I've been looking for a torque wrench for my wheels. I stumbled upon a pawn shop that sells online that was having a 70% off sale on all of their tools. They happened to have a Tireman TM 600 torque wrench which is specifically designed for torquing lug nuts up to 600 foot lbs. I paid $70 including shipping for a tool that cost $550 or more normally. It is missing the adapter to actually attach to the 3/4" or 1" socket. The manufacturer said it costs $16 for the adapter.
I'm going to take the torque wrench to get checked before I spend any more money on it. I included a photo.
Cool find.
Any chance of a link to the online pawn shop? They might have something of interest to someone else.
;D BK ;D
www.pawnmart.com (http://www.pawnmart.com)
It looks like they have sales quite regularly. Some of the hand tools are marked down, but it doesn't look like all hand tools are on sale. The torque wrench I bought said the regular price was $200. $200 would still be a decent price, but not a steal like I think I got. They only charged $10.05 for shipping, but the box was way oversized and I'm sure cost more than $10 to ship.
Belfert,
I saw this thread on slickdeals, I think you even posted on there too!
The internet is a smaller place than I thought =)
How long is it? How easy would it be to actually get about 500 lb/ft onto the nuts with it?
The reason I'm asking is that I'm thinking of getting one of the 40"-long 1"-drive Titan 12049 breaker bars: http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=TTN12049 (http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=TTN12049) (This is by far the lowest price I've found anywhere for it, and it seems pretty decent quality.) If I put my full weight onto the end of it I should get about 525 lb/ft, without also needing a cheater bar.
John
Quote from: topfrog007 on March 15, 2012, 11:56:36 AM
I saw this thread on slickdeals, I think you even posted on there too!
Yes, I first found out about the Pawnmart sale over at Slickdeals. I decided to visit Pawnmart's site to see if they had a torque wrench that was cheap and I happened to find exactly what I was looking for at a great price.
I took my Tireman torque wrench over to a local tool repair place to get it tested and repaired if necessary. They did find it was off and fixed it. The cost seemed a little steep at $85. They told me when I had called originally that the price was based on the amount of work required. When they called and said it is done they told me 3/4" torque wrenches are a flat $85.
The $155 I have invested in this tool is still cheap compared to $550 new.
A new Tireman 600 lb torque wrench I have never saw one priced over 300 bucks wow for 555.00 I can buy a real torque 3/4 inch wrench a American made Proto 1/2 price of 300 bucks is not bad though
I mentioned this CL listing earlier, but I have question to those who know more than I.
Are Blue Point tools quality made ??
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/tls/2865494572.html (http://southjersey.craigslist.org/tls/2865494572.html)
I currently utilize a torque mulitplier with a smaller torque wrench doing the math.
Thanks,
Blue Point is Snap/On good stuff all their air tools and special tools are BluePoint for a 100 bucks jump on it anything wrong with the tool Snap/On will repair it
good luck
Thanks , I looked at the Snap On / Blue Point site, but I was still undecided.
I will be there tommorrow, with C note in hand.
Quote from: luvrbus on March 20, 2012, 03:25:31 PM
A new Tireman 600 lb torque wrench I have never saw one priced over 300 bucks wow for 555.00 I can buy a real torque 3/4 inch wrench a American made Proto 1/2 price of 300 bucks is not bad though
Where can a Tireman torque wrench be purchased new for $300? I might have bought a new one at that price. The one I have is the TM600. I looked at similar torque wrenches designed for lug nuts from other manufacturers and they cost over $600.
Jerry's Tool in Mohave Valley a tool guy that calls on me every 2nd Thursday of the month he sells the good ,bad and ugly and the TireMan is damn sure ugly and cheap looking too me YMMD just because it not on the net some better buys are not on the internet and that seems to be the only place some look and I buy very little off the internet I like to see what I am paying for
Gary found a buy for 100 bucks fwiw
Gary,
There were quite a few posts here a while back saying that torque multipliers are grossly inaccurate for tightening. Sounded reasonable to me so I don't use mine for that any more.
They were designed for loosening stuff, not tightening.
My best torque wrench is myself on a pipe just long enough to be 450-500 lb-ft.
Thanks Gus & Clifford,
I purchased the Blue Point/Snap-On 600 lb torque wrench. Tried it on the bus and they were close to 475lbs, so me thinks it is close on calibration.
Best is it took only $ 80.
I'll give you 100 bucks and pay the shipping lol if it is a click type you will need the ratchet adapter to do the left side with cost you around 50 bucks I forget to use mine from time to time and start bad mouthing the wrench for not clicking
good luck
Quote from: gus on March 21, 2012, 02:22:00 PM(snip) My best torque wrench is myself on a pipe just long enough
Oh, you mean an "Alabama torque wrench"?!
I will check out the left side operations.
Clifford, Did I say $80, I meant $ 180, can you up your offer ??? LOL ! ! !
\my neighbor has one of those Blue Point 600 lb wrenches, it cost him close to a grand 15 years ago. You got a deal and a half... His came in a fitted, dove-tail jointed mahogany box! 15 - 20 years ago up here in Canada we went through a big change in regulation, the only guys with torque wrenches were air-frame technicians. All the truck guys just used air wrenches and we had a real spate of wheels falling off of trucks and killing people. They changed the rules so that all truck tech's needed to install wheels with torque wrenches, and be able to prove it, so there was a lot of buying of very expensive torque wrenches at no discount for a while...
Brian
Brian,
I know I scored a deal. It is a reversble and the torque clicks operates on the lefty nuts.
No wooden case, just a metal case which needs paint.
I am glad I purchased it to correctly torque the lug nuts. Just one more peace of mind, It is done right. I need to fabricate a support for the 3/4" extension on the side of the road. I probably will park the torque multiplier at home for trips. I dunno.
Thanks for the comments & reinforcement.
Gary
I talked to Eastern Pneumatics & Hydraulics (The importer of the Tireman torque wrenches) this morning to order the missing socket adapter for my Tireman torque wrench. Richard there told me that the retail price on the TM600 I have is $650. They source these wrenches from a manufacturer in Great Britain.
Clifford must be getting a heck of a discount from his tool guy to get these for $300 new. Tireman isn't the only brand of this style of wrench and Clifford may be able to get another brand for $300. I don't have the type of connections Clifford has and I don't know any tool guys.
Anyone have a suggestion on where to get the 3/4" drive sockets for the lug nuts and for the Budd nuts? I've read about the combo sockets and not everyone recommends them. There are a few tool distributors locally, but it is often just as cheap to order this stuff by the time I pay for gas to drive across town.
The Budd socket is a specialty item, I would order that on line. You can get one that has both the 1 1/2" hex and the Budd square socket in one. I have a separate one that my neighbour gave me, and I bought a 3/4" drive socket set from Princess Auto for the rest.
Brian
I'm trying to find an American made Budd socket that isn't too expensive. OTC makes them in the USA I think, but they only make them for 1" drive. The OTC ones are $30 on Amazon. Imported ones are about $20. I've checked Craigslist, but no luck and wasn't really expecting to find one.
Mine is a 1", I just use an adaptor.
Brian
My two combo sockets are 3/4 and one inch drives so I have to use adapters on both since my air wrench is 1/2", not really a problem and actually help with the added length on rear wheels.
Just don't try to use regular socket adapters as the air wrench will beat them up.
I ordered an Armstrong BUDD socket from Amazon and I found a new Allen 10" extension on Ebay. The Armstrong socket is $10 to $15 more than an imported socket, but I like to buy USA made when it doesn't cost me too much. I talked to a local tool place and they wanted the same price for an imported socket, plus it would have to be shipped to me from another location for more money. I checked NAPA, but they charge $45 for an imported socket too.
A local auction place has a 600 lb OTC torque wrench on their online auction going pretty cheap right now. I have no idea if it is any good. http://www.otownauctions.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?otown4/59/5 (http://www.otownauctions.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?otown4/59/5)
By the end of the week I should be in business checking the torque on my lug nuts.