Tools = expensive!

[paulney]

Since everything in tools section is so damn overpriced at Kragen, I decided to drop by Sears - needed to pick up a torque wrench.

Eighty bucks!! Damn! And it's not even a super-duper torque wrench, only 75 lb of torque, and that's it.

Geez.

So I settled for a $22 version with a stupid tension rod and a scale. Looks like a POS, but whatever - I only needed to take off and put back on a couple of wheels.

 

[acemcmac]

I use my tire iron......

 

[Ornery]

Well, as long as you're being so fussy, don't forget to go back and do it again after a couple hundred miles, like it says in "the book".

 

[MisterJackson]

That's why you steal em'....duh.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: paulney
Since everything in tools section is so damn overpriced at Kragen, I decided to drop by Sears - needed to pick up a torque wrench.

Eighty bucks!! Damn! And it's not even a super-duper torque wrench, only 75 lb of torque, and that's it.

Geez.

So I settled for a $22 version with a stupid tension rod and a scale. Looks like a POS, but whatever - I only needed to take off and put back on a couple of wheels.

In each class at Sears (and other's) the 75in/lb, 75ft/lb and 150ft/lb are usually the same price. They mechanics of them are the same basically, just different ranges of measurement.

A good place for sears tools is ebay. Things like torque wrenches and the like don't carry the lifetime warranty (just a 1 year).

I have a full set of the 3. I don't need the 250lb+ yet for any of the automotive/light truck (Bronco)/boat work I have done.

Working on a car without one = teh stoopid for many things especially now with aluminum and polymers/resins everywhere.

 

[Looney]

Yeah, they are expensive. Costco had a huge sale on torque wrenches up here in Canada recently (like $20 for a set... regular over $100).

 

[DaTT]

I haven't used a torque wrench to put a wheel on since high school auto class during an exam.

 

[wedi42]

you could rent one
check your local tool rental center or even a auto parts store

 

[dartworth]

free rental from autozone...

 

[Ornery]

Originally posted by: DaTT
I haven't used a torque wrench to put a wheel on since high school auto class during an exam.

Apparently alkemyst ALWAYS does! :roll:

 

[Kelvrick]

Got mine from Ace for 40 bucks with a lifetime.

 

[Tiamat]

pneumatic ones are fun!

 

[Engineer]

Electric ones from Stanley are too...but they cost around $10,000 each! :shocked:

(Just installed two of them on an automation project at work! )

 

[Gillbot]

Harbor Freight

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Harbor Freight

i have a harbor freight torque wrench. Avoid, it's crap. its really hard to set it, because the increments are SOO close together.


you don't need a torque wrench for wheels. just tighten them 'pretty tight'

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
Got mine from Ace for 40 bucks with a lifetime.

I tried to get mine replaced and Ace claimed I didn't buy it there. Strange considering the great service I usually get there.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: paulney
Since everything in tools section is so damn overpriced at Kragen, I decided to drop by Sears - needed to pick up a torque wrench.

Eighty bucks!! Damn! And it's not even a super-duper torque wrench,

only 75 lb of torque

, and that's it.

Geez.

So I settled for a $22 version with a stupid tension rod and a scale. Looks like a POS, but whatever - I only needed to take off and put back on a couple of wheels.

But... torque isn't measured in pounds.
foot-pounds maybe?

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Kelvrick
Got mine from Ace for 40 bucks with a lifetime.

I tried to get mine replaced and Ace claimed I didn't buy it there. Strange considering the great service I usually get there.

I have a little plastic baggy duct taped to the top of my toolbox. Keep all receipts in there.

 

[NutBucket]

Yeah, that would've been the smart thing to do! On a related note I think the Husky one that replaced it needs a calibration.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: armatron

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Harbor Freight

i have a harbor freight torque wrench. Avoid, it's crap. its really hard to set it, because the increments are SOO close together.


you don't need a torque wrench for wheels. just tighten them 'pretty tight'

I have 2 of them and they outlasted my craftsman ones.

 

[stinkynathan]

buddy of mine just stopped by yesterday and showed me his torque wrench. $350 3/8 drive, 100 lb

he's a mechanic though...

 

[clickynext]

I just got a crap one for $20 Canadian. Oh well, not like I'm needing 3 decimals of precision.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Ornery

Originally posted by: DaTT
I haven't used a torque wrench to put a wheel on since high school auto class during an exam.

Apparently alkemyst ALWAYS does! :roll:

That's OK. A lot of sub-standard mechanics have no ability to torque something down by feel.

ZV

 

[AnonymouseUser]

$80 is cheap. $22 is too cheap. If you don't need it for anything else just pay a mechanic to do the work for you.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Looney
Yeah, they are expensive. Costco had a huge sale on torque wrenches up here in Canada recently (like $20 for a set... regular over $100).

Heh, I just did a search for torque wrench on Costco.com and the results I got were two French Immersion CDs and a bunch of bottles of wine.