Torque wrenches - Harbor Freight model.

[IdahoDoug]

So this came up on the Luxury Tools thread and I didn't want to clutter it up further. I discovered my HF click type 3/8" torque wrench was malfunctioning and said I'd take it up with Harbor Freight. Disclaimer: I don't own any stock in this company but wish I did as I think their combination of price and quality is about right for a serious hobbyist like me.

I often shop at HF because I seem to have a need for unusual tools and having to purchase these and use them 3X in my lifetime seems a waste of money I'd rather spend on Vanagon road trips.

I noted that some bolts I was installing on a recent project into an alloy engine seemed not to crisply come up to torque with this click wrench. So I checked it with my good old reliable beam style and was astonished that the click wrench set at 30 was not clicking until 37. I brought it back to HF today along with my beam wrench and asked the mgr if I could check a few on the shelf to see if I could find an accurate one. Yep.

So the first one I pulled out of the box was clearly from a different vendor. The US based ft-lbs scale on mine is inconvenient on the far side of the handle, giving priority to the kg scale on the easy to see side. This one I tested first was US-oriented, and there were several other obvious construction details including a thicker and larger diameter handle. It tested correctly at 30. So did #2. So did #3. #4, etc. I stopped at #7.

So I think I just got a dud and they're using a new version. Are they going to hold that accuracy? Dunno but I will check it once in a while. Would I recommend a beginner get one? Hmmmm. I have been wrenching for 45 years as a hobbyist and I noted the odd fastener behaviour of an improper overtorque by feel. So I think its actually not a good idea for a beginner to use a cheap torque wrench. My wrenching buddy here in town recommends www.eTORK.com as a solid model with good value.

Anyhow, just wanted to follow up on this and inform others what I found and what I did about it.
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[ajdenette]

I will also agree and support IdahoDoug, my parents bought me a nice set of torque wrenches a few years ago for wrenching on the cars and they have been reliable and set back to zero after use. My father bought a couple of Harbor Freight torque wrenches and we were doing some wheels and I also had the same feeling that the torque was not right after checking it with the beam wrench and my clicker style Gear Wrench torque wrench we verified the Harbor Freight with the tightening screw on the bottom was not accurate he decided to by other torque wrenches that have proven better though I can not speak to the brand I am happy with my Gear Wrench set.
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[?Waldo?]

Clicker wrenches should have their setting returned to their lowest setting any time you aren't using the wrench.

I like to test my wrenches by clamping the square driver fulcrum end in a vice and hanging a weight off of them at mathematically determined distances when set to specific torque settings. You can get a very clear idea of their accuracy that way.

[Jeffrey Lee]

I agree: I think HF offers a great selection of tools (hand, power, air) at great prices, and in general you get what you pay for there. I always carefully inspect any tool I'm considering buying, for fit & finish, durability, precision, etc., and often end up buying one of their more expensive models. In my opinion, their tools are cheap enough that it's wise to buy the best you can afford there. As when buying Vanagon or other car parts, I try to use my wallet to 'vote' for better quality, and I hope their inventory managers take note.

As Doug says, HF can be a great place for a shade tree wrencher to outfit one's home workshop, if done so strategically.

But I usually shop elsewhere for tools requiring more precision, or where a flaw or failure of the tool could have major implications for the vehicle or other project. And I certainly count torque wrenches in this category.

FWIW, the customer reviews are very helpful for choosing HF tools, assuming they are valid and not cherry-picked by HF.
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[djkeev]

I too have Harbor Freight Tools. Not many for they are as Doug says, 2-3 uses a lifetime.

But

Speaking as a certified NAARSO inspector I would NEVER EVER trust something as critical as bolt torque to a product produced by a company known to produce marginal tools. With Amusements we care about where a bolt came from and require a paper trail of it. No way do you trust a Harbor Freight wrench!

Dave
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[DanHoug]

we had a "Torque Wrench Shootout" at one of our Monthly Mostly Men Motorcycle Movie Night Group Meetings (MMMMMNG). I had two Snap On click types, that always has been backed off torque since new, some Craftsman beam type, and a variance of others brought in... digital offshore ones, etc.

much to our surprise, no single wrench was very far off from the others, essentially just mating the two wrenches together and pulling torque. i was actually somewhat disappointed my Snap Ons were the same as everything else!
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[?Waldo?]

[Max Welton]

I'm with you Waldo. I test my own and if a particular wrench tests accurate I could not care less about the reputation of the vendor or how much I paid for it.

Choosing a tool based on reviews or reputation seems like choosing a stock to buy based on how much some financial analyst paid for his suit.

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Max
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[Butcher]

Funny, I have never heard anyone say that HF made marginal tools. I've always heard they made junk.

Like someone mentioned, you get what you pay for.

[Glenn]

Tools are an investment that can last a lifetime if treated with respect.

HF is fine of you don't need quality and don't plan on using it often. I built VW engines and work on expensive carbon fiber bicycles so I have a selection.

The "right" tool for the job.

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[jimf909]

[Glenn]

I guess it's hard to argue with a $20 HF torque wrench compared to a $245 S/K torque wrench for the average home mechanic.

But i'd hate to rip the captive nut out of a $7000 carbon bike frame.

Would you be OK with your engine builder using a $20 torque wrench?
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[Max Welton]

[Glenn]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I guess my main concern with a torque wrench is that it provide a consistent reading per each pull of the handle, so that for every bolt in a concentric circle or along a certain pattern I get a consistent rating. Most bolts seem to require a 90 degree pull or two afterward, so consistency is the key at the outset. I have four Snap On, one Craftsman and one Hazet torque wrench in my arsenal. Consistency, whether reading accurately up or down from spec is the key for me. I usually give every fastener my own kiss of an extra tickle for good measure anyway.
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[Zeitgeist 13]

I should mention that where I get paranoid about degrees of accuracy is with my in/lbs wrench, especially when torquing a valve body on an automatic trans. That's critical stuff.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[?Waldo?]

I have a dial gauge inch-pounds torque wrench and I've tested it of course. It is spot on for accuracy.

[Zeitgeist 13]

I need one of those.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[IdahoDoug]

Yep, I agree and have 5 torque wrenches myself with a range of price and intended torque range. I prefer to use the beam wrench because it is simple physics and long term accurate. However there are places where I can't really see the indicator, so the click type is nice.

I have always felt that all forums should have a primer on properly using a torque wrench and getting fasteners to the right torque. Any volunteers? I am on a half dozen make forums and if I had a dollar for the number of times I have heard people say "I used my torque wrench and could NOT get that bolt loose." People seem to think these tools are the thing to use to APPLY torque, not measure it.

So if you are reading that and have done it, know that a torque wrench should not be used to remove fasteners. It's a measuring tool only.
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[Abscate]

There are some critical places in things like transmissions , but 95% of the time here’s why the accuracy of the torque wrench isn’t that important

Outside of those critical apps, a torque supplies either or both of two functions:

1 putting the fastener in the right realm of plastic tension so it holds does not get loose

Or

2 provinding a consistent force across a set of fasteners so that it does not distort or provides a sealing function.



In the case of 2 , most torque wrench errors are consistent , so if you torque your oil cover plate to 20 Nm instead of 40 Nm, the plate will still be flat and seal,


In the case of 1, the gals/guys who have done this for a while can actually feel the fasteners as they go through the tension...plastic...presnap..oh shit phase; the tolerance on a fastener in each regime is quite wide.

For lug nuts , ive measured the tolerance on my tighten by hand method and find I am within 20% consistency, for instance.

It’s a great exercise to take 10 minutes with a lug nut Andpractice torquing to 20, 40, 60, 80 Nm by hand and checking with your torque wrench.

It’s easier to get consistent manual torque with a longer bar, i have a cool 12 inch one for that

On edit ..fixed 0Dark30 typos
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