[jbucky1]

Hi, i'm Looking for an inexpensive torque wrench up 100ft lbs kinda thing. And there is a million of them on Amazon.
I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation?
I'm definitely not pro enough to need a high end one, but I also don't want to buy one that is grossly inaccurate (if there are such things)

the less expensive ones seem to be around $35 for a 1/2 drive 10-120ft lb on amazon.

A few brands I found
Nebicals
Lexivon
EPAuto

Anyone have insight?

Thanks in advance

[Our03z4]

Harbor Freight has them cheaper ($22) and with a lifetime warranty. They are fairly accurate and I've never had an issue with that aspect. I have had to return two wrenches (used quite a bit) and they take them back no questions asked, in and out in a couple minutes. Wouldn't buy one from Amazon unless it was name brand.

[cbpip]

Have both of these, work great, easy to adjust, not in the "Buy once, cry once" range but still nice for occasional use and accurate. Have a Snap On beam type that is only buy once.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0081...b_b_asin_title

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VYURT0?ref=emc_b_5_mob_i

[ttaidapos]

Here's mine, 6 years old and still going strong. Lugs need 110lbs if I recall.

https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-Torque.../dp/B00C5ZL0RU

[pbonsalb]

The question is what will you be doing with it? Torquing lug nuts that have a wide range of acceptable torque of doing rod bearings that are more precise? The 2-4% accuracy rate typically provided is in the heart of the range rather than at the ends.

[jbucky1]

yeah sorry, I should have mentioned not for doing Lug nuts. More general auto. @pbonsalb

[Grease23]

I have several of the HFT ones, plus my old (45 years old) Craftsman beam model. I did purchase the Tekton model mentioned above. It seems to be much higher quality in the hand than HFT, and came with a promise of 100% calibration before shipping.

Where torque is really critical, professionals get theirs checked and calibrated routinely. I have no idea where to get that done, and suspect it would cost more than some of these.

On some of these lower torque fasteners, like the drain plugs, the oil filter cover and base gasket etc. I feel much more comfortable tightening them by hand with no torque wrench. Just from years of experience I'm not going to overdo it, or underdo it. I can feel it tightening that way and I'm not slavishly waiting for a "click." The feeling of a bolt going into plastic deformation is a memory you won't forget.

[ppointer]

I have gotten 25 years out of this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

[pbonsalb]

I have clickers I bought 15-20 years ago for $10-$20 that informally test comparably to my CDI and Precision. Farm Test tried a bunch of wrenches and found Iconn was accurate.

[Dan B]

Project Farm does a great review on YouTube.

I have a Snap-on from my days in racing. Worth every penny for that level of work.

I have a Craftsman digital I got on sale for about $60. I use it for most tasks and based on really loose testing, it is accurate.

[chassis]

Tacklife and Tekton

[Rafichicago]

I use husky from Home Depot. I have 3 of them. Keep in mind that in general cheap torque wrenches are most accurate in median range. Lowest and highest settings will be the least accurate. Like someone mentioned here. Depending on what you will be doing with them. I am wrenching quite a bit and I thing you will need at least two. Small and medium one. Because small ranges like 8-15nm are crucial when doing work. This is usually torque of valve cover gasket transmission pan oil pan etc. Good luck.

[ShocknAwe]

Depends on what you need to torque down.

Have a harbor freight 1/2" that's served me well.

Carlyle 1/4".

The Carlyle is probably 10x the price of the HF.

[SharpAndCunning]

Originally Posted by jbucky1

yeah sorry, I should have mentioned not for doing Lug nuts. More general auto. @pbonsalb

General auto doesn't sound like anything super precise like a racing or manufacturing application would a couple of foot pounds could really make a difference.

That being said, this biggest decision would be do you need a wrench from 0-100, 0-250, etc? What's your critcal range? The cheaper wrenches are going struggle to maintain accuracy on one end of the other of a 0-250lb range.

[Grease23]

Whatever you get, if you want it to last, back off the adjustment to zero or near it when not using it.

[M-technik-3]

When I was working for Lear Sigler, I bought 1/2 and 3/8 drive Snap On. Company gave us a great discount on tools. They calibrated them every 6 months but this was 25 years ago now. Hated my drive to Luxembourg from Bitburg daily it got old.

The Texton's are a better home use. If you question it have a shop calibrate it.

[Novvaa]

Originally Posted by Grease23

Whatever you get, if you want it to last, back off the adjustment to zero or near it when not using it.

Every torque wrench I own tells you what torque to set it at for storage. My big Tekton stores at 10 ft pounds and its lasered on the side so you don’t forget. Read the directions people.

[spielnicht]

I have both a Husky and Hazet ($100 price difference). I'd say they are equally built and accurate, but being a Hazet I trust it more.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C9XJKG...lig_dp_it&th=1

[Efthreeoh]

If you want accuracy and low price, buy a beam style torque wrench. There is no mechanism to go out of calibration. Click-type wrenches are cool, but easily get out of calibration. Other than engine internals, setting precise torque values on fasteners is just not that critical.