Torque Wrench Repair

[mjrob]

Find a guy driving a Snap-on truck and see if he'll replace it. That link says they're warranted for their "usable life."

Don't tell him where you got it.

 

[ams511]

Find a guy driving a Snap-on truck and see if he'll replace it. That link says they're warranted for their "usable life."

Don't tell him where you got it.

Thanks for pointing that out. Reading that I don't think it matters where I got it.

---------- Post added April 8th, 2014 at 05:57 PM ----------

I have a number of these, in ranges up to 1200 ft lbs. they are all basically the same. I drill the rivets that hold the case together, and clean and lubricate the gears inside the case. While the case is apart, put the square head in a vise and make sure the gears work through the whole range of motion. I often find lint, scunge, or drek in the works. I use graphite or bike chain lube in the works, then I rivet the 2 halves back together.

the navy threw them away when they failed cal. I rescued them, and have used them now for 30 years.

Actually this wrench has screws holding the case together. I did look at the manual and they said to pop out the plug under the wrench but that plug metal and I have no clue how to pop it out.

 

[The Chairman]

I own a lot of Snap On, and it does matter who bought it originally. My go-to torque wrenches are 1/2" and 3/8" Snap-On and look like this:

It uses a torsion bar, rather than a spring to set it. It's important that you store torque wrenches at their lowest setting, especially if it's relying on a spring for the "click". Once it goes "out", you have to have it recalibrated by the OEM and often the spring has to be replaced.

Many people treat torque wrenches as if they are somehow magical and impart craftsmanship to any job. I've seen a number of them get over-used by well meaning people. Just because a fastener has a torque value, does not mean you need to use a torque wrench on it. To be clear, all fasteners have a torque value. Torque wrenches insure an even distribution of fastener pressure. In that regard, a cylinder head, a wheel and even a flywheel should be torqued. Uneven pressure can and will cause warpage and that may result in vibrations or failure. Another reason to torque is to achieve a specific pressure. It's a good thing to torque any fastener that requires anything over 40 ft/lb, less than 40 in/lb or anytime a torque wrench is specified in the repair procedure.

Overkill on using a torque wrench would be on most fasteners. Take a simple hose connection. It has a torque spec, but there is no way to distort the o-rings on either end. A firm twist is all you need. Tight enough so it doesn't back off, but not so tight that it stretches the hollow fastener.

 

[oldschoolto]

I always use max torque.... Torque till stripped, Then back off 1/4 turn....

Jim...

 

[RonixWarrior]

It costs me about $45.00 to get my tq wrench calibrated annually, at a certified lab. If it fails cal. And cant be put back into calibration, it is no longer a torque wrench. If your task requires specified torque, it is good to use a certified tool for the job. This is particularly true if you think you might be over-torquing.

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