Tools & Fabrication - Craftsman make a descent torque wrench??

Does craftsman make a descent torque wrench that I can trust to torque rod bolts???

I was just looking at them!
I was looking at Model # 44596
I need mine to go to 7 ft/lbs
http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_00944596000P?vName=Hand+Tools&cName=Automotive+%26+Specialty+Tools&sName=Torque+Wrenches&prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=L4

Not bad...but for about $379 you can get a digital 3/8 drive Snap-On torque wrench. The 1/2 drive isnt much morehttp://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?store=snapon-store&item_ID=66659&group_ID=17226

I'm looking for something I can buy and then return after using!something accurate enough for rod bolts!!can I return snap on?

I'm looking for something I can buy and then return after using!something accurate enough for rod bolts!!can I return snap on?

Why not just borrow one than be a cheap ass and return used tools?

I would,if I had that option!don't know of anyone who has a good torque wrench!

Well for work I brought a digital snap on one so I brought my old snap on one home.I wanted another digital one so When I went to sears I picked up the 1/2 craftsmen digital works great.Id say it works just as good as my snap on one.Its actually longer than the snap on one and more comfortable also.Id say get it

Nice,how much are they?

I paid 250 for it,but you should be able to get it online for a little less.

They good for accuracy??

I tested it against my digital snap-on, so yea its accurate.What I really like about it is it has break away torque meaning it tells you how much torque was required to loosen a bolt which helps.My digital snap on one costed 530$ which works great,this one was 250$.The other snap on one pictured also works great its made by precision torque which you can get for like 120 but the snap on name marked it up to 250.

The craftsman has a lot of bad reviews. Even on the sears website.

I got the craftsman digital torque wrench,so far very impressed!!!

No. I can tell you from first hand experience that ALL of the newer gen Craftsman TQ wrenches are absolute junk. I racked up a bunch of points in my old sears card and used them on 2 Craftsman TQ wrenches. I went through about 4-5 of them before I asked for a refund. My $19.99 Harbor Freight torque wrench is more accurate than Craftsman junk. Craftsman is no longer what it used to be, and never will be again. They've sold out to the cheapest bidder overseas.

Precision Instruments makes a great TQ wrench that's affordable and VERY accurate.
http://www.tooltopia.com/precision-instruments-c2fr100f.aspx

No. I can tell you from first hand experience that ALL of the newer gen Craftsman TQ wrenches are absolute junk. I racked up a bunch of points in my old sears card and used them on 2 Craftsman TQ wrenches. I went through about 4-5 of them before I asked for a refund. My $19.99 Harbor Freight torque wrench is more accurate than Craftsman junk. Craftsman is no longer what it used to be, and never will be again. They've sold out to the cheapest bidder overseas.

Precision Instruments makes a great TQ wrench that's affordable and VERY accurate.
http://www.tooltopia.com/precision-instruments-c2fr100f.aspx


I can tell you from first hand experience that the precision torque wrench is like buying a jaguar it'll spend more time getting fixed and recalibrated then actually using it.Then the snap on guy charges like 200 to calibrate it.Thats like every 6 months.But when it works its pretty good for awhile.Id rather use my ''junk'' craftsmen any day.The snap on guy got so tired of calibrating it he gave me like 30% off the digital snap on and I never looked back.At work would I use my craftsmen no,at home yes.

I can tell you from first hand experience that the precision torque wrench is like buying a jaguar it'll spend more time getting fixed and recalibrated then actually using it.Then the snap on guy charges like 200 to calibrate it.Thats like every 6 months.But when it works its pretty good for awhile.Id rather use my ''junk'' craftsmen any day.The snap on guy got so tired of calibrating it he gave me like 30% off the digital snap on and I never looked back.At work would I use my craftsmen no,at home yes.

You must work for Craftsmans PR department. ;)

Question about torque wrenches:

I use mine maybe once or twice a year at most. Do they lose accuracy over time? I have heard that if not used, they become inaccurate. I might spring for a new one for when I replace the plugs in the Saturn, but when I get that one, it will likely be a more expensive unit, and I would like to keep it accurate over time.

The sears electronic one comes with a lousy 90 day limited warranty. Thats a deal breaker. I use the sears 1/2" microtork and have had no problems with it in 2 years.

Yea they loose accuracy if used or not. I will admit i sell tools at sears, our torque wrenches aren't the best, but your talking about an 80-120 dollar craftsman vs a 250-530 dollar snap on. I own one and feel it's a great tool, alot better than nothing and a perfect fit for a budget build like your doing.

P.s. Don't return whatever brand you get, your going to use it for everything. Intake manifold bolts water pump oil pump spark plugs oil pan bolts. I mean you don't have to, but dont cry when you start tearing threads out of your aluminum motor...

Just looked at that precision torque wrench, that is a very good price if it's as good as everyone says.

Just looked at that precision torque wrench, that is a very good price if it's as good as everyone says.

The Precision works just fine. I know a lot of guys who use them. If I didn't have my Matco 3/8", I would buy a Precision wrench. Cool thing about the split beam is that you don't have to set it back to "0" for storage.

No. I can tell you from first hand experience that ALL of the newer gen Craftsman TQ wrenches are absolute junk. I racked up a bunch of points in my old sears card and used them on 2 Craftsman TQ wrenches. I went through about 4-5 of them before I asked for a refund. My $19.99 Harbor Freight torque wrench is more accurate than Craftsman junk. Craftsman is no longer what it used to be, and never will be again. They've sold out to the cheapest bidder overseas.

Precision Instruments makes a great TQ wrench that's affordable and VERY accurate.
http://www.tooltopia.com/precision-instruments-c2fr100f.aspx

I agree. I have a new craftman t/q wrench and was using it to do my cam swap a month ago. As I was torquing the oil pump bolts it seemed like i was tightening too much. I stopped and got out our old ass dial type t/q wrench and had over torqued by 10 ft lbs. Luckily Im not a complete moron and didnt keep cranking down on the bolts when i suspected something was up. I backed off the bolts and retorqued to spec with the dial indicator wrench and then grabbed our chinese made t/q wrench and it clicked right on que. Craftmans could have cost me a lot of time, money, and frustration with stripped out or overtightened bolts on the soft aluminum.

A chinese made wrench out performed an american made wrench :emb: what a shame. From now on i only use the craftsman to torque my lugnuts since overtorquing those by 20 ft. lbs wont be a big deal.

So what's a good 1/4" drive torque wrench for the lower torque stuff?

You realize every torque wrench needs to be calibrated regularly? How do you know you didnt undertorque them by ten ft/lbs? Did you have the old one calibrated? How about the new one? Yea. You sure about that complete moron line you said? Just don't cry when stuff starts falling off your car.

Ps the torque wrenches are made in georgia, forget the manufacturer but I'll let you know

Edit: j.s. Technology. They make craftsman gearwrench and napa torque wrenches

You realize every torque wrench needs to be calibrated regularly? How do you know you didnt undertorque them by ten ft/lbs? Did you have the old one calibrated? How about the new one? Yea. You sure about that complete moron line you said? Just don't cry when stuff starts falling off your car.

If you are talking to me then maybe you should learn to read. I said the craftsman wrench is new.......as in been used maybe twice. If a wrench needs to be calibrated that soon then thats even more reason for me to call it a peice of shit. And when I checked the torque with 3 other wrenches and they all clicked right on que im seriouisly doubting my other wrenches are all off by the exact same amount. But hey you seem to know everything, right?

And I have no idea what the "there made in georgia" crap is about. Anyways, when you get your foot out of your mouth feel free to do more trolling in this thread. :eyes:

Exactly, meaning the new one is closer to correct than an old one. The made in Georgia was to whoever said they are contracted to china, I don't think you said that.

Most torque wrenches, minus beam style, use twisted metal wire under tension to measure torque, these fatigue over time causing the wrench to be off. Trying to help not hurt, but whatever, have fun.

Craftsman torque wrenches are hand calibrated too. Maybe you got a lemon but that doesn't mean they are all bad. The only ones I see returned are abused. Overtorqueing the lock collar, or twisting the handle past zero, spilling the guts of the wrench.

I dont think craftsman could make a decent toothpick now.

No. I can tell you from first hand experience that ALL of the newer gen Craftsman TQ wrenches are absolute junk. I racked up a bunch of points in my old sears card and used them on 2 Craftsman TQ wrenches. I went through about 4-5 of them before I asked for a refund. My $19.99 Harbor Freight torque wrench is more accurate than Craftsman junk. Craftsman is no longer what it used to be, and never will be again. They've sold out to the cheapest bidder overseas.

Precision Instruments makes a great TQ wrench that's affordable and VERY accurate.
http://www.tooltopia.com/precision-instruments-c2fr100f.aspx

I have 4 Craftsman torque wrenches.

3 clickers:

5~80 ft-lbs 2 weeks old (digitork)
20~150ft-lbs 7 years old
50~250ft-lbs 2 years old (digitork)

plus

one beam wrench
0~45ft-lbs 20 years old

I took them all to work today and verified their accuracy on an Atlas Copco ACTA3000 calibration instrument. The clickers are all within 1 ft-lbs and in fact the oldest one is within 0.5 ft-lbs. The beam wrench was 3 ft-lbs high at 35ft-lbs and 4 ft-lbs high at 45.

Hardly what I would call junk regarding the clickers. I've built several motors with the beam wrench and never had a problem.

Fuck crapsman.. Spend some money on a good one and save urself a headache.. Snap-on digital