Where's the best place to buy a good torque wrench? (mainly for wheel lugs)... I definatly want the clutch-type (where you dial in the max torque)

What's a good brand/size? How much should I expect to pay? I know Kragen has a couple for like, $50...any good?

Opinions welcome! :cool:

'Micrometer Torque Wrench' is the term you're looking for.

Sears/Craftsman
Snap-On & Bluepoint

good tools.

If you're mainly doing it for wheel lugs, then you really don't need to be spending top dollar. Only buy an expensive one if you're actually doing a lot of rebuilding of high performance mechanicals.

Harbor Freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/) is where I get my 'only used once in a while' tools. They're cheap, and it works just fine. They have a lifetime waranty on their torque wrenches (made by Pittsburgh IIRC).

I got a great deal on eBay :)

There's always quite a few different brands on sale there.

sears

In my opinion, Snap On makes the best tools period. Everything I own is Snap On. They are pricey, but you get what you paid for. www.snapon.com

SnapOn of course will be awesome in quality and price. As the owner of a Craftsman 3/8" torque wrench, I am very unimpressed -- I wouldn't pay more than $25 for one. OTOH, I am VERY impressed with my $10 Harbor Freight micrometer 1/2" torque wrench -- it comes with a blowmolded protective case, works fine, and at $10 each (on frequent 1/2-off sale), I got 3 to leave one in each car's trunk with the right size socket for its lugs. At that price, who cares if it ever gets stolen!

Originally posted by armand1
SnapOn of course will be awesome in quality and price. As the owner of a Craftsman 3/8" torque wrench, I am very unimpressed -- I wouldn't pay more than $25 for one. OTOH, I am VERY impressed with my $10 Harbor Freight micrometer 1/2" torque wrench -- it comes with a blowmolded protective case, works fine, and at $10 each (on frequent 1/2-off sale), I got 3 to leave one in each car's trunk with the right size socket for its lugs. At that price, who cares if it ever gets stolen!

Is this the one your reffering to from Harbor Freight?:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=239

"1/2" CLICKER TORQUE WRENCH "

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/00200-00299/00239.gif



Looks like a really good deal!! ($9.99) :eek:

Or rent one...Napa has this strange rental program. You pay full retail price to rent the tool, then bring it back in working order, and you get a full refund. So basically you're just borrowing free tools. That's what I did last time I needed a torque wrench.

I am going to be getting new wheels next week and I was wondering how much I need to torque the lug nuts??

I use the one listed above for $9.99 from Harbor Freight for lug nuts and other high torque bolts. Surprisingly, I'm impressed with my cheapo.

http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v343/Dropdown3/th_torque_wrench.gif

-Charles-

Originally posted by eshtog
I am going to be getting new wheels next week and I was wondering how much I need to torque the lug nuts??

Here's a good ref from the Tire & Wheel Forum FAQ sticky:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=216055

To esgtoh: My Forester S (std Aluminun wheels) are spected at 65 foot pounds. All this should be in your owners manual.... ed

Was in Sears today and couldn't resist getting this torque wrench (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@0801981510.1092615169@ @@@&BV_EngineID=ccfeadcmfimdigjcehgcemgdffmdflk.0&vertical=TOOL&pid=00944596000).

When I first starting working on cars I got the cheapest one possible but this one is definitely a notch above that. The lowest reading is 5 foot/lbs and the highest is 80. Also you can dial in the numbers precisely in half pound increments with 3% accuracy. Looking forward to using it! :)

I also have the harbor freight wrench, been using it on my wrx for 2 years works great and can't beat the price.

1/2" or 3/8" drive is better for wheel lugs?

got my harbor freight wrench in a few weeks ago. love it for the price!

Damn you people for making me go to the accursed site....I just spent another 72.92 ;)

where do people send their torque wrenches to be calibrated? and how often do you send them in? 6 mos, 12 mos?

I got a set of 2 breaker bars and the torque wrench from Harbor Freight a few weeks ago for like 25 bucks shipped.

I was impressed with everything.

These torque wrenches must be selling like hotcakes because I bought one as well last week. Not a bad piece for $19.99; if it breaks, throw it away but how often does that happen.

For those of you with Sears Craftsman torque wrenches: be careful with them. They are NOT covered under that normal Craftsman lifetime guarantee, as I found out the hard way. HPH

VIP Auto: $19.99

1/2" or 3/8" drive is better for wheel lugs?

Probably 1/2"; you'd be close to the limit for the usual 3/8" wrench, plus they're usually quite a bit smaller - less leverage on the handle. Plus, with the ratchet type shown, you can use them to loosen the lugs too - and you might not want to use the 3/8" for that...

However, good to have the 3/8" also, for smaller work where you still want to torque the fastener. And at the prices above having both is hardly an extravegance ;)

where do people send their torque wrenches to be calibrated? and how often do you send them in? 6 mos, 12 mos?
Even the cheapo wrench I got (Harbor Freight, or equivalent, I forget) came with instructions for sending it somewhere for calibration.

However, I just use an old, quality, beam type 1/2" torque wrench for my "calibration tester". I find a 12pt socket where the business end will also fit the 1/2" drive of the wrenches; mate the wrenches nose>nose, set the clicker for low, med, then high settings and see it it deflects the beam wrench to a cooresponding setting. Performing each check several times also checks the consistency of the settings.

No, not good enough for watch repair, but good enough for my purposes. For many purposes - e.g. lug nuts, or other "sets" of fasteners - consistency is at least as important as accuracy.

bought the same line, but one that went up to 150 '# in the spring. i still have my fathers deflection wrench, but that only goes to 100. some specs go past that value on our cars.

I live about a quarter mile from a Harbor Freight. 80% of what I have is from them. The torque wrench is a fairly hefty tool. For ten bux you can't beat it. I don't know how it stands up to heavy use, but for as often as I use it, it works fine. I wouldn't blow a bunch of money on one if you only use it occasionaly.