Torque Wrench quality?

[204 Escape]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

I agree wit Bond-O on the torque wrenches. The Snap On is the best. We used Craptsman Torque Wrenches on the job, and they literally fell apart. The torque was ALWAYS backed off everyday. ALSO, without a receipt, they would NOT replace them !!!! AND they are only good for a YEAR, according to the SEARS store that we went to !!!!!

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

I guess it's what you expect for your efforts and time investment. If I'd just dropped $1500-3000 doing a rebuild, I'm not doing critical torque of rods/mains/headgaskets with a Harbor freight torque wrench, nor will I risk my hands or tearing up a particuarly hard to reach bolt with a cheap wrench or socket. Mac, Snap-on or Matco is all I'll have in my toolbox.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

Does anyone know how Matco, Snapon, Craftsman, or the Harbor Freight brands compare when calibrated to a known standard?

 

[NW Redneck]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

.In my business its pretty easy to spot the good techs...They usually have klein tools, and fluke meters...

Word.

And Veto Pro-PAC TOOL BAGS!

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

I have owned everything from Craftsman to Matco to Snap On. Craftsman's quality has gone downhill and although Snap On & Matco are very high quality, they have gotten so overpriced it's stupid. $45 for a 8" phillips screwdriver? Seriously?

I do go to HF for somethings...wire ties, electrical tape, mechanics gloves, hammers (incredible deals...$3.00 for a 2# dead blow!), sandpaper, etc. No serious tool purchases, but you can certainly save money on the other things.

 

[kahuna123]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

Its a matter of economy. I just changed a pinion seal in my Chevy. $22 dollar impact wrench from HF or $100 from the other stores. Let me see?? I am going to use this tool how many times??? On the other hand I own a $2000 table saw that I make money with among other tools that fill up a two car garage full of tools. I needed a 4 ft pipe wrench to change inboard props under water. Let me see?? 20 bucks at HF versus $100 to put in salt water??
Craftsman went to crap when Sears bought them out. I still have 30 year old tools from them but I won't buy them anymore.
Rigid is GARBAGE. Its made for Home Depot are cheap as they can make it. They used to sell some good stuff. At least at HF if you buy garbage you pay garbage prices.
But Craftsman right now has the best cordless on the market with the best COMMERCIAL warranty. So maybe they are trying for a come back.

When I was using my tools everyday I bought the best. Snap on back then even Craftsman. But for a weekender use it once or twice and two years from now it comes up missing???

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

Oh jeezum, another HF thread.

Buy what you want. One time use HF. Commercial use, some other brand.

But for things like a crow bar, how can you mess that up? HF is fine on stuff like that.

 

[sparticus]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

Ok...question for all you professional users of torque wrenches. When was the last time (if ever) that you had your torque wrenches professionally calibrated? I had several that required yearly certifications in order for me to use them in my aircraft mechanic days. It never ceased to amaze me the number of brand new, high quality torque wrenches that failed and were not able to be adjusted right out of the box! Don't assume that if its a high quality wrench its going to read correctly forever. They are ment to be set to their lowest setting (not necessarily zero) after using them. If you run them down below the lowest setting on the wrench it can mess them up permanently! Most PMEL labs will also tell you the top and bottom 10% on the scale are usually not reliable. Also dropping them is almost a garantee for a failed calibration later.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

Its a matter of economy. I just changed a pinion seal in my Chevy. $22 dollar impact wrench from HF or $100 from the other stores. Let me see?? I am going to use this tool how many times??? On the other hand I own a $2000 table saw that I make money with among other tools that fill up a two car garage full of tools. I needed a 4 ft pipe wrench to change inboard props under water. Let me see?? 20 bucks at HF versus $100 to put in salt water??
Craftsman went to crap when Sears bought them out. I still have 30 year old tools from them but I won't buy them anymore.
Rigid is GARBAGE. Its made for Home Depot are cheap as they can make it. They used to sell some good stuff. At least at HF if you buy garbage you pay garbage prices.
But Craftsman right now has the best cordless on the market with the best COMMERCIAL warranty. So maybe they are trying for a come back.

When I was using my tools everyday I bought the best. Snap on back then even Craftsman. But for a weekender use it once or twice and two years from now it comes up missing???

Common sense goes a long way in life kahuna123.....sounds like you got it!!

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

I guess a Snap-On may be the Cadillac of torque wrenches. I do not know....I do know that before I bought a HF one, I talked to a guy in a calibration lab. He said in his experience, he had found the HF ones to be as good or better than the Craftsman wrenches. With that said, I bought a couple of HF ones and have had no problems. They check out fine when compared to my old beam wrench....The good thing about HF compared to Craftsman is the HF ones have a lifetime warranty. The Craftsman do not.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

In the old days a torque wrench was a luxury and many good mechanics could judge the correct amount of torque. The HF may or may not be that accurate but so what if it is off by a pound or two.....most bolt torque specs are given in in a range anyway. The important thing is repeatability which any torque wrench should give.

 

[mscher]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

HF tools usually boils down to value, for the money.

A 1/2" Snap-on torque wrench, costs over $500, most of which is simply price mark-up. Used one's sell for $300. A 1/2" HF torque wrench, is $24, where is is very little price markup.

I have used a no-name torque (not HF) wrench for 20 years. Maybe it's not toally accurate (as I have never had it calibrated), but I have never had any torque-related problems with anything I have used it on. Would I d use it, if I was a repairing a fighter jet, or was a professional mechanic, who used one daily? Probably not.

Also there are many people out there, who may need a torque wrench, but cannot afford, even a used "high quality" model. The HF wrench will get the job done, maybe for along time.

Ego has a lot to do with tools also. I paid a "fortune", for the 10pc 3/8" Snap-on socket set, that I had to actually make "payments" on - 35 years ago. I cherish them, as some of my favorite tools, but frankly, they perform no better, or worse, that the 1/2" Craftsman socket set, I had purchased a few years ago - they both get the job done just fine.

Of course if I misplaced a Sears socket, I would not be out of my mind searching for it.

 

[mscher]

Re: Torque Wrench quality?

In my business its pretty easy to spot the good techs...They usually have klein tools, and fluke meters...

Fluke multimeters are now made in China. The components are probably made in the same factory that makes the HF guts.