Torque Wrenches

[Pot Hole]

I'm in the market for a good middle-of-the-road torque wrench for my automotive projects. I started out looking at the Craftsman torque wrenches, but when I read the reviews, most folks weren't real complimentary (many thought they were junk). I did look at some other brands that looked pretty good, but I like to hear what other folks who have tried the tool think about it before I buy.

Anyway, I want to get a 1/2 inch drive wrench that has a torque range from about 20 lbs to 120 lbs (or thereabouts). I don't need one of the fancy smancy digital wrenches that retail for well over $200, just a good, use once-in-a-while torque wrench that I can get for $100 or less. I probably won't use it more than 4 - 5 times a year, but that doesn't mean I want to skimp on quality.

What kind you y'all have and are you statisfied with the quality?

[54warrior]

My Craftsman is junk. I definitely won't buy another one. Plus their warranty on them stinks as well.

[P's Titan]

Best Overall..

Stahlwille

good brands to look for..

SnapOn
Utica
Mountz

Ok Brands..

CDI
Armstrong
Proto Tool
Seekonk Manu.
Sturtevant Richmont

[royr]

I picked up my Snap-On 1/2 drive torque wrench at a garage sale for $10 - sent it in to Snap-On and had it calibrated. Total cost including shipping $72.44. Very happy with it - use it about once or twice per month. A bargain is truly where you find it.

[helomech]

I don't think it matters to much, even a junk torque wrench will be close enough for automotive purposes.

[bestatchess]

I would probably buy a $20 Harbor Freight over Craftsman. My extremely gently treated Craftsman will no longer lock the torque setting. (junky plastic parts). The brands listed above have good reputations, but they are pricey. SK makes some torque wrenches in the intermediate price range. I dunno if they are good or not.

[Quartz]

What is the problem with Craftsman T wrenches? I've used Craftsman tools all my life and with one or two exceptions found them to be good tools.

[P's Titan]

The craftsmen arnt bad wrenchs, for your needs they should work. The ones I listed have a good proven track record with years of use and abuse.

[Quartz]

Maybe I'm not having any problems with my Craftsman because it is so old and not made with so much plastic. My T wrench was my father's for at least 15 years. I remember the first time I saw it I had never seen a torque wrench that wasn't the old fashioned kind with a pointer and a scale. When he died 2 years ago the only tool he had that I wanted was his torque wrench. I had used it many times and it was damn near indestructible.

Having said that, probably the real reason it I like it so much is that it reminds me of the good times my father and I had working on cars in his garage.

[bbomar]

Husky...Homedepot
Made by the company that used to make Craftsman when they were good tools.


Kobalt...Lowes
Made by Snap-On...

[54warrior]

Originally Posted by Quartz

What is the problem with Craftsman T wrenches? I've used Craftsman tools all my life and with one or two exceptions found them to be good tools.

I haven't had any problems with their other products, only the dang T-wrenches... mine still functions properly, however like someone else mentioned, the plastic piece broke which lets you lock the setting.

[ten~39]

Originally Posted by bbomar

Kobalt...Lowes
Made by Snap-On...

Wow, do you have a source or link on this?

Not trying to discredit or challenge you at all, it just sounds too good to be true.


As for my personal experiences, I have a couple at current time:

-A 3/8" Husky, which I've had for about 10 years, that goes from 15 ft/lbs to 90 ft/lbs.

-A 1/2" Craftsman for the heavier stuff up to roughly 150 ft lbs.

-A 3/8" Craftsman in in/lbs for my motorcycle/toy stuff. I think it's top end is only like 15 ft/lbs, when you do the in-ft conversion.

The Husky has done fine over the years, and the two Craftsmans have seen very little use since they were just purchased over the last holiday season at crazy cheap prices ($35 each- Craftsman Club + holiday sales). If they fall apart I guess I don't have much money in them. They're all cheap torque wrenches (although not totally bottom of the barrel), but I'm not a professional mechanic so they seem to work fine for me.

I'm no expert, but I've been told by several people with more torque wrench knowledge than I, that they're a lot like pressure guages- you need several in different sizes because their accuracy is suspect at either extreme end of their ratings.

[bbomar]

Okay, here's more than you ever wanted to know.

Lowes (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/findex.asp) now (as of earlier this year) is selling a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt (http://www.kobalttools.com/kt1/default.asp) which is made by Snap-On (http://www.oysa.org/sna.html). They are good tools.

(ED: I've received 3 follow up emails; updating the information about who is making Kobalt tools:
The first (http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/morewhotools.html) is from Bob Payne of Cornwell Tool Distributor - He indicates that Kobalt is not made by Snap-On.
The second (http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/Kobalt.html#TWO) is from Heidi Schuck of Husky Tools with more information on Kobalt tools not being made by Snap-On.)
The third (http://www.team.net/www/morgan/tech/...tml#THREE)from Dave Johnson about the new vendor for the Kobalt line of tools.)

Home Depot's (http://www.homedepot.com/cgi-bin/prel80/index.jsp) Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty (they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).

Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears (http://www.sears.com/) Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley (http://www.stanleyworks.com/) on the contract over price. Danaher (http://www.danaher.com/dhr_tc.htm) also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.

Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. Now here's the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (http://www.prototools.thomasregister...lc/prototools/) (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).

There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many other brands that Stanley makes that I haven't even named). The quality between these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down to hear that, but its a simple fact.

There are a hand full of other minor players (Vermont American, etc) and an endless list of Taiwanese import tool companies (some of which Stanley own as well as Danaher to serve the lower end consumer import brands at WalMart, etc). How do I know all of this? I work for Stanley Mechanics Tools, specifically with the Proto Industrial brand. I personally do not think that MAC, MatCo, or Snap-On branded tools are worth the extra markup since they use the same forgings and manufacturing processes that make Husky and Kobalt and pre-1994 Craftsman. Where you need to pay attention are things like ratchets and torque wrenches. There are different specifications of ratchets and you do pay for the difference. Some mechanics require a finer, more precise ratcheting mechanism than guys like me who just bang around in the garage on the weekends.

By the way, Metwrench is basically considered a "gimick" infomercial tool brand that is not considered as a serious competitor to Danaher, Snap-On, or Stanley. Then again, IBM once didn't see Microsoft as a serious force in the personal computer business. Hmmmm....

(Two more brands that I don't know much about is Black & Decker and DeWalt. About Sept. 2002 I received an email stating that B&D owns DeWalt. Though I haven't confirmed this yet.)

[bbomar]

The above article is out dated, but as far as i know, Kobalt dissappeared from Lowes for a period of time, and is now again made by the same company that makes Snap-On.

[P's Titan]

Originally Posted by ten~39

I'm no expert, but I've been told by several people with more torque wrench knowledge than I, that they're a lot like pressure guages- you need several in different sizes because their accuracy is suspect at either extreme end of their ratings.

That is true, they tend to be more out of tolerance at those settings.