Torque wrench suggestions?

[jwalterus]

As far as tools that surprise you, how about the quality of the DeWalt ratchets?


Of course, that might be the fact that DeWalt is owned by the Stanley/B&D/Proto/MAC/Bostich/PorterCable/DeWalt/Facom/Irwin/Lenox/Vidmar/Lista/Powers/Craftsman corporation


Here's the complete listing of FULLY owned Stanley/B&D brands:

CONSTRUCTION AND DIY

• Black & Decker
• Bostitch
• Dewalt
• Porter Cable
• Stanley
• Irwin

• Irwin tool brands:
• Hanson
• Marathon
• Marples
• Quick-Grip
• Record (vises)
• Speedbor
• Strait-Line
• Vise-Grip
• Unibit

• Lenox
• Craftsman

INDUSTRIAL

• Blackhawk (Proto)
• Bost
• Britool
• Facom
• Lista
• Mac Tools
• Pastorino
• Powers
• Proto
• Sidchrome
• USAG
• Vidmar

This article's a few years old, but it lets you know who makes what:

http://toolguyd.com/tool-brands-corporate-affiliations/

 

[bbjordan]

I'm surprised someone hasn't said Digital yet. The "click type" go out of calibration over time usually because of improper storage. The old style beam type is less likely to.
My digital has a visual display and beeps increasingly as it comes up to torque spec you punched in. Has hold and peak torque recording too. I picked mine for less than $50. CDN. It's been my go-to torque wrench since I found out my click type was out 12% low!

 

[oregon96psd]

You just cant use them in the cold, or at least the two I've been around you couldn't.....not really a problem if you don't use them for work but something to keep in mind. And the stupid things turn themselves off after a minute or two, super aggravating when your trying to torque, assemble, torque, assemble lol. Those were the only two things I didn't like about them.

 

[jwalterus]

I'm surprised someone hasn't said Digital yet. The "click type" go out of calibration over time usually because of improper storage. The old style beam type is less likely to.

You DO know that if you don't follow the rules in this standard (update version this year again), and your torque wrench is used for any type of work, that you are liable, right?

ISO 6789-2:2017 Assembly tools for screws and nuts — Hand torque tools — Part 2: Requirements for calibration and determination of measurement uncertainty

Basically it says that if any torque wrench is going to be used for any purpose, it must be re-calibrated every 12 months or 5000 cycles, whichever comes first. You also must keep documentation on that torque wrench.


Let's say you change a tire for a neighbor, just being nice, take out your el-cheapo HF torque wrench that's 5 years old, and torque the lug nuts on an aluminum wheel.
That person goes driving down the highway, lug nuts works loose in traffic because THEY didn't re-torque them within 100 miles, wheel comes off causing a 4 car accident with someone in the hospital. That person (not your neighbor) gets a lawyer, lawyer goes to your neighbors insurance and asks them about the car, wheels, etc., and it comes out eventually in the process that YOU changed the tire.
Guess who's now going to get sued by the 3 other drivers AND your neighbor's insurance after they talk to you and find your torque wrench wasn't up to *****? Want to also guess who's going to lose that lawsuit?

Before you say "That can't happen.", that's EXACTLY what happened to my buddy 13 years ago. He got sued for the replacement cost of 4 cars, lost wages, medical bills, and legal fees.
He lost EVERYTHING, and he was just being nice for a neighbor, he's not a mechanic, and luckily for him, ND has a maximum wage garnishment of 50% so he can still survive. I think he's only got about $100K left to pay off, but the court also allows 6% interest..........



If you are using a HF cheapo, date it, and throw it away after a year.

 

[NapaBavarian]

I have an old snap on clicker wrench I picked up in a pawn shop for the price of a good lunch the better part of 20 years ago, and last year for some reason I needed 2 at once, I think I wanted a quick cheap way to check it's calibration same day so I picked up a cheapie digital HF adapter that goes on a breaker bar, numbers came out the same so either they are both accurate or they are both off by equal amounts in the same direction. ..

 

[NapaBavarian]

Harbor freight hand tools,in general are worth it imho. Their ratchets, sockets, etc... Really aren't nearly as crappy as people make them out to be. Honestly,i actually like their ratchets in particular. Only had 1 break but it was my fault. Brought it to the lady at the front counter, she walked away and came,back with a brand new one in the package. No questions asked.

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I have 2 tool kits, a $300 craftsman kit I paid $150 for, around two hundred something pieces

301 piece HF kit, current coupon price $150-160.

Both kits are made in the same country

Feel, quality, selection, hands down the HF kit takes it.

 

[Hydro-idi]

You DO know that if you don't follow the rules in this standard (update version this year again), and your torque wrench is used for any type of work, that you are liable, right?

ISO 6789-2:2017 Assembly tools for screws and nuts — Hand torque tools — Part 2: Requirements for calibration and determination of measurement uncertainty

Basically it says that if any torque wrench is going to be used for any purpose, it must be re-calibrated every 12 months or 5000 cycles, whichever comes first. You also must keep documentation on that torque wrench.


Let's say you change a tire for a neighbor, just being nice, take out your el-cheapo HF torque wrench that's 5 years old, and torque the lug nuts on an aluminum wheel.
That person goes driving down the highway, lug nuts works loose in traffic because THEY didn't re-torque them within 100 miles, wheel comes off causing a 4 car accident with someone in the hospital. That person (not your neighbor) gets a lawyer, lawyer goes to your neighbors insurance and asks them about the car, wheels, etc., and it comes out eventually in the process that YOU changed the tire.
Guess who's now going to get sued by the 3 other drivers AND your neighbor's insurance after they talk to you and find your torque wrench wasn't up to *****? Want to also guess who's going to lose that lawsuit?

Before you say "That can't happen.", that's EXACTLY what happened to my buddy 13 years ago. He got sued for the replacement cost of 4 cars, lost wages, medical bills, and legal fees.
He lost EVERYTHING, and he was just being nice for a neighbor, he's not a mechanic, and luckily for him, ND has a maximum wage garnishment of 50% so he can still survive. I think he's only got about $100K left to pay off, but the court also allows 6% interest..........



If you are using a HF cheapo, date it, and throw it away after a year.

That can be said about damn near anything. You could have said the same for your friendly neighbor filling your tire and it blew up going down the road because his pressure gauge was off. From a torque wrench to a screwdriver to letting your neighbor borrow a lawn mower, doesn't matter what it is.
Unfortunately, suing is how many people making a living nowadays.

 

[Thatoneguy]

That can be said about damn near anything. You could have said the same for your friendly neighbor filling your tire and it blew up going down the road because his pressure gauge was off. From a torque wrench to a screwdriver to letting your neighbor borrow a lawn mower, doesn't matter what it is.
Unfortunately, suing is how many people making a living nowadays.

I had a guy threaten to sue me once over something stupid. I told him go ahead and try. I have free legal aid through the DOD and it would cost him a whole lot more than it would cost me lol

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[oregon96psd]

That's why I don't help anyone, if I'm not at work the only thing's I work on are my own. Not about to go down that rat hole....

If you are using a HF cheapo, date it, and throw it away after a year.

And this right here doesn't even work, when we were still building the refinery in Dickinson we needed to torque some pipe fittings, the project manager had the bright idea to get the torque wrenches from HF, because they were cheap and have that nice calibration slip in the box when you buy it. When an inspector asked for them, he noticed that the serial numbers on all of them were the same and the acceptance signature was printed on lol. It's the same piece of paper (or at least was) in every box. Needless to say after they bought an actual torque wrench they got to re-torque A LOT of bolts haha.

And yes I realize that has nothing to do with working on an old personal pickup, but it makes me laugh how no one is willing to pay for quality, but then turns around and ******* about not being able to get a good water pump/radiator/alternator/ect for their pickup....imagine that lol.