Calibrating Craftsman 1/2" torque wrench
Calibrating Craftsman 1/2" torque wrench For anyone who has taken on apart, you know that there are two nuts and an "all thread" rod that goes through the handle/shaft. I thought my wrench was broken so I took it apart and in doing so, I moved the top nut and now the wrench is probably out of adjustment.
Do I need to just borrow another wrench and tighted a bolt to 100ft/lbs and then put mine on the nut and adjust the "all thread" until it clicks?
Do I need to just borrow another wrench and tighted a bolt to 100ft/lbs and then put mine on the nut and adjust the "all thread" until it clicks?
It's a $60 wrench. I'd pay $30-40 easy to send it out. Not worth the effort when I get a 1 year warranty on a new one. 
I could use this just for wheels if I can't get the reading accurate.
I could use this just for wheels if I can't get the reading accurate.
Originally Posted by Tech
For anyone who has taken on apart, you know that there are two nuts and an "all thread" rod that goes through the handle/shaft. I thought my wrench was broken so I took it apart and in doing so, I moved the top nut and now the wrench is probably out of adjustment.
Do I need to just borrow another wrench and tighted a bolt to 100ft/lbs and then put mine on the nut and adjust the "all thread" until it clicks?
Do I need to just borrow another wrench and tighted a bolt to 100ft/lbs and then put mine on the nut and adjust the "all thread" until it clicks?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo, NY
Tightening a bolt to a torque spec and then using that to calibrate your wrench will not work. Obviously it would be very easy your your broken wrench to read high, ie it sais 100, clicks, and is only at 50. And if it is low, you will add torque to the bold untill it clicks, and once a bolt is at any decent torque you won't notice it turn. Take it back
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 521
Likes: 0
From: Farmingdale NJ
Calibrating it like that won't work.
The best "budget" calibration is two torque wrenches, preferably of equal ranges (ie, 50-150ft/lbs, etc), and one with an 8 point socket on the end that fits over the square drive of the other wrench. Put the "good" one in a vise and set it at 50% torque reading. Then, with your wrench at 0 or 180 degrees to the other wrench, you can begin playing with the adjustment. Try and get them so they both click at about the same time.
I've done this with my brand new Snap On digital torque wrench, and another co-workers brand new Snap On click style wrench, (both 3/8" drive). My digital wrench not only beeps when torque is reached, it displays actual torque on the LCD display so it also works as a torque meter.
Our wrenches came within 2lbs of each other, just about right since my digital wrench is 2% accuracy and the clickers are 4%, and they were both 100lb max, when tested at 50ft/lbs. Remember to always set the wrenches at 50% torque reading, that's when most wrenches are most accurate. Once you get that set, you can try them at different ranges for comparason.
:thumbup:
The best "budget" calibration is two torque wrenches, preferably of equal ranges (ie, 50-150ft/lbs, etc), and one with an 8 point socket on the end that fits over the square drive of the other wrench. Put the "good" one in a vise and set it at 50% torque reading. Then, with your wrench at 0 or 180 degrees to the other wrench, you can begin playing with the adjustment. Try and get them so they both click at about the same time.
I've done this with my brand new Snap On digital torque wrench, and another co-workers brand new Snap On click style wrench, (both 3/8" drive). My digital wrench not only beeps when torque is reached, it displays actual torque on the LCD display so it also works as a torque meter.
Our wrenches came within 2lbs of each other, just about right since my digital wrench is 2% accuracy and the clickers are 4%, and they were both 100lb max, when tested at 50ft/lbs. Remember to always set the wrenches at 50% torque reading, that's when most wrenches are most accurate. Once you get that set, you can try them at different ranges for comparason.
:thumbup:
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