HarborFreight torque wrenches

[BigBear]

Anyone using Harborfreight torque wrenches?

 

Any opinions one way or the other?

 

Thanks!

[tibadoe]

I have both the inch pounds and ft pounds wrenches from HF. Works good for messing around on my small engine stuff. If I was using them full time I would go for a better quality one tho.

[Squidley]

If your truly concerned about correct torque settings, dont waste your money on any HF wrench. Torque wrenches, even good ones, require calibrating from time to time. If you drop it once, it's out of cal. Personally I would go with a better quality wrench and have a bit more piece of mind

[BigBear]

Squidley;

 

That's the dilema...roughly $125 per torque wrench (both inch & ft pds) for something that I will probably use twice a year....

 

If I was a full-time mechanic, I would WANT better stuff than Harbor Freight!

 

But...I DO believe in "Quality"...hence the question!

[Yammer Dan]

I use the HF ones. If I were turning wrenches for a living might get something else.

[royalstarjac]

I use a HF. For my use it seems ok but who knows for sure unless you take it to a calibration lab? Even with an expensive one your trusting the manufacturer.

 

There are methods of roughly checking one. Clamp the handle in a vise and hang some weight from the socket end.

[rjg1985]

I have a HF 3/8 drive in ft/lb. My brother took it to the QC dept. of the machining company he works for and had them check it and it was with in 2 ft/lbs. all through the range of the settings. For as much as I will be using it that is close enough for me.

[BigBear]

Excellent data! Thanks!

 

For under $20, and a margin of calibration error (+/- 4%), the HF torque wrenches are looking pretty good!

 

Even if I were to drop one, I could buy three more before I reach the price of a Sears torque wrench!

 

Thanks for all of the comment!

 

As usual, you guys rock!

 

[Flyinfool]

According to the QC department here at work, My HF 3/8 drive is more accurate than my very expensive Snap On 1/2 inch drive.

As was mentioned above, the hf was within 2 lb/ft across the range and the Snap on was within 5 lbs across the range. With both set to the same value the HF beat the snap on.

[GOODWRENCH]

I would not build engines with them, but for wheels and basic thing I think their ok.