/8" 5-75 and a 1/2" 30 - 150. I rarely use the 3/8" but I usually just torque small bolts by feel.

 

[kbahus]

Great deal on Precision Instruments C3FR250F at ToolTopia.com

I am about 99.9% sure these guy's make Snap On's version. It's on my list of things to get eventually for the garage, however I do use Snap On Digital stuff at work but it's big bucks.

 

[OGBeno]

Mac's got a real good deal on digital and analog torque wrenches right now through the end of October. The lastest flier has the info., if you can find/stop/grab a Mac truck around town.

 

[TrickyT]

I've really been happy with the CDI torque wrenches I've owned over the years. CDI is owned by Snap-On. They make quality, calibrated wrenches equal (IMHO) to that of Snap-On, but that sell for less because CDI doesn't have the brand name recognition of Snap-On. If you keep watch on eBay and the on-line tool outlets, you'll find good deals come up pretty often. Also, like others in this thread, I advocate buying a quality wrench like a CDI over something cheap where you might think it's giving you good numbers but it's not.

If I had to buy only one torque wrench, it would definitely be a 1/2". The reason is that I find it far harder to guess or "feel" the correct torque for the bigger bolts/nuts that require higher torque numbers than it is to guess lower torque numbers. In other words, it's easier to get close to the proper torque based on feel alone for all your tranny pan bolts than it is to guess the correct torque on all your head bolts. And, I'll wager, the head bolts are more important to get right too.

Lastly, it is a joy to use a good quality torque wrench and you'll know - with confidence, whether you're using a "clicker" or a digital - that you've tightened stuff exactly according to the FSM.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Can you calibrate a mechanical "clicker" type torque wrench at home? How does one go about this?

 

[Darasick]

I've really been happy with the CDI torque wrenches I've owned over the years. CDI is owned by Snap-On. They make quality, calibrated wrenches equal (IMHO) to that of Snap-On, but that sell for less because CDI doesn't have the brand name recognition of Snap-On. If you keep watch on eBay and the on-line tool outlets, you'll find good deals come up pretty often. Also, like others in this thread, I advocate buying a quality wrench like a CDI over something cheap where you might think it's giving you good numbers but it's not.

If I had to buy only one torque wrench, it would definitely be a 1/2". The reason is that I find it far harder to guess or "feel" the correct torque for the bigger bolts/nuts that require higher torque numbers than it is to guess lower torque numbers. In other words, it's easier to get close to the proper torque based on feel alone for all your tranny pan bolts than it is to guess the correct torque on all your head bolts. And, I'll wager, the head bolts are more important to get right too.

Lastly, it is a joy to use a good quality torque wrench and you'll know - with confidence, whether you're using a "clicker" or a digital - that you've tightened stuff exactly according to the FSM.

I bought a CDI torque wrench because of this post and the fact that I have used snap-on in the past. I can honestly say that I couldn't be happier with the money spent. Thanks for the lead Tricky.

FWIW, I don't know of any torque wrenches that can actually be "calibrated". They call it calibration, but what it really is, is an accuracy check. If it fails its garbage.