So I bought this AC Delco torque wrench...

Not trusting my super cheap AutoZone clicker at low torque levels, I bought a new torque wrench on Amazon. It was $100 and I was hoping it would make me feel better about tightening all the parts that specify 14 ft lbs. I am terrible at knowing how hard I'm pulling a wrench.

I swear it doesn't work right. It doesn't alert until I'm pretty far past where I set the wrench. Take a look at this short video and tell me what you think. I set the wrench to 13 ft lbs.

 

1 pound off isnt gonna matter much. Theres probably more room of error in that wrench than that. Id just stop when you see 13 on the readout if it bothers you. Or return it and buy a Tekton or Gearwrench wrench off Amazon.

 

i use craftsman torgue wrench
i've used a harbor freight one and it broke torquing the bolts on blade for snow plow
100 lbs and snapped where socket goes on. knuckle buster
back to my trusty craftsman torque wrench

 

Nope. Not going to watch the wrench display. This thing is going back. The worst part is I bought 2 of them. The first one got shipped to Washington for some reason then just disappeared. I ordered another, got it, and now the original has been found and is on its way.

Which wrench should I get?

 

I've got torque wrenches in 3/8, 1/2, and 3/4 sizes. I've had an old Craftsman for ages like the one in the pic for many years. I like it but it can be very awkward to use due to the length and that you need to see the dial to know when you hit a given value.

Somehow I came about a 1/2 drive from Harbor Freight. I used it a time or two. I had a case where it didn't click and I snapped off a bolt. I think I tossed it into the garbage so I wouldn't try to use it again. I picked up another 1/2 from NAPA. It's ok I guess. I haven't' found it to fail so far. I used it for most of the Taco engine work.

In spite of my complaints about HF, I bought a 3/4 drive from there about 10 years ago. One of my other cars requires 275 ft-lbs of torque on the crankshaft bolt. I only use that one on crankshaft and CV axle bolts.



This big old HF 3/4 inch has always been good.

 

My go to for hand tools is Gearwrench. But a lot of people talk highly of Tekton. Im still rocking a craftsman USA clicker torque wrench though. And a big harbor freight wrench for the big fasteners.

 

I don't think I could have survived the last 10 years and multiple car builds without my Gearwrenches. Everything from them has been good to me.

 

You can warranty their stuff through advanced auto, and Ive see a few GW/Apex Tool trucks around too.

 

I’ve got a Craftsman 3/8” drive 0-80 lb-ft, and a Tekton 1/2” 25-250 lb-ft. I get them both checked in the gauge lab at work every year (at max and min), and they click within 2 lb-ft every time. Granted, I store them at their minimum settings and probably only use them 3 or 4 times a year, but they work for me. Ymmv.

 

If you want a quality torque wrench and are looking for accuracy, go with a split beam. You get what you pay for. I use an inexpensive Tekton for lug nuts because it doesn't matter if i'm 5lbs off, but there's no way in I would trust their quality for precision work, i.e. an engine build, etc.

$174 Precision Instruments PREC2FR100F Wrench (3/8" Dr. Split Beam Torque w/Flex Head (20-100 Ft./Lbs))

https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Instruments-PREC2FR100F-Wrench-Torque/dp/B000YOX568/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3AAK1UBN9RKXX&keywords=precision+instruments+torque+wrench&qid=1564627623&s=gateway&sprefix=precision+ins%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-2

EDIT: You'll probably need a 1/4" micrometer type wrench if you're going to be using it in the sub 20 ft/lb range. Keep in mind the wrenches are not very accurate in the sub 20% capacity range. 20-100% is typically where they are rated at.

http://www.torqwrench.com/tools/item.php?StockCode=M1F50H