China freight has really cut back in their deals. No more 20% off coupons or free small flashlights or scissors. I must have 15-20 of the led black flashlights, they are trashy but free.
I added a Lexan windshield and rear window to my Polaris Ranger. The manufacturer specified torquing the screws to 5 ft/lbs to avoid cracking the Lexan from overtightening. They stressed there was no warranty coverage if you cracked the Lexan. The 1/4" torque wrench measures inch/lbs. It was easy to make the conversion and torque the screws. The wrench clicked when it was supposed to and never cracked the Lexan. For me, it was 10 bucks well spent.
China freight has really cut back in their deals. No more 20% off coupons or free small flashlights or scissors. I must have 15-20 of the led black flashlights, they are trashy but free.
Dude I have like 15 of those little blue led work lights in my mudroom catch-all drawer. I actually pull one out from time to time for quickie things. I'm sure half of them the AAA batteries inside are probably now all crusty but hey, you can't beat free light that came with batteries inside too
China freight has really cut back in their deals. No more 20% off coupons or free small flashlights or scissors. I must have 15-20 of the led black flashlights, they are trashy but free.
They definitely are or were trying to go upmarket and shed the image that they sell cheap crappy tools at rock bottom prices. You can see it with all their various branding across product categories, like the Icon line etc. Getting rid of the 5000 page coupon flyer that had the same coupons for years was probably part of that, to escape the image that everything is available for a coupon. Now I see more emails where they have percent off coupons again across whole product categories so obviously they are learning that some people just bite the lure better when they think they are getting a discount or a deal (wink wink y'all!)
Harbor Freight has low prices on low quality items. They do have some better stuff but it's also much more expensive.
The calibration on these cheap torque wrenches is actually relatively good, the problem with them is that they often fail to reliably produce a noticeable click which can quickly lead to broken bolts and stripped threads.
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I get it, that most people do not use torque wrenches a lot, but once you do and get a feel for about what a specific torque feels like, you pretty much know when something is screwed up.
The 18" handle on this version is going to require a reasonable effort for most people at 90 to 100lbs that fit the majority of vehicle lug nuts. Nevertheless, the + or - 4% is just kind of in the ball park for jobs that require precision such as rebuilding an engine, For precision work, I would consider better equipment, or at least something to compare this to for accuracy.
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from conan1201
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I've got a torque wrench in each of my cars so I can torque down my tires after a rotation or god forbid a flat. These are so cheap and good enough better to just have it on hand where I need it.
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Absolutely! Last week I was at Firestone getting a front end alignment and wheels balanced because I purchased lifetime for both. They use Snap On torque wrenches for all their stores under a national contract. I know the manager and we got to talking about how often they were tested and just curious, we tested four with one so far out from the other three, it needed to be returned to Snap On for repairs/recalibration.
So, how many vehicles left that place with lug nuts not torqued correctly? Who knows, but some were and the tech should have known from experience. Years ago, a Good Year store did not torque lug nuts correctly and I got a wobble on an exit ramp that when checking, three lugs were missing and the rest were quite loose. Those are just personal examples to check your own.
These are GED - good enough diploma.
They work fine if you're OK with +/- 5-10 ft/lbs.
Testing has proven that they are not seriously lagging behind (if at all) the "cheap/sub $50" torque wrenches in accuracy, including those from Tekton etc that people typ. get. The Tekton (and other generic/rebadged Taiwanese torque wrences of that family/design) do have a notably better finish - if this is what you care for. All of the above are far, far preferable to going by feel, at least for the back-yard/home garage mechanics that "think" they know much more than they actually do.
I had no issues using either the 1/2" and 3/8" HFT versions.
For more accurate applications, I do have a digital "non-clicking" 3/8 tool and the 1/2" Quinn torque adapter that I am pretty happy with, but in general, I like the simpler operation of the click-torque wrenches provide.
I bought all three sizes years ago for $10 apiece. The reviews back then were pretty positive for accuracy. For my needs, they have worked very well, never failing to click. It's important to store them when done with the torque setting set back to zero to relieve the tension on the spring. I do agree with the other poster who said they are hard to read. I'll have to try the nail polish trick.
[Edit] If you are going to buy one, before leaving the parking lot or, better yet, in the store, check the torque adjustment for turning smoothly. A few can have a pretty gritty feeling. Pick a different one that turns nicely
Agre with this 1000%. I owned the 1/2 for about a year. Spring seized up despite always being stores at the lowest setting as recommended. Exchanged it but went through a few to test for issues. Most wouldn't go past the 150 ft/lbs mark.
As others have said, don't use this for anything needing exact. They are better used for "close enough".
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Dude I have like 15 of those little blue led work lights in my mudroom catch-all drawer. I actually pull one out from time to time for quickie things. I'm sure half of them the AAA batteries inside are probably now all crusty but hey, you can't beat free light that came with batteries inside too
They definitely are or were trying to go upmarket and shed the image that they sell cheap crappy tools at rock bottom prices. You can see it with all their various branding across product categories, like the Icon line etc. Getting rid of the 5000 page coupon flyer that had the same coupons for years was probably part of that, to escape the image that everything is available for a coupon. Now I see more emails where they have percent off coupons again across whole product categories so obviously they are learning that some people just bite the lure better when they think they are getting a discount or a deal (wink wink y'all!)
The calibration on these cheap torque wrenches is actually relatively good, the problem with them is that they often fail to reliably produce a noticeable click which can quickly lead to broken bolts and stripped threads.
I get it, that most people do not use torque wrenches a lot, but once you do and get a feel for about what a specific torque feels like, you pretty much know when something is screwed up.
The 18" handle on this version is going to require a reasonable effort for most people at 90 to 100lbs that fit the majority of vehicle lug nuts. Nevertheless, the + or - 4% is just kind of in the ball park for jobs that require precision such as rebuilding an engine, For precision work, I would consider better equipment, or at least something to compare this to for accuracy.
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Absolutely! Last week I was at Firestone getting a front end alignment and wheels balanced because I purchased lifetime for both. They use Snap On torque wrenches for all their stores under a national contract. I know the manager and we got to talking about how often they were tested and just curious, we tested four with one so far out from the other three, it needed to be returned to Snap On for repairs/recalibration.
So, how many vehicles left that place with lug nuts not torqued correctly? Who knows, but some were and the tech should have known from experience. Years ago, a Good Year store did not torque lug nuts correctly and I got a wobble on an exit ramp that when checking, three lugs were missing and the rest were quite loose. Those are just personal examples to check your own.
They work fine if you're OK with +/- 5-10 ft/lbs.
I had no issues using either the 1/2" and 3/8" HFT versions.
For more accurate applications, I do have a digital "non-clicking" 3/8 tool and the 1/2" Quinn torque adapter that I am pretty happy with, but in general, I like the simpler operation of the click-torque wrenches provide.
PITTSBURGH 1/2 In. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench:
https://www.harborfreig
PITTSBURGH 3/8 In. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench:
https://www.harborfreig
PITTSBURGH 1/4 In. Drive Click Type Torque Wrench:
https://www.harborfreig
More Coupons (valid until Feb 6th):
https://www.harborfreig
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[Edit] If you are going to buy one, before leaving the parking lot or, better yet, in the store, check the torque adjustment for turning smoothly. A few can have a pretty gritty feeling. Pick a different one that turns nicely
Agre with this 1000%. I owned the 1/2 for about a year. Spring seized up despite always being stores at the lowest setting as recommended. Exchanged it but went through a few to test for issues. Most wouldn't go past the 150 ft/lbs mark.
As others have said, don't use this for anything needing exact. They are better used for "close enough".