Torque wrench recommendation

I need to buy a torque wrench for engine work. Who makes the best, and what specs or model should I buy? Thanks.

 

I like my Craftsman Digi-Torque or whatever it is... Lemme get you the link
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...s&cName=Mechanics+Tools&sName=Torque+Wrenches
The ratchiting feature is 100x better when doing stuff like U Bolts, since the single bar old style you can't read unless the Jeeps on a stand.

 

I did a lot of stuff when I was younger with the old bar type but they aren't that reliable. I'd pick up a clicker style, 1/2" drive, made in the USA. That means either SK or Snap-On. All the rest of them (including Craftsman) are made overseas and MAY be assembled in the US.

SK website: http://www.skhandtool.com/
Snap-On website: http://www.snapon.com/

You might also be able to pick up a Bonney (or is that Bonny) on E-Bay worth the money. They were made in the US before they went bankrupt. ..of course if you break it you won't get it replaced...

 

You sure?

 

Lowe's sells Kobalt brand. USA made, not as pricey as some other USA made ones. Looks to be a better quality than a lot of the foreign brands. Use to be made by snap on ,or the company that made snap on,years ago.

 

I've got a 1/2" Craftsmen clicker-type torque wrench that gets the job done alright, but I bought a Snap-On 3/8" TechAngle torque wrench for working on my dirt bikes and it's a dream. I thought the battery-powered vibrator thing was a joke until I used a buddy's. It's really nice that you don't have to be looking at it to know when you're approaching the right torque value.

 

Wouldn't use a clicker type on anything that has a tight torque range. Ok for lug nuts and what not that have a larger torque range variation but they just aren't accurate enough for anything else. I have a Snap-On electronic that vibrates, beeps, and reads out what you actually torque it to. Other manufacturers have them as well. I LOVE it. It also does newton meters as well as lbs. per inch. Dial styles tend to be very accurate as well.

 

I've got a 3/8" drive craftsman bar type that works well enough, and a gem of a snap on clicker in 1/2" drive. $$$ but it works great.

 

I don't like torque wrenches that require me to be looking at a gage or scale. More often than not I cannot look squarely at the scale so there is parallax error, or I can't see the scale at all given the location I'm torquing.

I like clickers but it's easy to overtorque with a clicker if you don't approach the click carefully. I suppose they're accurate enough for anything I'll be torquing. The only application where clickers don't work for me is something like differential shimming where I need to measure rolling resistance. You'll need something visual for that. Also, you need to back off the adjuster when storing them or they'll lose setting.

Never used the kind that vibrate, beep, and register a torque number but they sound pretty cool. Seems like they incorporate the better features of all types.

I was taught in the Navy that a torque wrench is not linear at the extremes of its scale so a wrench should be selected such that the desired torque value falls between the top 25% and bottom 25%. Also, if you don't verify your torque wrenches every once in a while you really have no idea what you are torquing to.

Chilly

 

I have a craftsman "clicky" that I really like. And the storage box is designed so you have to take it back to zero to fit it in the box.

Sears had a half off sale on it when I got it. It was like 50 bucks or so. I just can't see spending hundreds of bucks on a couple of torque wrenches for how often I use them. Were I a professional mechanic, I'd get a really good one.

 

Several years ago I was talking with one of the local tool traders. He's been in the business for years (business name is Meridian Tools in Oklahoma City). He told me that there were only two US dealers left. They were Snap-On and S&K. They supposedly are the only companies left that make their tools TOTALLY in the USA. I've got no way to prove it or check it out (yet) but he told me that all the others on the market import "blanks" for their tools and machine them in the USA (especially wrenches) so that they can stamp them "Made in the USA". I don't know about you but I've broken quite a few wrenches in my time but the ones I haven't broken are my S&Ks, my OLD Blackhawks, and my OLD Bonneys.

I don't own any Snap-Ons. I never could justify the expense for the difference in the warranty. Dad worked at the FLAPS and they sold a lot of different types. He almost never had S&Ks return. The BlackHawks came back occasionally. Of course that was 30 years ago.

I'm not wanting to hijack the thread but if anyone can tell me how to confirm or deny this I'd be EXTREMELY interested.

 

I'm not denying anything. Mine is made in USA, or so it says. It's most likely produced off shore. I'm no professional and won't be using it constantly. I've used it maybe 10 times, whenever possible I use the bar type but the Crapsman is ok, works nice, and at the end of the day get's the job done, it may not be extremly accurate but yer not gonna be using a $90 torque wrench on Hubble.
Snap on doesn't make Snap on anymore... They bid it out to whoever. Some of the best tools avaible IMO right now, are from overseas. They're catching up.

 

There are other USA made tool companies out there.. for example Armstrong tools. I've been noticing alot of companies have USA and imported tools now. SK has USA wrenches, but imported ratcheting wrenches. Snapon.. I dont know anymore - they have USA stamped tools.. and tools not stamped with USA.

For torque wrenches.. I got some real good deals by looking on ebay, got some USA ones.. new and used for way below retail prices.

 

If you buy on E-bay or such stay away from Mac Tools. Can't get anything warrantied. Heard rumors but I haven't confirmed them, that they are going through bankruptcy. One of our part timer's was a Mac tool dealer for 11 years and can't even get his tools warrantied and I have a broken wrench to warranty and they won't even return our calls......

 

I can tell ya from our Snap-on guy that they are going down hill fast as well they can not get items warrantied alot of time they can not even get there stock because Snap-on has cut everything back so hard.
And if you close they are making more and more of the Snap-on tools in other countries like sweden and such it lokk as only there blue point line in China a this time.
But what it comes down to they are all hurting and cutting back and these times I can not blame them.

Allen....

 

Boy does that suck! even if your willing to pay big $ we won't be able to buy good tools anymore!