My Torque Wrenches.

[493 Mike]

I just read the post on adjusting front wheel bearings and it made me think about my wrenches. I have accumulated these in the last 55 years.
From the left:
Dial readout 1/2" drive Kwik-Way (currently broken) (Army-Air Forces) Army Surplus
Dial readout 1/4" drive Snap On Army Surplus
Beam type 1/2 drive SK
Beam type 1/4" drive (set up for TF band adjustment-Chrysler special tool)
Beam type 3/4" drive Sturdevant/Richmont (this wrench came from the Chrysler Proving Ground facility)
Click type 1/2" drive JC Penny (new in 1969, I sent it in for testing a couple years ago-still within specs!)
Click type 3/8" drive SK
The monster will torque those pinion nuts!
Mike

 

[pnora]

I have a 4 to 1 torque multiplier. I bought it mainly for heavy equipment. Came in real handy on a Dana 80 last week with a 450 to 500 foot pound torque on the pinion nut..

 

[RemCharger]

I do like the smaller dial wrenches. Never owned one. But the interesting part is how you would calibrate a click type..

 

[F4R/T]

I have several click type , two craftsman that are older, 3/8 & 1/2 and they still test good. I bought a nice snap on digital 1/2 to work with engines for torque angle and eliminate the extra step in the process it works well, vibrates and beeps when you get it to spec. The biggest I’ve used was for crab bolts on a emd engine, it was a hydraulic torque wrench, if I recall 2500lbs of torque, I maybe off as it’s been years since I’ve done those. I think the old stuff is better made.

 

[pnora]

I do like the smaller dial wrenches. Never owned one. But the interesting part is how you would calibrate a click type..

Just google calibrating torque wrench. Pretty simple to do.

 

[toolmanmike]

I just read the post on adjusting front wheel bearings and it made me think about my wrenches. I have accumulated these in the last 55 years.
From the left:
Dial readout 1/2" drive Kwik-Way (currently broken) (Army-Air Forces) Army Surplus
Dial readout 1/4" drive Snap On Army Surplus
Beam type 1/2 drive SK
Beam type 1/4" drive (set up for TF band adjustment-Chrysler special tool)
Beam type 3/4" drive Sturdevant/Richmont (this wrench came from the Chrysler Proving Ground facility)
Click type 1/2" drive JC Penny (new in 1969, I sent it in for testing a couple years ago-still within specs!)
Click type 3/8" drive SK
The monster will torque those pinion nuts!
Mike
View attachment 1655349View attachment 1655350

That's quite a collection

 

[toolmanmike]

I do like the smaller dial wrenches. Never owned one. But the interesting part is how you would calibrate a click type..

They are adjustable with a screw through the handle. It adjusts the spring. Parts can wear and adjusting can bring it in spec at one range and it can still be out in another.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Snap On ft/lb 1/2” dial type
Snap On in/lb 3/8” dial type
Proto 1/2” click type, the POS has been repaired 2 or 3 times so I don’t trust it
Craftsman 1/2” beam type

The beam type gets used on non-critical fasteners, for important stuff I bring out the dial torque wrenches…

 

[toolmanmike]

The click type are most prone to going out of calibration and needing repairs. The Precision Instruments (Snap On style) aren't as accurate but they are easy to use and seem to stay in calibration longer. I believe they use a tuning fork mechanism in side.

 

[RemCharger]

They are adjustable with a screw through the handle. It adjusts the spring. Parts can wear and adjusting can bring it in spec at one range and it can still be out in another.

The click type are most prone to going out of calibration and needing repairs. The Precision Instruments (Snap On style) aren't as accurate but they are easy to use and seem to stay in calibration longer. I believe they use a tuning fork mechanism in side.

The point I was making, is essentially some type of beam style checking is used to calibrate.
The beam style is the best for accuracy , click types are good for wheel nuts and other non accurate requiring fasteners .
IMO.

 

[Encswsm]

I have one of these also Pretty cool and makes any ratchet a torque wrench

 

[toolmanmike]

The point I was making, is essentially some type of beam style checking is used to calibrate.
The beam style is the best for accuracy , click types are good for wheel nuts and other non accurate requiring fasteners .
IMO.

Yes you can check the accuracy against a known good torque wrench. That will get you close. May be within 10%. Really, for many applications, even torque is important. The ones I got calibrated when I was in the tool business, would be within 1 or 2% and were certified in case any accuracy questions were asked. The clickers were built to be within 2% and the Precision style were good to within 4%. That's 8 at 200 and 10 @ 250 ft/lb.I have never had a beam style checked. They stay pretty accurate. The dial wrenches are very accurate as well and I have sent a few in to be checked. Many of mine got sent in through MAC but they had to be MAC branded to be repaired and calibrated. ANy that were not MAC brand I took to a local shop that does all the torque wrench and gauging for John Deere here in town. Not cheap but done correctly.

 

[WileERobby]

I got a 55 year old beam type I got back then, and a dial-indictor type I got... later.