Torque wrench sale at Sears

I just retired the ol' beam-style! Incredible deals on all 3 sizes of TW: Torque wrenches at Sears

davidg wrote: I just bought a 1/2" torque wrench (click type) at Harbor Freight a week or so back for ~$25 I think it was. I wish I had known about the Craftsman deal as I like their quality. However, I think for the money, Harbor Freight has some pretty good deals, and their stuff is not bad quality at all. Just picked up a set of star point sockets there this afternoon for $10.

I love HF for many, many things but for torque wrenches I'll go with the 1/2 price Craftsman!

davidg wrote: the Craftsman deal as I like their quality.

Dave,
Crapsman quality?? Not too long ago, there was a complete thread on good quality tools! Harbor Freight is the worst of all.

I've had the 3/8 drive for years now. Works like a champ. May have to pick up the 1/2". I didn't see any inch lb craftsmans for sale? I don't have one of those yet.

For the 3/8 inch drive, looks like there are two options:
10-75 lb feet or 25- 250 lb feet.

I'm guessing the 10-75 would be useful more often?

I already had a 3/8 drive 10-75 ft lb wrench. So I opted for the 1/2" drive 20-150 ft lb variant. Couldn't pass it up for $40.

TRBenj wrote: Id love to know what kind of bolts you'd be torquing down to >75 lb ft with a 3/8" drive. 250 lb ft, are you kidding me? Use a 1/2" for anything that big.

Tim,

That's what I was thinking.

Auto mechanics find themselves occasionally putting tremendous beef on smaller drive sockets because of space constraints etc., or just cause most of their stuff is 3/8.

But, at that point, precision is thrown out the window you're just breaking something loose.

I figured I'd ask. With my luck, the first time I need it, it would be something that called for 76 foot pounds.

I bet that 5' pipe is necessary... 250 lb ft is pretty serious. I'm sure that 3/8" craftsman can handle it just fine though.

Riley wrote: Do many of you use a torque wrench on your trailer wheels? I've always just tightened them till they were really tight. This thread caused me to do some research and trailer or wheel companies think its pretty important. It sounds like 65 lbs for 13" wheels and 95 lbs for 14" & 15" wheels is correct?

I have a set of torque sticks that I use for wheels. Seem to work ok.

Riley wrote: Do many of you use a torque wrench on your trailer wheels? I've always just tightened them till they were really tight. This thread caused me to do some research and trailer or wheel companies think its pretty important. It sounds like 65 lbs for 13" wheels and 95 lbs for 14" & 15" wheels is correct?

I've torqued all lugs for decades. Conspiracy theorists are quick to point at warped rotors as the possible end result of untorqued lugs. Like HW points out, there is absolutely no reason that lugs need to be gorilla'd on. I have taught both my daughters on how to change a flat and there is no way they can loosen up a lug when you have them "really tight". No different then the gorilla's that put on oil filters and oil pan bolts so GD tight. I just wanna bitch slap 'em.

85lbs. for 7/16 lugs (or metric equiv.) and 95lbs. for 1/2 lugs. Both my girls can loosen them easily.

I got a flat on the way home from work one day & twisted a 4 way lug wrench off using my feet and hands on it. Ohhh I was mad!

I rotate and torque my own stuff.