Wheel lug torque wrench affordable reccomendation
- Thread starter twouvakind
- Start date
- Status
Another user of the HF ones. I just picked up the 1/4" drive today for $9.xx for an oil pan job. Have all 3 of em now. Read/follow the storage directions, replace as needed. They're affordable enough.
I also have a 3/8" Craftsman electronic that was given to me as a gift. Feels same quality as HF, but that's not saying much for Craftsman these days.
I use the Ryobi 3 speed 1/2" cordlesss impact. Put it on high when removing lugs. Turn it down to speed 1 to snug up the lugs after hand treading on. Give it a couple hits with it on speed 2, then finish off with the torque wrench after the car is on the ground. I find speed 2 on my Ryobi gets most lugs up to about 70 lb ft.
I also have a 3/8" Craftsman electronic that was given to me as a gift. Feels same quality as HF, but that's not saying much for Craftsman these days.
I use the Ryobi 3 speed 1/2" cordlesss impact. Put it on high when removing lugs. Turn it down to speed 1 to snug up the lugs after hand treading on. Give it a couple hits with it on speed 2, then finish off with the torque wrench after the car is on the ground. I find speed 2 on my Ryobi gets most lugs up to about 70 lb ft.
Originally Posted By: benjy
cheap is not good + good is not cheap!!!!
That must be some of that "conventional wisdom" I sometimes used to step in when I visit my brother, who has horses.
Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. There's no rule, BUT the general conclusion of "value research" is that in fact you do not "get what you pay for".
Simple, OTOH, all else equal, is generally good, and vice versa.
cheap is not good + good is not cheap!!!!
That must be some of that "conventional wisdom" I sometimes used to step in when I visit my brother, who has horses.
Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. There's no rule, BUT the general conclusion of "value research" is that in fact you do not "get what you pay for".
Simple, OTOH, all else equal, is generally good, and vice versa.
But if (as seems to be common on here) you're only comfortable if you're spending significant money, this is the daddy.
http://www.srtorque.com/error-proofing-t...orque-wrenches/
Or go even more retro.
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Vintage-WWII-...-/272872599027?
If I was in the US I think I'd have that.
http://www.srtorque.com/error-proofing-t...orque-wrenches/
Or go even more retro.
http://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Vintage-WWII-...-/272872599027?
If I was in the US I think I'd have that.
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Got ya! I was looking at it from torquing a lug nut perspective. Where you don't have to be dead on, and the cheapie wrench fits the bill nicely. I'd rather be a bit more in the ballpark, I don't guesstimate torque that well. OTOH I usually don't have too, I grab the torque wrench.
In fact I might be using it today if I can muster the enthusiasm to do front brakes on my Liberty. I might have two cups of black coffee after Church and go for it!
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Got ya! I was looking at it from torquing a lug nut perspective. Where you don't have to be dead on, and the cheapie wrench fits the bill nicely. I'd rather be a bit more in the ballpark, I don't guesstimate torque that well. OTOH I usually don't have too, I grab the torque wrench.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Got ya! I was looking at it from torquing a lug nut perspective. Where you don't have to be dead on, and the cheapie wrench fits the bill nicely. I'd rather be a bit more in the ballpark, I don't guesstimate torque that well. OTOH I usually don't have too, I grab the torque wrench.
In fact I might be using it today if I can muster the enthusiasm to do front brakes on my Liberty. I might have two cups of black coffee after Church and go for it!
Fair enough. OTOH I sometimes see "gadget assisted breakages" on here where someone miss-set or miss-read a device, or it was just faulty. A lot of these could be avoided by just developing a feel for "good enough", which slavishly following the gadget tends to defeat.
I use one sometimes, (though never on lug nuts) and sometimes, if I really don't like the "feel" of what its telling me, I ignore it. IIRC I did that the last time I did the caliper bolts.
Could mean I under-torque stuff sometimes, but OTOH I don't break much, and not much falls off.
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Or
Jeez, you really need a torque wrench to get "lug nut" accurate for 60 or up to 100 ft/lbs?
You don't. Guesstimate the length of your ratchet arm or breaker bar, factor by that length and put the correct pressure on it by hand. E.G., put 1/2 as much pressure on an 18" breaker bar to get 60 ft/lbs as you would a a 9" ratchet to get 30 ft/lbs. A little practice with a single torque tool can educate your hand and senses. Then you can use the Mk1Mod0 eyeball to estimate the leverage and adjust accordingly.
This is not rocket science.
PS - I have that HF torque wrench and it works great; I have others to check it against for critical applications. I got it because it was cheap and I didn't fear dropping it on the concrete outside.
And I feel cheated because I paid $19! (kidding; a good value even then).
You're right. I looked at it this way. For lug nuts, how could I have gone wrong? There were plenty of positive reviews, my FIL had one for years w/o any problems at all, and friends had them. I said for $10, it will save wear and tear on my good torque wrenches when being dead on accurate didn't matter. This thing fit the bill exactly. In fact I found it to be very accurate in my occasional informal unscientific testing when I had nothing better to do with my time.
You seem to be missing or avoiding his point.
He's not saying that a cheap torque wrench is good enough.
He's saying that NO torque wrench is good enough. IOW, you don't need a torque wrench.
And you're right.
He's right.
Also neatly avoids the greasing/not greasing lug nuts "dilemma"
But lets not go there again, eh?
Got ya! I was looking at it from torquing a lug nut perspective. Where you don't have to be dead on, and the cheapie wrench fits the bill nicely. I'd rather be a bit more in the ballpark, I don't guesstimate torque that well. OTOH I usually don't have too, I grab the torque wrench.
Fair enough. OTOH I sometimes see "gadget assisted breakages" on here where someone miss-set or miss-read a device, or it was just faulty. A lot of these could be avoided by just developing a feel for "good enough", which slavishly following the gadget tends to defeat.
I use one sometimes, (though never on lug nuts) and sometimes, if I really don't like the "feel" of what its telling me, I ignore it. IIRC I did that the last time I did the caliper bolts.
Could mean I under-torque stuff sometimes, but OTOH I don't break much, and not much falls off.
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Fair enough. OTOH I sometimes see "gadget assisted breakages" on here where someone miss-set or miss-read a device, or it was just faulty. A lot of these could be avoided by just developing a feel for "good enough", which slavishly following the gadget tends to defeat.
I use one sometimes, (though never on lug nuts) and sometimes, if I really don't like the "feel" of what its telling me, I ignore it. IIRC I did that the last time I did the caliper bolts.
Could mean I under-torque stuff sometimes, but OTOH I don't break much, and not much falls off.
I see your point. I don't have a problem breaking things either. But on things like lug nuts I tend to over tighten them. Things like drain plugs, an oil filter, differential cover gaskets I have a good enough touch. OTOH I'll use a torque wrench for valve cover gaskets, a transmission pan gasket. I used it for the lifter cover gaskets on a 4.9L Ford. I want those types of gasket torque uniform. I'm confident enough in my torque wrench to know the readings across all fasteners will be more precise than my feel. Things like connecting rods, or head torque, etc. always a torque wrench.
Fair enough. OTOH I sometimes see "gadget assisted breakages" on here where someone miss-set or miss-read a device, or it was just faulty. A lot of these could be avoided by just developing a feel for "good enough", which slavishly following the gadget tends to defeat.
I use one sometimes, (though never on lug nuts) and sometimes, if I really don't like the "feel" of what its telling me, I ignore it. IIRC I did that the last time I did the caliper bolts.
Could mean I under-torque stuff sometimes, but OTOH I don't break much, and not much falls off.
I see your point. I don't have a problem breaking things either. But on things like lug nuts I tend to over tighten them. Things like drain plugs, an oil filter, differential cover gaskets I have a good enough touch. OTOH I'll use a torque wrench for valve cover gaskets, a transmission pan gasket. I used it for the lifter cover gaskets on a 4.9L Ford. I want those types of gasket torque uniform. I'm confident enough in my torque wrench to know the readings across all fasteners will be more precise than my feel. Things like connecting rods, or head torque, etc. always a torque wrench.
Precision Instruments C3FR250F.
I was debating a good torque wrench then had to up the ante since my lower control arm brackets needed replacement and the bolts require 177 & 195 ft-lbs.
This torque wrench should hold me over for quite awhile and I'm glad I paid a little extra for it.
My point is, I would get a wrench that will fill most of your 1/2" drive needs. This wrench isn't overly expensive and is well worth it IMO.
I was debating a good torque wrench then had to up the ante since my lower control arm brackets needed replacement and the bolts require 177 & 195 ft-lbs.
This torque wrench should hold me over for quite awhile and I'm glad I paid a little extra for it.
My point is, I would get a wrench that will fill most of your 1/2" drive needs. This wrench isn't overly expensive and is well worth it IMO.
Never used a torque wrench on lug nuts. Just use the gun to spin them all on, then make sure it hammers it a second or two after it stops with full air pressure from the compressor. That's it.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Never used a torque wrench on lug nuts. Just use the gun to spin them all on, then make sure it hammers it a second or two after it stops with full air pressure from the compressor. That's it.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
What gun? What setting (if any?) What is full pressure, 100PSI or 175?
Depending on the answers, you could be anywhere from 75 to 600 ft/lbs, or more.
I sort of use this technique with my IR on 1 of 5, which comes out to around 60 to 95 ft/lbs. That's too wide a range, so I follow up with a beam torque wrench and get it right. Since one vehicle is 95 pounds and the other 100, it works out OK I can't really overdo it (unless I turn it up to 2 or more, or sit there and let it hammer).
Never used a torque wrench on lug nuts. Just use the gun to spin them all on, then make sure it hammers it a second or two after it stops with full air pressure from the compressor. That's it.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
What gun? What setting (if any?) What is full pressure, 100PSI or 175?
Depending on the answers, you could be anywhere from 75 to 600 ft/lbs, or more.
I sort of use this technique with my IR on 1 of 5, which comes out to around 60 to 95 ft/lbs. That's too wide a range, so I follow up with a beam torque wrench and get it right. Since one vehicle is 95 pounds and the other 100, it works out OK I can't really overdo it (unless I turn it up to 2 or more, or sit there and let it hammer).
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Never used a torque wrench on lug nuts. Just use the gun to spin them all on, then make sure it hammers it a second or two after it stops with full air pressure from the compressor. That's it.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
What gun? What setting (if any?) What is full pressure, 100PSI or 175?
Depending on the answers, you could be anywhere from 75 to 600 ft/lbs, or more.
I sort of use this technique with my IR on 1 of 5,....
Originally Posted By: StevieC
Never used a torque wrench on lug nuts. Just use the gun to spin them all on, then make sure it hammers it a second or two after it stops with full air pressure from the compressor. That's it.
Been doing it that way for decades and haven't had anything loose or cause a problem yet.
What gun? What setting (if any?) What is full pressure, 100PSI or 175?
Depending on the answers, you could be anywhere from 75 to 600 ft/lbs, or more.
I sort of use this technique with my IR on 1 of 5,....
If cheap is all that matters, go with the Harbor Freight. They are excellent for the money, but fair when compared to others. I've got a HF 1/4". I took it to work and checked it with a torque calibrator, and it checked out pretty good on accuracy.
My gripe is using it. I don't like the old fashioned lock method of having to loosen and tighten the knurled knob. And it just isn't that smooth when turning to set the torque value.
I bought a Kobalt 3/8" and it is a much, much nicer tool. The lock mechanism is a spring loaded collar. It took a little getting used to at first, but now I really prefer it. And the Kobalt is so much smoother when turning to set the value.
I guess if you only expect using a torque wrench on very rare occasions, the HF tools may be OK. But if you prefer a good tool for a reasonable price, look at the Kobalt line.
My gripe is using it. I don't like the old fashioned lock method of having to loosen and tighten the knurled knob. And it just isn't that smooth when turning to set the torque value.
I bought a Kobalt 3/8" and it is a much, much nicer tool. The lock mechanism is a spring loaded collar. It took a little getting used to at first, but now I really prefer it. And the Kobalt is so much smoother when turning to set the value.
I guess if you only expect using a torque wrench on very rare occasions, the HF tools may be OK. But if you prefer a good tool for a reasonable price, look at the Kobalt line.
If affordable is your way to go, I think this China-based metal machining services can provide you with the wrench you need; otherwise, you are better off purchasing known brands, or even try asking help from your local hardware shop.
- Status
