Torque wrenches

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inkjunkie

inkjunkie

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I have a Snap On torque wrench for higher torque stuff. It is not the type where you crank the handle, it has a knob on the side with a dial that turns. Had Snap On guy that I know from the track check it, it is calibrated.
But...and this is me just overcomplicating my life..changed the trans fluid in my Allison trans. Pan bolts are 18ft lbs. My above mentioned Snap On starts at 50ft-lbs.
Any suggestions?
 
Very first thing I'd do is double triple check that torque figure. 18ft lbs sounds WAY high...........
 
On an allison. Sounds bout right. I solved by buying an inch pound wrench and just do the math when it comes up. So 18 X 12 = 216 inch pounds
 
67Dart273 said:
Very first thing I'd do is double triple check that torque figure. 18ft lbs sounds WAY high...........
Click to expand...
Double tripled checked...it's actually 18-20ft-lbs.

Blind Squirrel said:
On an allison. Sounds bout right. I solved by buying an inch pound wrench and just do the math when it comes up. So 18 X 12 = 216 inch pounds
Click to expand...
That is what I was going to do...until I dug out my Husky cheapo in-pd torque wrench. On the collar above the handle it has 16 markings, which made me think that there is 16in-pds to 1ft-pd...
 
Well I know there has been a lot of comments lately about math being (oh never mind). It's to hard to be funny. One (1) foot pound will always be equal to 12 inch pounds. I think what your looking at is metric numbers on your husky.
 
One (1) inch pound equals 1.35 metric. So 1 foot pound would be 16.2 in metric. You would be looking for say 292 on your metric wrench for your pan. I didn't bore you with exact math.
 
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You need a different torque wrench. I would suggest a inch/lb wrench in the correct range.
inkjunkie said:
Double tripled checked...it's actually 18-20ft-lbs.


That is what I was going to do...until I dug out my Husky cheapo in-pd torque wrench. On the collar above the handle it has 16 markings, which made me think that there is 16in-pds to 1ft-pd...
Click to expand...

12 in/lb in a ft/lb. The measurement changes not the weight. (lb)
 
ft pound wrench = can't use starts at 50 ft pds

inch pound wrench would be 18 X 12 =

metric would be 18 X 1.35582 =
 
Buy a 3/8" torque wrench in the range you need. The Husky stuff is decent for the price, my 1/2" is made in the USA.
 
inkjunkie said:
I have a Snap On torque wrench for higher torque stuff. It is not the type where you crank the handle, it has a knob on the side with a dial that turns. Had Snap On guy that I know from the track check it, it is calibrated.
But...and this is me just overcomplicating my life..changed the trans fluid in my Allison trans. Pan bolts are 18ft lbs. My above mentioned Snap On starts at 50ft-lbs.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

18 POUND FEET? Are you sure? That seems awfully tight for sheet metal. But then, I bet that has that modern pan gasket with the steel core.

That would be what I call "good and tight" with a short 3/8" ratchet.
 
In the Navy, we were taught to select a torque wrench so that your torque spec would fall somewhere between 1/4 and 3/4 scale of the torque wrench.
 
I used to get torque wrenches repaired, calibrated and certified (if needed) Most were within 2% accuracy or better and yes, sometimes the extreme lower and upper limits weren't as accurate but never by more than the 2% I mentioned.
 
toolmanmike said:
Yep but let's not get into Newton/Meters.
Click to expand...
18 lb ft to 20 lb ft (yes I'm that guy who corrects people when they say ft lb)
24.4 N-m to 27.1 N-m

Or

0.002743 ton meter to 0.003048 ton meter (I'm guessing metric ton)
 
A torque wrench is at it's most accurate zone when when the desired torque is in the middle of it's entire range. Yes you need an inch/pound torque wrench, all tranny guys have one.
 
Frank I used to calibrate them for the USAF, 1 foot is 12 in lb Drop it it is done. Break any T wrench three times at the lowest and highest setting before you use it, seriousy if you want it accurate. +/- 4% Aircraft specs except screwdrivers they were 1%
 
I recently bought a short 3/8 drive one from Harbor Freight. It was only $20, and absolutely worked in the tight confines I needed it to.
That being said, I hate it. You can barely feel it click, let alone hear it. It may be really accurate, and the price was right, but its obvious the quality just isn't there.
 
Go Mango said:
I recently bought a short 3/8 drive one from Harbor Freight. It was only $20, and absolutely worked in the tight confines I needed it to.
That being said, I hate it. You can barely feel it click, let alone hear it. It may be really accurate, and the price was right, but its obvious the quality just isn't there.
Click to expand...
I kind of got what I paid for. A piece of crap.
 
I have quite a few torque wrenches. Snap on, Precision,(who made many for snap on) and old Craftsman.
My most recent ones have fancy lights that go green when you get to desired spec and red when you go over. I got that for these stupid AZZ fasteners that you tighten to a relatively low ft/lb and then have to turn so many degrees as a final step. (Torque to yield) I dunno how they determine the exact number of degrees that a bolt has to rotate to get to that point. I liked the 1st of those bolts that I ever encountered, the Mopar 2.2s back then they would also give a minimum torque that should be achieved after the bolt is turned that many degrees. I cheated and set my clicker for that number and called it good. They don't offer the dual spec (degrees and torque specs) any more boo/hiss.....

I had used a matco version with a light up handle a few years ago (belonged to the guy next to me at work) and while his didn't have the torque to yield feature his was louder to buzz and I could feel the handle's buzz better than I can on my new one. It's easier to follow the buzz than to follow the lights. These also have an LED digital readout of where you're at as well.
I haven't had to do a TTY yet with it yet, but using it as a regular torque wrench I found out that I go over on torque rather easily with it. I bought both the 1/2 and the 3/8 versions. I like my clickers better and my old Torq-O-Meter snap ons with the dial on the beam. The fancy ones with the light up handles mostly sit in their case and collect dust each has only been used about 2x each since I bought them. Big money spent on those too....... Way too much for what they are.

My biggest is a Precision Instrument 3/4" drive, goes to 600 ft/lb. I don't like it because when really cranking on it I am in a position where I can't see the dial in the middle of the beam and need someone else to read the dial as I crank down because it is so long believe it or not I've had to use those more than the fancy light up ones I have. I use the big one often as my work has a fleet of ford trucks with a strut suspension on front and the lower wishbone has a higher spec than any other torque wrench that I have. Also some hub bearing axle shaft nuts want quite a bit of torque as well.

I often hear people who want to use a ft/lb one for a in/lb spec that is below the range of the ft/lb torque wrench. You're better off using a ratchet and going by feel and guessing those than using a torque wrench that's too big for the application. That drives me nuts.
I'll admit I don't torque every fastener that maybe I should///but if I feel it's worth it to actually measure how tight I am tightening something I'm gonna use a torque wrench that measures the right range for the job at hand.
And I have only seen, never used a torque measuring screwdriver.
 
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