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BeigeCemetery6723 50.7K Views
Oct 2, 2024 12:04 PM

Pittsburgh Pro Click Torque Wrench (1/2", 1/4" or 3/8" Drive Wrench)

$12

$20

40% off
+ $7 Flat-Rate S/Hat Harbor Freight
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Harbor Freight has select Pittsburgh Pro Click Torque Wrench (1/2", 1/4" or 3/8" Drive Wrench) on sale for $11.99 after coupon code 12827635 (apply at checkout). Shipping is a flat-rate $6.99, otherwise, you may purchase this in store to save on shipping fees w/ this in-store coupon.

Thanks to community member BeigeCemetery6723 for finding this deal

Note, must apply the listed coupon code in cart for discount to apply.

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Written by Discombobulated | Staff
  • Must apply the listed coupon code for discount to apply
  • Check inventory for this product at a store near you
  • Lifetime warranty is included w/ purchase
  • Limit of 3 per customer
  • Offer valid through October 13, 2024 or while promotional offer last
Additional Notes
  • Please see original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by BeigeCemetery6723
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Harbor Freight has select Pittsburgh Pro Click Torque Wrench (1/2", 1/4" or 3/8" Drive Wrench) on sale for $11.99 after coupon code 12827635 (apply at checkout). Shipping is a flat-rate $6.99, otherwise, you may purchase this in store to save on shipping fees w/ this in-store coupon.

Thanks to community member BeigeCemetery6723 for finding this deal

Note, must apply the listed coupon code in cart for discount to apply.

Qualifying Item(s)

Editor's Notes

Written by Discombobulated | Staff
  • Must apply the listed coupon code for discount to apply
  • Check inventory for this product at a store near you
  • Lifetime warranty is included w/ purchase
  • Limit of 3 per customer
  • Offer valid through October 13, 2024 or while promotional offer last
Additional Notes
  • Please see original post for additional details & give the WIKI and additional forum comments a read for helpful discussion - Discombobulated

Original Post

Written by BeigeCemetery6723

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Top Comments

Is2r
254Comments
156Reputation
Last week I torqued a bolt head off cause the torque never clicked. I tested the wrench after and it was faulty. Warrantied it no problem, but I'll never trust it for anything with low specs.
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Hoban_Washburne
31Comments
14Reputation
I have all three sizes. As others have said, I wouldn't trust them with anything fragile, but the 1/2 works decent enough for torqueing larger stuff like lug nuts, and I use the 3/8 for my oil drain plug. The thing I dislike most about these, and what might be a possible reason so many of them get returned, is that the click on the 1/4 and 3/8 sizes can be very subtle. It's not a nice crisp click. You'll feel it click more than hear it. I actually returned one because of that. It wasn't clicking so I thought it was defective, but that just seems to be the way they are, because the replacement I got did the same thing.
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Selman
4.3KComments
1.7KReputation
In most cases, hand tight is fine, but your mechanic sucks if he thinks that is always acceptable. There have been some head designs that are known to shoot plugs out stripping the threads with it if not torqued correctly. A mechanic that isn't aware of that and not using correct torque specs is negligent.
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112 Comments

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Pro
Oct 3, 2024 3:30 PM
3.3K Comments
Joined Sep 2011
E4300
Pro
Oct 3, 2024 3:30 PM
3.3K Comments
Quote from jewpowered View quoted comment :
I have the opposite experience, the smaller the torque wrench the more accurate and sensitive it needs to be, HF 1/4 torque wrenches have been entirely problematic for me and have resulted in multiple failures for me
Need to watch for the head breaking away from the beam when working with the 1/4" wrench at lower torque setting. The click is barely audible. Stick to beam torque wrench when working with precision torque requirement under 4 ft-lbs.
Oct 3, 2024 3:39 PM
4.3K Comments
Joined Jul 2010
SelmanOct 3, 2024 3:39 PM
4.3K Comments
Quote from Is2r View quoted comment :
Last week I torqued a bolt head off cause the torque never clicked. I tested the wrench after and it was faulty. Warrantied it no problem, but I'll never trust it for anything with low specs.
I always test the wrench at lower settings to verify a click before going up to spec.

These wrenches work well, but they are finicky to setup, and if you do it wrong, they don't click. That's why they have such mixed opinions.
Oct 3, 2024 3:42 PM
4.3K Comments
Joined Jul 2010
SelmanOct 3, 2024 3:42 PM
4.3K Comments
Quote from leechungsr View quoted comment :
It's really difficult to overtorque plugs unless you're a caveman yanking the sh@t out of it. People stressing over exact ft lbs ... What if their wrench reads low and they're going under? That would be more of a concern.

Whenever I buy a used car the plugs are on the checklist to inspect and the last Toyota I bought had plugs that were backed out a few full turns. That could have been catastrophic.

My mechanic says make it hand tight and don't yank on it. He's been doing it that way for 30yrs and never had an issue. That's a much larger sample size than any at home mechanic...
In most cases, hand tight is fine, but your mechanic sucks if he thinks that is always acceptable. There have been some head designs that are known to shoot plugs out stripping the threads with it if not torqued correctly. A mechanic that isn't aware of that and not using correct torque specs is negligent.
2
Oct 3, 2024 3:58 PM
774 Comments
Joined Feb 2016
jeff11214Oct 3, 2024 3:58 PM
774 Comments
I think 1/2 wrench is suitable for mower blade bolt, 40lbs torque. Price is right.
Oct 3, 2024 4:00 PM
2.2K Comments
Joined Nov 2017
twiggy_alien_manOct 3, 2024 4:00 PM
2.2K Comments
Quote from leechungsr View quoted comment :
It's really difficult to overtorque plugs unless you're a caveman yanking the sh@t out of it. People stressing over exact ft lbs ... What if their wrench reads low and they're going under? That would be more of a concern.

Whenever I buy a used car the plugs are on the checklist to inspect and the last Toyota I bought had plugs that were backed out a few full turns. That could have been catastrophic.

My mechanic says make it hand tight and don't yank on it. He's been doing it that way for 30yrs and never had an issue. That's a much larger sample size than any at home mechanic...
Just because somebody has been doing something a certain way for 30 years doesn't mean they've been doing it right all along...
2
Oct 3, 2024 4:05 PM
3.8K Comments
Joined Jul 2009
kenstogieOct 3, 2024 4:05 PM
3.8K Comments
harbor freight...when close enough is close enough.....
4
Oct 3, 2024 4:10 PM
491 Comments
Joined Jul 2023
78StayUpLateOct 3, 2024 4:10 PM
491 Comments
Quote from leechungsr View quoted comment :
It's really difficult to overtorque plugs unless you're a caveman yanking the sh@t out of it. People stressing over exact ft lbs ... What if their wrench reads low and they're going under? That would be more of a concern.

Whenever I buy a used car the plugs are on the checklist to inspect and the last Toyota I bought had plugs that were backed out a few full turns. That could have been catastrophic.

My mechanic says make it hand tight and don't yank on it. He's been doing it that way for 30yrs and never had an issue. That's a much larger sample size than any at home mechanic...
I will agree, in so far as, I typically don't use a torque wrench on spark plugs and have never had an issue one way or the other.

Spark plugs backed out a few full turns? Sorry, but I don't even find that claim believable. It seems unlikely that anyone would install them that loosely and I can't see them working themselves that loose either. At minimum, you are exaggerating.

Wouldn't be catastrophic if one of the plugs lost contact, you'd just have a misfire and the check engine light come on. More catastrophic if a brake fastener was undertorqued.

But where I mostly disagree with you is the suggesting that reading low is worse than reading high. If the wrench reads high, you can strip threads, cause galling, make fasteners difficult to remove, possibly need to replace the part with female threads if a helicoil wasn't sufficient to repair damage. If you under torque, you just need to check the torque again after 500 or 1000 or whatever arbitrary mileage and verify that they haven't loosened up (you should do this anyway). If they did loosen up, then retighten and check again. If they loosen up again, retighten but this time go a bit tighter. Wash, rinse, repeat until they hold proper clamping force.

Undertightening is only problematic if you don't check and verify down the road. Overtightening can ruin something on the first go. The only place where I'd be concerned about under torquing is with brakes.. but even with things like brakes and lug nuts, you should have audible indications before failure which would give you a heads up to pull over and double check your fasteners.

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Oct 3, 2024 4:15 PM
75 Comments
Joined Oct 2024
MagentaRaccoon2930Oct 3, 2024 4:15 PM
75 Comments
Quote from somedude922 View quoted comment :
I have the HF 1/4" one and my 1/2" is a Tekton. Big difference. I figured the 1/4" is good for inch lbs and should stay accurate. I definitely would not trust a 1/2" HF wrench.
I've had the 1/2" for 20 years maybe. Never been calibrated, still within spec compared to my brothers HF 1/2" as well as my father-in-laws craftsman digital torque wrench. Then again, I know how to maintain them while most people probably don't. You have to follow the correct procedure before and after using it each and every time.
1
Oct 3, 2024 4:20 PM
491 Comments
Joined Jul 2023
78StayUpLateOct 3, 2024 4:20 PM
491 Comments

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Quote from masterazn4 View quoted comment :
If I'm not mistaken... for the accuracy part if the wrench, the minimum should be 20% of the maximum range. As an rule of thumb
The wrenches will usually state a range in their specs, sometimes it's 20% minimum but I've seen it lower. My rule of thumb is to avoid the bottom 20% of the range and the top 10% of the range (manufacturers rarely state to avoid the top of the range). This is a carryover from when I was in the nuclear Navy, that was their allowable range.
1
Oct 3, 2024 4:46 PM
444 Comments
Joined Nov 2011
SuperdawgOct 3, 2024 4:46 PM
444 Comments
The 1/2 is great for lugs. Been using mine for years, with no issues. Fairly accurate. My friend likes to crank his with a 1/2" breaker bar, then wonders why his bearings go, and the rotor takes a half hour to hammer off. Just make sure you retorque after about 3-5 days, cause it's +-3% usually, and the second torque ensures they're snug.
Oct 3, 2024 5:03 PM
779 Comments
Joined Jul 2020
MattacksOct 3, 2024 5:03 PM
779 Comments
Quote from Selman View quoted comment :
In most cases, hand tight is fine, but your mechanic sucks if he thinks that is always acceptable. There have been some head designs that are known to shoot plugs out stripping the threads with it if not torqued correctly. A mechanic that isn't aware of that and not using correct torque specs is negligent.
Torque is used as an approximation for clamping force. The relationship isn't exact and is affected by various factors including the condition of the threads, the materials used, any lubricant, etc .. Stripping threads out is caused by the clamping force exceeding the ability of the threads to sustain that force. Any experienced technician will be able to feel this more accurately then the torque. Most torques are set somewhat arbitrarily. The exception to this in the case of spark plugs comes with direct injection engines, where the electrode has to be properly indexed with the plug gap facing the injector.
Oct 3, 2024 5:11 PM
100 Comments
Joined Apr 2017
RicardoS9305Oct 3, 2024 5:11 PM
100 Comments
I've used my HF torque set for many years on countless cars without a single issue. Not sure if the quality has changed over time, but I also treat them like fragile instruments, I don't bang on them, and have not dropped one. I always set the setting back to zero, and return them back to their case. I also have an ACDelco torque adapter, and Gearwrench 3/8 digital torque that I compare to every once in a while, and they've all stayed calibrated.
1
Oct 3, 2024 5:14 PM
4.3K Comments
Joined Jul 2010
SelmanOct 3, 2024 5:14 PM
4.3K Comments
Quote from Mattacks View quoted comment :
Torque is used as an approximation for clamping force. The relationship isn't exact and is affected by various factors including the condition of the threads, the materials used, any lubricant, etc .. Stripping threads out is caused by the clamping force exceeding the ability of the threads to sustain that force. Any experienced technician will be able to feel this more accurately then the torque. Most torques are set somewhat arbitrarily. The exception to this in the case of spark plugs comes with direct injection engines, where the electrode has to be properly indexed with the plug gap facing the injector.
Several wrong assumptions in the cases I'm discussing. The insufficient torque allows the plug to back out. Once the force of engine compression exceeds the strength of the fewer threads holding onto the plug, it shoots out. A specific example is when the non-DI Honda Fit with 13 ft-lbs. of recommended torque suffered many failed heads to the point that Honda, not arbitrarily at all mind you, increased the torque spec to 20 ft-lbs. Knowing that there was the issue, and that Honda significantly increased the desired torque to prevent head failure, you'd have to be a pretty stupid or apathetic mechanic not to just pick up the torque wrench if you had one.
Last edited by Selman October 3, 2024 at 10:36 AM.
Oct 3, 2024 5:19 PM
492 Comments
Joined Nov 2012
agentsteveOct 3, 2024 5:19 PM
492 Comments
I've had all 3 wrenches this set for about 10 years. They all still work fine as far as I can tell. Probably wouldn't use it to build the internals of an engine, but for routine stuff like lug nuts, oil drain plugs, etc it works great.

This is about what they cost 10 years ago on sale too, this price is an absolute steal.
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Oct 3, 2024 5:26 PM
219 Comments
Joined Mar 2019
Ssj3jonathanOct 3, 2024 5:26 PM
219 Comments
I'm in for two. Now waiting on their jack stands to go on sale the 11th
Last edited by Ssj3jonathan October 3, 2024 at 03:22 PM.
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