i need a torque wrench.

[gregrnel]

I've never had a problem with HFT, for what I use their tools for , they seem fine. If I was a pro, using specialty tools all day, I'd go for something high $.

[Langanobob]

I've never had a problem with HFT, for what I use their tools for , they seem fine. If I was a pro, using specialty tools all day, I'd go for something high $.

To beat a dead horse, there are more alternatives than HF and high $$.  You can get reasonably good US made tools for low prices at Sears and other places, although US made tools are getting harder to find.  Some of the Chinese HF junk may actually work for awhile, but that's not the point.  The point is that by buying that HF crap we're voting with our wallets and voting against ourselves and our own manufacturing industry.  Probably a moot point since no one much cares anymore.  I guess this thread is heading in a political direction so I probably should stop.

[junior varsity]

My god Matco and SnapOn are expensive.

[amcloud]

I have a Kobalt one from Lowes.  It is lifetime guaranteed, made in the US.  I am pleased with the quality.  I have a 3/8 drive.  It is 10 - 100ft-lbs, $80.  I would recommend something in this range.  When I need to remove a wheel, front sprocket, other high torque item I rent one from a local autoparts store.  They charge your card for ~$80 and when you bring it back they refund your $$.  They give me a 48 hour time window to return it.

[minnesotamonster]

Front sprocket is a high torque item? 

[junior varsity]

i dunno about that, but i believe the clutch hub is.

[silentbob]

To beat a dead horse, there are more alternatives than HF and high $$.  You can get reasonably good US made tools for low prices at Sears and other places, although US made tools are getting harder to find.  Some of the Chinese HF junk may actually work for awhile, but that's not the point.  The point is that by buying that HF crap we're voting with our wallets and voting against ourselves and our own manufacturing industry.  Probably a moot point since no one much cares anymore.  I guess this thread is heading in a political direction so I probably should stop.

Not only that but if you are using a torque wrench then accuracy is important.  So, for all the people saying that the HF unit did the job, how do you know you torqued it properly?  Just because it turned the nut without the wrench breaking in half (not uncommon with HF) it doesn not mean you torqued it properly.  If you want to save money by using a torque wrench that has unknown accuracy then you might as well save even more and just use a breaker bar and tighten it until it "feels right".

[amcloud]

Front sprocket is a high torque item? 

186Nm I believe.  That is ~137ft-lbs...pretty hefty if you ask me.  That is on the 1100DS motor.  I had a used a breaker bar to get it off....its a 32mm nut too...so I had to buy a special socket.

[junior varsity]

New style. Old style is two bolts. Compare:



New style (hidden by sprocket cover):



see also,

[Speeddog]

I've got:

3/8", 25-250 in-lb clicker.
3/8", 10-75 ft-lb clicker.
1/2", 20-150 ft-lb clicker.
1/2", 0-150 ft-lb beam.

All Craftsman.

Torque wrenches aren't so accurate near the ends of their ranges.

Beam types are nice and reliable, but many situations it's hard to get a good view of the pointer, IE at >100 ft-lb.

[scott_araujo]

+1.  It doesn't bug me at all, and I'm glad to see I have some company.  Principles seem to be going by the wayside in this country.  The price difference between say Sears and HF isn't all that much anyway, although Sears tools aren't what they used to be they're still better than HF and still mostly made in the USA.   

Good thoughts.  I've been trying to stay away from HF and buy better quality tools anyway.  You always end up using them more than you think you will once you own them.  That said, Craftsman stuff isn't what it used to be but also isn't bad.  What's with that other brand Sears is selling now?  It looks cheap and crappy.

Scott

[minnesotamonster]

Wow, the new style front sprocket nut is HUGE

[Popeye the Sailor]

To beat a dead horse as speeddog and silentbob beat me to it.

1) Torque wrenches are not accurate at the far ends of their rated ranges. The outside twenty percent one both ends is ideally, not used. So for a torque wrench rated from 10-20 ft-lbs, you would use it from 12-18 ft-lbs only.

Also, because you set it to 16 ft-lbs and it clicked, does not mean you are torqued to 16 ft-lbs.

I'm not even going to say this is why you should not buy a cheap tool-they may actually be accurate, but if you want to *really* know, owning a toque checker would be ideal. Essentially it's a digital reader that will record the highest torque you've exerted with your torque wrench.



While this is all overkill I figured I'd mention the proper way.

[OwnyTony]

My Tigers:

I'll run down to Autozone to peruse their "selection" later today, and see if I can find a nearby Sears.

I think you are in dallas now.  The auto zone one and the one at harbor freight did not seem too different from each other compared to the ones i saw at sears.  The one at autozone they charge $30.  At that price, you may want to look into sears.

[bigiain]

1) Torque wrenches are not accurate at the far ends of their rated ranges. The outside twenty percent one both ends is ideally, not used. So for a torque wrench rated from 10-20 ft-lbs, you would use it from 12-18 ft-lbs only.

+1 I don't think I've ever seen a torque wrench that I'd happily use on both the clutch hub nut and the clutch spring posts - they're _way_ out the opposite ends of the ordinary torque range.

I've got a quite nice Kinchrome 3/8" drive one that'll happily do the small stuff with pretty good accuracy, and I've got a cheapish chinese (SupaTool brand) 1/2" drive that I use for the big stuff.

Also, because you set it to 16 ft-lbs and it clicked, does not mean you are torqued to 16 ft-lbs.

I'm not even going to say this is why you should not buy a cheap tool-they may actually be accurate, but if you want to *really* know, owning a toque checker would be ideal. Essentially it's a digital reader that will record the highest torque you've exerted with your torque wrench.

It's really nice to have access to a torque wrench calibrator, but it's not something I'd ever consider owning myself... (friends who work at big engineering places come in _very_ handy - I've had both my torque wrenches calibration checked courtesy of Qantas, even the cheapo one is within 7% right across its range...)

big