Torque wrench -- what "range?" Christmas gift

I'd say go ahead with the heavier half-inch wrench, as lower torques will be covered with better accuracy by the 3/8" anyway.

 

Get a digital one... It's more accurate and makes a way more sophisticated impression than one that's nothing more than a hunk of metal that clicks.

 

Are you looking to make a sophisticated impression?

 

That’s true, by a few percent (claimed ± 4% accuracy, at initial calibration, for the Tekton wrenches mentioned above, versus ± 1% for Tohnichi’s top-of-the-line CEM3 DATA TORK digital series, as used at Toyota assembly plants), but few casual users would have a metrology program and quality system with all the other elements needed to achieve that accuracy in practice repeatably.

True sophisticates would ignore the brand and style, anyway, and look instead at the dates on the calibration tags, on the wrenches and on the calibrator used for the periodic checks.

For someone who has no torque wrenches at all, I’d suggest that a pair of Tekton ones would be a reasonable start. The larger range in 1/2"-inch drive wouldn’t be needed for most tasks on Prius cars, but it might be handy if there are heavy-duty trucks or tractors to maintain.

 

Just make sure to include socket adapters and an extension.

Bob Wilson

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but if your baby girl doesn't already know what kind of wrench to buy then your SIL is going to get all of your tools soon enough anyway....unless you're like me and you tell your SIL that the grandkid is gonna get all the good stuff just to keep him on his toes.
Actually the running joke in my family is that my replacement will get everything...but that's neither here nor there.

Yeah.
I know.
Merry CHRISTmas!

Anyway....
If SIL is a hobby farmer/land owner/suburbanite then the 1/2-incher will be as big as he will ever need, especially the way they're building stuff these days.
If SIL were a diesel mechanic or a not-a-hobby farmer then he would either already HAVE the tools he needed or he uses REALLY big equipment and they pay their maintenance and repair work done because the manufacturer won't let him work on the stuff.
A certain green coated brand is especially bad about that.
Worse even than Toyota....
#righttorepair.

Electronic torque wrenches use strain-gauge tech, which if not more accurate is almost certainly more repeatable, which is more important anyway. 99-percent of 'why you use torque wrenches' is to keep from OVERtorquing or for uniformity.....which is ever more necessary because of.......how they're building stuff these days.

Good Luck!
SHOP EARLY!!!

Fun Fact:
Most comsummer-grade torque wrenches are reversible.
Key word: MOST!
When I was knocking holes in the ocean we used "left handed torque wrenches" that were specifically, exclusively (and expensively!) calibrated and used for certain fasteners under the SUBSAFE program.
The digital stuff might actually be better for that application because of how strain gauges work and now that the US Navy's biggest submarine challenge isn't hand-boring holes through copper sheathing, that's probably how they're doing it these days.....


.....but I wouldn't bet on it!

 

Fwiw, before, the definitive "first real" torque wrench was the Craftsman 1/2" or 3/8" torque wrench.
Now, it's Husky.
I'd suggest the 3/8", because it has a much more useful range.
The 1/2" is needed for wheel bearings, that's about all (for a DYI'er).

Like with Craftsman, you buy the Husky Torque Wrenches, when they are on sale during Christmas.

To move up, go with the AC-Delco Digital Torque Wrenches. I don't know who really makes them, But, for a serious DYI'er, or semi-professional, nothing else comes close to the quality for the cost.
Some manufacture saw the potential for a good quality lower-cost entry-level Digital Torque Wrench. And, imho, they now own that market.
Fwiw, the AC-Delco Digital Torque Wrenches:
"[Quality Assurance]: Meets or exceeds ASME B107.14-2004, ISO 6789 standards, individually serialized with matching certificate of calibration traceable to N.I.S.T. "

Imho, they are similar to Ryobi tools.
Very often, more than good enough for even a serious DYI'er.
Like the Christmas Ryobi 1/2" Torque Wrench for $99 (common yearly Christmas special). I use that Ryobi much more than my ~$400 Milwaukee 1/2" Torque Wrench and battery.

Fwiw, just saying "calibrated and certified" means nothing.
I "calibrated and certified" my 2022 Prius motor as producing a Billion Trillion HP!!!
I also "calibrated and certified" my 2022 Prius as getting "infinity squared gas mileage"!
Fwiw, both of the above are legal, and correct.
Similar to "this ricer mod produces up to 100HP more. If the ricer mod results in -30HP, then the previous statement is still legally true.


But, saying "traceable to N.I.S.T." means something much more!

Whatever!
My 2022 Prius still gets "infinity squared gas mileage"!
Btw, I'll sell my Prius for $5.2 billion dollars - cash, USD, nothing bigger than $20 bills.


NOTE: For the typical "clicker"-type of Torque Wrench, their accuracy in the lower ~10% and upper 10%, are often very poor. Especially the lower end of the range! Hence, why 1/2" clicker-type torque wrenches have an even smaller "practical use" range.

NOTE: With a Digital Torque Wrench, if the Digital Torque Wrench is over torqued, then the Digital Torque Wrench is "Bricked" (worthless as a brick - it no longer works at all).
Digital Torque Wrenches also need batteries, and batteries die after a while.
However, unlike with the "clicker"-type of Torque Wrenches that you have to re-adjust back to "low/zero", after you're done with them (if you want them to stay semi-calibrated), you do not have re-adjust Digital Torque Wrenches, after you're done with them.
SWEET!
So, Digital Torque Wrenches are great for picking up, turning on, and then continuing on from where you left off. Or, to torque lug nuts, as long as the battery doesn't die.

Husky 20 ft. /lbs. to 100 ft. /lbs. 3/8 in. Drive Torque Wrench H3DTWA - The Home Depot
Husky
20 ft. /lbs. to 100 ft. /lbs. 3/8 in. Drive Torque Wrench
Sale Price: $49.97
Torque wrench is calibrated to +/- 3% accuracy
Torque wrench features a range of 20 ft./lbs. to 100 ft./lbs.
Solvent resistant dual material comfort grip

Husky 50 ft. /lbs. to 250 ft. /lbs. 1/2 in. Drive Torque Wrench H2DTWA - The Home Depot
Husky
50 ft. /lbs. to 250 ft. /lbs. 1/2 in. Drive Torque Wrench
Sale Price: $59.97
Torque wrench is calibrated to +/- 3% accuracy
Torque wrench features a range of 50 ft./lbs. to 250 ft./lbs.
Solvent resistant dual material comfort grip



Good Luck!

 

After you decide what you think is the best gift, I'd give it to the daughter to give to her other half. That removes many of the complications of gift giving over the holidays.
I've got 3 torques and use the 1/2 in occasionally to calibrate my eyeball torque accuracy or lack there of.
If a set of nuts or bolts need to be within a small tolerance for reassembly, the job is usually out of my pay grade anyway,

 

Imho, the best tool EVER, for someone that does their own snow tire swap-overs:

Ryobi PCL265K1

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench Kit with 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger PCL265K1 - The Home Depot

RYOBI
ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench Kit with 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger
Sale Price: $99.00 (Limit 5 per order)
Reg Price: $189.00
Save $90.00 (48%)

Product Details:
RYOBI introduces 18V ONE+ Cordless /2 in. Impact Wrench Kit with 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger.
Producing 375 ft./lbs. of fastening torque, the 1/2 in. impact wrench provides up to 3,100 impacts per minute.
This quick fastening also features a 1/2 in. anvil with friction ring for efficient socket changes. The variable speed trigger features an RPM of 0 - 2,700.
The on-board LED worklight create additional visibility for all of your projects.
The included 4.0 Ah Battery and 18V Charger are compatible with all RYOBI 18V ONE+ Tools.
Best of all, it is part of the RYOBI 18V ONE+ System of over 260 cordless tools that all work on the same battery platform.
This 18V ONE+ Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench Kit is backed by the RYOBI 3-Year Manufacturer's Warranty and
includes (1) PCL265B 18V ONE+ 1/2 in. Impact Wrench, (1) PBP005 4.0 Ah Battery, (1) PCG002 18V Charger, and Operator's Manual.

Powerful motor delivers rapid material removal
Hassle free accessory changes with on board wrench storage
Tool-free adjustable guard
Spindle lock for quick and easy accessory changes
3-position side handle for maximum control
Ergonomic design, optimized for flush cutting
Die cast metal gear case for added durability
The included 4.0 Ah Battery and 18V Charger are compatible with all RYOBI 18V ONE+ Tools
Part of the RYOBI 18V ONE+ System of over 260 Cordless Tools
3-year manufacturer’s warranty
Includes: (1) PCL265 18V ONE+ Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench, (1) PBP005 4.0 Ah Battery, (1) PCG002 18V Charger, and Operator’s Manual



Btw: Today, I just got my new RYOBI - ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-Mode ½ in. Impact Wrench - P262.
RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-Mode 1/2 in. Impact Wrench (Tool Only) P262 - The Home Depot

After I got home with my new Ryobi P262 Impact Wrench (and after the Ryobi P262 and I were snuggling for over an hour):
My Milwaukee Fuel sawzall accused me of cheating on it, and left the room in a huff.
My girlfriend out right said that "I was unquestionably cheating on her, with the Ryobi P262", and just left for good.

What-ever!
My Ryobi P262 and I plan on have a long happy life together.
All we need is each other, and air to breath!
We can live off our love!

Btw, any idiots that left bad reviews, clearly have less than 5 working brain cells, like this following review:
"Did not work with my drill bits"
Drill bits and an impact wrench - Huh????
As for the "lack of power" comments, those idiots clearly didn't see the 4 power adjustment settings. You know, those LEDs and button, that are right there - In Their Face, on the bottom of the handle. <roll eyes>


Review of the latest Christmas Special $99 Ryobi 1/2" Impact Wrench kit (Ryobi PCL265K1):

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JcATMLjRpY

Are Impacts Made FOR Black Friday Any Good?
Torque Test Channel
Nov 28, 2022

The Ryobi Kit: https://homedepot.sjv.io/kjeRNz
Next step up in power would be the
Ryobi P262: https://amzn.to/3XEMpjO

Our lifetime of TOOL RANKINGS : https://etsy.me/3G8j3QK
Today we buy the new Ryobi PCL265K1 Impact wrench kit
and new Ridgid R86215K from Home Depot
to see if they are any good and more specifically if they are perhaps the same.

.

 

I've got 3 cheapies, 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4" drives. They all come in handy: the 1/2" for lug nuts mostly, the 3/8" for brake caliper bolts, oil pan drain bolt, oil filter, various other, and the 1/4" for spark plugs, throttle body hold-down bolt/nut, etcetera.

The 1/2" I got way back in another century. The other's more recently.

I recently did rough check of their accuracies, loading weights on arm at specific distance from fulcrum, while mounted horizontal in a vice, and they were suprisingly close/accurate.

 

I haven't gone as far as checking with weights, but I've occasionally pitted my various torque wrenches against each other, including against my oldest dead-simple beam wrench, and been surprised at their continued good agreement.

 

Have you been calibrating the 1/2" drive?

I've heard you need to calibrate those once a year or every 5k to 10k clicks.

Have you been calibrating the 1/2" drive?

I've heard you need to calibrate those once a year or every 5k to 10k clicks.