Need a torque wrench...

[aaronbtxnc]

Well, time to buy a new toy that will be needed. Recomendations? I see them from about 20 up to 150 and more. What torque range will I need to do axle swap, possible rear main seal replacement, etc. to the MJ?

[knever3]

I bought mine from harbor freight for $20, 1/2" up to 250ft/lbs for the usual work, head gasket jobs, torque wheels etc. I figure for what I am going to be using it for I don't have to pay for a nice one anytime soon. The best $20 I have spent for a tool ever and I am not a fan of harbor freight for much.

[Geonovast]

I got a clicker-style PT from O'reillys, one of the few tools of mine that isn't a Craftsman, and I like it. I don't remember how high it goes, don't think it quite goes to 250. I actually haven't been to a Harbor Freight in years, despite there being one less than 2 miles away... should fix that...

[foreman1063]

Don't get a Craftsman torque wrench, they are crap and expensive.

An axle swap and RMS replacement will require two different torque wrenches. Oil pan bolts get 11 ft/pounds of torque( best to use an inch/pound wrench and multiply torque value by 12) and doing an axle swap will probably require torques in the 50-150 ft/pounds range. If you plan on working on and maintaining a vehicle you really need an inch/pound, a 3/8" drive ft/pounds and a 1/2" drive ft/pound torque wrench. This will give you flexibility to use a wrench that will keep the required torque in the mid range of each wrench, for better accuracy.

[DirtyComanche]

There's cheap torque wrenches, and there's good ones. Decide what you want. The HF/Craftsman/no-name ones are the 'cheap' ones. Some of them work fine, others do not. Very hit and miss. As a general rule, if there's plastic anywhere on it, you don't want it. As far as the good ones go, there's only a few manufacturers actually. I personally like the ones sold by Armstrong, Mac and Finning, I want to say they're made by Precision Instruments (but maybe they make the Snap-On ones), since I find they have the best adjusting systems and grips.

 

For good ones, I own a Snap-On 40-200IN-LBS, a Finning flex head 5-75FT-LBS, and an Armstrong 25-250FT-LBS. I also have a Craftsman 1/2" drive, that I rarely use. It still works okay, and calibrated as 'not too bad', but I rarely use it. Eventually the adjusting mechanism breaks on them.

[87Warrior]

I grew up using my father's Snap On click torque wrenches so that fit and function is what I was looking for when searching for one. The problem was I didn't have the cash for a snap on unit.

 

I went to all stores and even to a few tool trucks. I feel the best bang for the buck torque wrench is the Husky Pro from Home Depot. Pretty darn cheap and I love the way it works.