torque wrench

[93XLEcamry]

its probably been post before, and i searched it but it doesnt say for the gen3, so i was wondering what is the best, but not too pricey (i know u get what u pay for) torque wrench for the gen 3

i mean do i get the 1/2 or 3/8 drive, ect....

and which torque wrench should i get...with the feet per lb thing...20-150 or 20-300...ect...

thanks, and if you found that this has already been posted...dont flame me plz

[frenum49]

If you are not a mechanic and will only be using the wrench for the occasional small repair job I wouldnt spend much more than $100. Ratcheting, 3/8" drive. 10-100 ftlbs should be fine.

[haux]

I bought two torque wrenches at Harbor Freight. $15 each. 1/2 and 3/8. One goes up to 90 ft lbs, the other 150. So unfortunately, neither of them are good for axle nuts. But they were cheap.

You may only need one though. Maybe one good one that goes up to 250 ft lbs? Because you can always buy "1/2 to 3/8" or "3/8 to 1/2" adapters. Or even 3/8 to 1/4, etc.

If you'd like a cheap one, check if there's a Harbor Freight near you.

[frenum49]

Originally Posted by haux

I bought two torque wrenches at Harbor Freight. $15 each. 1/2 and 3/8. One goes up to 90 ft lbs, the other 150. So unfortunately, neither of them are good for axle nuts. But they were cheap.

You may only need one though. Maybe one good one that goes up to 250 ft lbs? Because you can always buy "1/2 to 3/8" or "3/8 to 1/2" adapters. Or even 3/8 to 1/4, etc.

If you'd like a cheap one, check if there's a Harbor Freight near you.

I disagree. If you are buying one wrench it needs to be sensitive enough for light torque apps. If you buy a wrench that goes to 250 ftlbs it will be 1/2" drive and will be inaccurate for light torque situations. Small fasteners will pull out aluminum threads very easily. I would rather have a wrench accurate between 8-40 ftlbs than 40-150.

[haux]

Originally Posted by frenum49

I disagree. If you are buying one wrench it needs to be sensitive enough for light torque apps. If you buy a wrench that goes to 250 ftlbs it will be 1/2" drive and will be inaccurate for light torque situations. Small fasteners will pull out aluminum threads very easily. I would rather have a wrench accurate between 8-40 ftlbs than 40-150.

Hm. I didn't think about that. I assumed a 250 ft lb wrench would be just as accurate for 1 ft lb as another wrench that only goes up to... 50 or so.

I do sort of wish I had one with smaller "measurements" or whatever. For things that only require 20 in lbs or something.

[frenum49]

Oh I almost forgot......GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by 93XLEcamry

i was wondering what is the best, but not too pricey (i know u get what u pay for) torque wrench for the gen 3

i mean do i get the 1/2 or 3/8 drive, ect....

and which torque wrench should i get...with the feet per lb thing...20-150 or 20-300...ect...

I'd recommend "Precision Instruments". You'll not be able to get one wrench to cover all torque values. I have two, one a 1/2 drive 50 -250 ft/lbs racheted click wrench for tightening right hand threads. If you hardly used it then get the split-beam type as there won't be a tension spring to loose accuracy. I also have a 3/8 drive dial type wrench 0 - 600 pound/inch. It has a light that goes on when the set adjustment has been made. Both the click and light style mean you can adjust without having to see the indicator - very useful. If you have a fastener that requires proper torque then why would you buy a cheap crap wrench that is no more accurate than arm feel?

[smilecow]

I also use two torque (3/8, 1/2drive)wrenches of harbor freight... I have been using them for 2 yr and no problem. I also have a 24" breaker bar that works good for axle nut, tire rotation and mount bolts of shock.
You can buy three of them under $50 at harbor freight.

[peshwa]

Originally Posted by 93XLEcamry

its probably been post before, and i searched it but it doesnt say for the gen3, so i was wondering what is the best, but not too pricey (i know u get what u pay for) torque wrench for the gen 3

i mean do i get the 1/2 or 3/8 drive, ect....

and which torque wrench should i get...with the feet per lb thing...20-150 or 20-300...ect...

thanks, and if you found that this has already been posted...dont flame me plz

To the OP:
There is no gen3 camry specific torque wrench. Torque wrenches are drive based. 1/2",3/8" etc. That means they will accept any "socket" that says it fits 1/2" drive. They will work for any car (even chryslers)
If you have this question it means your knowledge about tools isn't that deep. I am not criticizing you but just pointing out the fact.
I was in your state myself 4 months ago. English is not my mother tongue anyway (not born and brought here) and I couldnt differentiate between a camshaft and a halfshaft.
I completely agree with what frenum has said "Buy a very accurate torque wrench between 5-100 ft lbs" This is the range majority of engine nuts/bolts are torqued to. You would like to be as precise as possible while working on an engine. (Beam/Needle type TW from Snap-on ~25$) should be good enough.
If you are working on suspension components thats another story. A little bit of imprecision wont ruin your car. Say axle nut has to be torqued till 273 ft lbs. It may be torqued to 300 ft lbs or 250 lbs. Doesnt hurt much. At least hasnt hurt me yet

If you go cheap here are your options
-3/8" 5-80 ft lbs http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...c=112&zmap=807
-1/2" 20-250 ft lbs http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=239
-3/4" 50-300 ft lbs http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=808

You may need to get adapters for your respective drives above so they can work with your metric sockets.
Do your research,read the manuals, do a dry run of the steps with a friend before you begin working on your car. This is true especially if you are not used to working on cars. Remember to use proper tools based on the job. I have learnt it the hard way couple of months ago
Good luck and God bless you dear

[93XLEcamry]

first of all i would like to thank you guys for this great input.....secondly, would the wrenches from sears, usually craftsman do the job fine???....and yea peshwa i have little or no knowledge about tools...lol...the reason why im asking this is because i will be doing my struts soon, and i want to know the proper torque for it instead of just tightening it to the feel...

by the looks of this post i should get two...a smaller ft per tq, and a bigger ft per tq right??

again thanks..

[eddie926]

I picked up this 1/2" drive Husky brand wrench at my local Home Depot awhile back and have been very happy with it.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

According to some sources I found, the company that makes Husky for HD is the same company that used to make Craftsman for Sears before they went to a cheaper manufacturer.

[93XLEcamry]

i was thinking bout the home depot ones too...and lowes....what about wal mart???

[JohnGD]

All torque wrenches are rated above 20% of max torque capacity. For example, a 100 lb torque wrench is not as accurate below 20 lb/ft, but above 20 lbs they'll typically be within 4-6% of setting. That's why you need a combination of ranges. Of course they'll all require periodic calibrations at about $40 a pop, which I admit I never do for my purposes or required to.

The Sears Craftsman torque wrenches are the cheapest Danaher-made you can find. However, these are often on sale. The better Kobaltsat Lowes (also by Danaher) have metal lock rings but are never on sale that I know of.

The Craftsman ones have problem with the plastic lock rings breaking or the handles coming loose. Just google the reviews. That said, if you use occasionally then HF may be fine. I do own both Harbor Freight and Craftsman torque wrenches. The mechanisms on the Craftsmans are smoother but I think the all-metal HFs are more rugged and that's why I use them more often. But you still should not use them as breaker bars or toss them around. (They're all "precision instruments").

For the front struts the HF $9.99 (on sale recently) 1/2"-drive goes up to 150 lbs, so it's just shy of the ~157 lb you'll need. But the 250 lb/ft starts around $80 at Home Depot last I checked long while ago.

I'd initially pick up a 3/8" and 1/2" from HF. They're great all-around torque wrenches for maintenance work and wheel lugs. Just don turn the handle below the min torque for any wrench. I also have a 250 lb/ft one. For internal transmission work and other light duty stuff I do use a 250 inch/lb.

You can actually buy a whole set of 1/4" (250 in/lb), 3/8" (80 lb), and 1/2" (150 lb) for < $50 at HF. Good deal.

Originally Posted by 93XLEcamry

first of all i would like to thank you guys for this great input.....secondly, would the wrenches from sears, usually craftsman do the job fine???....and yea peshwa i have little or no knowledge about tools...lol...the reason why im asking this is because i will be doing my struts soon, and i want to know the proper torque for it instead of just tightening it to the feel...

by the looks of this post i should get two...a smaller ft per tq, and a bigger ft per tq right??

again thanks..

[JohnGD]

HD ones are Husky. Made in Taiwan, but surprisingly the only ones beside Snap-on that carry a lifetime warranty. Not sure if Snap-ons still do. Not sure if Husky is Stanley's "store brand".

I do prefer the Stanley hand tools over the cheap Sears Craftsman these days. The old Stanley Craftsmans were better.

Originally Posted by 93XLEcamry

i was thinking bout the home depot ones too...and lowes....what about wal mart???

[JohnGD]

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