# Which Wrench ?



## larry (Oct 19, 2004)

I want to purchase a torque wrench to carry in my Outback. What brand, capacity should I get and what price.


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## emsley3 (Feb 27, 2007)

I picked one up at Harbor Freight on sale for $14.99 just last week. The normal price is was $19.00.

I know it isn't the best and won't last a lifetime but the with the little use it will see, the price was right.

Paul


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

I strongly recommend CRAFTSMAN -- they have ben doing this forevr and its warrantied a lifetime --

Check on EBAY -- can find them usually 1/2 price..

One of my closest OUTBACK buddies picked up a Torque Wrench at Harbor Freight a while back -- the calibration was pretty far off and the first time he usd it it literally broke... Hopefully they are making them better now then when he got it... but the calibration is essential for a torque wrench -- thats why most pros use CRAFTSMAN...


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

Ghosty said:


> I strongly recommend CRAFTSMAN -- they have ben doing this forevr and its warrantied a lifetime --
> 
> Check on EBAY -- can find them usually 1/2 price..
> 
> One of my closest OUTBACK buddies picked up a Torque Wrench at Harbor Freight a while back -- the calibration was pretty far off and the first time he usd it it literally broke... Hopefully they are making them better now then when he got it... but the calibration is essential for a torque wrench -- thats why most pros use CRAFTSMAN...


Hate to rein on your parade Ghosty but the Craftsman Torque wrenchs are not lifetime guaranteed for calibration. Craftsman does have a very inexpensive recalibration service set up and gives you that info in the paperwork with the torque wrench. I also like the SK brand torque wrench -it can usually be found a little cheaper than the Craftsman unless you get a good deal on E-Bay. Personally, I have 4 torque wrenches to do the range of fastners found on small equipment, motorcycles, cars and trucks. I have click and beam styles along with a spring tension gauge for odd applications

An FYI for those of you out there with a "Click" style torque wrench -make sure you store the wrench with the adjustment set to "0" or below to protect the calibration of the wrench. Also, only use your torque wrench to torque fastners down - don't use it as a breaker bar -this effects calibrations, too

Map Guy


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

map guy said:


> An FYI for those of you out there with a "Click" style torque wrench -make sure you store the wrench with the adjustment set to "0" or below to protect the calibration of the wrench. Also, only use your torque wrench to torque fastners down - don't use it as a breaker bar -this effects calibrations, too
> 
> Map Guy


Good advice.

I too bought the Harbor Freight model. The quality is actually quite good, although I am "assuming" it's accurate


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...?itemnumber=239


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Craftsman does not lifetime any test equipment. So a torque wrench will not be replaced for any failure after 1 year.

For the Outback you want one to do the wheel lug nuts and that means you need on to 150 foot pounds. Harbor freight is good enough for that duty.


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## FridayYet? (Feb 9, 2006)

emsley3 said:


> I picked one up at Harbor Freight on sale for $14.99 just last week. The normal price is was $19.00.
> 
> I know it isn't the best and won't last a lifetime but the with the little use it will see, the price was right.
> 
> Paul


X2

I bought the same one last year and only use it in the OB.

Mike


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

FridayYet? said:


> I picked one up at Harbor Freight on sale for $14.99 just last week. The normal price is was $19.00.
> 
> I know it isn't the best and won't last a lifetime but the with the little use it will see, the price was right.
> 
> Paul


X2

I bought the same one last year and only use it in the OB.

Mike
[/quote]

X3

I got one last year and brought the trailer into the shop here at work to have the brakes adjusted. The tech that was adjusting the brakes for me let me use his $$$$$ Snap On...I tested mine against his and it was right on.

Gary


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

X3

I got one last year and brought the trailer into the shop here at work to have the brakes adjusted. The tech that was adjusting the brakes for me let me use his $$$$$ Snap On...I tested mine against his and it was right on.

Gary
[/quote]

For occasional low tech usage the HF wrench is a steal. For day in day out usage the HF wrench won't hold its' calibration very long.

Map guy


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## emsley3 (Feb 27, 2007)

map guy said:


> An FYI for those of you out there with a "Click" style torque wrench -make sure you store the wrench with the adjustment set to "0" or below to protect the calibration of the wrench. Also, only use your torque wrench to torque fastners down - don't use it as a breaker bar -this effects calibrations, too
> 
> Map Guy


Great tidbit of information Map Guy. I had not really thought about messing up the calibration using the torque wrench as a breaker bar. As you can see, I'm no pro so I don't need to invest in the Craftsman









Paul


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

emsley3 said:


> An FYI for those of you out there with a "Click" style torque wrench -make sure you store the wrench with the adjustment set to "0" or below to protect the calibration of the wrench. Also, only use your torque wrench to torque fastners down - don't use it as a breaker bar -this effects calibrations, too
> 
> Map Guy


Great tidbit of information Map Guy. I had not really thought about messing up the calibration using the torque wrench as a breaker bar. As you can see, I'm no pro so I don't need to invest in the Craftsman









Paul
[/quote]

It would be a mistake to think the Craftsman brand is only for pros. Craftsman is a good quality tool at a relatively low price. Such purchases have a lot of "value".

Pros would buy a brand like Snap-On, or Proto, or Mac. For these you'll spend 3-4 times what Craftsman costs.

Nowadays, there are a lot of junk tools on the market that may sell for less than Craftsman, but they may not last too long either.

Bill


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## emsley3 (Feb 27, 2007)

Bill,

I agree with you and was just having a little bit of fun. My motto is actually "buy cheap, buy twice".

However, while I didn't price the Craftsman torque wrench, I would guess it is around $100. This may actually be the first time in my life I have a problem paying 5x as much between the cheap and expensive item. Especially considering that I currently have no use for a torque wrench other than checking the lugs on the OB and some bolts on the Equalizer.

Most of my household tools are Craftsman because I want them to last a lifetime. There are however the exceptions like my Chicago (bought at Harbro Freight) electric sander that I have used on one project in the last 9 years.

I also generally get cheaper tools for those that I might lose. My parents have a place on a lake and I have lost more tools in that body of water than sunglasses. It's a little easier for me to stomach losing something cheap as opposed to a Craftsman that has a lifetime warranty that the fish might be able to redeem.

I do still think that the HF wrench is a great choice for someone in the same situation as me where the wrench will get very minimal use.

Just my $.02

Paul


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

I think I paid $70 for my Craftsman. Look for sales.


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

While I was at HF...I picked up a 25" long, 1/2" drive breaker bar for $10 and a set of 1/2" deep impact sockets that were $12. I have them in the storage compartment of the camper in case of a flat tire...much easier to use than the 4 way lug wrench. (I still carry the 4 way, Just in case)

Gary


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

I have the craftsman. I think it was well worth the money.


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

emsley3 said:


> However, while I didn't price the Craftsman torque wrench, I would guess it is around $100. This may actually be the first time in my life I have a problem paying 5x as much between the cheap and expensive item. Paul


No need to pay $100, in my opinion. Right after we got our Outback, I bought a Craftsman beam-style torque wrench. For those who don't know, this is the simplest and least-expensive type of torque wrench. I bought that kind because the beam wrench is plenty accurate for wheel lugs.

The other types are those that click at a pre-set torque number and the ones with a dial. I happen to have a Snap-On "Torque-O-Meter" dial type torque wrench (which cost big bucks), but it's a 3/8-inch drive that only goes to 50 ft-lbs. That one I bought about 37 years ago for purposes of rebuilding motorcycle engines. For that type of activity, a high quality accurate torque wrench is appropriate. For wheel lugs, the beam type is fine. I think I paid about $25 for that Craftsman wrench.

Bill


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## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

Harbor Fright here. It stays in the Outback.

Walter


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## Husker92 (Feb 11, 2006)

After reading this string I've purchase a torque wrench. But I have one question - Do you check the lugs before every trip or every couple of months?

Thanks for your response!


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