nels415

Hi folks,

Can anyone recommend a decent micro torque wrench for those small jobs like tightening the bolts for valve covers? Thanks!

-Nelson

RC713

Curious as well...

IXLR8

I use....

Snap-On QD1R200, a 1/4"drive fixed-ratchet, 40 to 200 lbf.in. I prefer that one to the one that reads in N.m.

and

Snap-On TMAMXS5E, 5 mm stubby hex socket driver, 1/4" drive.

AOW162435

I have five different torque wrenches, one inch-pound beam wrench, one 0-36 inch-pound Utica 1/4" driver, and three Armstrong click-type torque wrenches that span the spectrum from low inch-pound settings up to 250 foot-pound needs.

I really like the Utica & Armstrong products - they're well made and are manufactured in the US.


Andreas

nels415

Hi Alex,

Don't I need a smaller one since the settings for the valve cover bolts are supposed to be 7 foot lbs?

How about this one?

-Nelson

jaholmes

I have a craftsman professional inch pound wrench. not bad at all. no non-pro is 100% garbage.

IXLR8

7 lbf.ft. = 7 lbf.ft. x 12 in./ft. = 84 lbf.in.

My wrench goes from 40 to 200 lbf.in.

The wrench you linked to doesn't go that high.

I have 3 Snap-On click type torque wrenches that range from 40 lbf.in (3.3 lbf.ft.) to 250 lbf.ft..

The 3/8' Snap-On torque wrench I have is now 35 years old...its still in spec even down to the bottom of the scale. I know, I calibrated it. Buy quality, buy once. And if you are depending on it to measure, buy one you can trust.

beentherebaby

For accuracy, yes you want a torque wrench that is appropriate for the torque range that you're working in. Otherwise there is little point in using a torque wrench. K-D tools are usually decent tools.

Bean style wrenches stay in calibration. Clicker style wrenches need to be re-caled regularly. The last time I was at Porsche Zuffenhausen they were re-caling the micro clicker T/wrenches twice per shift. Sturtevant Richmont sells a variety of quality T/wrenches with certs for accuracy.

http://www.srtorque.com/Products/Sys...latBeamTW.html

IXLR8

Well anything that takes measurements needs to be cal'd or verified.

nels415

Alex,
Whoops, I wasn't reading your post correctly. Ha, sorry. Ok thanks for the suggestions guys.

-Nelson

beentherebaby

Beam style T/Wrenches do not go out of cal unless you drive over them...

IXLR8

Or unless you lend it out and someone uses it as a breaker bar...and bends it back.

Anything used to measure should be checked periodically. Plus, unless you have a good view of the scale, your applied torque will be way off. The scale isn't the greatest either.

But whatever gets you to 100 lbf.ft. if that is what one is after.

beentherebaby

Checking is fine but the point was a beam style T/wrench doesn't need to be re-caled because by design it does not go out of calibration. Proper use of a tool is important regardless of the tool. If you can't read the scale properly you need better eye glasses... I don't lend my tools out to people so they are never returned damaged.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_wrench

IXLR8

There are times when it is in a position where you cannot read the scale. From your WiKi page: "Beam type torque wrenches are impossible to use in situations where the scale cannot be directly read—and these situations are common in automotive applications."

In any case, I have a quality clicker that has never needed adjustment, yet 35 years later, it is still in cal. That is what you get when you buy quality tools. I spend too many years in the calibration world.

Furthermore, as long as you have a cal table and the wrench is repeatable, that is all you need.

Another line from WiKi which is why I don't put all that much weight in anything I read there: "For the click type, when not in use, the force acting on the spring should be removed by setting the scale to 20% of full scale in order to maintain the spring's strength. Never set a micrometer style torque wrench to zero as the internal mechanism requires a small amount of tension in order to prevent tool failure due to unwarranted tip block rotation." Elsewhere I read to set it to zero...35 years later, it seems to have worked since my wrench not only is in calibration, it can even be used in the bottom 20% of the range where clickers are not guaranteed.

MarkD

I like Precision Instruments... US Made and they supply some of the other tool makers (like Snap-On) but at a lower price point. http://www.torqwrench.com/