Torque wrench question

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Bill and Earline

While not a high dollar item, the Harbor Freight torque wrench has been tested at several of our Escape gatherings against high dollar torque wrenches and the HF was found to be pretty close.

If you sign up to get their emails or if you pick up nearly any car magazine, you will get their coupons for 20% off a single item per trip. About half the time they will also run that torque wrench for $9.99 in their printed ads.

With ALL click type torque wrenches, be sure to set them back to zero when not using them to maintain their accuracy. Don't leave them set at the 90 - 95 ft/lb setting, because you only plan on using it on the trailer lug nuts.

I have a HF torque wrench for the trailer, my home tool box has a Craftsman and a Husky (one 1/2 drive the other 3/8 drive, I don't recall which is which).

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

Yup after putting a cheater bar on a 1/2 in breaker bar to remove the nut holding the broken blade on a brush hog and breaking the breaker bar...we bought a 3/4 in one. It gets the job done no fuss. Worth every penny!

I really like using an 18 volt impact wrench on larger tight nuts. Better than an air wrench cause you don’t have to fight the air hose and better than the old electrics we used to have cause you don’t fight the cord. I have removed the nut from trailer hitch balls a number of times with the 18 volt and use it on the mower blades on the z turn with good success also.
The angles you have to work at make all the difference sometimes. I always use impact grade sockets.
Iowa Dave

[75thRanger]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

With ALL click type torque wrenches, be sure to set them back to zero when not using them to maintain their accuracy. Don't leave them set at the 90 - 95 ft/lb setting, because you only plan on using it on the trailer lug nuts.

I have a HF torque wrench for the trailer, my home tool box has a Craftsman and a Husky (one 1/2 drive the other 3/8 drive, I don't recall which is which).

Why should they be reset to zero? What effect does that have on their accuracy? I've never seen/heard that anywhere.

[IMJ in FLA]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

Why should they be reset to zero? What effect does that have on their accuracy? I've never seen/heard that anywhere.

Leaving tension on the internal spring mechanism weakens the spring and affects future accuracy. The user manual that comes with the wrench cautions about leaving the tension set. The instructions remind one to return the torque setting to zero when not in use.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by 75thRanger

Why should they be reset to zero? What effect does that have on their accuracy? I've never seen/heard that anywhere.

Now you have.
And, if you read the instructions that come with your Coleman cooler, it says not to drain melt water while using it to keep food cool.

[C&G in FL]

Actually, if you use a battery powered impact wrench (it’s less effort removing the lug nuts than using a breaker bar), you can buy a set of torque sticks at HF and forget the torque wrench. They are accurate enough for non-precision torquing such as tightening lug nuts and they do not have to be calibrated nor adjusted up for use and down for storage. But I wouldn’t leave the torque wrench at home as it is always good to have a back-up. Battery tools can break and batteries can give up the ghost. While lug nuts should be brought up to designated torque in stages, the correct torque stick/socket can be left on the impact wrench making a follow-up torque verification very quick and easy. But as was already stated in an earlier post, if building an engine, don’t use them or a bargain basement torque wrench.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by IMJ in FLA

Leaving tension on the internal spring mechanism weakens the spring and affects future accuracy. The user manual that comes with the wrench cautions about leaving the tension set. The instructions remind one to return the torque setting to zero when not in use.

I was taught this at my first job at a service station back in the late 70's. The station owner a respected mechanic was very adamant about it. He was very particular. Every night we had to move everything out of the service bays, wet the floors down, then throw powdered degreaser out, scrub the floors with shop brooms, rinse the floors down, and then move everything back in. I learned a lot working there, back in the days of full service gas stations. Full service meant checking the oil, tires, in addition to pumping fuel.

Edit: Yes, we even had 'uniforms' which were cleaned by a service. White shirts with a Shell logo on one side and our name on the other, and brown pants. I have no idea what the company used to clean them, the white shirts would get covered with grease and oil and always came back sparkling white.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by IMJ in FLA

Leaving tension on the internal spring mechanism weakens the spring and affects future accuracy. The user manual that comes with the wrench cautions about leaving the tension set. The instructions remind one to return the torque setting to zero when not in use.

That is what instructions say for my 1960’s Craftsman and I still do it to this day . Pat

[dfandrews]

I also have a HF torque wrench: works!
But, I also got this from HF - #62491. A multi-size impact socket set with a short extension, which protects the knuckles:

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by dfandrews

I also have a HF torque wrench: works!
But, I also got this from HF - #62491. A multi-size impact socket set with a short extension, which protects the knuckles:

I'll have to look for that, since my tow vehicle lug bolts are 19mm, and the trailer lug nuts are obviously 3/4".

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by TTMartin

I'll have to look for that, since my tow vehicle lug bolts are 19mm, and the trailer lug nuts are obviously 3/4".

For our intents and purposes, 3/4" is the same size as 19mm (0.002" different).

[cpaharley2008]

Speaking of Craftsman tools, here are 2 I inherited from my Dad, notice the model # on the electric drill, late 40's I believe. Still works as does the hand drill............

[UncleTim]

Wow! It looks like everyone is here.

I have two Husky torque wrenches.

1. 20 to 100 lbs.
2. 40 to 250 lbs.

I use the first for the Andersen Ball / Kin Pin attachment torqued to 40#.

I use #2 for the Andersen ball hitch on the bed of the truck. 60# and 95# (two different bolt settings).

I use Husky because I believe they are quality tools you can depend on, time and time again. They have nice cases too, which matters on the road. Sooner or later I will only carry one and leave the smaller one in the shop. I had to go to a crowded bench to take this pic.

I believe in great tools.


Oh yeah, the long stem hex heads are to reach inside the Andersen Ball / King Pin bolts (4x - 1/4 inch). If I use a smaller one, it cams out at around 38#s. They don't bend too much either.

[Effie]

And don’t forget your spare wheel nuts. Since the cover was of I decided to check the three nuts holding the spare, all three were loose, two felt dangerously so.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Speaking of Craftsman tools, here are 2 I inherited from my Dad, notice the model # on the electric drill, late 40's I believe. Still works as does the hand drill............

Hi Jim ! Craftsman tools were the best ! Don’t have the drill but wrenches , 1/2, 3/8 and 1/4 drive sae and metric , punches just lots of goodies in the tool chest . Pat

[John in Santa Cruz]

iI had a 1960s (probably) Craftsman electric drill (corded, of course), and never thought it was that great of a tool, its bearings were very noisy, and its chuck had a tendency to slip. maybe it had been abused before I got it, I never used it that much, adn was very happy with a dewalt nicad 18V variable speed drill-driver, but retired that when I won a Ryobi lithium drill-driver/5" skillsaw combination kit in a raffle.

[UncleTim]

Originally Posted by Effie

And don’t forget your spare wheel nuts. Since the cover was of I decided to check the three nuts holding the spare, all three were loose, two felt dangerously so.

Great point. Going to check mine today!

Thanks.

[75thRanger]

Originally Posted by IMJ in FLA

Leaving tension on the internal spring mechanism weakens the spring and affects future accuracy. The user manual that comes with the wrench cautions about leaving the tension set. The instructions remind one to return the torque setting to zero when not in use.

Should have known that. I rotate the clips for my target pistol to relive the spring tension in them.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I had a 1960s (probably) Craftsman electric drill (corded, of course), and never thought it was that great of a tool, its bearings were very noisy, and its chuck had a tendency to slip.

Or maybe my Black and Decker 1968 Xmas present was just built better. It was one of the first variable speed drills available. Cost about $9.98. Still going strong. I've had several other name brand drills fail during this time but this one still gets lots of use despite having many other drills. My go-to drill is my 18v Ryobi and its' impact twin.

Ron

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Or maybe my Black and Decker 1968 Xmas present was just built better. It was one of the first variable speed drills available. Cost about $9.98. Still going strong. I've had several other name brand drills fail during this time but this one still gets lots of use despite having many other drills. My go-to drill is my 18v Ryobi and its' impact twin.

Ron

Black and decker were less expensive and great tools. Had a Black and Decker jig saw that was a workhorse and survived for many years . You wouldn’t believe what it went through . Pat