Torque Wrench Recommendations?

UpperMI

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Does anyone have a good recommendation for a torque wrench? I would also appreciate a recommended range (20-150 ft./pounds maybe). I currently don't own one and have always torqued bolts by counting turns of whatever bolt I'm removing.
 
Though this may be very hard to believe, the torque wrenches sold by Harbor Freight Tools are accurate and surprisingly good quality. Get both the 1/2" and 3/8" drive sizes, no 1/2" torque wrench is accurate at lower settings like the 20 ft-lbs. you asked about. I have lots of very good quality tools but those low cost HFT torque wrenches do a great job and they're as accurate as far more expensive torque wrenches. The 1/2" usually sells for $19.95 and is often on sale for less than that The 3/8" costs even less. Both are a click style which is easier to use... they make a loud click when you have reached the desired amount of torque.

A buddy refused to believe his $90 Craftsman torque wrench wasn't more accurate but both tightened hardware precisely the same amount of tightness over multiple tests.

I've been using mine for over 15 years. :)
 
I haven't actually used a Harbor Freight torque wrench, but I believe what Jerry is saying.

I personally have a 1/2" and 3/8" torque wrench from Craftsman. However, the only reason I have them is because they were gifts. I've had them for over 10 years without a single issue at all, and like them very much!
 
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Incidentally a friend works in a USAF test and standards facility that tests and keeps tools like torque wrenches working properly and calibrated. He took his HFT torque wrenches in one day and both met their accuracy requirements the first time.
 
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Though this may be very hard to believe, the torque wrenches sold by Harbor Freight Tools are accurate and surprisingly good quality. Get both the 1/2" and 3/8" drive sizes, no 1/2" torque wrench is accurate at lower settings like the 20 ft-lbs. you asked about. I have lots of very good quality tools but those low cost HFT torque wrenches do a great job and they're as accurate as far more expensive torque wrenches. The 1/2" usually sells for $19.95 and is often on sale for less than that The 3/8" costs even less. Both are a click style which is easier to use... they make a loud click when you have reached the desired amount of torque.

A buddy refused to believe his $90 Craftsman torque wrench wasn't more accurate but both tightened hardware precisely the same amount of tightness over multiple tests.

I've been using mine for over 15 years. :)

Wow, harbor freight is not what I was expecting. But if it's good enough for you then I'll follow your advice. I can guarantee that you've spent a lot more time wrenching in your garage than I have. I can buy both sizes of the harbor freight for less than one size of the craftsman. Thanks Jerry.
 
I haven't actually used a Harbor Freight torque wrench, but I believe what Jerry is saying.

I personally have a 1/2" and 3/8" torque wrench from Craftsman. However, the only reason I have them is because they were gifts. I've had them for over 10 years without a single issue at all, and like them very much!

Normally, I'd just buy a craftsman since I've had good luck with my other craftsman tools through out the years. However; I figure I've gotten such good advice on other questions related to my jeep I would ask here first. Jerry's harbor freight recommendation did surprise me though.
 
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Normally, I'd just buy a craftsman since I've had good luck with my other craftsman tools through out the years. However; I figure I've gotten such good advice on other questions related to my jeep I would ask here first. Jerry's harbor freight recommendation did surprise me though.

Knowing what Jerry has told us now, I would certainly go buy a HF torque wrench if I needed a new one. My Craftsmans will probably last me a lifetime though, so I don't need to worry about it.

It's not surprising though. I have a HF hydraulic jack that has lasted me 10+ years so far! Some of their stuff is really great.
 
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My experience agrees 100% with Jerry's HF recommendation.

When I was working I had access to an instrument to check personal or company owned torque wrenches. We were required to check our wrenches twice a year. We only checked the wrenches and did not calibrate them.

We had several HF wrenches that were used for tire tests etc. where there was potential for the wrench to get knocked around. They held up fine with one exception. The HF wrenches did not seem to tolerate being left at their higher torque settings. If the wrenches were not religiously returned to zero after use the spring seemed to quickly take a set and accuracy fell like a rock. They were much more sensitive to this than the more expensive wrenches.

I know this return to zero step should be standard practice but it was not always followed.
 
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My experience agrees 100% with Jerry's HF recommendation.

When I was working I had access to an instrument to check personal or company owned torque wrenches. We were required to check our wrenches twice a year. We only checked the wrenches and did not calibrate them.

We had several HF wrenches that were used for tire tests etc. where there was potential for the wrench to get knocked around. They held up fine with one exception. The HF wrenches did not seem to tolerate being left at their higher torque settings. If the wrenches were not religiously returned to zero after use the spring seemed to quickly take a set and accuracy fell like a rock. They were much more sensitive to this than the more expensive wrenches.

I know this return to zero step should be standard practice but it was not always followed.

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely do that.
 
FYI, Harbor freight is selling their 3/8" drive torque wrench (5-80 foot pound range) this weekend for $10. I just ordered 1 and a wobble extension set for another $10.
 
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So in 2019 are the HF torque wrenches still good to go?

They're not bad for the home gamer. You really need 2. Get a 3/8 drive and a 1/2" drive. Torque wrenches are only mostly accurate in the middle 2/3 of their range. Example...If I had a 20-80 ft lb wrench, it's good in the 30-70ft.lb range. On the other end of the spectrum, you would not use the 1/2" drive 20-150ft.lb wrench on a 5/16" fastener at 22ft.lbs...that would be dumb. Use it for lugs, head bolts, etc...

Also, one needs to understand that just because the wrench the clicks doesn't mean its torqued correctly. To correctly torque a fastener to say, 40ft.lbs, it needs to be brought to about half that value, then brought up the rest of the way with a smooth motion on the torque wrench until it clicks. I see way too many people that sort of jerk the torque wrench and make it click without ever moving the fastener...it could be overtorqued or it could be undertorqued in these cases.
 
The HF wrenches also have a lifetime warranty (even on the cheap ones).
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I had one that you had to tap the head on the ground to get it to reset. It would click, but not un-click until you gave the head a light tap. I took it in without the receipt and they just had me grab a new one off the shelf. Easiest replacement ever. Can't beat that for a home garage.
 
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They're not bad for the home gamer. You really need 2. Get a 3/8 drive and a 1/2" drive. Torque wrenches are only mostly accurate in the middle 2/3 of their range. Example...If I had a 20-80 ft lb wrench, it's good in the 30-70ft.lb range. On the other end of the spectrum, you would not use the 1/2" drive 20-150ft.lb wrench on a 5/16" fastener at 22ft.lbs...that would be dumb. Use it for lugs, head bolts, etc...

Also, one needs to understand that just because the wrench the clicks doesn't mean its torqued correctly. To correctly torque a fastener to say, 40ft.lbs, it needs to be brought to about half that value, then brought up the rest of the way with a smooth motion on the torque wrench until it clicks. I see way too many people that sort of jerk the torque wrench and make it click without ever moving the fastener...it could be overtorqued or it could be undertorqued in these cases.
I agree with the above. But after going through 2 HF torque wrenches in less than 2 years (clicker type that would no longer click reliably), I moved to split beam design torque wrenches.
Not wanting to drop $500+ on one Snap On I ended up with ⅜ and ½ Precision Instruments wrenches (PREC2FR100E and PREC3FR250F).
Ive had them going on 3 years and both still seem to be calibrated within 2ft/lbs. I believe I paid just under $200 total for the two (a lot more than the Pittsburgh ones at HF).

As said by another poster, for automotive, you need 2. One ⅜ (mine operates from 20-100 ft/lbs) and a ½ (mine operates from 30-250ft/lbs). if you work on motorcycles and small single stroke engines like lawnmowers, you may need a ¼ that measures in in/lbs.
 
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I've got a Harbor Freight 1/2" drive that I've probably had for 20 years and a 3/8" and 1/4" drive ones that I've had about 8 years. I've been happy with them.
 
Here is how I check my HF (and Craftsman) torque wrenches are accurate.

Good video! Regarding storage, I used a paint pen and wrote "RELEASE TENSION" on the inside of my cases under where the wrenches lay so I can't miss it. It seems silly now especially as I usually release the tension as I'm walking them back to where I left the case.
 
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