Tried a torque wrench from Snap-on versus the cheap one from the truck sale...

I always used the budget torque wrench from the truck sale, figured they all do the same job. Last month I borrowed a Snap-on from a coworker to torque some cylinder head bolts on a 172. The difference in feel was night and day, the Snap-on clicked way more precisely and I didn't second guess each bolt. That cheap wrench had me over-torquing by at least 5 ft-lbs each time without knowing it. Has anyone else had a similar wakeup call with a tool upgrade, or is it just me?

3 comments

3 Comments

henderson.wesley11d ago

Man I feel this so hard my wallet is still crying. I used one of those no name torque wrenches from the parts store for years thinking I was a pro. Then I did the head gasket on my buddy's old 350 and found out my "60 ft-lbs" was actually like 73 on two bolts same spot. Felt like a total idiot when the Snap-on guy at the shop laughed at me and showed me the difference. Now I just pretend the cheap one is a really expensive breaker bar and keep it in the dark corner of my toolbox where it can't hurt anyone else.

felix_lane9911d ago

73 on two different bolts in the same spot sounds more like a technique issue than the torque wrench being off. Probably had some thread lube or dirt in those holes. Cheap wrenches drift over time but they usually stay consistent across a single session.

dakotawood2d ago

...and that's exactly how I felt when I realized my "20 ft-lbs" was actually more like "ehh, feels tight enough." Tbh, I've got a torque wrench from a gas station special that I'm pretty sure is just a glorified breaker bar now. I still keep it in the box, but only for when I need to scare a bolt into submission. Honestly, the Snap-on guy at my shop still gives me the side eye when I walk in, like he knows I'm one bad torque spec away from another confession.

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