Would you trust a Harbor Freight torque wrench?

[Greg]

Serious question, if you were doing critical work like engine building and needed accurate measurements, would you trust using is using a Harbor Freight torque wrench?

Answer with the poll please. 😁

I'm on the fence, I have a 3/8 drive Craftsman torque wrench that I have used building engines, but find myself needing a larger half inch drive that can accurately tighten up to 250 ft/lbs.

 

[Asbjorn]

While I own, and have trusted mine for other jobs (e.g. lug nuts, beadlock bolts) I probably wouldn’t for something as critical as an engine build.

 

[anderson750]

I bought one of the Quinn digital torque wrenches in the 3/8 flavor this past year for my motorcycle work and when I got it I compared it to the Craftsman I had and did not find a noticiable difference between them. Granted this is all stuff that is below 50 ft/lbs with most bolts being less than 15 ft/lbs. Can't really give you any opinion on how they would be in the 150+ ft/lbs range.

 

[Jinx]

While I own, and have trusted mine for other jobs (e.g. lug nuts, beadlock bolts) I probably wouldn’t for something as critical as an engine build.

ditto where close is close enough HF works... High Dollar, high horsepower engine build, not so much...

 

[I Lean]

I'll be outvoted (I am already), but I voted trust. Torque specs are just suggestions anyway.

 

[Mouse]

Yes, there was a Youtuber channel (project farm maybe) which compared the Icon series against Snapon, and the HF brand did better at retaining adjustment and was slightly more accurate. This was over a wide range of tests.

Also, I agree with ILean as well

 

[jeeper]

That project farm guy is awesome. Such good info. Not always perfect, but very close.

 

[Spork]

 

[Mouse]

I did a quick search of Project Farm and didn't find it (swear it was his review). Anyways, I was impressed enough to buy one of the 1/2 inch Icon torque wrenches. Its held its own in my garage. If you are ever up my way, you're welcome to use it, compare it to the other 4 or 5 TWs that I have. I like it.

When I first entered the AF (way back), I was an aircraft maintainer and I had friends who worked PMEL - Precision Measurement E (something) Lab. They did all of the calibrating of our equipment, like torque wrenches. Generally speaking, TWs held a calibration unless it was dropped. I always "warm them up" by cycling a torque wrench on a bolt in the vise a couple of times before using it to tighten anything important.

Here is a comparo video:

 

[Asbjorn]

Yes, there was a Youtuber channel (project farm maybe) which compared the Icon series against Snapon, and the HF brand did better at retaining adjustment and was slightly more accurate. This was over a wide range of tests.

Also, I agree with ILean as well

I guess I should say that I wouldn’t trust my old Harbor Freight cheapie.

However, I have read that the new Icon series tools are aimed at being a “quality” series of tools, relative to the standard grade typically associated with HF.

 

[ID Bronco]

I was thinking of the cheap version. I forget about Icon.

 

[RockChucker]

I had a cheap Pittsburg one. Only used it for lug nuts and stuff. It broke and I replaced it with a kobalt. I built my engine with the kobalt and it hasn’t blown up yet.

 

[Stephen]

My buddy is the auto shop teacher at Olympus and a few months back he decided to test a well used (ie. student abused) HF torque wrench in his shop vs a well used digital Snap On and then his personal, well maintained digital Snap On. The Snap On's were within 2% of each other in his tests. The HF was 30% off.
So yeah, lug nuts, sure. Precision stuff, probably not.

 

[NYCEGUY01]

I am the same, lug nuts and other stuff, sure.
Rod bolts ? I have a nice craftsman set I’ve had for years that don’t get much use but are my go to for import stuff.
I got a deal a while back on a set. Had a 3/8 in lb. a 3/8 ft lb. and a large 1/2 ft lb.
I’m not sure it will go to 250 though, for that I’d be tempted to go with the hf one and treat it like a nice one. I bet new it would be fine and if just set on the shelf and only used for those hi torque infrequent uses it would probably be good to go for a long time…

 

[frieed]

I prefer the split-beam types since there is no spring that must have the pressure unloaded to maintain accuracy.
You folks do unload the spring on your caliper style torque wrenches, right?

I have one by precision instruments PRECFR250F. 40-250 ft-lbs

 

[Hickey]

I prefer the split-beam types since there is no spring that must have the pressure unloaded to maintain accuracy.
You folks do unload the spring on your caliper style torque wrenches, right?

I have one by precision instruments PRECFR250F. 40-250 ft-lbs

View attachment 143426

Yup, always turn it past zero before going back in the drawer.

 

[Unimog]

Just habit. Even my beam wrench, I set it back to 0 when putting it away.

 

[Tebbsjeep]

At my work we have our tools calibrated/tested every year. The older Pittsburg torque wrenches almost never passed. One mechanic warrantied the same wrench 4 times before he got one that would pass.

 

[Gravy]

Torque Wrench Testing - Shop Tools - Car Craft Magazine

We did some torque wrench testing to see how they stack up. See what we used and how they preformed in the April 2013 issue of Car Craft Magazine.

www.motortrend.com

 

[Coco]

I prefer the split-beam types since there is no spring that must have the pressure unloaded to maintain accuracy.
You folks do unload the spring on your caliper style torque wrenches, right?

I have one by precision instruments PRECFR250F. 40-250 ft-lbs

View attachment 143426

I use this same style. Love it!