Can someone help recommend a basic torque wrench to use around a car for simple jobs and any other basic non-auto usage that might come up later?

I brought a Motordyne M370 and watched a DIY install video. It looks scary but looks doable and I get the satisfaction of doing it myself. Only other usage after this is maybe use it to torque the wheels. I have never worked on a car so I don't need an expensive torque wrench.

I see different torque range, as well as size. By choosing, say 3/8 versus 1/2 inch, will that limit me or maybe by choosing 1/2 inch, a socket might cost little more for example. Can someone enlighten me, thank you.


Neiko 3/8-inch Dr, 10-100 Foot/Pounds $59.99

Neiko 3/8-inch Dr, 15-80 Foot/Pounds $49.99

TEKTON 24320 1/4-Inch , 20-200-Inch/Pound $36.72

Neiko 1/2-inch Dr, 20-150 Foot/Pounds $34.99

Neiko 3/8-inch Dr, 10-80 Foot/Pounds $29.99

 

Exact torque specs are only important on certain things. Not that many. Never use it as a breaker bar and always set it back to 0 after use when storing it and it will stay accurate longer.

Choose them based on the drive size of the sockets you'll use most often. 3/8" will be good for most things you'll do with it. If you use it for smaller precision fasteners with low torque requirements get a 1/4" drive wrench that measures in inch pounds. If you use it on heavier large fasteners, get a 1/2" drive. If you have a tight budget, you can get by with inexpensive ones and replace them more often. Harbor Freight often has them for $10-15. I have some and they aren't bad for general use. But right now Sears has some pretty good Craftsman ones on sale for $40.

 

Take BB's advice. I got a Craftsman 3/8 drive from Sears when they had a sale. Was like $32 for one that usually sells for $60+

 

I have a Craftsman 3/8" and a 1/2". They work just fine for what most people have a need for.

 

I went to harbor freight yesterday. Picked up a 3/8 torque wrench & a breaker bar. Plus basically a dremel (to install the gen 3), grease can for the away bars &...a machete cause it was $5.00. Quality isn't that great, but right now I'm on a budget. They will work for me right now & when they break (cause I'm sure they will) I will buy better ones & exchange the wrenches at harbor freight (lifetime guarantee on hand tools) & sell them to a buddy or on eBay for like $5, but brand new.

I have a 400+ piece craftsman mechanics set I really like, but if you can afford & have a mechanic friend, go with snap on.

Also, might buy the tekton (I think) 1/2 torque wrench from amazon too, just because it goes from 20-250lbs. & it's only 60

 

lol that sums up Harbor Freight pretty well. Whenever I order from there, I think...yeah, may as well buy a machete while I'm at it.

 

I got this one a few weeks ago when it was $36 on sale:
Sears.com

Just used it to put wheels back on after a brake job and it worked fine. It's only 75 ft lb but I'm sure it's close enough to the standard 80 ft lb that the wheels won't come off.

 

Lol, it was $5, couldn't help it

 

1/2" craftsman for me, had it for about 20 yrs.

 

I bought a 1/2" drive Husky from Home Depot. I probably over paid for it, but as long as I get years of use out of it I'm okay with it. I only use it for lug nuts. Any time my wheels come off, whether at the dealership or if I did it I always try to bring the lugs back to 80-85. I recently had tires put on y car and the shop that installed them used a impact gun to put the lugs back on and they were torqued well over 100. It took a really long metal pipe over a breaker bar to get them loosened.

 

I don't trust any shops w/ my wheels, I'll put my car on jack stands and load the tires in my truck to have new tires mounted. I've specifically told shops to refrain from air tools and most just look the other way, Discount Tire is really bad about that IME.

 

Thanks everyone. Looks like driver size dont really matters . I had the impression that it will limit you in some way.

Whats the torque range I should get? 10-80, 20-150..etc. Its for very light car maint. duty, ie rotate tires and maybe one day change my own oil.

 

Agreed. If I didn't have to have my tpms switched over I would have had the shop just mount the tires and then I would have done the rest myself.

I would get the 20-150. I believe the torque for out lug nuts is 80, I usually do 85 just to be sure. The one I have is 50-250, here is the link.

Husky 1/2 in. Click Torque Wrench-H2DTW at The Home Depot

 

Yep^^ I torque to 85 on lugs too, when I had spacers they were to 80 ft. lbs.
I wouldn't get a torque wrench that maxes out at 80 ft. lbs. there's quite a few parts that require torque well over 80, one that goes to 150 should
be plenty.

 

Thanks again, will get 20-150 torque wrench.