Dave B

There's no need for a torque wrench with a +150 ft/lb unless you're working on heavy machinery. I can't think of one thing on the Maxima that requires over 140 ft/lb (crank pulley bolt). 150 ft/lbs is a lot of force. 3/8" is plenty.

I have the Husky click-type and it does quite well. It's true that the click-types do wander out of calibration a bit, but I think it's only a variance of 5-7ft/lbs which isn't terribly significant when working on a car which has a specific torque range. For anything below 15 ft/lbs, get a 1/4" torque wrench. The larger torque wrenches just have too much leverage to accurately torque to low numbers.


Dave

Stephen Max

iTrader: (59)

That's right - you should never use a large torque wrench at the extreme lower end of its range. At least be very careful if you do, because a lot of times they won't click when they're supposed to. It's best to have two torque wrenches, one that goes up to at most 25 ft-lbs, and another that goes up to about 150.

funnylittlman

iTrader: (1)

ok so get a 3/8 and a 1/4 then.

I just want to make sure that I am getting the right tools. I hate going back, and back, and back, and back.

Frank Fontaine

What's up with this i don't trust the clicky thing? An instrument is an instrument. It slips at a certain torque. If you force it, you will see the nut move after the wrench has clicked. I find the same weird attitude with scales. If a person doesn't like their weight, they blame the type of scale. analog, digital, mercury, ohaus, it's all the same!

funnylittlman

iTrader: (1)

I'm not saying that it's not accurate. It's just a matter of preference I guess. I think I might buy one (the more expensive) and I will let the G/F buy me the bar one for xmas

Stephen Max

iTrader: (59)

Every instrument has a proper use and also has a range in which the measured quantity is accurately determined, and outside that range its better to use a different instrument designed for that range. That's all we're saying here. And I pointed out that my experience (which is with Craftsmen torque wrenches) is that at the lower extreme of a torque wrench's range, it is possible that the wrench will not make an audible click and you can easily exceed the set torque if you're not careful. Just a word to the wise.

Getting back to your analogy, you wouldn't weigh a 6 oz package on a feed store scale, for obvious reasons having to do with instrument resolution. You'd use the proper instrument, such as a postal scale.