I asked my dad for a torque wrench for christmas. Well to make a long story short the idiots at the store told my dad they didnt know what he meant by torque wrench and he ended up buying me a Kobalt electric impact wrench.

I'm a noob wanna be mechanic and I'm just starting to gather the nessecary tools so I dont really have much. How useful is a impact wrench while working on cars?? Is it something I will use alot?? He gave me the reciept so I can take it back and get the torque wrench I wanted plus some other stuff (this impact wrench was alot more than the torque wrench I wanted, so I'll have some extra $ to spend) if I decide to.

Basically I'm not sure how much this tool will get used. Id rather just keep it and buy myself the torque wrench if this is something I will need, but if it wont get used that much Id rather have a nice torque wrench with some other goodies. Should I keep it or return it??

 

the impact wrench is priceless.....wait till you have to remove an axle...you will love your dad for it

 

To remove big bolts like the crank pulley you will need the impact, Personally I have done everything on my car with hand tools, I jsut got a nice impact gun and air compressor.

You are going to get a "clicker" TQ wrench right? not a beam style. A clicker is more accurate, and general go higher in FT/LBS than a beam style.

 

Keep it you could as use it for your lug nuts.

Ali

 

impact wrenches are nice if they are air powered. i can guarantee you you won't be getting a crank pulley bolt off with a electric impact wrench. i'd return it and get a torque wrench.

 

lol oh **** its electric...didnt see that...i assumed it was air powered...yea no sense in a non air powered impact....

 

stick with regular hand-powered tools for now... get the air powered tools later when you've developed some mad skillzzzz

 

yea, its a electric one. So I should return it then?? Whats a good torque wrench to buy?? I was looking at these digital ones at Sears but I dont really know much about them so I'm not sure exactly what one I want to get. What would be a good torque wrench for someone like myself to get?? I got a little over 100$ to spend, what should I get?? Whats a good accurate one that will last a long time??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by danthemang3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'd return it and get a torque wrench.</TD></TR></TABLE>



<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by joso2005a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">stick with regular hand-powered tools for now... get the air powered tools later when you've developed some mad skillzzzz</TD></TR></TABLE>



<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2DAB18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So I should return it then??</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2DAB18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats a good torque wrench to buy?? I was looking at these digital ones at Sears but I dont really know much about them so I'm not sure exactly what one I want to get. What would be a good torque wrench for someone like myself to get?? I got a little over 100$ to spend, what should I get?? Whats a good accurate one that will last a long time??</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would get one like this one, which is $30 at the Tire Rack. As Racermech mentioned, it's the click type, not the cheaper beam type. You can find professional quality torque wrenches for $150-300 but if you're just starting out, you really don't need to spend that much.



Harbor Freight has three similar click type torque wrenches on their website, for $12, $20, and $29. Just enter "torque wrench" where their website says "Find by keyword". However, I'm not sure whether any of them is as good as the Tire Rack one, which I know is pretty high quality, and they don't come with the case or adapters that the Tire Rack one includes.

 

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...sults

Personally i would be willing to spend god money on a TQ wrench. I go to harbor freight and buy plenty of stuff, but i stay away from the torque wrenches, and other such items.

 

I had already looked at the Sears website before you posted the link, but their torque wrenches sound too expensive to me ($30 for the less-desirable beam type, and at least ~$70 for the click type). A beginner mechanic shouldn't have to pay that much for a halfway decent torque wrench. By comparison, Advance Auto Parts charges $12 for a beam type, and $43 or $46 (depending on the drive, 3/8" or 1/2") for a click type.

 

get a torque wrench and a 1/2" breaker bar the only toools youll ever need

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Harbor Freight has three similar click type torque wrenches on their website, for $12, $20, and $29. Just enter "torque wrench" where their website says "Find by keyword". However, I'm not sure whether any of them is as good as the Tire Rack one, which I know is pretty high quality, and they don't come with the case or adapters that the Tire Rack one includes.
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I wouldn't get that one... I broke that torque wrench my first time using it(all I used it for was putting my lug nuts on and tried to use it putting my head back one and the bottom fell out and it won't stay set, it's a POS. Bought a snap-on and couldn't be happier.

 

no sense in a non air powered impact? my wireless impact saved me and my friends alot of times...i dont go work on any car without it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sykotic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I wouldn't get that one...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Which one are you referring to?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sykotic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Bought a snap-on and couldn't be happier.</TD></TR></TABLE>

And how much did you pay for the Snap-On? And how much do you work on your cars?

I'm not an advocate for buying cheap, inferior tools. And professional-grade tools are great for anyone who does a lot of mechanical work. I just don't think a beginner needs to spend big bucks on tools that are way better than he actually needs, like a $500 floor jack, a $300 torque wrench, etc., when a $100 jack or a $40 torque wrench will work just fine. Different products because different people have different needs - and someone starting out doesn't need the same quality (or quantity) of tools that a professional (or highly experienced amateur) mechanic does.

 

What do you guys think about this one, http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...CRAFT Its in my price range and seems pretty nice. Plus I really like that its digital.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by G2DAB18 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you guys think about this one, http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...AFT?? Its in my price range and seems pretty nice. Plus I really like that its digital.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, I don't think a digital readout matters a whole lot (although others may disagree). What concerns me about that one is that its operating range is 5 to 80 ft-lbs. 80 ft-lbs is the recommended torque for wheel lug nuts, and I would be concerned about the accuracy of a torque wrench at its maximum measurement. I generally prefer to use one that covers the 20-150 or at least up to 100 ft-lbs, so that 80 is in the middle of its range. Better yet, you might want two - a smaller one with a lower operating range, for small bolts and stuff, and a larger one you'll use for lug nuts.

$.02

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Which one are you referring to?

And how much did you pay for the Snap-On? And how much do you work on your cars?

I'm not an advocate for buying cheap, inferior tools. And professional-grade tools are great for anyone who does a lot of mechanical work. I just don't think a beginner needs to spend big bucks on tools that are way better than he actually needs, like a $500 floor jack, a $300 torque wrench, etc., when a $100 jack or a $40 torque wrench will work just fine. Different products because different people have different needs - and someone starting out doesn't need the same quality (or quantity) of tools that a professional (or highly experienced amateur) mechanic does.
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I was referring to the one in the picture, thats the one that broke on me. The Snap-On set me back about $250 I think, here it is:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog...talog

Me and my buddies work on our cars all the time, I've rarely used the torque wrench but when I need it, it's nice to have, you could just go to an autoparts store and get one of their loaner tools you just have to pay them, take it & use it, then bring it back for a full refund. I originally bought it because I was replacing my headgasket, I do have a little cheapy for doing anything under 50ft. lb., it's a "PT Performance Tools" brand that I got from O'Reilly's, I have only used it a couple times but it's held up so far. I do have a $300 craftsman floor jack that I bought a while back, it's a piece of junk, I swear I can pump it once and it makes contact with the car but every pump after that to get the car up in the air does almost nothing, it takes me a good 10 minutes to get the car jacked all the way up, I don't know if I didn't bleed it right or if I got a bad jack but this thing sucks!

 

impact wrench can save lots of pain in da ***. header bots, exhaust bolts, suspension bolts, ect..... btw return that cheap *** brand for craftsmans electroic one. how much was it?? craftsman is $150. &lt;-getting one myself too.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e#tab

and about torque wrench, i got one like that what tirerack sells. it worked awesome. been about 2 years, still works perfect.

 

This is the one I got, http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn...=none Its 100$, so thats about how much I'll have for a torque wrench when I return it.

 

Do not skimp out on a tq wrench, 250 for a snap on is well worth it. I myself don't build motors often but when I do I wanna make sure I follow tq. specs correctly. skimp on a jack(not jack stands spend the money on those too unless u wanna have **** fall on you) air compressor, impact gun things that don't need to be 100% accurate that are just irritating if they don't work 100% of the time. don't skimp on precision tools or safety equipment

 

I have the Snap-On click type and loving every minute of it.

 

I have an Ebay click type that has served me well. I looked into purchasing an electric impact like the one you were gifted, and I came to the conclusion that 240 lb/ft of torque wasn't good enough. I also plan on painting my car this next year, so a compressor and air impact as well as a hvlp spray gun will be on my 'to buy' list. Now I need to decide what cfm compressor will power both of those tools.

 

i work at sears... in the hardware department and an impact wrench and a torque wrench is no where near being the same thing you should complain and be like wtf mate.

 

My dad is also kinda retarded. He wasnt at Sears, he went to Lowes looking for a torque wrench. I know that they dont have them there. But I would like to know why when he comes in looking and asking for a torque wrench they send him out the door with a electric impact wrench. Thats just retarded.

So working at Sears then, would you reccomend that Craftsman Digi-tork torque wrench I posted as a good one?? Its about what my dad paid for the impact wrench so I can afford it after I take the thing back to Lowes and get a refund.