Torque Wrenches

[bryanhes]

I am looking at a couple different Torque Wenches for my lugs. One is a Mac 600 ft.lb. click type and the other is a Snap On 600 ft.lb. Dial w/ light indicator. Anyone use one or the other? Both are good brands just looking for some input.

Thanks,
Bryan

[junkman42]

Bryan, I managed a cal lab for many years and do not claim to be an expert!  But from My experience the click type versus the beam type with a dial the beam type is pretty much good for ever.  If the beam type returns to zero when flexed in both directions it is probably good to go.  The click type Almost always needed to be adjusted and if You forget and do not return the setting to zero or no tension it will lose accuracy rapidly.  The snapon  is a beam type and are very stable.  Bear in mind that I have been out of the cal business for a very long time and perhaps progress has changed the reliability of the click type wrench.  YMMV  Regards, john

[84dime]

I would just go with the one that is cheaper. If they are both the same price buy the one that is more shiny  

Correct me if im wrong but they both are lifetime warranty...

[dickegler]

I ran into a problem torquing left hand lug nuts.  My wrench (import, click type) does not click when tightening left hand lugs.  I don't know if the problem is with my wrench, or general design flaw.

Just thought I'd throw this out, for information.

Dick Egler

[Dreamscape]

I have a Snap-On, had it for 25 years, still works like a charm. Built like a brick you know what! Set it and leave it.

[Eagle Andy]

We use the click type at work and it gets alot of work , to the tune of 100 trucks and we use it for lugs , u bolts works fine FWIW , Andy

[bevans6]

Torquing things is something I actually have learned a bit about, building race engines and such like stuff.  Beam type are inherently accurate based on the physical properties of the beam that literally bends to move the indicator.  The beam can't wear out, so it can't lose it's calibration.  But they are very hard to use with accuracy - the tool is often more accurate than the user.

The click type is less accurate and for design accuracy (to between 2% and 4%) needs to be re-calibrated from time to time.  They are often designed to not work with left hand fasteners - on purpose, since the reverse torque causes the wrench to go out of calibration faster.  this is also why you shouldn't use them to undo normal right hand fasteners.  My Snap-on click type wrench doesn't have a reversing ratchet head, so it literally cannot be used in reverse for anything.

But - consider the application.  you are doing wheel nuts up, to an accuracy of 10% to 15%, with a large margin of allowable error.  so a high accuracy wrench isn't required, nor is annual calibration.  I've been using my neighbours Blue Point, which is a higher end Snap-On brand, and it's a great tool to use, works both ways, extremely repeatable, but it costs a lot - he paid over $1,000.  I'll probably buy a Harbour Freight one next time I'm near a store, compare it to a known accurate wrench, and have at it!

Once you investigate what torque wrenches actually do, what engineers use the torque specifications for, what torquing a fastener actually achieves inside the fastener, and the actually incredible inaccuracy of the whole affair, you stop worrying about it quite so much.  Applying torque to a fastener applies preload to stretch the fastener.  the only time torque can actually be even a little accurate is with brand new fasteners that have never ever been used, finished to a very high standard, torqued and released up to six or more times to burnish the threads and then with accurate amounts of the correct lubrication, at the right temperature, finally torqued to specification.  And even then if you get within 15% of the desired preload, you're doing extremely well.  the only way to actually measure preload in a fastener is to measure the stretch with a micrometer.  the rod bolts in my race engines get .004 to .006" longer when they are correctly torqued.  I don't think you'll be measuring that on a bus lug any time soon...and the people who put their 180 lbs on the end of a three and a half foot bar are really doing  all that needs to be done.  But I still like to hear the click...

Brian

[bryanhes]

Brian

I understand what you are saying but I would like to feel that with a good quality torque wrench I at least have peace of mind that things are torqued to a closer tolerance than what I muscle into the cheater pipe. Especially traveling down the highway at 65-70MPH in a 25,000 lb. + coach. I am not going to spend $1000.00 on one or even close. I can pick up either one for less than 1/4 of that. Thanks for the input.

Bryan

[busnut104]

I bought one about 10 years ago when I bought the bus, use it a couple of time but it has not been out of the box for years. I believe I paid around 300. for it but would sell for half. It is the dial type. if I remember I think you can add the light pointer. As I said it has not been out of the box for years.   

[buswarrior]

Calibrate my piece of pipe and my 234 pounds please?

If you want to spend on a torque wrench for wheel fasteners, go for it!

But if your finances are better applied elsewhere, you don't need one for this heavy job.

As noted above, if I put my hands on the pipe 2 feet from the nut, and then gently transfer my entire weight to the pipe extension, nothing touching the ground, torque of 468 foot pounds has been delivered to the fastener.

So, I put my hands just a little further out from the 2 foot mark for the coach wheels.

An adjustable axle stand to rest the socket extension on is a handy accessory to get the duals done without falling over.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[luvrbus]

Brian, if the torque wrench is on your must have list the click type will work better for you than a dial type for the tires. I have both fwiw . You can also buy a new torque stick for around 250 and they don't take up much space

www.torquestick.com 



good luck

[edroelle]

Bryan,

I agree with Brian B. - torque in our application is somewhat inaccurate.  When I worked on my engine, I wanted to get accurate torque.  I tested 4 click type torque wrenches in a jig - a Craftsman, a Snap-on, and 2 newer Harbor Freight wrenches.  The 2 Harbor Freight were very accurate, the Craftsman about 12% off, and the Snap-on was even worst.  Not all were new, and the Craftsman and Snap-on obviously needed to be calibrated.

Do not leave the adjustment handle above 10 ft-lbs of torque when it is stored.

I agree with Buswarrior that you can find many places to spend your money on a bus.  You can get as-good-as-is-needed accuracy at a very low cost.  For wheels, I made an extension to the torque wrench.  On one end I welded a female socket to a bar, about 3 foot long.  On the other end, I welded a 3/4" male adapter that fit the socket for a lug nut.

If the torque wrench is 18" long, and the extension is 36" long, thus giving you a 48" breaker bar, you just set the torque wrench for 1/3 of what the fastener requires.   If you need 450 ft - lbs of torque, set the torque wrench to 150 ft-lbs.  You can adjust lengths and calculations according to your build.

My total cost was less than $20 with an inexpensive torque wrench and some miscellaneous sockets and steel.

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[junkman42]

Ed, can I assume that the extension You refer to is placed on the operating end of the wrench?  Adding to the handle of the wrench does not change anything except making it easier for the operator.  If I misunderstood ignore Me.  I am old and feeble!  Regards John

[bobofthenorth]

That's a really good idea Ed - considerably cheaper than the torque multiplier I bought, lighter, easier to store and probably more accurate in the long run.

[BUR]

    I know I will probably  be jumped on for this, but I don't want to change my own tires(been there done that). I don't torque my lug nuts and never have. Coming from the trucking industry I would quess it is close to 100% of the trucks running up down the highways have never seen a torque wrench. Okay I just put my hard hat on and steel toe boots, thinking about a cup. LOL
                                                  good bus'n     BUR