just curious what size/brand/ model most people use when working on our cars.

 

it depends what your working on. i work at a dealership(lexus) and most of my tools are snap on.

anything up to 80 foot pounds i use a 3/8" gearwrench digital torque wrench
anything up to 200 foot pounds i use my 1/2" snap on click type torque wrench

those are the two i use no matter if i am working on my car or at the dealership and i like to go by the same method of using one up to 80ft-lbs and the other up to 200ft-lbs.

its good to have both, you wont be torqueing down small little bolts with just a 1/2" and risk braking something. but when you purchase make sure you buy them from a good reliable company or you will be sorry due to the fact that the cheap stuff is not very accurate. plus i got i guy thats stops at the dealership that sells gearwrench tools that will calibrate my wrench free of charge from buying it from him, same goes with snap on, the guy will calibrate mine free of charge. i dont know if its the same everywhere else, but i get it done for free.

 

I have this one, there seem to be a lot of complaints about the lock ring breaking on this one.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944595000P

 

after using it do you keep it locked on the torque setting and then store it for next time?

make sure whenever using a click type that you unlock it and adjust it to zero so there is no tension on the spring. keeping tension on the spring is no good and when its at zero keep the wrench unlocked.

if i understood you correctly then thats what i think you were talking about in regards to the lock ring.

 

edit:

 

yep, i figured. exactly what i said in my last post. thanks, i was hoping i wasnt giving wrong information.

 

I usually just leave it at the torque setting I used at that time.

 

I have a 1/2" Snap-On torque wrench.My shop has it calibrated for me once a year since I use for elevator safety inspections.

 

Mine I have are all snap-on. Ebay is the place to get them. If you keep looking, you can get a good deal. Just get them calibrated. I have 1 from 0 to 100"lbs,1 from 0-1200"lbs, and the last 50-250'lbs. This will cover just about everything on the car.

 

I have a Proto tools 1/2 drive ft/lbs and a 3/8 drive in/lbs. I always back them down to the lowest setting or 0 if I can. Never had them calibrated.

 

just saw that- musta been typing at the same time... cant recall who told me to back it off, or if it was in the instruction manual, but it still works

 

my first torque wrench i destroyed from not relieving tension on spring. lets just say i learned my lesson and saved lots of money lol.

 

I have that one and the locking ring is the device to hold it at a certain torque not the spring itself.
I have had no problem,and like Habu when I store it I don't go past the lowest setting which is 20 on this model.

My 3/8 is the Craftsman Digitork which goes down to 5. It doesn't have the lock ring type of lock.

 

I used Craftsman digitorque 3/8 and 1/2. Make sure you store them at 0 ft-lbs because you'll throw off the calibration.

 

i did not say the spring itself holds it at a certain torque, i said that the spring got ruined from not relieving it of pressure when i was done torqueing.

 

I've got several, including a Snap-On click-type, but I still prefer my basic Craftsman Beam-Type wrench. I like being able to see the torque as it's being applied and not just waiting for the click. Tearing a motor back apart because you missed a click and snapped a bolt in a head sucks.

 

just cause your seeing the torque as your applying it doesnt mean you wont miss a few bolts if you overlook something. i like to double and triple check my work. whenever i torque when im on the bolt and i hear that click, i say in my mind "tight" and i do that to each bolt. Or, you can get a paint marker and mark each bolt you have torqued. Make sure you use a different color for future purpose to avoid missing something that you thought you had torqued.

 

I'm not sure what model of torque wrench, but I know its digital and made by Snap On. My boyfriend is a tech so I get to use all the fun, expensive Snap On products.

 

What I was pointing out was you did not correctly understand here.
The lock ring is the locking device on this one particular wrench.
If you see one, you will understand.

I know what you said and I was not responding to that aspect.

 

That's what I use as well.


PS--my lock ring is broken