CDI or Precision instruments

CDI 2503MFRPH Comfort Grip Dual Scale Micrometer Adjustable Click Style Torque Wrench - 1/2-Inch Drive - 30 to 250 ft. lb. Torque Range - Amazon.com

CDI 2503MFRPH Comfort Grip Dual Scale Micrometer Adjustable Click Style Torque Wrench - 1/2-Inch Drive - 30 to 250 ft. lb. Torque Range - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Precision Instruments PREC3FR250F Silver 1/2" Drive Split Beam Torque Wrench with Flex Head - Amazon.com

Precision Instruments PREC3FR250F Silver 1/2" Drive Split Beam Torque Wrench with Flex Head - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

 

Get a beam type. They are never uncalibrated. If you buy a click type and do not have it recalibrated at certain intervals you are risking your vital parts. It was a click type torque wrench that caused me to have multiple head gasket failures on several engines in a row. Prior I had used a trusty old Craftsman beam type and never had an issue. I took that click type torque wrench out into the yard and beat it into a pretzel with a sledgehammer.

I will only use the beam type or the Diall-A-Torque ones from Snap-On. You really have to have a Dial-A-Torque inch pounds wrench to set up differentials, and why I have two.

 

Thanks guys.

 

If you buy a dial type, remember to return it to zero when finished with the job. I like the beam type if you have room for them, no need to return them to zero either. Some of mine are at 500 lbs and it takes some turning to get to zero, but beam type no need.

 

If you buy a dial type, remember to return it to zero when finished with the job.

Exactly, and why I do not like the click type because if you or someone forgets to dial it back to less than zero before you put it away, maybe for months or years, the spring being under tension over time and heat and cooling cycles is what messes up the calibration.

I have one of those Snap-On swivel head torque wrenches designed for use in a tire shop I got from a buddy many years ago. It has a knob on the side and a little window where you can see the lb/ft setting. Every time I use it for wheels only, no engine building as that is why I have a beam type, I turn it back before zero to make sure there is slack in the spring. It has served me well for 20 years and I have checked it against my beam type and it is still accurate enough for wheels, but only because I always take the tension off the spring.

 

I use clickers, beams and dials, but all of them are calibrated. Even a beam doesn't read perfectly right out-of-the-box, and a calibration tag will ensure correct torques with any of them. While there are outfits that can do this, your local community college or military base may offer to do calibration print-outs for cheap or free.

It is a common misconception that beam types are always in-calibration, but are subject to the same errors as any other product. Slight metal alloy changes, different hardening, etc, means errors in such a simple device. The last 1/2" beam-type I had calibrated was off by 11 ft·lb at 100.

Likewise, if you calibrate them, then any of them can be accurate, including a cheap imported version. A Harbor Fright lump can torque as accurately as a Snap-On, if it's calibrated. What you're paying for is (hopefully) the ability to hold that calibration over time. I hope that helps someone!

 

How does one get a torque wrench calibrated here in 2025 when almost nobody even knows what a torque wrench is?

 

I don't think you can, and I probably would trust it's existing calibration since I take care of my tools over some incompetent telling me he calibrated it for me. I would not even know where to go and it would likely be a deer in in the headlights event to start asking at the Walmaaaar....I mean auto parts store.

 

I'm surprised Performance Tool did as well as it did. I ordered some basic Performance Tools from RockAuto to keep in a repair kit in the trunk. I thought they were lousy.

 

Thanks for the videos. I'll give them a look

 

I have two Snap Ons, a New Britian,and a Proto. All are the micrometer click type. Put them at the lowest setting when you are done and you should be fine. One Snap On I bought used off the tool truck the other new off the tool truck. The New Britian was used. The Proto I got on EBAY new. When I was in the Air Force our torque wrenches were calibrated periodically in house. When I was a fleet mechanic for the state we sent our torque wrenches out to get calibrated. Buy a quality name brand wrench and take care of it and it may never need to be calibrated.

 

I have 2 company's (who owe me serious favors) that certify and calibrate tooling of all kind, from torque wrenchs to CMM machines. I've had all 4 of my TWs calibrated by one or the other a couple times for free cause I called them in to calibrate an entire machine shop
None of my torque wrenches, including my 40 year old Craftsman 30-200 ft/lb unit were in need of adjustment but I've always taken very good care of them.

 

Most torque specs for old, American iron have a range. Dollars to doughnuts, any decent torque wrench will get you in that range; certainly closer than using a breaker bar and counting, "1 ugga-dugga...".

 

Wha?!! That's my go to method for all my fasteners lol. I'll be taking off my main bearings and wanted something better than my HF torque wrench. One reason is because it seems this engine is delicate and needs to be handled the best that I can.

 

My Buddy at RXN had a SnapOn Digital torque wrench. Had the extreme pleasure of using it more than once, total game changer but holy crap they are expensive.
The most expensive torque wrench I own is my small in/lb micro gun smithing unit. Tiny but deadly accurate, necessary for those small precision screws on firearms. No way I need to break off a small screw in a $10,000 weapon or scope. It lives in my office in a sealed, dry container, not the garage. Like @Klutch mentioned earlier, these things needs proper care if you wish not to have a bad day.

 

I like my Precision Instrument split beam torque wrench.

 

They do make inch pound beam torque wrench’s. A lot were labeled Park Tool for working on bicycles. Trouble is finding one with a 3/8 drive and low enough inch pound range or you have to an adapter.

 

I picked this up Monday from Hobo Freight during the 35% off parking lot sale. I've purchased several Icon items to replace things that needed replacing or things I didn't have and so far have been pleased with the brand. I typically wait for sales, which HF runs weekly, because I'm a tight wad. The 2 year ITC membership more than paid for itself on the first purchase, which was a US General tool chest.

 

I picked this up Monday from Hobo Freight during the 35% off parking lot sale. I've purchased several Icon items to replace things that needed replacing or things I didn't have and so far have been pleased with the brand. I typically wait for sales, which HF runs weekly, because I'm a tight wad. The 2 year ITC membership more than paid for itself on the first purchase, which was a US General tool chest. View attachment 1011260

I have one of these and another HF icon but that one is a 3/8" click type that goes from 5 to 80 ft-lbs I think

The split beam for tires anything above 50 ft-lbs and the the other for brakes and other smaller things under 50 ft-lbs
I wish I could get them calibrated but thats on a to do list I keep forgetting to make

 

i use a PI split beam and two icon clickers. i still have my old cheap hf ones. i used to work at a tool shop and i check the calibration on the cheap hf ones and they were within 2% iirc , plenty accurate. i actually built a coupple of engins with one.

 

When I was assigned to USS Theodore Roosevelt, the guys in the Reactor department used Craftsman digital torque wrenches. Mine is a Craftsman clicker I bought many years ago. It has served me well, but yeah, I'm sure calibration could not hurt.

 

A different angle to investment is to get a torque meter. With that, you can calibrate any tool you have, for what you're doing. Put it in your vice, pop your wrench on it, and read what your wrench says when you hit the target, e.g., torque to 100, and if your wrench says 106, then that's your accurate target. No trips out or other costs, use when you need it, on whatever tool you're using.

I use beam wrenches for running torques (steering box or pinion gear drag, etc). I have a Craftsman in·lb beam hand-me-down that's probably 70-80 years old. It calibrates so close full-scale, that I don't need a cal tag.

The best 1/2" clicker I've had was $15 no-name at a yard sale with the worst deviation only -2 pounds at mid-scale. 😁 With a torque meter, I can go through a lot of yard sale finds to score a honey.

 

Bought my SO back in 86.
I think it was $179. Lots of $$$ back then

Only recalibrated once in the mid 90s .
Guy did it right in the truck for me.
I called, met him at a local shop about 10 days later and done. I think $15

Now they no longer provide that service.
You have to mail it back to SO.
Yeah right. .

I always wondered why in my 50 yrs in the hobby i never ever saw one in a shop

 

I have a Craftsman torque meter and a Tekton torque wrench.

 

Split Beam is the way to go I have 2, an OLSA 1/2" and an ICON 3/8" virtually the same . Can't go wrong with them

 

Did a lot of research and bought a tekton . Has worked very well.