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

[torontoZ28]

I need to get a 1/2" torque wrench and was looking for some opinions. I have noticed that some go up to 150 ft/lb while others go up to 250 ft lb.

1) Is there anything on an f-body that would require any where close to 150? (I understand that they become less accurate as you approach the limits)

2) What are you opinions on husky vs craftsman? Would you even consider getting one of the Made in China cheapies?

Thanks,

[Mericet]

I bought one when I replaced headgaskets on my (previously owned) Subaru. I am glad I bought the 250lb as I needed it for one set of bolts. Not sure if it is needed on a F-body but it is nice to have the extra just in case.

I bought a S&K. I did not want to put my trust in a cheap Chinese one.

[trackbird]

I had a Craftsman, the adjuster nut finally came loose and the handle came off (and it is now out of calibration). I rebuilt several motors and torqued a bunch of wheels before this happened, but it did happen. So, If you get one, buyer beware (1 year warrenty on them, not lifetime). I know of another one with the same exact problem. That's about 2 out of the 6 or 10 of them I've had experience with. Not a great ratio, but that's based on my personal experience only.

It is generally accepted that you don't want to use a wrench under 20% of its max rating. Meaning, a 100 ft lb wrench as a 20 ft lb minimum. A 150 is 30 ft lbs, a 250 ft lb is 50 foot lbs (makes it worthless for intakes and water pumps and such).

With that said. When I put front struts on my 3rd gen, the torque spec was 202 ft lbs on the bolt that holds the strut to the knuckle (ok, the pair of bolts), so I've used 200+ ft lbs on a few strut changes. Other than that, a 150 would work fine for most things and be more useful on the low end.

I currently own a Mac 150 ft lb, a Williams (Snap On's industrial line) 250 ft lb (used for tires and suspension) and a Williams "dial type" with peak memory hold that is rated for 175 ft lbs (and +/- 2% in both directions, many wrenches are +/-4% when tightening and +/- 6% when loosening).

I know guys who use $13 chineese cheapies to torque wheels and have not lost a wheel yet. However, that's the only use I'd even consider using one of those for (ok, personally, I'd not even do that with it). I'd never install head gaskets with one on purpose (stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and changing a gasket with that as my only option, I might consider using it.).

That's my experience.

[bigshoe]

If I remember right, the ls1 crank pully needs to be seated to something like 240ft lbs (which is pretty difficult to achive under the car on low profile ramps) on the old bolt or something before a nwe bolt is put in wiht something like 37 ft lbs.

so there would be an application for the bigger one. personanly have have a craftsman 1/2" that does 150. i rent one from autozone that can do 250 when i need it.

[trackbird]

If I remember right, the ls1 crank pully needs to be seated to something like 240ft lbs (which is pretty difficult to achive under the car on low profile ramps) on the old bolt or something before a nwe bolt is put in wiht something like 37 ft lbs.

so there would be an application for the bigger one. personanly have have a craftsman 1/2" that does 150. i rent one from autozone that can do 250 when i need it.

True, but I'd not use a 250 ft lb wrench to do the 37 foot lbs spec. It's under the 20%. In that case, you need two wrenches (that's why I have both). I'm not saying that people don't do it, but most manufacturers advise against it.

[torontoZ28]

now that you have mentioned the 20% figure as the minimum, im more leery about getting the 250 lb model. i have a 3/8" wrench that goes up to 250 Inch/lbs, so that would leave me with a pretty big gap if i the higher capacity wrench can only go down to 50 ft lbs accurately.

can anyone think of any other situations on an fbody that would require above 150 ft lbs?

[trackbird]

I would buy the 150 ft lb first and then (if you ever get in the mood), buy a 250 to go with it.

It's nice to have a 250 ft lb wrench for doing tires and wheels (since I won't be using it for head gaskets or intake manifolds, etc). I use it for suspension work where being 100% accurate is less of a requirement. I'm not advocating a cheap wrench, buy the most accurate wrench you can afford. Just that laying in the pits, getting thrown in the car and such to go racing can be hard on a precision tool. So, I bought a good quality 250 ft lb wrench and try to take the best care of it I can. I just let it take the daily abuse and save my 150 ft lb for the "delicate" work. Did that make sense?

[torontoZ28]

makes perfect sense. thanks for the advice. ill probably pick up either a husky or a craftsman 150 lb.

hopefully, i can put this torque wrench soon if my package from global west gets here anytime soon.

[y5e06]

I had a Craftsman, the adjuster nut finally came loose and the handle came off (and it is now out of calibration).

I had this exact same thing happen to my craftsman unit after several years of service. I ended up sending it in through the repair department, cost almost as much as a new one.
I too use a cheapo ($10 harbor freight) unit to torque my wheels at the track, I don't even bother to take it out of the truck. I leave my nice one at home.

[gillbot]

I got the Harbor Freight 150 ft-lb $10 special. Took it to work to test out the readings and it came out to 111 ft-lb on the 100 setting, good enough for me! If I ever trash it, I'll just go get another for $10.

[slowTA]

Put me down for a broken (kinda) Craftsman. The ring that locks the handle in place snapped so now I have to be careful that I don't spin it while in use.

I looked at a Husky the other day, but decided against it because the ring that locks the handle in place can be quite frustrating. You have to pull the silver ring back in order to spin it... but it's spring loaded, fairly stiff too, and it snaps back in to place at each 1 lb inicrement. So you would have to keep pulling that ring back each time you reposition your hands. It is a more secure lock than the Craftsman, but way too much work if you're going from it's lowest setting up to 200+ lbs for my pitman arm and strut bolts.

My Craftsman is a 150 lb clicker, and since it is still useful I'm looking for a 250 wrench now. I know protool comes with a print out of how it torques at some settings, so at 80 I think it actually made 83 lbs of torque. I nice feature, but since I don't need one now I'll buy one when I find the right one.

Speaking of Craftsman I was thinking about getting the digi-torque model this time in hopes of a better handle. Anyone use it?

[Jeff97FST/A]

I had a Craftsman, the adjuster nut finally came loose and the handle came off (and it is now out of calibration).

I had this exact same thing happen to my craftsman unit after several years of service. I ended up sending it in through the repair department, cost almost as much as a new one.
I too use a cheapo ($10 harbor freight) unit to torque my wheels at the track, I don't even bother to take it out of the truck. I leave my nice one at home.

My Craftsman came apart at the nut as well.

I, too, bought the cheapie from Home Repot to keep in the tire trailer. I'm banking on the idea that torqueing the lugs evenly is as important as absolute value, plus or minus a reasonable tolerance?

Thoughts from the engineers?

[trackbird]

I had a Craftsman, the adjuster nut finally came loose and the handle came off (and it is now out of calibration).

I had this exact same thing happen to my craftsman unit after several years of service. I ended up sending it in through the repair department, cost almost as much as a new one.
I too use a cheapo ($10 harbor freight) unit to torque my wheels at the track, I don't even bother to take it out of the truck. I leave my nice one at home.

I don't own any "cheap" torque wrenches. I just can't let myself get by with the $10 Harbor Freight special. I'm not saying it won't work for torquing wheels (it very well may from what gillbot said), I just can't do it. I take my Williams with me to the track.

[torontoZ28]

craftsman doesnt seem to have a good reliability record around here!

[Judd]

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.

[trackbird]

craftsman doesnt seem to have a good reliability record around here!

Yea, I didn't think it would be this bad..... I figured I was a freak case. Guess not.

[Dave B]

Mike, stick with the 150 lb/ft unit. I use a crappy tire one and it is ok. I also use a torque stick with my air gun at home which is claimed to be accurate but actually undertorques by about 7 lb/ft.

[00 Trans Ram]

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!!

[slowTA]

I used to work at Sears... all of the sockets are guaranteed for life as well as screwdrivers and pliers I think. The lifetime guarantee is for anything that doesn't have moving parts, if you go to return a ratchet you might get a rebuilt instead of a new one.

[trackbird]

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.