Torque Wrenches

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I have to buy one. I bought my FIRST brand new dirt bike and I want to maintain it properly. I am a ham fisted bolt stripper. I would like to keep it under a $100.00 and would prefer a 1/4 inch drive (not the small one but not the big one, I think its 1/4 inch drive.)

What do you guys recommend?

[RyanNicholson]

I have a ~$80 craftsman... works mint. Unless you're a hardcore mechanic I don't see any reason for buying any of the higher end ones.

This is the one I've got - http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944594000P

[Chippertheripper]

Personally, I'm a fan of the old needle deflection kind. The reason being, while replacing leaky head gaskets on my ol' Buell, I was using one of them fancy click types that was broken. And it ended up partially shearing some of the bolts. On shakedown they vibrated themselves to fully break and then I had a bigger mess on my hands. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard to drill and e-z out the remnants. Lesson learned. I had no idea the wrench I borrowed was broken, it appeared to function normally.

[nt650hawk]

I have to buy one. I bought my FIRST brand new dirt bike and I want to maintain it properly. I am a ham fisted bolt stripper. I would like to keep it under a $100.00 and would prefer a 1/4 inch drive (not the small one but not the big one, I think its 1/4 inch drive.)

What do you guys recommend?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...4596000P?mv=rr

5-80 ft. lbs., 3/8 in. Drive

1/4" = small
3/8 = Middle
1/2 =Large
3/4 = freaking huge. Just had to pick up a 46mm = 1 13/16 socket. $60 bucks for the socket and 3/4" bar to attach to it.

[Paul_E_D]

Once you have owned a toque wrench for a while, you should have a good idea how much torque you are applying by feel. The sears clickers have always worked for me. I actually find that I need both the 1/4 drive in lb wrench and the 3/8 80 ft lb wrench.

[yesterdayze]

1/4 is the small. You want 3/8s if you want in between. 1/2 is big. 3/4 is mondo big.

Believe it or not the ones they sell at bond that come in a red plastic case made by Performance Tool works really well. I have expensive stuff (Snap-On, MAC etc) and I have Performance Tool stuff and surprisingly enough most of the PT stuff holds it's own just fine. For any torque you'll be doing on a motorcycle it will be more then fine

They are also cheap - like $50 or so.

[wiggeywackyo]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...4596000P?mv=rr

5-80 ft. lbs., 3/8 in. Drive

1/4" = small
3/8 = Middle
1/2 =Large
3/4 = freaking huge. Just had to pick up a 46mm = 1 13/16 socket. $60 bucks for the socket and 3/4" bar to attach to it.

I just bought this two days ago and it works nicely. The release is a bit hard to discern on the lower settings but otherwise it is a nice piece.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

1/4 is the small. You want 3/8s if you want in between. 1/2 is big. 3/4 is mondo big.

Believe it or not the ones they sell at bond that come in a red plastic case made by Performance Tool works really well. I have expensive stuff (Snap-On, MAC etc) and I have Performance Tool stuff and surprisingly enough most of the PT stuff holds it's own just fine. For any torque you'll be doing on a motorcycle it will be more then fine

They are also cheap - like $50 or so.

Whats bond?

[eboos]

After using a Snapon torque wrench, I am sold on the brand. My Craftsman 3/8" torque wrench doesn't give me a very noticable click some times in the lower range of torque settings.

[ChicknStripEatr]

I have a cranftsman 3/8" and it isn't super accurate at really low settings, like under 15 ft/lbs, ya know, the kind of torque required to tighten cylinder head cover bolts. Don't ask me how I know this.


Oh yea, just like eboos said.

[Paul_E_D]

That's why I have 2. The in lb wrench feels much better at things like cylinder head bolts etc. An 80 ft lb wrench is never going to be great for 12 ft lb bolts

[yesterdayze]

Whats bond?

Sorry, Bond Auto - Though Performance Tools are sold at a lot of the auto stores.

[DaSarge]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...4596000P?mv=rr

5-80 ft. lbs., 3/8 in. Drive

1/4" = small
3/8 = Middle
1/2 =Large
3/4 = freaking huge. Just had to pick up a 46mm = 1 13/16 socket. $60 bucks for the socket and 3/4" bar to attach to it.

I bought the same one and its great.

[DesmoTull]

Also, once you get it, remember to zero it out before you put it away. I noticed a lack of feel when I didn't do that the first time. doh!

[eboos]

That's why I have 2. The in lb wrench feels much better at things like cylinder head bolts etc. An 80 ft lb wrench is never going to be great for 12 ft lb bolts

I ended up getting a cheapo harbor freight in lb wrench that I use quite a bit for motor stuff.

[qqac]

I have this off-brand torque wrench, both the click type in 1/2" and the deflection beam type in 3/8" and 1/4". They have worked well for me for over 15 years wrenching on my cars, motorcycles and bicycles. I found it cheap at a local Ocean St Job Lot and took a chance. $20 for the click type, $5 for the beam type.

http://www.dpciwholesale.com/cart.ph...roduct_id=2052

[RandyO]

Personally, I'm a fan of the old needle deflection kind. .

I prefer beam type torques wrenches myself, less to go wrong with them

[ChicknStripEatr]

That's why I have 2. The in lb wrench feels much better at things like cylinder head bolts etc. An 80 ft lb wrench is never going to be great for 12 ft lb bolts

Live and learn right?

[SAB]

Watch ebay for Snap-On or CDI (made by snap-on) wrenches.

I got both of mine (30-150 & 0-50) for under $200. I then sent them to Snap-On for a calibration check ($30 bucks).