What size torque wrench?

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Doryman

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C Dory Year
2006
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255 Tomcat
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Lori Ann
Sears has their Craftsman torque wrenches on sale. 3/8 and 1/2 in 25-250, 10-75, and 20-150 Microtorq. Which one should I get? (This would be for the Honda and Yamaha outboards, trailer, etc.)

Thanks,
Warren
 
Hi Warren

How long is the sale and do you know any prices?

I find I most use the 20-150 ft/# wrench. I just bought a cheap new one to replace the previous cheap one which failed, and the cheap new one was even cheaper but has failed already. Fortunately it failed at 135 ft/# which is my truck's wheel lug torque. So I'll keep it.

Maybe time to upgrade!

Dave
 
The 20 to 150 pound sounds good. Life is too short to work with cheap tools.
 
I have several, but the one I used the most is a 1/2". I also carry adaptors both up and down, but the 3/8 is not big enough for some jobs.
 
Plan C":1c7drm4j said:
How long is the sale and do you know any prices?
Click to expand...

The sale is Friday and Saturday, and the price is like 50% off. Somewhere around $40.

Thanks everyone, I will go for the 20-150. I don't know if that is 3/8 or 1/2 or both, but I will get a 1/2 if I can.

Warren
 
The 1/2 drive is the 20-150 ft-# range.
 
The correct torque wrench to get for an outboard motor is the 3/8 in wrench with the smallest range, for 2 reasons:

1. The specified torque values for a Honda outboard range from 1.8 lbf-ft to 81 lbf-ft, as shown in the shop manual. You can see that the minimum range for a click torque wrench are all too high. I bought a SEARS 3/8 beam torque wrench, which goes down to ~5 ft-lbs. Cheap and can't get out of calibration. There are a few higher torque values, but those are for rebuilding the engine. ~50% of the torque values are less than 20 ft-lbs .

2. Outboards are small and tightly packed. 1/2" drive is just too big. I couldn't get a 1/2 drive socket on the lower drive unit when I rebuilt the water pump, for instance.

So for outboards, get a Craftsman Model# Model# 44690, 0-75 ft-lb, beam torque wrench for $25. If you need higher torque, Craftsman Model# 44642 , 1/2" for $30. Nothing to break or get out of calibration and made in the USA

Boris
 
Good point Larry,
I use my 1/2" for the trailer and bigger jobs. I have two micro and one beam--the beam is 3/8 as Larry suggests and does the job very well.
 
Correction: The Microtork mentioned above as 25 - 250 torque range has a minimum setting of 25 in-lbs, not 25 ft-lbs. This equates to about 2 ft-lbs, so that makes it a good option for low range needs. Made in USA.
 
I use the 3/8 for nearly all engine work on my VWs. My Craftsman 3/8 goes from 20-150 ft/lbs and seems to cover any range I need. The 1/2 comes in handy for lug nuts on alloy wheels etc but it's too large for engine work etc IMO.
 
Larry makes a good point indeed. I went with the 3/8" torque wrench. It just barely fits when tightening some of the lower unit bolts on my Suzuki engines for example. The max torque I have needed thus far (by far) has been 60 ft/lbs.
 
I have one 1/2" Sears Craftsman beam type torque wrench purchased over 20 years ago when Sears had a major catalog tool sale every year in the winter. Mine also has a lifetime guarantee and don't think the new ones have it. I have several adapters like 1/2" to 3/8" and extensions, and the wrench came with a booklet with an in/lb to ft/lb. Now I need to check the range for each! Thanks for update.
 
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