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Recommend me a torque wrench

OldGuyNewJeep

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Just ordered along with a ratchet set! Thanks for the link.
Used my Tekton sockets and torque wrenches all weekend doing fluid changes. Great quality tools for the money. You won’t be disappointed.
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flyer92

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Cool. I just ask because I spent eight years in Army Aviation. We calibrated our torque wrenches every 90 days. Of course we were constantly using them as well.
Nearly 30 years in Army and Coast Guard aviation here, and also concerned about torque wrench calibration. A variance of 130-170 ft lbs for a bolt that needs to be 150 ft lbs can be catastrophic, depending on the component you are attempting to secure. Even torque wrenches with light use should be tested every year or so, and there are several DIY methods explained on Youtube and elsewhere online. Beware though, as many of those DIY methods have been widely criticized by actual calibration experts over the years, because they could actually make your torque wrench worse. Any auto or machine shop will tell you the same thing, so if you care enough to use a torque wrench instead of any old ratchet, you'll want to maintain its accuracy as much as you feasibly can.

All that said...I have no idea where to get wrenches calibrated since most hardware stores stopped providing the service years ago. I had an old friend who used to do this professionally in his machine shop, but since he's no longer with us, I'm looking for other alternatives. Been told that local Mac Tools or Snap-On dealers provide a calibration service, but they usually have to send the wrench out to a service facility which can take 3 more more weeks and cost about $100 per wrench (yikes!). Just curious if anyone can share their experience or recommendations on where to get this done.
 

Sgt Beavis

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Nearly 30 years in Army and Coast Guard aviation here, and also concerned about torque wrench calibration. A variance of 130-170 ft lbs for a bolt that needs to be 150 ft lbs can be catastrophic, depending on the component you are attempting to secure. Even torque wrenches with light use should be tested every year or so, and there are several DIY methods explained on Youtube and elsewhere online. Beware though, as many of those DIY methods have been widely criticized by actual calibration experts over the years, because they could actually make your torque wrench worse. Any auto or machine shop will tell you the same thing, so if you care enough to use a torque wrench instead of any old ratchet, you'll want to maintain its accuracy as much as you feasibly can.

All that said...I have no idea where to get wrenches calibrated since most hardware stores stopped providing the service years ago. I had an old friend who used to do this professionally in his machine shop, but since he's no longer with us, I'm looking for other alternatives. Been told that local Mac Tools or Snap-On dealers provide a calibration service, but they usually have to send the wrench out to a service facility which can take 3 more more weeks and cost about $100 per wrench (yikes!). Just curious if anyone can share their experience or recommendations on where to get this done.
True story here...

We had a E4 UH1 Crewchief that was pretty damn bad at his job. So bad he was sent to the tool room to stay out of trouble.

One day he was ordered to inspect and calibrate all of the torque wrenches. He laid them all out on a workbench. He removed each wrench from its case and removed every inspection tag from every wrench. He then filled out new inspection tags and taped them on all of the wrenches.

At that point he could have just taken each wench over to the jig and tested them. He would have been ok. Instead he put each wrench back into their cases and put them away.

That wasn't even his biggest mistake.

His biggest mistake was not noticing the Battalion Commander in the hallway quietly watching everything he just did.

The now E2 lawnmower pusher spent the last year of his Army term mowing the entire airfield. :LOL::LOL:
 

flyer92

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True story here...

We had a E4 UH1 Crewchief that was pretty damn bad at his job. So bad he was sent to the tool room to stay out of trouble.

One day he was ordered to inspect and calibrate all of the torque wrenches. He laid them all out on a workbench. He removed each wrench from its case and removed every inspection tag from every wrench. He then filled out new inspection tags and taped them on all of the wrenches.

At that point he could have just taken each wench over to the jig and tested them. He would have been ok. Instead he put each wrench back into their cases and put them away.

That wasn't even his biggest mistake.

His biggest mistake was not noticing the Battalion Commander in the hallway quietly watching everything he just did.

The now E2 lawnmower pusher spent the last year of his Army term mowing the entire airfield. :LOL::LOL:
Amazing...but not surprised. Seems like the tool room might not have been a good place to put this guy in the first place! Unfortunately had to assign several to "landscaping and janitorial staff" over the years as well. Most notable, was the E4 who left his brand new NVGs in a standard 6'x6'x6' .50cal position that was filled back in when we left the field site, and then lied about about its whereabouts when we returned to garrison. So....after a 4-hour trip back to the location, 2 hours of digging, and 4-hour return trip, we came back with a very dirty set of goggles. Needless to say, the poor kid probably mowed a swath from here to the moon before he DEROS'd! :facepalm:
 
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WranglerMan

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Wanted to put this out there as a big thank you to @Chocolate Thunder for his super generous nature.

I honestly should have the police called on me as I stole these, I reached out to him on his offer and for a meager price and I mean meager I was gifted three wrenches.

I can now at least get things to the proper torque instead of just guessing on how tight things are supposed to be.

1/4” drive 20-200 inch lbs

3/8” drive 120-960 inch lbs

1/2” drive 0-150 ft lbs

Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench BE64C609-0802-47B7-88CB-8E73D724CB44
Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench DD10B8A1-8A7C-4D84-AB6E-0555AEE77CD6
Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench 04E0D02B-1470-4575-A610-42BCB15065DD
 

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hoag4147

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Wanted to put this out there as a big thank you to @Chocolate Thunder for his super generous nature.

I honestly should have the police called on me as I stole these, I reached out to him on his offer and for a meager price and I mean meager I was gifted three wrenches.

I can now at least get things to the proper torque instead of just guessing on how tight things are supposed to be.

1/4” drive 20-200 inch lbs

3/8” drive 120-960 inch lbs

1/2” drive 0-150 ft lbs

Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench 04E0D02B-1470-4575-A610-42BCB15065DD
Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench 04E0D02B-1470-4575-A610-42BCB15065DD
Jeep Wrangler JL Recommend me a torque wrench 04E0D02B-1470-4575-A610-42BCB15065DD
Very nice @Chocolate Thunder :like:
 

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Harbor Freight makes one that goes to 150ft/lbs. or so, that has a double-ended 3/8-1/2 inch sockethead that you pull out and flip to whichever side you need. The benefit is that I can use it as a <150ft/lb breaker bar by flipping it upside-down.

You aren't normally supposed to use torque wrenches to loosen bolts.
 

multicam

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Cool. I just ask because I spent eight years in Army Aviation. We calibrated our torque wrenches every 90 days. Of course we were constantly using them as well.
I used to be a tank commander and was always jealous of the money and resources that went to the Aviation folks. I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.
 

Sgt Beavis

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I used to be a tank commander and was always jealous of the money and resources that went to the Aviation folks. I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.
On the right day, it turns into a 72ton oven. I sat in a powered down M1A2, holy moley that was hot.
 

flyer92

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I figure y’all got everything you needed because if your machine stops working it falls out of the sky and kills people. When my tank stops working it just sits there and turns into a 72 ton paperweight.
.....which is just as dangerous because it becomes a 72-ton stationary target!
 

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flyer92

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I have no idea where to get wrenches calibrated since most hardware stores stopped providing the service years ago. I had an old friend who used to do this professionally in his machine shop, but since he's no longer with us, I'm looking for other alternatives. Been told that local Mac Tools or Snap-On dealers provide a calibration service, but they usually have to send the wrench out to a service facility which can take 3 more more weeks and cost about $100 per wrench (yikes!). Just curious if anyone can share their experience or recommendations on where to get this done.
To update, I eventually found a great resource for this, AND they sell some very nice torque wrenches at a reasonable price: hytorctools.com

A tech literally drives up to your home or other desired location in a mobile testing facility (van), you hand over the wrenches, and they calibrate them on the spot. In my case, I had a new Harbor Freight wrench that was way out of limits and no way to calibrate, so they sold me a much better replacement (with warranty) right out of the van. The tech was super professional and helpful, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. This proved that we have to be really careful about what we're buying from Harbor Freight and other discount stores, and I feel much more comfortable wrenching on my Jeep and other vehicles now. Highly recommended.
 

flyer92

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On the right day, it turns into a 72ton oven. I sat in a powered down M1A2, holy moley that was hot.
So true...been boiled to death in an M113, BFV, 155mm SP howitzer, and an M1A2...and they all suck. Those days made me want to use my jump wings full time instead of just being a 5 jump chump!
 

Sgt Beavis

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So true...been boiled to death in an M113, BFV, 155mm SP howitzer, and an M1A2...and they all suck. Those days made me want to use my jump wings full time instead of just being a 5 jump chump!
On the flip side, the UH-1H gets cold as all hell. I camped in mine during an exercise in Hokkaido. It wasn't even super cold but I froze my Cajun ass off. Would have been worse if I didn't have a cold weather flight suit.

Hot day's aren't so bad since you can have a nice breeze through the cabin.
 

Steve JLUR

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To update, I eventually found a great resource for this, AND they sell some very nice torque wrenches at a reasonable price: hytorctools.com

A tech literally drives up to your home or other desired location in a mobile testing facility (van), you hand over the wrenches, and they calibrate them on the spot. In my case, I had a new Harbor Freight wrench that was way out of limits and no way to calibrate, so they sold me a much better replacement (with warranty) right out of the van. The tech was super professional and helpful, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. This proved that we have to be really careful about what we're buying from Harbor Freight and other discount stores, and I feel much more comfortable wrenching on my Jeep and other vehicles now. Highly recommended.
They drove from Texas to California?
 

flyer92

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They drove from Texas to California?
No...they have franchises all over the country. There's one only a few minutes from my home in CA. Super easy and convenient.
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