carmudgeons.com  

Go Back   carmudgeons.com > Automotive Forums > Car Talk > Perseverators Anonymous

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-07-2020, 09:52 PM   #1
Alan
Carmudgeon
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,646
Need a Good torque wrench

I’ve got This ridiculous digital torque wrench (1/2 inch) that just is annoying... it beeps when you hit the setting and always over torques ... I want to go back to the manual one where it just clicks when it hits the right torque so I don’t over torque the lug nuts.

Can someone recommend one ?

TIA
Alan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 10:04 PM   #2
JST
195
 
JST's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 24,593
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan View Post
I’ve got This ridiculous digital torque wrench (1/2 inch) that just is annoying... it beeps when you hit the setting and always over torques ... I want to go back to the manual one where it just clicks when it hits the right torque so I don’t over torque the lug nuts.

Can someone recommend one ?

TIA
I've had this one for about ten years and have been pleased with it.

https://www.jbtools.com/precision-in...SABEgIA2PD_BwE
JST is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-07-2020, 10:09 PM   #3
Plaz
•••••••
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: '11 1M
Location: Churzee
Posts: 17,741
I have an old school Craftsman one I actually bought at Sears in probably 2005. Always worked easily for me, but I have no idea how close or not to being properly calibrated it is at this point. Don't even know if you can buy it anymore.

Happy to be of help!
__________________
2011 1M
Plaz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 06:21 AM   #4
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,216
Buy this. Done.

https://smile.amazon.com/CDI-2503MFR...s%2C151&sr=8-1

Excellent tool. Made by Snap-on. I've had mine for 15 years and it still feels new. Long tool, so it's easy to torque wheels down.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 07:42 AM   #5
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,439
Quote:
Originally Posted by FC View Post
Buy this. Done.

https://smile.amazon.com/CDI-2503MFR...s%2C151&sr=8-1

Excellent tool. Made by Snap-on. I've had mine for 15 years and it still feels new. Long tool, so it's easy to torque wheels down.
Made *for* Snap On, not by.

For Alan's use, the Precision torque wrench that Josh linked to is way better. Those were also rebranded by Snap On. Why are they better? Well, super easy to adjust, and they don't have to be zeroed in between uses. I have the "Snap On" one because that's what my wife bought, Mike has the Precision version. They are identical.

I use small CDIs for precision work because they have amore precise adjuster, but nothing that you're putting a 1/2" torque wrench on requires extremely fine adjustment.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 07:54 AM   #6
ff
.
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 13,514
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plaz View Post
I have an old school Craftsman one I actually bought at Sears in probably 2005. Always worked easily for me, but I have no idea how close or not to being properly calibrated it is at this point. Don't even know if you can buy it anymore.

Happy to be of help!
LOL, same here! I bought mine in the early 90's though, so it's probably even further out of calibration
ff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 08:41 AM   #7
clyde
Chief title editor
 
clyde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,599
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plaz View Post
I have an old school Craftsman one I actually bought at Sears in probably 2005. Always worked easily for me, but I have no idea how close or not to being properly calibrated it is at this point. Don't even know if you can buy it anymore.

Happy to be of help!
I lost count of how many Craftsman 1/2" clicker torque wrenches I've gone through since 2003. Was able to exchange a few at Sears despite several of them busting past their warranty expiration (depending on the clerk knowing that torque wrenches were only warrantied for 12 months and with a receipt), but not all.

The last one went 7 or 8 years before giving up two years ago.

I bought a Tekton to replace. Was $58 on Amazon at the time. $60 right now. It may be a good option for you.

https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-24340-...dp/B00C5ZL1NS/

I have two complaints that not everyone would find to be a problem. First is completely addressable...I just haven't and I'm not sure why. There is a screw to "lock" the adjuster at a setting. In the mad rush to change between dry/rain tires between runs or before the rain hits (and hopefully avoid getting soaked) or to swap between race and road tires to get on the road after an event, the lock is sometimes overlooked or not fully completed. If it's not fully locked, the adjuster can slip. The screw has a hole through it, and when I'm taking my time, I stick something through it to actually lock it. In a rush, it's just finger tight and that's not really tight enough every time. There's a hole in the screw and I keep intending to put a key chain ring or similar through it, but just haven't gotten around to it. (Which is ridiculous.)

The other issue I have is that the marking are small, thin, and at angles that make it tough to read if reading glasses are a thing in your life. Without glasses on, I really have to slow down and focus to get it right (which I think also adds to rushing on locking it place).

If/when this goes, the Precision linked earlier is the one I'm buying.
__________________
OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11

Team WTF?!
What are you gonna do?
clyde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 08:46 AM   #8
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,216
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
Made *for* Snap On, not by.

For Alan's use, the Precision torque wrench that Josh linked to is way better. Those were also rebranded by Snap On. Why are they better? Well, super easy to adjust, and they don't have to be zeroed in between uses. I have the "Snap On" one because that's what my wife bought, Mike has the Precision version. They are identical.

I use small CDIs for precision work because they have amore precise adjuster, but nothing that you're putting a 1/2" torque wrench on requires extremely fine adjustment.
My last company used CDI Torque wrenches on a daily basis in a production environment and I don't recall them ever being out of calibration and they were calibrated yearly by an outside outfit and daily by a calibrated test fixture. Good enough for me to work on my car.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 08:50 AM   #9
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,439
Quote:
Originally Posted by FC View Post
My last company used CDI Torque wrenches on a daily basis in a production environment and I don't recall them ever being out of calibration and they were calibrated yearly by an outside outfit and daily by a calibrated test fixture. Good enough for me to work on my car.
You're not Alan. The Precision split beam offers radically improved ease of use.

Again, Mike and I have both the Precision and the CDI wrenches. The CDIs are great for what we use them for (fine torques, you know, like engine work). For swapping wheels, the Precision is like a million times better.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-08-2020, 09:29 AM   #10
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,216
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
You're not Alan. The Precision split beam offers radically improved ease of use.

Again, Mike and I have both the Precision and the CDI wrenches. The CDIs are great for what we use them for (fine torques, you know, like engine work). For swapping wheels, the Precision is like a million times better.
I'm sure. It seems like a fine tool. I do like the torque adjustment. I was just saying that I've got nothing but good things to say about the one I have.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
impact wrench zach Technical Superiority 3 02-08-2010 02:33 PM
Which torque wrench: rumatt Technical Superiority 32 06-21-2005 04:51 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Forums © 2003-2008, 'Mudgeon Enterprises - Site hosting by AYN & Associates, LLC