Experience with Harbor Freight torque wrench
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
Experience with Harbor Freight torque wrench Well I just felt that I needed to share this with you guys. I'm not a mechanic and like most of your guys I'm just trying to do some minor mods on my own. I needed to install a flexplate, oil pan, intake manifold so I needed a torque wrench. I said well I'm only going to use this torque wrench for a month and probably be done with it for a couple of years. so I did some research on the Harbor Freight torque wrench and I told my self l I guess I can live with their +/- 4% vs others better brands that's 1% .. I also told my self well if I need to torque something at 75 lbs. and the harbor freight is off by 10 lbs. ill take my chances.
First project I tackle was my oil pan. It calls for 18 ft/lbs I set my wrench at 18 lbs and I was done, nothing happen nothing broke so I was happy. Second project was my Flexplate it calls for 74ft/lbs and BAMMM broke a bolt. So that day I order a CDI Torque wrench made by Snap On. I torque the flex plate at 74 ft/lbs with the CDI wrench and it felt like night and day. Then I decided to double check the oil pan bolts that I had torque down at 18 ft/lbs with the HB wrench, and what do you know they where actually at 36 ft/lbs 50% off!!!
I'm not saying to get a TDI wrench I'm sure there is similar ones but what I'm saying is DO NOT BUY A HARBOR FREIGHT WRENCH. This wrenches are basically a mental illusion that you torqued something considering that you didn't brake a bolt. If you cant afford a good wrench then rent it. Again I'm not a mechanic or a torque wrench expert but when something is off by 50% with a new wrench that comes with a certificate of calibration with a date and blah blah blah tells you a lot.
Now what I'm wondering is if I need to buy new oil pan bolts as those bolts where torque down 50% more for what they call for. I loosen them and re-torque them at 18 ft/lbs.
First project I tackle was my oil pan. It calls for 18 ft/lbs I set my wrench at 18 lbs and I was done, nothing happen nothing broke so I was happy. Second project was my Flexplate it calls for 74ft/lbs and BAMMM broke a bolt. So that day I order a CDI Torque wrench made by Snap On. I torque the flex plate at 74 ft/lbs with the CDI wrench and it felt like night and day. Then I decided to double check the oil pan bolts that I had torque down at 18 ft/lbs with the HB wrench, and what do you know they where actually at 36 ft/lbs 50% off!!!
I'm not saying to get a TDI wrench I'm sure there is similar ones but what I'm saying is DO NOT BUY A HARBOR FREIGHT WRENCH. This wrenches are basically a mental illusion that you torqued something considering that you didn't brake a bolt. If you cant afford a good wrench then rent it. Again I'm not a mechanic or a torque wrench expert but when something is off by 50% with a new wrench that comes with a certificate of calibration with a date and blah blah blah tells you a lot.
Now what I'm wondering is if I need to buy new oil pan bolts as those bolts where torque down 50% more for what they call for. I loosen them and re-torque them at 18 ft/lbs.
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I buy a lot of stuff from HF but I will stay away from anything that requires precision. I just bought a leak down tester from them but after I researched it a little, via Google, I took it back and ordered a good one. I figure I only want to do this job once and I want it to be right!
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
Test like that was what made me buy a Hb wrench. Again this wrench was brand new. I guess what I'm saying is yes maybe you get an ok hf wrench but I think your taking a 50/50 chance ... now with that digital adapter maybe it would work ok because at least it will tell you if your over torquing and diminishing your chances of something failing. Im going to buy that adapter tomorrow.
Trending Topics
I have that HF one that adds on to the end of the wrachet but I've never used it. I use an eastwood digital torque wrench and I LOVE it. It also does angle measurements for torque to yield bolts.
I'd highly recommend it
I'd highly recommend it
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Tekton torque wrenches seem to have a decent rep for a lower cost wrench. Amazon has them. I have handled the HF in the store and the Tekton is night and day better quality for just a few dollars more.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 108
Likes: 40
From: Lombard, Il
"So that day I order a CDI Torque wrench made by Snap On."
You have that backwards: CDI manufactures for Snap-on
http://www.cditorque.com/
I have 4 CDI torque wrenches, they make quality product.
Harbor freight is really coming on strong ( opening a new store every 4 days) and improving their quality with 2 test Labs; one in California and one in China. However, like others have said: I wouldn't go trusting anything that needs precision.
You have that backwards: CDI manufactures for Snap-on
http://www.cditorque.com/
I have 4 CDI torque wrenches, they make quality product.
Harbor freight is really coming on strong ( opening a new store every 4 days) and improving their quality with 2 test Labs; one in California and one in China. However, like others have said: I wouldn't go trusting anything that needs precision.
Well I just felt that I needed to share this with you guys. I'm not a mechanic and like most of your guys I'm just trying to do some minor mods on my own. I needed to install a flexplate, oil pan, intake manifold so I needed a torque wrench. I said well I'm only going to use this torque wrench for a month and probably be done with it for a couple of years. so I did some research on the Harbor Freight torque wrench and I told my self l I guess I can live with their +/- 4% vs others better brands that's 1% .. I also told my self well if I need to torque something at 75 lbs. and the harbor freight is off by 10 lbs. ill take my chances.
First project I tackle was my oil pan. It calls for 18 ft/lbs I set my wrench at 18 lbs and I was done, nothing happen nothing broke so I was happy. Second project was my Flexplate it calls for 74ft/lbs and BAMMM broke a bolt. So that day I order a CDI Torque wrench made by Snap On. I torque the flex plate at 74 ft/lbs with the CDI wrench and it felt like night and day. Then I decided to double check the oil pan bolts that I had torque down at 18 ft/lbs with the HB wrench, and what do you know they where actually at 36 ft/lbs 50% off!!!
I'm not saying to get a TDI wrench I'm sure there is similar ones but what I'm saying is DO NOT BUY A HARBOR FREIGHT WRENCH. This wrenches are basically a mental illusion that you torqued something considering that you didn't brake a bolt. If you cant afford a good wrench then rent it. Again I'm not a mechanic or a torque wrench expert but when something is off by 50% with a new wrench that comes with a certificate of calibration with a date and blah blah blah tells you a lot.
Now what I'm wondering is if I need to buy new oil pan bolts as those bolts where torque down 50% more for what they call for. I loosen them and re-torque them at 18 ft/lbs.
First project I tackle was my oil pan. It calls for 18 ft/lbs I set my wrench at 18 lbs and I was done, nothing happen nothing broke so I was happy. Second project was my Flexplate it calls for 74ft/lbs and BAMMM broke a bolt. So that day I order a CDI Torque wrench made by Snap On. I torque the flex plate at 74 ft/lbs with the CDI wrench and it felt like night and day. Then I decided to double check the oil pan bolts that I had torque down at 18 ft/lbs with the HB wrench, and what do you know they where actually at 36 ft/lbs 50% off!!!
I'm not saying to get a TDI wrench I'm sure there is similar ones but what I'm saying is DO NOT BUY A HARBOR FREIGHT WRENCH. This wrenches are basically a mental illusion that you torqued something considering that you didn't brake a bolt. If you cant afford a good wrench then rent it. Again I'm not a mechanic or a torque wrench expert but when something is off by 50% with a new wrench that comes with a certificate of calibration with a date and blah blah blah tells you a lot.
Now what I'm wondering is if I need to buy new oil pan bolts as those bolts where torque down 50% more for what they call for. I loosen them and re-torque them at 18 ft/lbs.
I looked into them but the reviews right there on their own website swayed me away. Seems some of them work great and some have issues never clicking or clicking well past the desired torque.
If you watch you can catch Craftsman wrenches on sale at Sears for $50. The extra $20-25 over the HF is a no brainer to me.
I do buy a **** ton of HF tools even jacks and never had any issues (other than I kill the cheap $12 drills pretty often) so I'd like to think I have an unbiased opinion.
If you watch you can catch Craftsman wrenches on sale at Sears for $50. The extra $20-25 over the HF is a no brainer to me.
I do buy a **** ton of HF tools even jacks and never had any issues (other than I kill the cheap $12 drills pretty often) so I'd like to think I have an unbiased opinion.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 248
Likes: 1
Well this is how I measure and it might not be a scientific or exact way to measure but my results where enough to convince me . The bolt was torqued at 18 ft/lbs with a hf wrench. Now I grab the CDI wrench and set it at 18 ft/lbs I get a click (24-click) (30-click) (36-click) ( 38- the bolt moved and clicked shortly after) now those this mean it was torqued at 36? Maybe not it was probably 30-36 which still is a 40-50% variance. Enough for me to say hb torque wrench are not worth the surprise... with that being said 50% of my tools are HB and I love them. But for precision torquing I would not recommended. I did the same test with the CDI wrench and as soon as I go 2 lbs up the bolt moves.
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 141
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by rybern
Tekton torque wrenches seem to have a decent rep for a lower cost wrench. Amazon has them. I have handled the HF in the store and the Tekton is night and day better quality for just a few dollars more.