1/2" torque wrench - up to 150 ft/lb or 250 ft/lb? Options

[y5e06]

I thought that Craftsman stuff was "guaranteed for life"!!  That's what it says in their commercials, at least.  Sounds like guilty of a bad case of false advertising!!

They don't warranty power tools for life and they exclude "precision tools" such as torque wrenches.

hand tools are covered. I've replaced many things, from sockets and screw drivers to pliers, for no charge. Torque wrenches are explicitly exempt, same for power tools, air tools, and the like.

[gillbot]

I've also had some bad luck with a Craftsman torque wrench. Bought it to build a motor, had it for about 6 months before I actually used it. When I did use it, it malfunctioned. It would not click untill you actually started to let up on the torque. You could set it for 50 ftlbs {for instance}, apply torque but it wouldn't click even if you were applying 100ftlbs. Then, once you started to let off,,, it would click. I tried to return it to Sears but they told me that I had to send it off to get recalibrated. I argued that the calibration wasn't the problem, the wrench was actually malfunctioning but to no avail. I ended up buying a beam type Thorsen torque wrench and used it till it was stolen some years later.Twenty years later I still have that Craftsman though,,, it's a nice long ratcheting pull bar!

I have two Harbor Freight cheapies, a 3/8ths drive an a 1/2 inch drive. Both are within +/- 3% when I check them at work {I'm in QA Control} on our torque tester. Plus, they are easy to adjust if they ever need it, an allen wrench is used to turn a set screw. I've had the 1/2 inch drive for something like 3-4 years and the 3/8ths drive for about 2 years. Not bad performance considering their cost. I am lucky though, I can check their calibration anytime I want. I will admit that their cost and looks doesn't inspire confidence and if I was like 99% of people who didn't have easy access to proper calibration equipment,, I might not trust them.

I had concerns after seeing the Harbor Freight ones also but they've worked great so far and I can test them at work also.

I've been through 4 craftsman torque wrenches so far, two with broken ratcheting mechanisms and the other two the adjustment section came apart.

[robz71lm7]

I have an old craftsman 3/8" digitork that goes up to 100 ft-lbs it's an oldewr one which I understand to be better than their current offerings.

I mainly use 3 husky clicker type torque wrenches. I have a 3/8" in in-lb, a 3/8" in ft-lb that tops out in the low 100's, and a 1/2" that tops out at 250 ft-lb.

My husky's have been great. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[Judd]

I had concerns after seeing the Harbor Freight ones also but they've worked great so far and I can test them at work also.

It is nice when you actually get more than you pay for ain't it. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[gillbot]

Yessir!

Beings that I had 4 broken wrenches I was willing to take a chance on the $10 harbor freight special thinking that if it's even close it will be worth it because it'll break in a few months anyway like the craftsman. To my suprise, it still works fine and it pretty close!!