any suggestions on one that is accurate but won't break the bank? thanks.

Craftsman

I agree go with a craftsman good stuff

Depending on the size of your bank, here's some nice Proto dial torque wrenches to look at I prefer Proto over other brands because of their uncompromised accuracy

http://www.protoolsd...t.asp?sku=24340
http://www.protoolsd...t.asp?sku=24341
http://www.protoolsd...t.asp?sku=24344

Craftsman.

Craftsman. They were on sale recently for $59.99 plus another 10% off if you were a Craftsman Club member. I bought an in-lb one to add to my collection. Lifetime warranty, available everywhere. Snap-On makes better tools, but they are expensive.

Keith

looks like a common cosensus here. i just got back from sears. guess i'll be going back tomorrow! thanks for the advice guys.

On the Craftsman torque wrench......the warranty is for only 90 days and not the Lifetime Warranty most of Craftsman tools have. I broke a 10mm socket and my Craftsman torque wrench where the plastic piece moves to adj. the torgue pounds. I just did this Monday(went to Sears)and got the 10mm socket(free)and only 90 days on their torque wrenchs.
The Torgue wrench stills works, but you have to hold that piece from moving or I will get a wrong torgue amount.

I have a $250 Snap On that works great and is accurate as hell (My Snap On dealer had it calibrated for me). I also have two that I bought out of JC Whitney or Harbor Freight as a kid. They are pretty accurate when compared to the Snap On, but the internal ratcheting mechanism is MUSH better on the Snap On than all the others...Including Craftsman. I just started converting to all Snap On, they may be more costly but they are stronger and dont break. Check out Snap On's website...

http://www.snap-on.com

My dad is a mechanic and deals with snap-on and I agree the tools are expensive. My dad just got a digital torque wrench that beeps, vibrates and both if you want it to and works in every measurement around. I know it wasn't cheap but if you have the money it was worth it. I guess I luck out cuzz i can use all his tools.

I have used various Craftsman torque wrenches and still do. I found I was using the torque wrench mostly 16 to 45 ft/lb range. I bought myself the Snap On ($200) as this is the only precision tool that I commonly use short of a feeler gauge. I figured, if you are going to take the time to torque something to the correct setting, better have a tool that is certified and tested for accuracy.
I still use the larger craftsman torque wrenches for clutch and axle nuts on Ducati's. These require settings in the 110 to 120 ft/lb range.
The majority of my tools are Craftsman, but I do tend to indulge myself with Snap On for tools that I use frequently.

I have a snap-on that broke the head off at 65 ft lbs
It is supposed to be up to 75 ft lbs
The Sanp-on man didnt want to warranty it!
It took the A**Hole 3 months of me hounding him for a replacement, before I finnaly got it back! GOOD LUCK
I found a way around sears 90 day thing. Go in and buy the new replacement, then take back the broken one for a refund.

Randy

I have an extremely nice Craftsman that cost less that $40.

Hey good idea LowCo!!
Thanks.........just hope they did not change the looks of it.

I got a craftsman. Good and not too expensive. I've had it about 2 or 3 years. As good as when I bought it.

I use a snap-on at work cause thats what the boss bought. Its been worked on twice in about 2 years.

I have Snap-on and Craftsman. I like the Snap-on better but I have never had any trouble with the Craftsman. I think my 1/2" crft was $80 and the 3/8" was $60. I use those in my tool box for the track and leave the snap-ons home nice and warm in the rollaway.

if you were using a torque wrench on a regular basis i would definitely go with snap-on, they are a better built and more user friendly tool than craftsman, and have a lifetime warranty. but for the occasional use the craftsman should do fine and is much cheaper, you could probably buy 3 or 4 for the price of one snap-on. good luck....-jamie p.s. you still hanging with your sis on her vor....lol

If you get a click type torque wrench, make sure to store it at zero foot pounds (without internal tension), otherwise it will loose its calibration. Also, do not drop it or it will loose calibration.

Here's some interesting tidbits about tools:

Lowes sells a line of mechanics tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On. Even though Snap-On makes Kobalt, they are of different designs, different material and are heat treated differently. Home Depot's Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky tools are also good and have a good lifetime warranty (they'll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky). Up until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Stanley also owns MAC Tools and manufactures MAC tools in the same plants. MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to 1994) Craftsman Tools are all made at the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors). There are other minor players in the tool business here in the USA, but Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On are the three biggest.

Whatever wrench you get, remember that it is most accurate in the "middle range". A 125# wrench is most accurate 45 to 65 ft pounds. A 50# wrench is most accurate at 15 to 35 ft pounds. DO NOT use a 200 ft pound wrench for head bolts and such. It is not accurate at those readings!! The one I use is a BluePoint(SnapOn) Dial wrench. No Clicks, beeps or any of the other features. One of the nice things about using a name brand(Snapon, Mac, matco) is they offer a free or low cost re-calibration.

of course i'd like snap on, but they're a bit expensive. and jamie, you know i can't hang with the mighty vor! lol. FFR, what # wrench do you use for most of your crf stuff?