Comments on: Preview: GearWrench’s New Electronic Torque Wrenches

by: torque wrench calibrator

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:22:53 +0000

As someone who calibrates torque wrenches for the US Air Force, I know that the fancy electronics, lights, & buzzers, don’t really make a torque wrench more accurate. The best type is the click type torque wrench. The type were you turn the handle to adjust it to the proper value. Then when you use it the torque wrench clicks & you feel it snap when you get to that value. These are the type I recommend. The dial indicating or flex beam torque wrenches are usually accurate, but they are difficult to use if you can’t see the indicator or needle.

Most people only need a torque wrench to tighten fasteners to a proper torque spec. Unless you need to know the break away torque, you should stick to a quality manufactures click type torque wrench.

The other type I recommend is a torque limiter. This is a type that you put between your socket & your ratchet, & it doesn’t allow you to tighten a fastener any tighter than the amount it is set to. These can be used with an impact wrench. Highly recommended for wheel shops & mechanics, but a little overkill for the DIYer.

by: Myself

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:36:14 +0000

Except that there’s more than just torque at play there. Obviously after a long time, fasteners can seize, and you wouldn’t blame the installer for overtorquing them. But similar things happen on a much shorter timescale too, depending on the chemicals and crud in the joint. You’d have to test it yourself: torque to the spec and then wait the same amount of time, applying the same thermal cycle, then see how much removal torque is needed. Only if the shop’s work required significantly more than *that* number would you have grounds to complain.

But yes, sweet tool! I have a flexing-bar wrench and it never occurred to me that the click type couldn’t read removal torque too. If I get back into car work I might have to pick up one of these electronic beasties.

by: Rick

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 02:29:56 +0000

Just read this again on my laptop (was on my cell phone before). and saw that you can see how much torque was required to remove a fastener..
I like that.. Then I can go back and scream at the shop when they over-torque my wheels.

by: Rick Reimundez

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 22:47:57 +0000

Same here! This looks like a bargain compared to most electronic tourqe wrenches. But I’d have to play with it first to see if I like it as much as the “clicker” models.

by: PeterP

Thu, 09 Nov 2006 21:57:36 +0000

I’ve been looking for a decent torque wrench for some time. May have to grab one of these, or at least put it on the Christmas list…