Dropped $150 on a cheap torque wrench that was WAY off

I bought a no-name torque wrench off Amazon for like $150 thinking I saved a bunch. First time I used it on my F150's lug nuts, it clicked at like 60 lb-ft when I had it set to 100. Almost trashed my wheel studs before I checked it with a borrowed Snap-On. Anyone else get burned by a cheap torque wrench that lied to you?

2 comments

2 Comments

elliotl242d ago

150 is wild for a no-name brand, I paid like $30 for mine and it was still garbage. Actually the issue is most cheap torque wrenches use a beam or clicker mechanism that gets knocked out of spec easy if you don't store them at zero. I bet yours was sitting at 30 lb-ft in the box for months before you got it, which messes up the internal spring. You can usually recalibrate them yourself with a luggage scale and a vice if you're not ready to drop cash on a Snap-On. Just set the wrench to 100, hang the scale from the handle at exactly 12 inches, and pull until it clicks then check the reading.

bailey.sam1d ago

Man that sucks, I feel your pain. Nothing worse than a tool you trust almost costing you a repair job.