Wondering what Torque wrench you guys recommend. I really don't want to spend over $100 for something I wouldn't use too often, mainly when changing tires, and when I change the pulley.

I was looking at Sears and I liked these 2
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=00944593000
or
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...id=00944597000

I was leaning more towards the $70 one because I don't know if I really need that digital readout stuff, plus the extra $30 can go towards my next mod
Any other brands you guys suggest for about the same price?

 

I would go with the 1/2" drive "clicker" they have. I don't know much about the digital ones they sell, I like the positive reinforcement of the "click" especially since you don't have to watch a dial or anything.

 

I have two Sears wrenches - one is the $10 variety with the bending needle and scale and the other is a clicker-type that I bought for around $75.

Frankly, the cheapie one works fine and is acurate enough for about all my needs. I checked its acruracy against the clicker and they give about the same readings through out their respective ranges....

If your not a pro mechanic go with the cheeapie one and save yourself some dough...

 

I bought mine at an advance auto parts store...
paid $35 for the 10-150 ft/lbs 1/2 drive
paid $17 for the one to do 120-960 inch/lbs 3/8 drive
clicks when you go past
micrometer style dial on each
made by AmPro
I have tested each to check specs...very accurate on the ones I bought.

ampro part #'s
t39913
t39905

 

th edigital ones are nicer and probably more accurate. I broke a head stud one casue the dang "clicker" torque wrench didnt click, as if you hold them at a funny angle it wont click right.
i used a snap on digital, very nice peice, it would beep once you get to the set toque, dont think it cared about the way you held it.

as for me what i have though is the craftsman torque arm, clicker typt. it gets the job done and wasnt that expesive.

 

Around the garage a craftsmen is probably fine. I use Snap On torque wrenches, there's nothing like them. This is at work though, I've seen the Matco one fail pretty quickly, (a little over a year). I've never used a digital one, it sounds like something that would break rather quickly. But no experience with them here..

 

the more money you spend the better it will be. i paid over $200 for my Matco

 

I spent $10 on my Sears wrench with the bending needle....it is super accurate and does not result in broken bolts becasue it does not have a clicker or digital scale to malfunction.... in this regard, cheaper is better....

...you better buy this quick becasue it will surely be discontinued soon...

 

I've had the 1/2 and 3/8 craftsman clicker style for about 6 years now with no problems. The reason that I shyed away from the cheaper needle style was the intended use. It would be difficult to read while torqueing the control arms, motor mounts, panhard rod, etc. If you are mainly going to use it for wheel then it should be fine. Personally, my wheels get torqued to German Specs.

 

Get the 1/2 inch drive Craftsman and just use a 1/2 to 3/8 adapter if you need to. Thats what I got. (20-150lb) The beam style (bending needle) is hard to get into certain places. Like torquing rocker arms on the pass. side under all them cables for example.

 

If you do not mind an off brand you can get a precision tq wrench.
They made all snap-ons tq wrenchs for yours. Then snap-on got the digital and didn't use them anymore...after a time with the digital snap-on decided to go back to precision...but by that time they were selling to everyone...so there loss our gain.

 

also I don't know if you noticed but one of the wrenchs you picked is a 3/8 drive inch pound and the other is a 1/2 drive foot pound.

 

Ditto... Snap on 0-75 ft lb torque wrench! $210 is a lot for it, but its accuracy is incredible... plus all the Ooohhhsss and AAAawwwwsss you get when you take it out of the plastic case

 

I just bought that 25-250 craftsman you linked to, mostly for tire changes at the track. If I was planning on doing motor work, or more presicion type work with it I would definatley go for one of the top shelf units.