Harbor Freight Torque Wrench
12-29-2008, 06:44 PM
#31
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Join Date: 05-17-2008
Location: Indiana
Posts: 350
First off $15 for a torue wrench should send up a red flag.
Harbor has somethings that are ok to use regularly, somethings to use limitedly and somethings not to buy.
Best to use good judgment when buying there. If something breaks don't be suprised.
things like their cheap drill press is great for the limited use home owner but if you own a machine shop your going to get a better tool.
But with precision items like the Torque wrench if you want a good tool for the money and are not a line mechanic the Sears Craftsman is the best for the money. Mine is 30 years old and still working accuratly.
No matter who makes them they need to be checked and adjusted. Also like mentioned the clickers need backed off when not in use.
Harbor has somethings that are ok to use regularly, somethings to use limitedly and somethings not to buy.
Best to use good judgment when buying there. If something breaks don't be suprised.
things like their cheap drill press is great for the limited use home owner but if you own a machine shop your going to get a better tool.
But with precision items like the Torque wrench if you want a good tool for the money and are not a line mechanic the Sears Craftsman is the best for the money. Mine is 30 years old and still working accuratly.
No matter who makes them they need to be checked and adjusted. Also like mentioned the clickers need backed off when not in use.
Exactly what i was gonna say :twothumbs
(BTW: a Craftsman clicker type was in their sale flier today, for , i believe $49,,,from $79 )
12-29-2008, 09:17 PM
#32
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
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12-30-2008, 06:05 AM
#33
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Join Date: 01-14-2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Posts: 230
As for a cheap torque wrench you need to understand if it fails head gaskets fail, wheels come off and exhaust leak. All that money you save will be lost and then some if a crittical tool fails.
Now also keep in mind you get what you pay for 95% of the time but can you afford an important part to fail with a cheap wrench. The bottom line is this tool has tested poorly vs the name brand other wrenches.
Now also keep in mind you get what you pay for 95% of the time but can you afford an important part to fail with a cheap wrench. The bottom line is this tool has tested poorly vs the name brand other wrenches.
You use the word “cheap”, are you referring to price or quality?
The Snap-On torque wrench costs upwards of $360 but the Craftsman can be had for around $50 when on sale. Is the Snap-On better because it costs more? Does this mean that we should not use the Craftsman because it is “cheap” compared to the Snap-On?
You indicate the Harbor Freight torque wrench has tested poorly, one should always quote references to support claims.
My Harbor Freight torque wrench was tested by a National Guard calibration engineer and found that my torque wrench as well as my neighbor’s torque wrench were both within the 4% tolerance ranges over the usable range of the torque wrench. My opinion is that I have an inexpensive torque wrench with regard to a Snap-On brand.
At first, I was also skeptical because of the lower price of the Harbor Freight torque wrenches but that has diminished because for two years, my Harbor Freight torque wrenches are staying within their tolerance.
Then only thing I do not like about the Harbor Freight torque wrenches is it is difficult to read the setting rings.
12-30-2008, 06:42 AM
#34
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Join Date: 12-30-2007
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 256
12-30-2008, 07:26 AM
#35
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
You use the word “cheap”, are you referring to price or quality?
The Snap-On torque wrench costs upwards of $360 but the Craftsman can be had for around $50 when on sale. Is the Snap-On better because it costs more? Does this mean that we should not use the Craftsman because it is “cheap” compared to the Snap-On?
You indicate the Harbor Freight torque wrench has tested poorly, one should always quote references to support claims.
My Harbor Freight torque wrench was tested by a National Guard calibration engineer and found that my torque wrench as well as my neighbor’s torque wrench were both within the 4% tolerance ranges over the usable range of the torque wrench. My opinion is that I have an inexpensive torque wrench with regard to a Snap-On brand.
At first, I was also skeptical because of the lower price of the Harbor Freight torque wrenches but that has diminished because for two years, my Harbor Freight torque wrenches are staying within their tolerance.
Then only thing I do not like about the Harbor Freight torque wrenches is it is difficult to read the setting rings.
The Snap-On torque wrench costs upwards of $360 but the Craftsman can be had for around $50 when on sale. Is the Snap-On better because it costs more? Does this mean that we should not use the Craftsman because it is “cheap” compared to the Snap-On?
You indicate the Harbor Freight torque wrench has tested poorly, one should always quote references to support claims.
My Harbor Freight torque wrench was tested by a National Guard calibration engineer and found that my torque wrench as well as my neighbor’s torque wrench were both within the 4% tolerance ranges over the usable range of the torque wrench. My opinion is that I have an inexpensive torque wrench with regard to a Snap-On brand.
At first, I was also skeptical because of the lower price of the Harbor Freight torque wrenches but that has diminished because for two years, my Harbor Freight torque wrenches are staying within their tolerance.
Then only thing I do not like about the Harbor Freight torque wrenches is it is difficult to read the setting rings.
I never once brought Snap On into this. I stated before I have a quality 30 year old Craftsman that has served me well and if it fails I have a life time warranty to replace it. It should last a life time.
If you choose to use the Harbor one fine. But if you honest you know buying tools there is a crap shoot. Some good some bad and I refuse to take a chance on a precision tool that could very well fail.
$15 is very very low price for a precision tool and the odds are good the quality is lacking somewhere. If your only putting tires on you may get away with it. But if you build engines I would not be comfortable with it in any way. That is my choice like it or not.
The best things in life are not always the most expensive but also they are not $15. At that price buyer beware.
12-30-2008, 07:30 AM
#36
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
12-30-2008, 09:03 AM
#37
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Join Date: 01-14-2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Posts: 230
Buy what you want.
I never once brought Snap On into this. I stated before I have a quality 30 year old Craftsman that has served me well and if it fails I have a life time warranty to replace it. It should last a life time.
If you choose to use the Harbor one fine. But if you honest you know buying tools there is a crap shoot. Some good some bad and I refuse to take a chance on a precision tool that could very well fail.
$15 is very very low price for a precision tool and the odds are good the quality is lacking somewhere. If your only putting tires on you may get away with it. But if you build engines I would not be comfortable with it in any way. That is my choice like it or not.
The best things in life are not always the most expensive but also they are not $15. At that price buyer beware.
I never once brought Snap On into this. I stated before I have a quality 30 year old Craftsman that has served me well and if it fails I have a life time warranty to replace it. It should last a life time.
If you choose to use the Harbor one fine. But if you honest you know buying tools there is a crap shoot. Some good some bad and I refuse to take a chance on a precision tool that could very well fail.
$15 is very very low price for a precision tool and the odds are good the quality is lacking somewhere. If your only putting tires on you may get away with it. But if you build engines I would not be comfortable with it in any way. That is my choice like it or not.
The best things in life are not always the most expensive but also they are not $15. At that price buyer beware.
Based on your reasoning, I would not use the Craftsman because it is a cheap tool and you get what you pay for, as you said, it is a crapshoot. After all, a tool that only costs $50 can’t be all that accurate and dependable.
Or can it. Many people use Craftsman tools, me included and I do not think any item with the Craftsman name on it is cheap. If you deduct the Sears profit margin from the retail store and the profit margin from Sears corporate, I wonder how much the torque wrench really would cost since there is only a $30 delta between the two brands.
Your logic just does not make sense. I respect your opinion but not your logic.
12-30-2008, 09:41 AM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
I was only using Snap-On as a reference for pricing against the Craftsman to illustrate the pricing delta because you used the word “cheap”. With respect to the Snap-On, the Craftsman is “cheap”. If the Harbor Freight wrench is cheap with respect to the Craftsman, then the Craftsman is cheap with respect to the Snap-On, using your logic model.
Based on your reasoning, I would not use the Craftsman because it is a cheap tool and you get what you pay for, as you said, it is a crapshoot. After all, a tool that only costs $50 can’t be all that accurate and dependable.
Or can it. Many people use Craftsman tools, me included and I do not think any item with the Craftsman name on it is cheap. If you deduct the Sears profit margin from the retail store and the profit margin from Sears corporate, I wonder how much the torque wrench really would cost since there is only a $30 delta between the two brands.
Your logic just does not make sense. I respect your opinion but not your logic.
Based on your reasoning, I would not use the Craftsman because it is a cheap tool and you get what you pay for, as you said, it is a crapshoot. After all, a tool that only costs $50 can’t be all that accurate and dependable.
Or can it. Many people use Craftsman tools, me included and I do not think any item with the Craftsman name on it is cheap. If you deduct the Sears profit margin from the retail store and the profit margin from Sears corporate, I wonder how much the torque wrench really would cost since there is only a $30 delta between the two brands.
Your logic just does not make sense. I respect your opinion but not your logic.
Even someone like you have to admit that as the price goes down the odds the quality could drop as well?
Mark up in the retail world is not as much as you seem to believe it to be. Places like Sears work as much on sales volume as anything. With a great number of retail locations they can afford to make $5 per wrench as they sell how many hundred a day vs the few others sell per day. Also consider they are now sold in most K Mart locations too. So see you don't know it all do you?
Even where I work we sell a private line of parts. Some are made by major MFGs and are a good value and a great part but many other times it is a cheap import at a cheap price. The quality on the imported parts can vary much. I see this everyday.
Bottom line is if your ok with the odds a $15 wrench is good then go for it if not stick with known quality at $30-$50 more.
I think we have wasted enough of our and everyone elses time on this so just let them decide what is right for them.
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