Need a recommendation for a torque wrench??
Wheels are supposed to be torqued to 96 FTLB and am looking at wrenches 3/8 in. that range from 20-150 ftlb. and 1/2 in. that range 25-250 ftlb.

Which would be the better selection with regards to other fittings that require being torqued down???

Price is a consideration...

thanks in advance

 

As main use likely to be for oil drain plug and oil filter housing I would go for 3/8 in.

 

Cant go wrong with Snap-on or Craftsman...IMHO

 

I've been very happy with the Craftsman 1/2" that I bight for track use, but also for any work on the wheels. Works great for wheels, but that's about it for me. Maybe I'll also buy a 3/8" and if I was only going to buy one, that might be the better way to go...

 

I recently bought a 19mm socket to use on my lug bolts and discovered it was in 1/2" drive, so I bought a 1/2" drive TW. I think it would be a lot easier to use a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter for smaller sockets than trying to use a smaller 3/8" drive TW with a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter for larger sockets, like that needed for wheel bolts. Also, for what it's worth I don't think Sears lifetime guarantee for Craftsman tools applies to their torque wrenches. On their website some of their torque wrenches have terrible reviews.

 

I think I was told that also-just their beam torque wrenches:

This is the Sears warranty info:
http://c.sears.com/assets/war/CRW.pdf

It came from this torque wrench:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944978000P

Has anyone tested a Harbor Freight torque wrench for accuracy?

 

For what it's worth Sears DOES guarantee for life that style torque wrench.
Funny thing is that I bought the 1/2 " version of that wrench today..

Small world....

 

If you later decide you want to upgrade to a micrometer ("click") style, Autozone has one that advertises a lifetime guarantee for $40.

 

I'm sure they have a wide variety of choices, some of which may be accurate but my personal experience is that the ones I've encountered are little better than breaker bars.

MB

 

If price is a consideration then I'd get a beam-type and not a micrometer-type, but these are some of the tools in your box that it'd be best not to skimp on.

MB

 

I have one of each. I use a 1/2" drive beam type for wheels and high torque applications (these are relatively inexpensive and have about a +-5% accuracy range). I use a 3/8" click type for other fasteners, particularly with aluminum parts (mostly motorcycle wrenching). These click wrenches come in a variety of prices so look for one with the calibration test chart included in the box. The test chart will give you some idea of the accuracy of the wrench (assuming the chart is not a fabrication).

 

it`s not 'wrench' it`s 'wrenches'.

you will need one with 5-85lbs dial, and may have another one with 150lbs max on dial for wheels. it is not critical to over tight your wheels a bit but you do not want to apply 30lbs to a nut that requires 17lbs and you need a wrench that is accurate enough in the low lbs area but can go to at east 50lbs max or so. look on amazon - they have several of them and have feedbacks from people.

get 5-80lbs in 3/8 and 1-150 in 1/2".

 

After buying your torque wrenches, do you guys get them calibrated? I heard that even high $$ wrenches could be pretty off.

 

You would probably do better with the 20-150 range version, as the stuff you need is in the lower torque range (filter housing is very low torque) and such a device would be more accurate there than one that gets up to a much higher range. Also , you probably pay less because you would not use the torque settings above 100 for that 25-250 wrench. You may need a converter socket to get from the size of the wrench to the size of your end socket; I'd not let that determine which wrench you get. No calibration is necessary - you don't have to be that accurate. If the wreches were off by more than 20% they would be pretty near useless, wouldn't they.. so would there be a market for them?

 

Sears said mine was not covered.
I have 3 and on one, the set rings no longer held in position......this is the model that has rings that set to desired weight....then she clicks & slips when you are at that weight.