Torque Wrench Calibration

[DRVMN]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this . . . I have three Craftsman "Click" style torque wrenches, and I'm curious as to how/where I could get them calibrated. They are all probably 15 to 20 years old, and I'm very careful with them. With that being said, is there a place I could take them (or send) to have them calibrated? It would be nice to know they are accurate.

Thanks!

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[Heimkehr]

This company was recommended to me when I made inquiries last year. I didn't request a quote, though, so I can't comment on the price of the service. I just got the sense that I wasn't their primary market, and that the cost might approach the price of the tool itself. Maybe not.

FWIW, a "torque wrench calibration" search returns a variety of DIY methods, to include video content.

 

[Valpo Jeep]

Google suggests $30 to $100 price

 

[Crimpcap]

Google found this place about a hour from you. http://www.precisionmn.com/ Any instrument calibration lab should be able to calibrate your torque wrenches. My employer buys and uses expensive torque wrenches. Seems like we get new ones every year because they can not be calibrated to the manufactures specs.

 

[iklo]

One click and you are done.

 

[LAM]

I was going to suggest using two of them in opposition. Put one of them in a vise, start with the same torque settings, then pull the other until one of them clicks, then adjust the other until the second one clicks. If they both end up clicking near the same settings they are probably accurate although this isn’t an absolute calibration, unless you find one you trust.

 

[Odyssey USA]

I’m playing with the idea of using a Quinn digital torque adapter in a vise and putting my 30 year old Craftsman 150 ft lb torque wrench on it. I think the adjustment is a nut under the cap on the end of the handle. The adapter was tested to supposedly be + or - 1% accurate on a popular tool testing YT channel.

 

[mwilk012]

Just tie weights to the handle 12” from the center of the drive. 1 ft, 50 pounds. 50 ft-lbs.

 

[Eyeball]

One click and you are done.

Since 99% of us are not getting into engine or transmission internals, this will be plenty accurate for what we are doing on our JLs.

 

[DaltonGang]

One click and you are done.

Thank you.
I found a large Snap-On Torque Wrench, on the side of the road, a couple of years ago. All the prices seemed too expensive to recalibrate. I'll give it a go myself now.

 

[Joek]

I do a lot of hospital work that requires up to date calibration on torque wrenches. Company has gone both routes and in all honesty its cheaper to buy new. proof of calibration is exactly that, it does not include repair.

 

[Odyssey USA]

I did an unscientific bench test with the digital Quinn torque adapter set in the vice today. (Got it at Harbor Freight recently) It wanted to move in the vice a little and the vice is on a heavier roll around cart but that’s what I have. The adapter will record and show the last peak torque achieved so it went pretty easy. Anyway, tried the old Craftsman and if the Quinn is +or- 1% then it looks like the Craftsman may be 2-3% off surprisingly. I thought it would be worse than that for being 30 years old. Built my first 350 SBC with that thing lol. I’m careful not to drop it and always promptly put it back down to the lowest setting. That probably helped a lot.

I have a 5 yo Husky brand that goes up to 250 and it came out approximately 2% or less on consistency…consistency, not hitting spec. Set at 105, (per the peak on the digital adapter, not the setting on the torque wrench as I’ll address below) it would “mostly” hit 103-107 with about 20 tries. Gotta be smooth, consistent, and keeping it at a 90° movement in a flat plane for best results it seemed. I’ve never tried to observe that kind of thing before. My plan? Using the Quinn as a calibrator, if I I have to hit 105, looks like I need to add 3 ft lbs to the setting in that ballpark setting range. Usually, torque wrenches like this are more accurate closer to their max setting. The longer Husky was easier to be consistent with the added leverage btw.

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