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Torque Wrenches

PowerDemon

Autocross Champion
Location
Richmond, VA
Car(s)
Golf GTI, Camaro ZL1
Hello everyone,

I am in the market for a new torque wrench and I am having some trouble deciding on which one I want to buy. I’ve always been taught that you get what you pay for and a torque wrench is no exception but some of the lower priced options today are really enticing. I don't know if I want to buy something like this (a cheaper but supposedly good wrench) or pony up the $$ and get a better brand like SK or Precision Instruments and hopefully keep it forever. I don’t use it for anything really crazy like torquing head studs or anything but I would like to have something that keeps it’s accuracy and works well. What do you guys use?

Jokes such as “what torque specs” and “I just run it down with the impact” are welcome.
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
Yep, I too am a Harbor Freight torque wrench guy. I have three, 1/4" drive in-oz for small jobs (maxes out at 12 ft lbs) like working on bicycles, 3/8" drive at 20 to 80 ft lb and a 1/2" 20 to 150 ft lbs drive.

Do make sure that you bring it back to zero after you put it away so the spring is not under tension during storage.
 

aaronc7

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
17 S3
My 3/8 Tekton eventually became inaccurate and was never great at lower limit of what it was rated for-- you would over tighten stuff. I also have their huge 1/2" drive model and it's nice for really high torque stuff, lug nuts etc.

I recently bought a Lowes/Kobalt digital one and I will say if you only want to buy 1..... I would get a nicer digital one like this. It's very useable still on the low end of the spectrum but goes high enough for almost all jobs. I find myself using it 90% of the time now. Exception being something like the crank bolt on an LS1/ARP bolt where torque spec is something like 240 lb-ft iirc.
 

Keehs360

Autocross Champion
Location
Denver
Car(s)
Mk7.5
Tekton is actually a good company, they're very under rated.
they make excellent locking pliers IMO. they don't slip at all. and when they get all rusty and gross its ok because it was only like ten bucks. They lock very well and the adjustment thingy wont run or slip on you.
 

PowerDemon

Autocross Champion
Location
Richmond, VA
Car(s)
Golf GTI, Camaro ZL1
Tekton is actually a good company, they're very under rated.

Supposedly their torque wrenches are made in the USA too... I find that hard to believe at the price point but if true that is a nice plus.

My 3/8 Tekton eventually became inaccurate and was never great at lower limit of what it was rated for-- you would over tighten stuff. I also have their huge 1/2" drive model and it's nice for really high torque stuff, lug nuts etc.

I recently bought a Lowes/Kobalt digital one and I will say if you only want to buy 1..... I would get a nicer digital one like this. It's very useable still on the low end of the spectrum but goes high enough for almost all jobs. I find myself using it 90% of the time now. Exception being something like the crank bolt on an LS1/ARP bolt where torque spec is something like 240 lb-ft iirc.

How long did you have it before you discovered it had become inaccurate? I’ve considered digital but if I bought a digital one I would go up in price point a bit like this.
 

Charlotte.:R

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte
Car(s)
'18 Golf R 6MT
Check out CDI. They're a Snap-On Industrial brand.

I have the 30-250 ft lb 1/2" version that I got for around $150.
 

aaronc7

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
17 S3
Supposedly their torque wrenches are made in the USA too... I find that hard to believe at the price point but if true that is a nice plus.



How long did you have it before you discovered it had become inaccurate? I’ve considered digital but if I bought a digital one I would go up in price point a bit like this.

I had it for years...so I guess it served its purpose but I just got the sense that it wasn't right and i was going to shear every bolt I tried to torque with it. Tried to calibrate it back to normal but it didn't really take the adjustments I was giving it, so i just trashed it.

I've had a bunch of torque wrenche over the years and honestly I wish I woulda just bit the bullet and got a digital one sooner. It's nice having a device I can trust, even the lower torque stuff like spark plugs, all the way up to 150-200ish.

I've snapped many a bolts too.... probably over half of them were from blindly trusting a poor torque wrench lol.
 

the

Autocross Champion
Location
Alabama
Car(s)
GTI
My 3/8 Tekton eventually became inaccurate and was never great at lower limit of what it was rated for-- you would over tighten stuff.
Ever had it calibrated?

I am in the market for a new torque wrench and I am having some trouble deciding on which one I want to buy.
Do you want to buy, or would renting be suitable for your application?
 

PowerDemon

Autocross Champion
Location
Richmond, VA
Car(s)
Golf GTI, Camaro ZL1
Ever had it calibrated?


Do you want to buy, or would renting be suitable for your application?

I want to buy. I bought and then returned a Harbor Freight torque wrench this weekend as I was in a pinch and I wasn’t able to borrow one as I usually can. I then realized I should probably buy my own so I wouldn’t have to keep bumming other peoples.
 

JerseyDrew77

Autocross Champion
Location
Virginia & NC
Car(s)
2016 TR GTI S 6MT
I want to buy. I bought and then returned a Harbor Freight torque wrench this weekend as I was in a pinch and I wasn’t able to borrow one as I usually can. I then realized I should probably buy my own so I wouldn’t have to keep bumming other peoples.

YES, you definitely need to have your own because you own a VW!!!
 

Ezekiel81923

Autocross Champion
Location
Royersford, PA
Car(s)
2019 Volkswagen GTI
I have a 1/2" Tekton that'll do 10ftlb to 150ftlb. It's been reliable for the 8 months and 5 jobs I've needed it for and wasn't expensive.

Suspension bits, bracing and my exhaust were the only times I really relied on it, I've never used a torque wrench for wheel bolts / spark plugs / oil changes / etc. and have never had an issue. Will need it again for my DP and for any additional subframe bracing I decide to do though.
 
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