I need the cheapy bar style in/lb. torque wrench to setup my rear end right. I have seen the 0-150 ft/lb torque wrenches for next to nothing, but for some reason, I'm have a hard time finding a bar style in/lb wrench for a decent price, and a clicker type suposedly isn't good. Any leads?

 

sears...... **COUGH** use it and return it saying it doesnt work **COUGH**



atleast that was what i was going to do, then i just kept it and havent used it since

 

I prefere the sweeping dial style and you can get them anywhere from autozone (least accurate) to sears (much better than the autozone). If you are setting up a rearend and really want to do it right a cheapy is not the way to go. Hit sears and buy a good one. Torque wrenches are needed for lots of stuff on cars so it would be a good long term investment anyway.

 

I have a dial 0-75in/lb snap on. You can find decent prices on ebay for used tools and have them calibrated if you really need to, and they will be almost as good as new. If you need it accurate, you probably don't want a cheap one, and make sure you don't get something with a huge range 0-500 either, or it won't be as precise.

 

I've already got a good in/lb and ft/lb clicker type from Sears, but everyone says I need the bar style (one with a long needle that points back to the handle with a gauge on it) A "good" on costs around $100 on Ebay. I guess I'll end up getting one from KD tools for $35. It is EASY to find one that reads ft/lbs. but one that does in/lb's that'll read small amounts like 16 in/lbs isn't easy.

 

doesn't sears make that as well?? I thought I saw several models in their catalog

 

I just looked on their website, I didn't see any bar style in/lb torque wrenches. Plenty of ft/lb wrenches for cheap, but no in/lb.

 

isn't this what your looking for?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...s&vertical=TOOL&pid=00944690000&bidsite=CRAFT

 

No, I need something to set pinion pre-load. Need something that measures small torque amounts. That wrench specs are

"Torque Increments 2.5 ft. lbs.
Torque Measure 0 to 75 ft. lbs."

I need something more like:

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='2608-00'

I've used a clicker type in/lb wrench, but the rear end started howling under light loads, I don't think it was pinion preload caused, but I just want to be double safe.

 

I just ordered the wrench above. This f'ing hobby just costs too much money. Once you add up the the axles, gears, LCA, etc... this freaking rear end is going to cost me a fortune.

 

That's not a bad price. My brother in law and father in law are both machanics, and neither owns a in/lb wrench. lol I hear you on the money. I just bought myself a press to do the bearings and other stuff myself too. It was like $30 at a machine shop just to have some bearings pressed on my eaton. Once you have a ton of good tools though then most jobs are easier.

 

You just bought what I'd love to have, a press. I hate trying to get to the machine shop and have them press bearings on and off, especially when they close at 5 p.m. and on the weekends. What did you pay for the press? and where did you get it? One bad thing about buying a press is, once you buy it, then you got to buy all those weird accessories to go with it that you need.

 

I got it from Harbor Freight. It was only around $100. I think they had a really small one for about $70. I don't know how they ship things so cheap considering it is probably close to 100lbs. I haven't assembled it to use yet, so I don't know how well it works, but there's not much to not work. lol You can always weld up the weird plates you might need. I bought a bearing separater from there as well.

 

ive got the 20 ton harbor frieght special, works very well, use it from bushings to bearings to forming stuff, never complained or did anything weird, for being about $150 it has paid for itslef many many times over

 

I recently bought that one too. Just this week I set up three rear ends. That more than paid for the press and associated items. I should have done that a long time ago. Until I bought the press, I would just use the press in out shop at work. That didn't work out too well for the weekend jobs, or late nighters.

As far as the in/lb thing... I wouldn't mind having one, but I have just gone by feel. Haven't messed one up yet.

 

You think the 12 ton would do? Also, where do you buy gear marking compound? Last time I had to buy white lipstik (cashier gave me an odd look).

 

Same here, just a little resistance.

 

I think the one I bought was a 12 ton. They had 2 different styles of the 12 ton I seem to remember. I am hoping it works good. If 12 tons can't get the bearing on, I think I might be afraid to use 20 tons on it.

 

The 12 ton will work, but you'll have to use blocks under the bearing separator so the pinion gear can slide down as the bearing is being pressed off.

The base plate isn't wide enough for the pinion gear to fit between.

But blocks under each side of the bearing separator work just fine.

IMO, spend the extra $60 and buy the 20 ton.

 

I bought a $250 in-pd torque wrnech from Matco, but after using it a cou0ple times, I just go by feel now.