Torque Wrench

[mcdonner]

Can anyone recommend a decent, reasonably priced torque wrench? Thank.

[SFDavis50]

Harbor Freight, Approx. $19.99 when on sale and a lifetime warranty on their tools.

[War Eagle]

Ralph, I don't have this one (see link below; my current one is a 30-year-old Craftsman brand), but this one has features I would look for if getting another (though a bit pricey). Adequate range, micro-click design, 1/2" drive, slim-line protective case.
Sears.com

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by SFDavis50

Harbor Freight, Approx. $19.99 when on sale and a lifetime warranty on their tools.

They sell Pittsburgh-brand torque wrenches. Car Craft Magazine has given them a thumbs up.... "Impressive Accuracy... amazing value." On sale, I bought a 1/2" drive for $9.99. For something used a couple of times a year, I'm happy.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

They sell Pittsburgh-brand torque wrenches. Car Craft Magazine has given them a thumbs up.... "Impressive Accuracy... amazing value." On sale, I bought a 1/2" drive for $9.99. For something used a couple of times a year, I'm happy.

Also have a older Craftsman but for the trailer bought a Harbor freight .Good enough. Pat

[Donna D.]

I'll be giving away the exact Harbor Freight torque wrench at the Spring NOG! But you have to be present and wearing a name tag to win

[Fox hunt]

when i went to buy a torque wrench at harbor freight i was told i needed several attachments -do I? I no nothing about this type of thing never torqued anything...but i can make a lovely souffle.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

when i went to buy a torque wrench at harbor freight i was told i needed several attachments -do I? I no nothing about this type of thing never torqued anything...but i can make a lovely souffle.

The only thing extra you need is the correct socket.

[Fox hunt]

what size socket?

[Ron in BC]

Also, a short extension as the wheel lug nuts are recessed. 6" is fine.

Micro click is nice and easier for limited experience users.

Ron

[thoer]

If all you need it for is wheel nut torque, the Harbor Freight will work very well for you. I wouldn't use it on engine rebuilding or anything where repeated precision was required, but for wheel nuts it's all you need.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

what size socket?

13/16" socket, preferably 6-point, matching your drive size (preferably 1/2" drive) plus a 6" extension as previously mentioned (or 4" extension if using a deep-socket).

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

13/16" socket, preferably 6-point, matching your drive size (preferably 1/2" drive) plus a 6" extension as previously mentioned (or 4" extension if using a deep-socket).

You'll want a wrench with torque range that goes from about 30 foot pounds on the low end to at least 100 foot pounds on the upper end. The wheel nut torque on the tight end you're shooting for is 95 foot pounds. If you ever change out your brake shoes and magnets by purchasing the complete set as a "kit" the backing plate is held on by four nuts that are torqued from 45 to 70 foot pounds (that's an 11/16 nut.) Every once in a while it's good to compare your wrench to those of others to make sure they all read about the same so you know you're in calibration. My wrench is a 30 to 150 range and has been validated in competition.
Dave

Goin to torque wrench practice

[wetzk]

Harbor freight is fine just make sure you run it back to zero before you put it away. I sent my 30 plus year old made in the USA wrench in to be recalibrated before we left. I could have bought two harbor freight ones for what that cost.
Karens hubby

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

when i went to buy a torque wrench at harbor freight i was told i needed several attachments -do I? I no nothing about this type of thing never torqued anything...but i can make a lovely souffle.

I would suggest that if you have never used a torque wrench, you get someone who knows the proper use of one to show you. Either that, or watch one of the You Tube videos.

[War Eagle]

For what it's worth, I'm not sure that ETI is precision torquing lug nuts at the factory. We had our new 21' delivered and drove it less than 15 miles from point of drop off to our home. When I checked all 24 lug nuts at 95 ft/lb, about half of them needed another 1/4 turn or so, and one lug nut went nearly a full turn. That's not the end of the world, but it validates the advice/warning to always check them.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

For what it's worth, I'm not sure that ETI is precision torquing lug nuts at the factory. We had our new 21' delivered and drove it less than 15 miles from point of drop off to our home. When I checked all 24 lug nuts at 95 ft/lb, about half of them needed another 1/4 turn or so, and one lug nut went nearly a full turn. That's not the end of the world, but it validates the advice/warning to always check them.

With newly mounted wheels on new lugs, the need to stop and retorque a few miles down the road is normal. That's why Escape tells new owners to do so. The wheels and lugs need to "seat". We torqued ours about 25 miles down the road, then once again about 100 miles into Washington. They've not really needed adjustment since.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[AKCamper]

Originally Posted by wetzk

Harbor freight is fine just make sure you run it back to zero before you put it away. I sent my 30 plus year old made in the USA wrench in to be recalibrated before we left. I could have bought two harbor freight ones for what that cost.
Karens hubby

If you want to check the calibration of a click style tourque wrench take a beam style tourque wrench and using an eight point 1/2 inch socket hook the wrenches togeather. The click wrench should read the correct amount on the beam wrench when it clicks. Beam style tourque wrenches NEVER go out of calibration.

[dfandrews]

To go along with your Harbor Freight torque wrench, try this: Item #62491. It has all the important lug nut sizes They're double-ended, and the extension inserts half-way in:

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

To go along with your Harbor Freight torque wrench, try this: Item #62491. It has all the important lug nut sizes They're double-ended, and the extension inserts half-way in...

Those are great for people switching rapidly between sizes... typically working in a tire shop. On the other hand, since I am normally working with alloy wheels, if I were going to get sockets specifically for wheel nuts I would get thin wall wheel protector impact sockets; they have a plastic cover which reduces marring of the finish on alloy wheels, and are thin so they fit in the relatively tight wells in some alloy wheels. Many are colour-coded to make grabbing the right size easier.

For now, I just use normal 6-point deep sockets.