does anyone have any recommendations on a good and affordable torque wrench?

 

snap-on or mac.....dont go cheap on torque wrenches.....cheap wrenches are either wrong or break really fast......check ebay....

 

im not trying to cheap out but 1/4 tq wrench will only ever be used for under the valve covers on my 2 7.3 so snap on money is out of the question

 

anyone have a neiko ???
they seem to be everywhere and resonably priced

 

Mine is an Evercraft...

 

I've had good luck with the Sears Torque wrenches. They have been accurate. I now have 2.

I used to have a cheapo 1/2 drive that I got from TireRack.com but is the same as the ones you find at Walmart. Those are terrible. I had a few of them tested last time we were at the race track by someone/engineer that does tools and equipment calibration for a living. Some of those are so far off to make them dangerous. Some are set to measure at the bottom of the hash mark others at the upper end of the hash mark.

 

Harbor frieght is cheap. But I got a couple and they work great. My sears tork wrenchs won't click any more and they won't take them back like they use to.

Chet

 

Sears. I've had mine your years (15). No issues. Took them to school to check them on the break gauge, still accurate.

 

in 1/4 drive and under the valve cover i am assuming you are looking for an inch lb torque wrench? i had a 1/4 wrench from mac and didnt like it, just because i dont have alot of 1/4 sockets. i was able to exchange it for a 3/8 drive inch lb torque wrench that i like much better.

 

I am with Chet on the Harbor frieght 1/4 in/lbs torque wrench. And laugh if you want but I checked against my 3/8 ft/lbs Snap On. By converting inch/lbs into foot/lbs and checked it agaainst a few different bolts and torques.. And the Harbor frieght 1/4 was dead nuts on. I also have a Harbor frieght 1/2 torque wrench which is way out of spec. up until about 75-80 ft/lbs then it is 6ft/lbs out and at 100ft/lbs it is about 2-3ft/lbs. So basically I don't trust it. But I use it far anything over 100ft/lbs and then a few pounds of torque doesn't matter as much.

Now my Snap On 3/8 ft/lbs and have had it checked over the years and it holds a torque setting for maybe 5yrs. And I have it checked every 2yrs now. I trust my Snap On.

But the Harbor Frieght 1/4 in/lbs torque wrench is a good deal. Now will I trust it 2yrs down the road NO WAY. I think I'll just buy a new one every few years with a fresh calibration sheet. The one I had bought had a signed calibration sheet.

But if I remember correctly they should be calibrated at least once a year.

And when it comes to Sears/ Craftsmen I won't own one !! Two much money for a 1 yr warranty. But the old needle type torque wrenchs are still lifetime. But they don't do calibration??? I asked???

 

I bought my 1/2 a 3/8th from SEARS on "Black Friday" sales ($40 each)...but that's a long way off from now. If you're going for a 1/4 inch/pound wrench, yeah, I'm sure Harbor Freight wouldn't be "horrible." Don't forget to find a 20% off coupon before you buy it.

 

i would buy a harbor frieght every year for that price but i have my hands under to many valve covers that dont belong to me to risk it

 

Another vote for Sears Craftsman. I've never been able to break one.
BTW Jim, I gave UPS your injector, Doug should be getting it soon.

 

thanks buddy

 

Dont buy kd. They are junk. Snap on has a Trade in program too and they buy used Tools too so Long as they are snap on