Torque Wrench Help

[sLADe781]

Hey guys, I need help picking out a torque wrench. Which one would you guys prefer:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...=torque+wrench

or

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...=torque+wrench

I like the first one because it seems as if you have a wider range (and it's cheaper) but the second one is "automatic" so that's definitely a plus.

Let me know what you guys think...thanks!

[vectorspecialist]

number 2...i guess. i would choose it for the simple fact that even tho it might top out at 80lb, it increases in smallere increments. u never know when that will come in handy

[StopfaknGT]

Go with the 2nd one. BTW I think they have some pretty good Craftsmans for $79. i got one and I love it

[Twizted_3KGT]

You do realize that the first one is 1/2" drive and the second is 3/8" drive right? It's like comparing apples and oranges.

I have the first one, good for if you're not torquing lugnuts everyday, bends easily though (not the beam, where the numbers are bends down and jams the beam). A mechanic I work with has the second one, kind of shotty quality but works.

[jason_bet]

Hey bro I would deffenetly get the second one!! no question!! the first one is ok.. but if you are torqueing anything important dont get it.. cause when I say ok.. I really mean there crapy.. haha I have had both.. what are you going to torque? your vavle cover?

Jason

[sLADe781]

^^Just "stuff" in general--valve cover, plenum, plugs, etc etc. We have a torque wrench already but the wrench starts at 25 and goes up in 2 ft lbs per increment so it doesn't cover all the bases that I need. But thanks for the replies. The second one it is.

EDIT: Oh yeah Twizted_3KGT, no, I don't really know the difference between the 2. At my local Sears store, we have one that looks like the first one and one that looks like the second one and I was just trying to get a general idea of the which type is "better." I just assumed that the first one was "manual-like" while the second one was "automatic."

Actually, looking back at the different types available, they have 1/4, 1/2, 3/8, etc etc....so umm....what's the difference between the different types!?!

[AutostradaVR4]

Digital FTW.

[Linebckr49]

i have the 2nd, beam style, torque wrench. i find it useful for measuring the breakaway torque of a bolt. for instance, when i'm working on other 3Ss or other cars and removing critical bolts (anything on the valve train, cam gears, etc), i can break the bolt loose with the torque wrench and measure how much torque was applied to tighten it the last time. i find this helpful if i don't have a list of torque specs for a car. also, its useful to determine whether or not something was tightened to the correct torque, thus possibly being the source of a problem. i ran into this once when i found a set of adjustable cam gears were not torqued to spec, but rather 20 lb-ft less than spec!

as for the other torque wrench, i wouldn't get it. here is what you need to think about: 1) range of measured torque, 2) divided increments of measurement. i have 3 torque wrenches: the beam style (already mentioned), this small 3/8" torque wrenchsmall 3/8" tq wrench 25 INCH.lbs - 250 INCH.lbs in 1 in.lb increments, and then i have just a whatever AutoZone wrench 25-150 ft.lbs.

i would like to get a better "large range" 1/2" drive wrench, but that will wait for later. i use the small 3/8" wrench for torquing valve train bolts that have torque specs as small as 8 or 10 ft.lbs.