Merk, there's a natural order to the universe. Inch lb. wrenches should be 1/4". Medium wrenches should be 3/8". And 150+ ft. lb. wrenches should be 1/2" drive. DON'T disrupt the natural order, especially in the year 2012 (That Mayan thing). I feel your pain. I hate when either will work.
Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Slight hijack but think it's appropriate - is there a easy ordering on the types of torque wrenches (beam, click, split beam, dial) from least to most accurate? Or does each have their place?
In an academic discussion, I would say that I often see dial wrenches and beam style with accuracy of 2% compared to 3-4% for clickers.
In real world use for automotive applications it's all a wash, since torque measurement by turning force is crude at best. The engineers often say that torque measurement can easily be +/- 30% due to all the variables (operator skill, fastener condition, wrench condition, etc.).
Trying to pull a short wrench can induce error. Reading a beam style at an angle (parallax) can cause errors. Each has its pros and cons. A skilled operator can achieve equal accuracy with any of them (within reason).
