torque wrench recommendation

[Syndacate]

Yeah, it's what the title says...can anybody recommend a torque wrench that I can buy at snap-on, craftsman, autozone, etc.

I was thinking of a manual one but the higher they go up, the less accurate they become...and I don't feel like spending 300 on some super torque wrench...

It's just that like, that's the only tool I don't have and it's really neccessary b/c every damn gasket on the car's got a torque spec, so I just y'kno, tighten it till I feel like stopping which has surprisngly only lead to one head gasket being blown

but enough is enough, I need to get a torque wrench, not gonna half *** this **** ne more so ne help is thx

[Luserkid]

If you dont feel like spending 300 on a torque wrench then dont look at snap on. I love my snap on one and going to get a 3/8ths soon but i have both snap on and craftsman one and the snap on feels built alot better. But craftsman is a good price for what they are and can hold out for a good while.

[Syndacate]

Originally Posted by Luserkid

If you dont feel like spending 300 on a torque wrench then dont look at snap on. I love my snap on one and going to get a 3/8ths soon but i have both snap on and craftsman one and the snap on feels built alot better. But craftsman is a good price for what they are and can hold out for a good while.

+ lifetime warranty w/ craftsman so it doesn't matter O.o

should I go digital or needle though?

B/c pple kept tellin me that the needle ones are inaccurate as they get into the higher torques

[Luserkid]

Originally Posted by Syndacate

+ lifetime warranty w/ craftsman so it doesn't matter O.o

should I go digital or needle though?

B/c pple kept tellin me that the needle ones are inaccurate as they get into the higher torques

Not on torque wrenches. I think there 1 year with receipt, if that. I know if you want to recalibrate it you need to send it off and pay like 20 bucks or something plus shipping. Snap-On is life time with 1 free recal. unless you got a cool snap on guy then its always free

Get one that locks in the torque you want. Those "needle" ones are out of date and i dont even knwo fi you could buy them anymore. Also get a ratchet type not a fix type.

[98-00]

craftsman torque wrenches dont carry the lifetime warrantee. But its a good piece all around. i have used mine for years regularly and its still accurate. If you have the money go for snap-on. I've never tried the digital display. i use pre-set and prefer it over the needle.

[JDMlyfestyle]

My snap on guy is cool as expletive.. I get my wrench recalibrated at least once every year. he does it free. and i hate to say it but my Junk Harbor Frieght torqe wrench is pretty accurate as well. never seen go over 2ft lbs differance between the snap on and harbor freight and the price difference is about $320

[qat727]

Originally Posted by Syndacate

I was thinking of a manual one but the higher they go up, the less accurate they become...and I don't feel like spending 300 on some super torque wrench...

We had a cheap Taiwanese piece of crap torque that was smeared down with pony fat.... it didn't work right from the start and eventually broke apart. I didn't want to spend a butt load to replace it, but I wanted an improvement, so I went and got a 1/2" drive torque wrench from sears, then a 3/8" drive, then found that neither would do the torque specs that I needed, so I got another 3/8" drive wrench... Got all of them on sale, at $50 each. I'm all set for torque wrenches at the moment.

Oh... and I've been pretty happy with these Craftsman ones. They had two decent types... one had a digital readout, the other was less expensive and is the normal type, aka what I bought. They have a 1 year warranty on breaking, which sucks, but the quality seems OK. My only real gripe is that at the lower torques, it doesn't really *click*.... it just sorta gives a little, so you really have to be paying attention.

links to the ones I bought:

Sears item #00944593000 Mfr. model #44593
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...93000
Sears item #00944594000 Mfr. model #44594
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...94000
Sears item #00944595000 Mfr. model #44595
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...95000

[Syndacate]

Hrm, probably want the 1/2" one, would you guys agree? B/c the adapter thing's always there

[Syndacate]

Blah blah bump

[sauceja]

I got my 1/2" from the local southwest tool guy. SK brand. not needle or digital.

I have like mine and have had it over 1 1/2 years. I think I paid like 175.00 for it.

I am going to get the 3/8's inch pounds but it is like 115.00 also. That one is just because I want it mainly for oil pans and valve covers.
Yeah I know you can feel those tight pretty well but it's not like I am a race team mechanic in a rush and rebuilding engines in my garage I have time to stop and do it right.

Fix it right the first time! That should be quoted.

[Paprika]

I have a Sears needle-type torqe wrench because I couldn't really afford to spend any money on a click-type... ugh.

I don't use it much though, but when I do I always thought it was doing an okay job. But what do I kno?

Try looking at what they have in sears and possibly Pep-boys.