Torque Wrench Recommendation

[troutchasers]

I need to order a good tire torque wrench that has a good carrying case for our new Montana. Can anyone make a recommendation for a wrench that stores well in a strudy case and is easy to use? How many foot pounds are most G rated tires cranked too?

Thanks for any help here!

[oldelmer1]

If you are only going to use it on your lug nuts, I would say go to Harbor Freight and get theirs. Its might not be perfectly accurate, but its close enough for lug nuts.

I think the 1/2 inch one is on sale for $9.99.

[dieselguy]

If all you are going to use it for is checking lug nuts, then I agree. Harbor Freight's comes in a plastic case. If you are going to also use it for engine work, I'd jump up to a little better quality torque wrench from say Sears or an auto parts store. You're looking at @$70.00 on up there unless you hit a sale. Unfortunately now days, they're most all from China. It's not the tires, but the wheels that dictate the torque value.

[Tom S.]

You can get one like mine:

http://www.amazon.com/Snap--Industri...326125&sr=8-20

[Art-n-Marge]

You'll want a wrench with a minimum of 150 ft/lbs. My trailer wheels require 110 to 120 (I use 115) and my TV requires 150. I believe the wheels that support G614s won't need more than that.

I keep one in my truck and another in my Trailer and the tool case really drives the price up, so I just bought the wrenches without the carrying case. I keep the TV one with the tire changing tools behind the rear seat and the trailer one in a toolbox where I keep the trailer tools.

Sometimes these vehicles are not in the same place when I've had to check the torque and in this case I don't mind the redundancy.

[bncinwv]

$9.99 Harbor Freight 150 ft-lb 1/2" drive Torque Wrench in hard plastic case with coupon here. Been using it for over five years with no problems. Remember to set it to 0 when not in use, they can set up and it affects accuracy. Accuracy is +/- 4%. I torque to 120 ft-pounds.
Bingo

[Krusher]

Bought this one years ago when I was restoring an old Ford Bronco. Still use it regularly on various projects, including checking lug nut torque. Highly recommended

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...keyword=torque wrench&storeId=10051

[BB_TX]

Same here on the Harbor Freight 1/2" torque wrench. Have had mine several years. Mine came with a nice plastic case, although it is not shown in this ad.

[HOOK]

Bought ours at Harbor Frt.

[Hooker]

quote:Originally posted by bncinwv

$9.99 Harbor Freight 150 ft-lb 1/2" drive Torque Wrench in hard plastic case with coupon here. Been using it for over five years with no problems. Remember to set it to 0 when not in use, they can set up and it affects accuracy. Accuracy is +/- 4%. I torque to 120 ft-pounds.
Bingo

Same here. Great deal for us part time users. If I was a mechanic, might get a better name brand, but this has worked fine for me.

[Weldon]

I got mine at Harbor Freight, it is 1/4 inch drive 150 lb, comes in plastic case, I do use 1/2 sockets.

[DQDick]

Got mine at NAPA.

[dieselguy]

Weldon ... was reading your post ... perhaps you committed a typo as if your torque wrench is truely a 1/4" drive it is undoubtedly an inch pound calibrated wrench and not a foot pound wrench. 150 in/lbs is only about 13 ft/lbs. And for the purest in the group ... I know it's supposed to be pound - feet.

[stiles watson]

Bought mine at an auto store that was bought out by Oreily. It was around $35. Got rid of the case and carry it in a designated, easy-to-get-to location in the bay. I have checked it against the high priced ones and found it to be accurate. I use 115#.

[seahunter]

quote:Originally posted by UpinAK

I need to order a good tire torque wrench that has a good carrying case for our new Montana. Can anyone make a recommendation for a wrench that stores well in a strudy case and is easy to use? How many foot pounds are most G rated tires cranked too?

Thanks for any help here!

I just went through the search not because of the Montana, but the tow vehicle. I had a 150 psi craftsman, but the lugs nuts on the new truck are torqued at 165 psi - a lot harder wrench to find. Actually ended up at Home Depot of all places because all the parts stores only went to 150. Anyway, double-check your tow vehicle to make sure it will work with that too.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by Weldon

I got mine at Harbor Freight, it is 1/4 inch drive 150 lb, comes in plastic case, I do use 1/2 sockets.

Using a 1/4 inch drive with 1/2 drive sockets is giving you false readings. You sould never use different sized sockets on a torque wrench.

[larrymul]

All Keystone unit lug torque is 110 - 120, except for the Cambridge, which is 140 - 150, tightened in four stages, criss-crossing.

[Art-n-Marge]

Good point larrymul! When torquing the nuts after removing the wheel, all nuts should be torqued down in stages and in the recommended pattern. The TV has a different pattern that the Monty, go figure. First, I torque all nuts to 60 ft/lbs, then 90, then finally 115. Then after driving 50 miles check the torque and again at 200. This is mostly by the books.

My torque wrench goes to 150 so it works with the TV, too. I use deep sockets (one size for the Monty, another size for the TV). No other adapters, extensions, etc. since these may affect the torque reading. Even the deep sockets might affect the reading but at least it's only one of two components used for torquing the nuts.

[pineranch]

I believe you can use whatever socket size you need without concern and that is with whatever length socket extension you need to use. However, when using a crowsfoot or other cheaters, you need to do the math. Don't forget to set on lowest setting and break torque six times before using, lubes it.
Mike

[bncinwv]

Mike is correct in his belief, the length of the socket or of the socket extension has no effect on the calculation of the torque. However, the second part is not correct. If you use a cheater bar on a torque wrench, the wrench will still measure correctly, you just won't have to apply as much force. Simply put, if the wrench length is 1 foot, you apply 120 pounds of pressure to get 120 ft.lbs. If a one foot cheater bar is added, then you only have to apply 60 pounds of force to get the same 120 ft.lbs. on the lug nut. Torque = Length x Force.
Bingo
On edit: I do have to add that it is NOT recommended by any wrench manufacturer to use a cheater bar with a torque wrench.