Check your torque wrench!

[Decay]

Took my 1/2 drive o-150 lb no name 20? yr old torque wrench in to check calibration today and it was 25 lbs low!!!
I bought a new one.

 

[Mean Cat]

Took my 1/2 drive o-150 lb no name 20? yr old torque wrench in to check calibration today and it was 25 lbs low!!!
I bought a new one.

Where did you have it checked at ?
I just replaced my old 1 with a new 1.

 

[srtdusty]

You couldn’t adjust the old one or was to far off?

 

[1971demon]

Took my 1/2 drive o-150 lb no name 20? yr old torque wrench in to check calibration today and it was 25 lbs low!!!
I bought a new one.

I took my 110 lb wife for recalibration...she read out 20lbs high...I cant afford to get a new one...

 

[Hunter]

I took my 110 lb wife for recalibration...she read out 20lbs high...I cant afford to get a new one...

Okay,
I will give you that one.
Now,
back to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[Old Mopar Guy]

And where does a one go to have his torque wrench re-certified?

 

[Blickie]

Of course you store your torque wrench at ZERO to unload the spring, right????

 

[Kwalski]

You would be surprised how many brand new torque wrenches are off straight out of the box. You would also be surprised how may tool calibration places are available for checking them. The one local to me is called Trescal.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

I was pleased when my HF torque wrench matched my buddy's Snap On digital +- 1lb when we were doing the lugs on the Cats.
I don't always put it away with the spring unloaded, I use it frequently at 111ft lbs... but I've been told that is good practice.
Recommended calibration is every 5000 cycles or 12 months, whichever comes first. For context, that's only 250 tire changes.

 

[YMMV]

Of course you store your torque wrench at ZERO to unload the spring, right????

Excellent point Blickie. Often over looked by many.

There are torque wrenches that come with certs, but they are of better quality. The cheapie ones usually aren't certified nor would i put any trust in them. I've seen people in this industry use cheap torque wrenches and didn't even know they should be tested/calibrated/certified.

 

[Decay]

Mine was 25lbs low and I store it unsprung.
No idea how long I've had it and it was a no name Harbor freight I think.
Costco tire centers had the calibration device.

Makes me wonder how many launches on under torqued lugnuts I've done..

 

[SilverBillet]

The original instructions on my 45 yr old clicker Craftsman said to store at 20 ft lbs. That’s my lowest setting. I guess I should get it checked.

 

[jroyk]

Most I’ve seen say to store at lowest setting. A digital torque adapter is a good way to check accuracy occasionally.

 

[Stormtrooper1320]

I've worked at many places where our tools were calibrated. We were told by one of the calibration companies to store our torque wrenches in the lower 20% of the range, and not to store them as low as they would go. For clarity, these were torque wrenches that started at 50 ft/lb on the scale, but you could turn them down below that indication. The cal. company told us that if we stored them under the lowest setting, it took some of the preload off of the mechanism inside and would cause the reading to be off after awhile. At the time, we were using Proto torque wrenches, and it cost my company just as much to get our used torque wrenches calibrated as it did to buy a brand new certified torque wrench. My boss decided that he'd rather have new ones than to pay for calibrating something that had been used almost daily for a year. So, each year, there'd be at least 8 used torque wrenches given to whomever wanted them since we replaced them with the new ones. I've followed that persons advice ever since and it seems to work out ok for the random cross checks that I've done over the years.

 

[Old Mopar Guy]

Just checked my 1/2 inch Craftsman Digitorque. Preliminary assessments look like it's clicking off at 27lbs. when the scale pressure I put on it was 20lbs. Way the hell off!!! More testing necessary but I'm not liking where I'm standing. There doesn't appear that I can adjust it. I"ve had it for probably 35 yrs or so.

 

[Blown7]

As a aircraft mechanic our torque wrenches are required to be calibrated every year. ..but then again if it's dropped it should be rechecked.

 

[Jimmy N.]

Recommended calibration is every 5000 cycles or 12 months, whichever comes first. For context, that's only 250 tire changes.

Dang, only 250 tire changes in 12 months? You must be kinder to your rear tires than I am.

 

[motorhead]

Make sure your threads are clean and/or unlubricated; if dirty or lubricated adjust accordingly. Don't just assume the tool is out of calibration, it could be procedural.

 

[AlleyCat]

I took my 110 lb wife for recalibration...she read out 20lbs high...I cant afford to get a new one...

Yeah that tends to happen. But of course we can look in the mirror and maybe see a change or two in ourselves.

 

[Blown7]

Make sure your threads are clean and/or unlubricated; if dirty or lubricated adjust accordingly. Don't just assume the tool is out of calibration, it could be procedural.

Some specifications require lube...some don't. .you have to check the manufacturers specs....for instance ARP requires the use of their moly lube to torque to spec..
Then again very few people how how long to hold the torque wrench to get to spec (5 seconds)
Then again trying to turn the wrench twice to click does nothing. ..
Because you have to figure breakaway torque added to the standard specs...
Very few people even know how to figure breakaway torque. ...