Sorry, maybe kinda off topic, but related and important.

I posted this on ADVrider and only got 1 reply, so I'm asking here. I will be checking and setting my valve lash this Spring, and "may" end up doing the BB 351 kit "If" I keep my bike. Either way, I need torque wrenches. My question is, What Torque Wrenches do some of you guys have or used on the top end? I had all top notch Snap On tools that I bought through out the 80's while working as a mechanic. Back in 2008, my bottom roll away box was stolen, and haven't replaced my good torque wrenches. That being said, since I no longer wrench full time, no need to spend big bucks on high end torque wrenches for daily use. I'd maybe use them a few times a year now. I don't really trust Harbor Freight stuff like this at $10 for a clicker torque wrench. I've learned in my 54 years, you get what you pay for, most of the time. Cheap tools are exactly that, a cheap tool. I've been reading really good things about TEKTON Torque Wrenches. For about $40 on ebay, or close to $60 on Amazon. That's what I can afford. I do still have my very first Craftsman beam type wrench from the late 70's. But I just prefer to have a clicker with my poor eye sight, and somewhat shakey hands.

Thinking about getting the
TEKTON 24320 (20-200 in.-lb./2.26-22.6 Nm) 1/4" Drive
https://www.ebay.com/itm/201784064910

And one of these below.
TEKTON 24330 (10-80 ft.-lb./13.6-108.5 Nm) 3/8" Drive
https://www.ebay.com/itm/201786769078

OR

TEKTON 24335 (10-150 ft.-lb./13.6-203.5 Nm) 1/2"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/122297487740

Whats nice about these is, they have 2 scales on them. All 3 have both, in. lb. or ft. lb., and Nm. So there's no need to lookup on a chart to convert methods of torque measurement.

Does anyone have these? If not, what are you using? Doesn't look like all torque ranges can be covered with one wrench, you need 2. I know the rule of thumb that you shouldn't use the lower 10 to 15ish% of the scale on clickers from what I remember.
I know most of you have or use torque wrenches, so I'd appreciate your opinions, thoughts or ideas.

Thanks guys,
Bob

 

Hello Bob.
I have three HF torque wrenches and also their digital strain gage unit. Mark KLX678 has referenced a few times articles where the HF units were found to be pretty good, and the digital strain gage spot on. I borrowed two of my mechanic friend's good wrenches to compare to the strain gage and my HF wrenches and found them all in pretty tight agreement.

My other buddy had a HF wrench that his boy left twisted up for a while. It's now about 20% low through a range of torque settings.

 

Yeah, I've seen reports, videos and reviews on the HF ones. I can get all three (1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" drives) for $30 bucks. But man, at only $9.99 each, it just leaves me unsettled on how acurite they really are, and for 100% of the time? The ones I've seen were tested with HF testers and meters though, which isn't saying much. But, I can honestly say, I haven't heard anything bad about them. Leaving it tight or torqued up under a load during storage or when not in use is just bad news for Any torque wrench, high quality or not. Thats a major no no. Maybe I'll give them a shot. Just don't know if they'd get along with my other tools in my box.....LOL 95% of the tools in my box are Snap On, Mac, or the higher end Craftsman Pro (older US made). They may not like Mr Pittsburgh moving in. I'm kinda funny that way. I take pride in my tools. In a weird way, I wish these HF T wrenches weren't good. My tools are my jewels......

 

LOL.... all my stuff used to be Craftsmen from back in late '80's early '90's time frame... still using a metal tool box I bought new in 1990, along with most of a ratchet set or two I bought with it. (It makes me sad that I now find myself telling "20 years ago" and "30 years ago" stories.....)

BUT.... now there is an awful lot of HF stuff mixed in... I tend to lose them before I break them and have had good luck overall with the standard HF hand tools.

I also tend to buy HF one-off tools that I need for a specific job and may only use twice in my lifetime. Off course, they tend to work once or maybe twice and then come apart in your hands.

I've been using a set of HF torque wrenches for the last 10 years or so and have never had anything snap off while tightening or come loose later, so I reckon that's good enough for me

EDIT: I painted my jeep out in the driveway back in '09 with HF compressor and guns; turned out as good as any cheap MAACO paint job I've seen and has held up very well. It was my first attempt at painting a vehicle and if I had to do it over again, I'd do it the same way with the same tools.

 

I've used a princess auto (Cdn version of HF) torque wrench for the last 4 years with no problems. I think I paid 25$ for it. Nothing fancy, standard click type, but has served me very well.

On the 351 install, only the cam girdle bolts do you need to be very careful with. They are VERY soft metal and if memory serves were only 8ftlbs.

 

Dash, that would also be if changing out shims adjusting valve gap. That's my biggest concern. Broken bolts, and pulling out soft bolt hole threads in aluminum cases, heads, etc. I only use torque wrenches on engine work like top ends, cylinders, heads, etc. I've been wrenching for over 45 years and have a very good feel for that stuff. I've never cross threaded or stripped threads in my life, yet....LOL. I can't understand how some can even do that. So many times bikes would come into our shop with stripped out spark plug threads and oil drain plugs, etc, and I could never understand that. Anyway, I guess I'll give the HF wrenches a try, even though the socket I use on it costs more than the torque wrench its on...... Gotta be completely honest. I will be very worried. Just so hard for me to think a $10 torque wrench , would be worth a damn, when a 30+ year old used and abused Snap On sells for $80 and up. For me, this feels as hard as putting a loaded gun to my head......LOL I wonder why there are soooo many HF torque wrenches for sale on ebay? A lot of people saying they are good, yet so many up for sale. I'm getting there.

 

Don't take our word for it, Here is the Car Craft article. Surprised them that the HF torque wrench was so good! Click on the pictures link at the bottom of the article and read the captions.

Any click wrench will go bad if left set for long periods.

I have a 3/8 drive in my roll around and a 1/2 drive in my truck "tire change" tool box along with a 3/4 socket and one of the 1500 lb aluminum quick pump floor jacks to use on my lowered Ford Ranger.

Here is the discussion in Garage Journal, but I will venture to say no publication that has the reputation that Car Craft has would risk it on a bad tool. Nor would a reputable calibration shop risk reputation doing the same. The shoot out, I believe, ended when they found all were easily within spec and the real "news" was that the "lowly" Harbor Freight tool turned out to be a good tool.

 

Please let us know how the HF stuff works. I have a 10-100 ft lb SK click type but it set me back $140. I would like one in inch lbs but don't want to spend that much. The carbon fiber bicycle boys love their Park torque wrenches, but I think they are about $80.

 

No point me telling you the brand AFAIK you can't get them in the US but I have a 1/2" and a 3/8 drive torque wrench's which does what I need. The wind in and they click when you get to the right torque type.

 

In the last few years I wanted/needed to compile another relatively complete set of tools for a toy hauler/tow vehicle setup and to be used in a shop building about 50 yards from my house. I got tired of constantly walking back and forth. My premium tools for working on/building engines, suspension components, etc. have all been Snap-On, Matco, old Craftsman, etc.

My "second set" has been comprised mainly of quality "extras" and a lot of Harbor Freight stuff. One shocking thing to me after really doing some test comparisons against my high dollar torque wrenches was how comparable in measurement the HF torque wrenches have proven to be. I would end up torqueing something over in the "distant" shop building with the HF torque wrenches and then have this constant niggling su****ion that the HF wrench just couldn't be trusted. Again, after every comparison with my known quality wrench, the HF would be right in line it. Finally, I've quit doing this and have found I could trust the HF torque wrenches in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2.

Here's my take on this. The ability to produce decent tools and components isn't the high bar it used to be. Technology, machining tools, computers, metallurgy, etc. have all risen to a level attainable by even the most mediocre companies and manufacturers. In a sense, it's not rocket science anymore. No...this doesn't guarantee top drawer craftsmanship and irrefutable quality across the board by any means, but it does making finding absolute junk a little harder than it used to be.