Torque wrench

[8thgenuser]

Can someone recommend a torque wrench for me? I've got an EX sedan. This is my first car with full alloy wheels, so I just want to make sure my lug nuts are properly torqued every once in a while. I suppose I have to pick up some lug nut removers as well to go with the torque wrench, huh?

I don't need a shop quality tool...just one that will get the job done, but isn't one that's gonna break on me after the fifth use, either.

Thanks!

[2RotorMotor]

Originally Posted by 8thgenuser

Can someone recommend a torque wrench for me? I've got an EX sedan. This is my first car with full alloy wheels, so I just want to make sure my lug nuts are properly torqued every once in a while. I suppose I have to pick up some lug nut removers as well to go with the torque wrench, huh?

I don't need a shop quality tool...just one that will get the job done, but isn't one that's gonna break on me after the fifth use, either.

Thanks!

Thats basically a waste of time. The reason being, if you dont plan on retorqing them after you take the car in for a rotation or tire change, then forget it. These guys use impact guns. But if you really do want to, then sears is the best place to buy them because they are pretty cheap and if it breaks you can just go and get it replaced.

Other companys offer lifetime warranty like snap on, but prepare to bend over for one of those.

[Wrathchild]

yeah most of us at my job dont use torque wrenches unless its custom wheels, personly i use the torque sticks (100 ft/lbs). you can find a cheap-o one at sears i think ive seen em at pep boys too. my mac one was close to 200 bucks

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by 2RotorMotor

Thats basically a waste of time. The reason being, if you dont plan on retorqing them after you take the car in for a rotation or tire change, then forget it. These guys use impact guns. But if you really do want to, then sears is the best place to buy them because they are pretty cheap and if it breaks you can just go and get it replaced.

Other companys offer lifetime warranty like snap on, but prepare to bend over for one of those.

A couple of things here.

1. NEVER let them use an impact gun to install lugnuts. I've seen cases (many, actually) where someone was stuck on the side of the road because they couldn't get the lugnuts loose to change a flat tire. The wimpy little lug wrench supplied with the car can't compete with 200+ lb/ft of torque that an impact gun produces.

2. Even if you CAN get the lugnuts loose, using an impact to tighten them increases the likelihood of crossthreading or stripping the nut. Or breaking the wheel stud. I've had both happen to me personally in the past and the tire shops generally have a disclaimer posted saying it isn't their fault. So guess who gets to pay for the fix...

3. Torqueing the wheel improperly can warp the brake rotor.

4. Torque sticks are a close approximation but not terribly accurate.

When I take my car in to be serviced where they'd have to take off a wheel, I specify that they hand-torque the lugnuts and give them the proper torque setting to use. And yes, I'm an a$$ and I stand there and watch to make sure that's what they do. If they come near the car with an impact to reinstall the lugnuts, I'm there before they can get the second one tightened.

Lastly, Sears will replace the beam-type torque wrenches under lifetime warranty - the click wrenches are 1-year warranty only. Given that, I buy mine from Home Depot for $39.99 - same 1-year warranty as Sears at 1/3 the price.

I haven't checked with Snap-On or Mac for years since I got out of the mechanic business but they USED to only have a 1-year warranty on their click-type torque wrenches too. It might be different now. But you're absolutely correct about them bending you over if you buy one.

[twistedframe]

^^ good info everyone of those statements is true. I'm the same way, if for some reason i take my car to a shop i sit there and watch to make sure they don't use an impact to put the lugs back on. When i was in school (UTI) we actually did a test, and yes impact guns can and will warp the rotors even if they are not on their highest settings. Sometimes it warped them so bad they could not even be turned in a lathe, they had to be replaced.

[webby]

great info in here guys - keep it up

[8thgenuser]

Thanks for the great info everyone!

Some of you are scaring me with your stories of ill informed/lazy shop mechanics, though.

[larryd]

Also an FYI that Sears torque wrench is NOT warrantied like the rest of Sears tools are. They don't consider there mechanic tools ie torque wrench and jack warrantied. I've had problems with them in the past.

[twistedframe]

snap on is, thats what i have but i paid out the arse for it.