What is the most popular/best drive for my first torque wrench?
Thanks
Redrider02
"big boom big boom"-Adam Savage. "quack damn you"-Jamie Hyneman "mythbusters"
Depemds on what you want to use it for. Judge it like a socket and rachet set. Litle for lite bolts, bit for big bolts
Fireboy153
Brady Fire Co. - Station 150
Long Live The Sunflower! (yea its not so "cool")
It depends what your going to be working on... bigger stuff will require 1/2, smaller you would only need 3/8. Think about what your going to be working on. My dad only ever had a 1/2 and thats still all I have. Most all mechanics have both 3/8 and 1/2 in several different lengths/torque ranges... Many even have 1/4 drive now due to smaller and smaller things needing torqued.
I have a 3/8" drive 150-1000 inch pound wrench. Works for most everything I need torqued.
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And for small stuff like 10mm sockets and under you will want a 1/4 drive one that is set in inch pounds. Make sure if goes up high enough, my dads stupid 3/8 craftsman only goes up to 90 ftlbs and thats not enough to torque our lug nuts to spec.
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unless your working on a ship or in a refinery 3/8 drive is fine.
"There is no point in looking fast if your not."
I have a 1/2" 50-250, but I'm going to buy a 3/8's or 1/4" for smaller stuff. My 1/2 works for all the lug nuts, but also for hub nuts, axle nuts, suspension components and that type of stuff. I've only not used ut for things like diff covers, oil pans, and such, which is why I'm going to get a smaller one. I'm doing more diff covers mostly as of late, which is why i've decided its time to stop borrowing one and buy my own. My rule of thumb is if you borrow a tool 3 times, you need to buy it for yourself.
I started with a 1/2" drive, worked for years. Needed to torque some small stuff so bought a 1/4". Being that I like to have any needed tool I just bought a 3/8" for giggles.
I'm still looking to find a torque wrench that also has angular degrees for the bolts that require a set ft/lbs and a certain follow up degree.
"Oil Leak ? What oil Leak ? Oh, Thats Just The Sweat From All The HorsePower!!"
^^ Just get a degree wheel? Or you want an all in one I take it.
Hm, Is there any of the new digital ones that include degrees?
What brand would be a good one, Craftsman, Kobalt, Husky etc...?
You need a 1/2" drive ft-lbs and a 3/8" inch-lbs to do everything when working on a vehicle. A 3/8" ft-lbs is also nice cause they are short (for those tight areas)
Spike J wrote:What brand would be a good one, Craftsman, Kobalt, Husky etc...?
Craftsman, Kobalt, not sure about Huskey. Torque wrenches you really shouldn't go cheap on at all.
Sunfiretun3r wrote:Spike J wrote:What brand would be a good one, Craftsman, Kobalt, Husky etc...?
Craftsman, Kobalt, not sure about Huskey. Torque wrenches you really shouldn't go cheap on at all.
Craftsman ones suck, only hand tool with no warranty. There's also snap on or anything with a german sounding name is basically certain to be great.
1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by:
Kronos Performance
WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer
DSMskyline wrote:I started with a 1/2" drive, worked for years. Needed to torque some small stuff so bought a 1/4". Being that I like to have any needed tool I just bought a 3/8" for giggles.
I'm still looking to find a torque wrench that also has angular degrees for the bolts that require a set ft/lbs and a certain follow up degree.
thats the same route I went
be sure to look at the % or error, it can make a huge difference it what your really getting for a torque and it will also show in the price of the tool. if you plan to do anything critical with it like internal engine work don't skimp on the quality, you'll thank yourself later when things don't fall apart on you.
