Torque Wrench - Brand ( 1/2 )

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Ndx

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I have a Snap-On 1/2 in drive clicker that's 39 years old. I bought it new, used it daily for at least 25 years and then more like once a month for the last 14 years. Be sure you always store it set to the lowest setting (30 lb. ft. on this one).

I had it calibrated several times just to be sure it hadn't changed.

Buy one, take care of it, leave it to your grand kids.
 
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I dont like digital ones because I dont know if the electronics will drift, one hard drop and something may go bad inside there, and I just dont see it as a long-life item.

Id buy the snap-on and have a quality, trustworthy instrument until you sell or lose it.
 
I have several, but for wheels I usually use a Husky clicker since it's 27 inches long (can be hard to fit into smaller boxes) it's easier to use. It's made by Stanley/Proto - it really looks and feels like a good wrench, plus it comes in a good case. I've been using it for several years and check them against each-other when I think about it. What ever you decide on, as mentioned above, be sure to store it on the lowest setting and if it locks, keep it unlocked.

BTW, Snappy aint what what they used to be...plus for the warranty you have to show proof you have had it recalibrated every so often-yearly or every six months. YMMV

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-...p;storeId=10051
 
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It's made by Stanley/Proto

The Home Depot Husky line is made by Stanly but the their torque wrenches are not from their Proto line.
Proto does make American made torque wrenches but they are 3x and more higher priced, while its nice to think Husky are just rebranded Proto's they are not.
 
Depends on how much you'll use it IMO.

I have the H/F one that I have now used 3/4 times in the last 3 years and at that rate I'm sure it is suffeciant. If you are going to use the wrench often then get a better one.
 
It does not matter which one you have. If you want to be sure of your torque wrench either get it calibrated or at least verify its calibration using some household tools. I did that on couple of my HF by using my bathroom scale and few handheld tools. One can use fishing scale or weights.

There are quite a few reports where HF Taiwan made torque wrenches have done as well as the more expensive brand name ones and have also kept their calibration intact for a long time.

Unfortunately, there are enough boneheads who have read the torque specification wrong and then used their fancy torque wrench to destroy the fastener or worse the expensive part. All because they missed the distinction between inch-lb vs foot-lb and lacked the common sense. Or they missed the faint audible click and kept on pulling until the fastener gave up.

Don't be one of them!

- Vikas
 
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Originally Posted By: edwardh1
can the words harbor freight, chinese, and torque wrench be used in a sentence together?


They just were.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas

Or they missed the faint audible click and kept on pulling until the fastener gave up.

- Vikas


The click on my Snap-Ons can be heard and felt with no trouble. I'm not a tool snob - most of my box is Craftsman. BUT, some things need to be quality. All four of my torque wrenches are either Snap-On or Mac.

Cheap wrench, cheap results.
 
Originally Posted By: AITG
Cheap wrench, cheap results.


Maybe the "cheap results" are good enough, after all we're talking about installing wheels, not torquing down heads.
 
What is the price range?

Wright 3477- $129 @ Amazon.com
Snap On QD2R100- $282 @ SnapOn.com
Cman 31423- $79 @ Cman.com
 
I don't care if you buy a million dollar torque wrench. If it does not have recent calibration, it could be as good as HF one or even worse.

It is hard to believe but almost every factual report on HF Taiwanese torque wrench (that means a real calibration check) that I have come across has been good. My experience is the same with my home made calibration.

Once again, used intelligently and once verified, there is no reason a HF Taiwanese one can not be used for almost all the applications.

The trouble with buying anything from HF is that one never know it will change the supplier and suddenly you could get a Chinese excrement version but so far their torque wrench supplier is from Taiwan and the quality is decent. For crying out loud, as of today it is on sale for $12.99. Buy one and check its calibration using bathroom scale/fishing scale/weights etc yourself.

Here is the older topic on the same subject.

http://205.243.146.146/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2232192&page=2

0321012347.jpg

- Vikas
 
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
For 1/2" drive, the Precision Instruments split beam would be the way to go. Just my two cents.


+1 This is the way that I went.
 
Sorry I'm late to this - but the HF wrench (which I own) can often be had for $10 using a coupon that is frequently in the back of many car mags.
 
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