Weve had enough batteries expand in ours at work that as a policy moving forward we are buying click type only. Snapons warrenty on click types is also twice as long vs their "tech" wrenches.
@@garrettparmenter938 That sounds like a definite safety hazard so I'm glad your shop is keeping safe. I personally don't pursue a tool just for the specified warranty since most of the time every company tries to weasel out of their warranties regardless. I personally haven't had any of my tech wrench's have the expansion issue as all 3 of the tech wrench's I own specifically state to use alkaline batteries due to the reason of lithium batteries expanding and catching fire.
@@cacheman2937 if i were buying the tools id probably just buy better alkaline batteries that dont leak but you have to compensate for your enviroment. Theres a chance a tool doesnt get used/checked for months but adding inspections for batteries is alot of busy work.
I still have and use a click type torque wrench I purchased in 1966. I had it tested and calibrated if needed every 5 years and it has come back most times with "No adjustment needed." The brand was New Britain, sold at NAPA Genuine Parts stores. I have known many mechanics who have used these wrenches from the early 60's through today with no problems. The problem is often not with the tool, but the user.
@@s0nnyburnett I bought all of mine in the 60's and early 70's. I still own many of them. Only one ever broke on me and most I no longer have because they were either lost or stolen.
I agree, how much do you want to bet that the mechanic from the story fucked up and over tightened those rod bolts (let's be honest he probably couldn't be bothered to even get the torque wrench we have all see that guy), blamed the tool, and the boss bought it.
10 years ago I came up with a solution to having to have them checked and calibrated. I bought one of those electronic torque little box things that has a ½" drive in and out, the kind meant to use with a breaker bar or ratchet. Anyone who understands how quartz crystal pressure measuring devices work understands that they're incredibly accurate and anything outside of 1/10th of a gram doesn't require calibration, that's far less than the smallest increments on a click type torque wrench. I use it to check my torque wrenches for calibration by clamping a large hex in a vice and putting the box between my torque wrench and the hex, if the box beeps and then gives the solid tone right when my wrench clicks it's spot on, if I have to adjust the torque wrench to wherever I need to so it clicks right when the boxes beeping goes to solid tone then whatever, doesn't really matter what the torque wrench says as long as it clicks when the box says you've hit the mark (however since I've been doing it all of my torque wrenches have always been within ½ inch lb agreement with the box, because I've always taken care of them by unwinding them and placing them back in their case's as soon as I'm done with them). But I no longer have to worry or wonder if they're in calibration and don't need to do without them because they've been sent out.
The whole USAF uses click type wrenches to keep jets flying. The problem is that ALL torque wrenches have procedures that must be followed to maintain calibration, and calibration must be checked. You don’t use them correctly, you’ll get the wrong torque from any of them.
I calibrated plenty of torque wrenches from the US naval base in Chicago. Every one was a snapping wrench that they treated nicely... Unlike some of our other customers that probably use them as hammers.
I work on an engine assembly line, where we chart out torque wrench checks 3 times a day (and I torque thousands of cylinder head bolts a day). Some of the torques are done with smart tools that self torque but most are done with click type.
"The whole USAF uses click type wrenches to keep jets flying." That just gave me flashbacks of tech school at Sheppard AFB. "Hey, dummy, stop tightening when it clicks. It ain't rocket surgery." That was many years ago and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the civ instructor who said that all the time.
Ah yes, the parts guy. The person every mechanic gets tool and work advice from. The same guy that has to look up in a book when you tell him what part you need even if you give him a part number.
“I need this part.” “I don’t know what I’m looking at here!” “I’ll point it out. Just that there, that part is what I need.” (Gets part for a completely different generation of the same car)
@@connor3288 I do pro level series and club series, you're correct! You wouldn't see a torque wrench used during a pit stop on TV. In some endurance races I do, we use a torque wrench on the wheels because our pit stops are timed, say, 3 minutes mandatory. They do this to keep pit stop times even among teams.
People have no idea.. my dad was one of the team leads that built the first B2 jet ever made. This was a top secret, "1-A" security clearance operation and the tools that were used to build it? Well they obviously had some Snap-On and the like.. but the majority were stuff like old USA Craftsman, Sears-Japan, click style torque wrenches (and of course hydraulic torque wrenches, I assume), Armstrong wrenches, Proto, etc! I think people assume that "real mechanics" must only use certain brands and certain types, but that ridiculous. The old saying is true.. the best tool is the operator.
Exactly. I work on semiconductor equipment at Intel, and most of my tools are either cheaper than harbor freight or harbor freight. Our precision stuff is expensive, like torque drivers and micrometers, but that's because that's what Intel wants. I've broken a ground bolt off with a snapon click type, and I've broken a bolt with a Pittsburg click type. If you don't know your tool, you're bound to make a mistake (As I did)
Imo the real mechanics must use certain brands comes from mechanics justifying themselves spending thousands on a tool van, or it could be great marketing from a tool van.
I'm definitely not brand specific, in diesel trade school, the school had a sponsor from snap-on where all of us got 45-75% off their tools. So I ended up with the whole master tech set plus diesel add on and a 5 drawer top box for 4500 but ever since I've found every brand has atleast one tool that beats competitors. Whether it's stronger or more comfortable to use.
This is why in the aviation industry torque wrenches have to be checked and calibrated at least once a year or if they have been exposed to impact (e.g. been dropped). And we set them to zero (remove the tension on the internal spring) after work, before putting them back into the tool store. We also have a torque tester and have to test the wrenches and print a test protocol each time we use one.
I actually do that now, setting them back to zero, on all my torque wrenches. But I only just learned about that a few years ago. I had a cheap one that I left set at 80 all the time for my wheel lug nuts, for at least 15 years. Who knows what actual torque it was applying. But at least it was all even!
It also depends what you're working on. In the automotive world, if you're tightening lug nuts you can go by feel. If you're tightening head bolts on a 4000+ hp pro mod, you probably want to get something with more accuracy than a click torque wrench.
@@bobbygetsbanned6049 there are click torque wrenches plenty accurate enough for head bolts. Just don't use a cheap one. I used my Craftsman 5-80 lb-ft 3/8 drive torque wrench (about $100 12-15 years ago) when I changed my Acura Integra GSR head gasket around 10 years ago. Spec is 60 lb-ft on the head bolts. That was at 330,000 miles, and the engine has 385,000 miles on it now. No issues whatsoever.
@@Patrick94GSR On a stock engine you have a lot of leeway. When you're torquing head bolts on FI motors on the edge of pushing head gaskets you need the accuracy, and click type are the least accurate torque wrenches.
My father has been a chief inspector for almost twenty years and that was the first thing he taught me, Always set it back to zero so you don’t strain out that spring in like a year. Been almost ten years of doing that and when he brought them back to his job to get calibrated again, it didn’t need it. Spring was just fine, the teeth weren’t chipped up on the ratcheting mechanism, and as you stated they have the torque tester at his job and after ten years still torques down dead accurately.
It probably wasn't even calibration. It was the early days and the idiot probably didn't know you stopped pulling when it clicks. He probably assumed it was a torque limiter and no matter how hard you pulled it wouldn't torque more than what it was set at.
@@chris_ackroyd"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant...excepting Alice." As my father used to say, "What you want and what you get may be 2 different things."
The funny thing is, most engine builders use a dial or bending beam still because you can see the torque build. If it jumps, you know something is binding and you stop and investigate.
You can see the torque build with digital beep types too,which measure in real time the torque being applied at any specific time,and with some experience feel what is going on too. Snapping a fastener while using a torque wrench because you can't feel the yield is the preserve of the ham fisted! And having seen the difference in torque settings achieved using two identical deflection beams despite showing an equal loading on the same fasteners I would consign them to being a spare breaker bar at best.
Well, most engine builders may not use a torque wrench but more likely angle tightening stretch bolts because its more accurate. It always gives the same torque because 75 degrees of a turn is 75 degrees even if the thread is a bit tight.
Or at least get it down to the lower 20% of its range so the spring isn’t compressed too much. I know the ends of the scale are going to be the most variable and in reality I hardly use them. 25-150ftlbs range and I’m usually using that torque wrench in the 60-120ftlb range.
Unfortunately this isn’t how springs work. A spring doesn’t get weaker from a static load, it gets weaker from repetition. This is why you can leave a magazine loaded for 20 years and it will work fine.
@@Grunttamer This is just plain wrong. while a static load isn't as bad as back and forth it will cause issues. If you want to test it take any spring and measure it's length. Put it in a vice for a month then check it again. It will be shorter.
@@Grunttamer This is correct information. What you state is correct despite the other myths around click style torque wrenches. Guys who set fasteners all day to a specific torque dont set their torque wrench back to zero and they will tell u their wrenches stay within spec for years. Repetition is indeed what wears a spring.
I have a click torque wrench I bought in 1992, still use it regularly. I get it tested every few years and it has passed every time so far. I do also have a few deflecting beam that I use for smaller things.
If you use a torque wrench daily then you need to get it calibrated every 6 months to once a year depending on rate of use. This includes Click, Deflection Beam and Beep styles.
@@EddieTheH That's what Google is for. I could type a few paragraphs to explain it for you or you can Google it and save me from that and Google can give you pictures and shops to send it to as well.
@@frankdelucey2137 Calm down with the attitude, if you don't know just say you don't know! I just meant is it a simple case of bending it with a measured load on it or something, I wasn't asking for detailed, step-by-step instructions. It would have taken you less effort to give a basic summary than it did to write that snarky comment.
@@EddieTheH my response was to direct you to more information then I care to explain on here. Apparently your emotional side kicked in over a response. Don't worry my kids do that all the time so im used to it.
A good quality click type can be as good as any other torque metering devices. As long as it's well maintained and properly stored with no preload on the handle
Ive over torqued many bolts with the click type wrench. I would highly recommend electric or deflecting beam for people who are on a budget because the budget click type are more unreliable.
I work in a shop where everyone slams the wrenches hard to get a loud click out of them. And bashes them against metal surfaces to get the sockets off. Like they’re trying to overtorque everything by 20 ft lb and throw the sticks out of calibration on purpose. Even kids with ASE certification. Longer I work there, the more insistent I am on never, ever, EVER, letting anyone else touch my car.
I have a tremendous amount of experience calibrating torque tooling. Click wrenches are by far the most accurate and reliable if you take care of them. Most newer torque tools that are digital are not designed to last nearly as long.
You know People laugh at older folks when they say things however there’s no replacement for life experience. After seven years go by 10 to look back and say’ “Dang, They didn’t know what they were talking about.” Plus it’s always good to respect your elders.
Every shop should have a torque tester, I worked at a tire shop that had a torque tester ready to go in the corner for whenever a wrench stripped a stud or just seemed off, every few months they'd all get checked.
I agree to this... to a point, and for people that don't take care of their tools. RELEASE the spring tension, when storing, and store in a place that doesn't have huge temp swings i.e. in a unheated shed in winter
click type is far better, i like to feel when the wrench clicks... we have an electronic torque wrench at work, and you cant feel the beep it makes when you reach torque. really hard to hear when there are machines being tested or running in the shop. a trusty click type wrench will always be my go to.
I calibrated thousands of these in the Navy. My favorite brand was CDI, bang on straight from the factory and stayed tight. And Snap-on was a close second. Everything else was junk. We never used deflecting beams anymore. They work, but these are sturdier.
I don’t think he has to. I believe it’s pretty well known in the mechanical world that Snap-on makes extremely accurate and durable click type torque wrenches. Lots of videos that prove it. He was just telling a story.
I like the clicker for most automotive work, but I like the bendy bar for things like "40ft/lbs then to the next whatever" like the barrel nut on an AR15. The only thing I didn't like (other than the price) about the electronic beepers is that it reset and I had to set the torque multiple times for things like torqueing a head.
I can agree with him to a point if a click type torque wrench is not calibrated correctly or is damaged or broken and you use it. It can over torque. It can do damage. It can give you the incorrect torque reading. I have used the click type in the past. I've relied on them. I have currently a deflecting beam torque wrench but I don't work on cars anymore and I just have it because it was part of a set that I purchased. It's brand new. It's never been used. I've not used it yet anyway but even the deflecting beam has its fault. They can get out of calibration as well so you have to take care of them. You have digital ones now which you know their precision instruments. They're not any different than a micrometer or a caliper or something along those lines you have to take care of them
The goal is to pre-load the bolt. Torque isn’t a very good measure for preload but sometimes it’s the only way. Other times it’s the simply the most convenient. Measuring bolt stretch works better. Problem being a wide variation in friction within the threads, clean or not, oil on them (or not), side loading from the torque wrench as well…. Usually for an applied torque the preload will be +/- 30% which is ok for most applications. It’s not so much the wrench, just using torque to achieve preload. Bolted joints in fatigue applications are finicky to the preload being within a range. These joints behave in counter-intuitive ways.
Dude that's so wild. You bought it in 2001 but it looks so damn good. Like you just bought off the tool trucklast year or so. So impressive. I also didn't know Snap-On was using the current logo in 2001. I thought it would've been the old style logo.
Lookie here friend, it is because no one ever told you that you are suppose to get your clicker type torque wrench calibrated before the use of the tool. That way it is setup for the correct & proper torque for all bolts & nuts. i see people forget to return the tool to either zeroI or the lowest when the finish use of the tool. also I see alot people unknown of this knowledge for the this tool. I still use my clicker torque tool to this day because it still get calibrated every year & I cannot rely on tool with failed batteries.
I only have one beep type 3/8’s that I use on engines but the ones for tightening wheels on cars is a click type. If you’re unsure about it accuracy, get it calibrated
Crazyness..... I have a selection of "click" type torque wrenches and some angle gauges, some head bolts require a torque first and then an angle that's not just to make us buy tools, only thing I'd say is always torque if the values are available, make sure your wrench is calibrated properly and stop listening to horror stories lol! Your old man sounds like a lad tho, I never had a dad growing up just for him to give you that advise is wholesome as fook imo. stay safe and keep smiling people.....👍👌👍
Most of the big boy torque wrench's I've seen are break back not click (tho they're similar internally), now that's the superior way in my opinion. It's a shame you can't get that style in smaller sizes.
These wrenches always work. When not in use turn the handle back to as low of a torque setting as possible. Then adjust it to the desired torque for use. The battery is never dead or exploded inside ruining it. No batteries, it just works.
Every torque wrench needs to be calibrated every so often. In the aviation world, any torque wrench over a year from its last calibration, can not be used. If one is, the mechanic can be fined or suspended, depending on the case. They aren’t designed to hold the same torque forever and need lil adjustments the more one is used
When I was working at NASA, they used nothing but click type torque wrenches in the vibration lab - for every torque setting they would calibrate the wrench in the back on a big calibration machine. If you want to be super accurate, the beam or dial type are more accurate. You can measure the 'running torque' on a fastener and add that to the desired torque value. OR Measure the bolt stretch if you can get to the back side
Gonna mention how electronic torque wrenches cant be used by the handle? says right in the manual "dont turn wrench by the handle as you may damage the electronics, tighten from one hand one end with socket and the other in the MIDDLE or the bar and go straight down, not circles"
I have 3 snap on torque wrenches that are click style that I've had for about 20 years. They still do a great job and to this day they are still in calibration and gets checked twice a year. I've never had a problem with my torque wrenches. Click style torque wrenches will live on forever lol.
I’ve worked in the aircraft industry for nearly 40 yrs now and it’s the standard torquing devise. They are calibrated regularly and if dropped. Beam wrenches are just as susceptible to inaccuracy. There’s some checks a beam is better for than click or digital beep but generally click is cheaper and fictionally adequate.
What the hell did you do to it to bend that thing? The one I have I inherited from my father when he passed away 25 years ago He probably had it 30 prior to that. He taught me when I was a young teenager that torque wrenches were precision tools and they should go in their own special padded drawer in the tool chest. Today that 1960s Craftsman ½" beam is shared with a ⅜" Snap-on beam and there is a proto click ½" and a Snappie that is also ½" I prefer the beam torque wrench other than it doesn't ratchet, That thing has rebuilt so many engines in my adult life, at one time I thought a click wrench would be better but I don't trust them for bearings. They are sufficient for flywheel bolts or intake manifold bolts but I always resort to the beam wrenches when doing main and rods because how do you know if the spring hasn't lost any tension, I always back off my torque wrenches when I'm done using them but you don't really have a good way to check them to make sure they're within tolerance where a beam wrench even if you bent it You just can do basic math and figure out where it should point.
All these snap on guys pull out the shiniest tool from 20 years ago. Shows me buddy doesn’t use his tools or he Must buff them all the time like a goon.
Yeah you’re right, taking pride in your tools and taking care of your investment really makes you a goon. Take care of your stuff it takes care of you. Do what you want with your Pittsburgh stuff bro.
@@eightpenny6379 or you take pride in your nice tools and don't leave them out in the rain. Wipe them down after use and keep them in a protective case. It's a torque wrench. Not a hammer. Beating up a torque wrench would be asking for poor calibration....
You must not use tools cause when it comes down to it there’s 2 types men you take care of there tools and men who don’t, I wipe my box and tools down after every use, it’s called giving an F about your stuff
I used a Snap-on click type torque wrench since 1982 building race engines and other applications. I worked in a shop in Texas building race engines and all the mechanics that worked there always used those styles. We never had any issues with that.
Dude I bought a 240lb ft torque wrench from O'Reilly. Used it to tighten two axle nuts and placed it back in its case, put it up. Took it out 6 months later 2 weeks ago and the gears are stripped. I know it wasn't the best brand but I didn't do anything wrong. It cost $150. I will try taking it apart and fixing it at some point. But it just pissed me off. I'll probably just get some paper and a tape measure and do some math and count some turns next time.
Properly serviced and calibrated click type torque wrenches can last for years. Used them everyday on commercial airliners for 40 yrs. If in doubt use test fasteners to check all torque wrenches. Common sense goes along way.
That's like never changing your car oil and bitching the engine seized up 😂 my grandpa gave me a snap on from the 80's and I get it calibrated every 6 months and works perfectly all the time.
I used those snap-on torque wrenches for 20 years as an aircraft mechanic. Seemed to do just fine. Of course they calibrate them every 4-6 months or so.
As someone who does calibrations for a living. These Snap-on ones are probably the best as far as clicky type torque wrenches go (which is the majority). They don't go out of spec very far and on the occasion they do need adjustment they're super easy to do taking a few minutes. The other brand I rate just as highly are Warren & Brown (even easier to adjust). The other brands are kinda... not very good to be honest. Often require adjustment each cal period and super complicated with lots of parts. I think what makes the Snap-on and W&B ones mentioned so reliable and repeatable is because they have the fewest parts.
As a UL control panel builder, I have to use click type torque wrenches and torque screw drivers for every wire terminal. I get them certified every year.. Sometimes they pass sometimes they tell me I have to buy a new one. In this case I surely trust a click type..
Years ago I purchased a new SnapOn torque wrench. It was a new design at the time with a little knob on the side to set the torque. The first engine I was assembling using it was a Detroit Series 60. It would not click on one stud and stretch it but another it would be fine. I went back to my old torque wrench like the one illustrated and got the engine together after replacing the couple of stretched studs. When the dealer came again I explained the issue. A month or so later he returned the torque wrench. I asked what they found was wrong. Nothing was the reply, but it has functioned perfectly ever since. Just one of those situations life throws you, but you do have to be paying attention to what you are doing and how it is going.
As a professional mechanic I love when people that used to work around mechanics think they knows everything about the craft. Which is why when people ask me what I do for a living, I used to say I work at a library, just to avoid peoples stupid opinions about cars or mechanics in general.
Like most things people don't maintain or don't realize things need maintained. Torque wrenches are calibrated tools, simply put that need to be calibrated and re calibrated. Aircraft industry all tools maintained by the company requiring calibration get sent out annually.
I have one from the mid 1970s. I still use it and compare against my newer models,(all click types). I have had it calibrated and it keeps on 'clicken'.
Dude, you left your torque wrench in the "ON" position. That will kill the wrench's battery. Always be sure to turn a mechanical torque wrench to the "OFF" position to save the battery. :D LOL.
Funny. My Dad used the sound of his 1/2 inch impact for thirty-five years on engines and transmission. Zero failures. And it was a daily occurrence. Heavy line mechanic in Mopar dealers.
20+ year mechanic and I use harbor freight clickers 😎 just check it before using it every time and even while in middle of jobs. I've been lucky because I do prefer a digital but I can't spend the money
I have been working aircraft maintenance since 2008 and I have always used snap on click type torque wrenches unless I needed a very low range dial indicating torque wrench to calculate run on torque (prevailing torque). Let’s just say that I have worked on well over 100 different helicopters, and easily 500 airplanes using them and not a single one of them crashed so far.
Meanwhile the needle pointer type torque wrench work by flexing the shaft of the wrench. The needles get bent easily and over time (yes a long time) repeated flexing of the metal weakens it, meaning it takes less torque to flex it the same distance
A lot depends on what the torque spec was for the fastener, and if the mechanic was using a torque wrench outside of the acceptable accuracy of ±4% over 20-80% of the range of the wrench. If the fastener required 25 ft/lbs, and he used a torque wrench with a range of 20-100 ft/lbs, you'd be using it in the very low, inaccurate end of it's range, and would probably over tighten the fastener before it clicks. Other things to consider are proper hand placement, smoothly and consistently pulling the handle, not using a cheater bar or socket extension etc. It's foolish to use one anecdotal example of over tightening to decide clicker-style torque wrenches are generally inaccurate.
I’ve built prop planes, private jets, commercial and military jets, and rockets. Click style torque wrenches were present in all of the facilities. You have to follow the maintenance manual on the wrenches and you have to get them calibrated at least every year and it is mandatory to send them for recalibration after the wrench experiences a shock-load aka. dropped or a heavy item/tool was dropped on the wrench.
The only issue with click types is when the calibration ends up being off you won't know. Deflecting beam doesn't have that issue. You can clearly see if it's no longer zeroed or if it's become damaged. I keep both, critical fasteners get the beam type wrench.
All precision equipment should be calibrated regularly in order to ensure precision. In an industrial or manufacturing situation, it might need to be calibrated every few hours. In the specific situation that was provided, it is just to general to know why it failed.. * was the mechanic actually a mechanic (I.e. licensed) * When was the last calibration? * Did the mechanic reduce the torque value to zero after use * What was the physical condition of the wrench (was it damaged in any way?) If all that is good and you are still doing damage, then it's time to watch the mechanic to see if they understand how the tool works. Worked with an apprentice who thought the click ment go one extra 1/4 turn on the wrench. I grabbed my digital torque wrench and was able to show him by how much he had over torqued the bolt.
I believe as with most tools, it is highly specific to the situation. I have found that the click type torque wrench is less reliable under 100 lb. In those applications I believe the bending beam type wrench is more reliable as you can see the torque building, and know that you are at least in the vicinity. At the lower levels The Click is at times either non-existent or highly inaudible.
I'd be willing to bet a fair amount of money that the mechanic used an impact wrench and just said he used a click type torque wrench to cover his ass after the failure.
Most of my torque wrenches don't click anymore, they beep at me nowadays.
"Well if it ain't mr fancypants. " Ash from the evil dead movies.
Weve had enough batteries expand in ours at work that as a policy moving forward we are buying click type only. Snapons warrenty on click types is also twice as long vs their "tech" wrenches.
@@garrettparmenter938 That sounds like a definite safety hazard so I'm glad your shop is keeping safe. I personally don't pursue a tool just for the specified warranty since most of the time every company tries to weasel out of their warranties regardless.
I personally haven't had any of my tech wrench's have the expansion issue as all 3 of the tech wrench's I own specifically state to use alkaline batteries due to the reason of lithium batteries expanding and catching fire.
@@cacheman2937 if i were buying the tools id probably just buy better alkaline batteries that dont leak but you have to compensate for your enviroment. Theres a chance a tool doesnt get used/checked for months but adding inspections for batteries is alot of busy work.
Same here. I only use my click type for lugnuts
Like most precision tools, you just get it calibrated and go on with your day.
probably with a beam type..lol
@@chuckthebull My beam type torque wrench reads off like 15 pounds. That tolerance difference is still no match though for accuracy
Problem is most mechanics I know don't do that unless it's so off it's unusable.
You should get it calibrated every year Or every time you drop it. Whichever comes first.
This. Like all torque wrenches they need to be calibrated every once in a while. Most of the trucks I've been on have a tool to check it with.
I still have and use a click type torque wrench I purchased in 1966. I had it tested and calibrated if needed every 5 years and it has come back most times with "No adjustment needed." The brand was New Britain, sold at NAPA Genuine Parts stores. I have known many mechanics who have used these wrenches from the early 60's through today with no problems. The problem is often not with the tool, but the user.
Back when stuff was built to last forever. I’d happily buy that from you instead of getting ones from stores. Truly don’t make them like they used to
Hello from New Britain, Conn. I actually find it hard to find New Britain automotive tools in person I only have a couple pieces.
@@s0nnyburnett I bought all of mine in the 60's and early 70's. I still own many of them. Only one ever broke on me and most I no longer have because they were either lost or stolen.
I agree, how much do you want to bet that the mechanic from the story fucked up and over tightened those rod bolts (let's be honest he probably couldn't be bothered to even get the torque wrench we have all see that guy), blamed the tool, and the boss bought it.
10 years ago I came up with a solution to having to have them checked and calibrated.
I bought one of those electronic torque little box things that has a ½" drive in and out, the kind meant to use with a breaker bar or ratchet.
Anyone who understands how quartz crystal pressure measuring devices work understands that they're incredibly accurate and anything outside of 1/10th of a gram doesn't require calibration, that's far less than the smallest increments on a click type torque wrench.
I use it to check my torque wrenches for calibration by clamping a large hex in a vice and putting the box between my torque wrench and the hex, if the box beeps and then gives the solid tone right when my wrench clicks it's spot on, if I have to adjust the torque wrench to wherever I need to so it clicks right when the boxes beeping goes to solid tone then whatever, doesn't really matter what the torque wrench says as long as it clicks when the box says you've hit the mark (however since I've been doing it all of my torque wrenches have always been within ½ inch lb agreement with the box, because I've always taken care of them by unwinding them and placing them back in their case's as soon as I'm done with them).
But I no longer have to worry or wonder if they're in calibration and don't need to do without them because they've been sent out.
The whole USAF uses click type wrenches to keep jets flying.
The problem is that ALL torque wrenches have procedures that must be followed to maintain calibration, and calibration must be checked. You don’t use them correctly, you’ll get the wrong torque from any of them.
AMEN, BROTHER.
I calibrated plenty of torque wrenches from the US naval base in Chicago. Every one was a snapping wrench that they treated nicely... Unlike some of our other customers that probably use them as hammers.
Exactly
I work on an engine assembly line, where we chart out torque wrench checks 3 times a day (and I torque thousands of cylinder head bolts a day). Some of the torques are done with smart tools that self torque but most are done with click type.
"The whole USAF uses click type wrenches to keep jets flying."
That just gave me flashbacks of tech school at Sheppard AFB. "Hey, dummy, stop tightening when it clicks. It ain't rocket surgery." That was many years ago and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the civ instructor who said that all the time.
Ah yes, the parts guy. The person every mechanic gets tool and work advice from. The same guy that has to look up in a book when you tell him what part you need even if you give him a part number.
Parts guys still use books???
And then still send out the wrong part.
“I need this part.”
“I don’t know what I’m looking at here!”
“I’ll point it out. Just that there, that part is what I need.”
(Gets part for a completely different generation of the same car)
They try to bypass the no click rule, this is how they do it.
in aviation we use click type...properly
I work in a pit stop environment, click style torque wrenches are essential. You cant hear a beep with a helmet on.
Most digital torque wrenches beep and also vibrate
Never seen a pitstop with torquing on tv. What kind of racing?
The parts guy was probably giving him the wrong parts!!!!
Torque wrench for pit stops????
@@connor3288 I do pro level series and club series, you're correct! You wouldn't see a torque wrench used during a pit stop on TV. In some endurance races I do, we use a torque wrench on the wheels because our pit stops are timed, say, 3 minutes mandatory. They do this to keep pit stop times even among teams.
People have no idea.. my dad was one of the team leads that built the first B2 jet ever made. This was a top secret, "1-A" security clearance operation and the tools that were used to build it? Well they obviously had some Snap-On and the like.. but the majority were stuff like old USA Craftsman, Sears-Japan, click style torque wrenches (and of course hydraulic torque wrenches, I assume), Armstrong wrenches, Proto, etc!
I think people assume that "real mechanics" must only use certain brands and certain types, but that ridiculous.
The old saying is true.. the best tool is the operator.
Exactly. I work on semiconductor equipment at Intel, and most of my tools are either cheaper than harbor freight or harbor freight. Our precision stuff is expensive, like torque drivers and micrometers, but that's because that's what Intel wants. I've broken a ground bolt off with a snapon click type, and I've broken a bolt with a Pittsburg click type. If you don't know your tool, you're bound to make a mistake (As I did)
Imo the real mechanics must use certain brands comes from mechanics justifying themselves spending thousands on a tool van, or it could be great marketing from a tool van.
Except all the brands you named were top of the line back then... soo your statement means squat..
Armstrong tools are some of the best on the market
I'm definitely not brand specific, in diesel trade school, the school had a sponsor from snap-on where all of us got 45-75% off their tools. So I ended up with the whole master tech set plus diesel add on and a 5 drawer top box for 4500 but ever since I've found every brand has atleast one tool that beats competitors. Whether it's stronger or more comfortable to use.
This is why in the aviation industry torque wrenches have to be checked and calibrated at least once a year or if they have been exposed to impact (e.g. been dropped). And we set them to zero (remove the tension on the internal spring) after work, before putting them back into the tool store. We also have a torque tester and have to test the wrenches and print a test protocol each time we use one.
I actually do that now, setting them back to zero, on all my torque wrenches. But I only just learned about that a few years ago. I had a cheap one that I left set at 80 all the time for my wheel lug nuts, for at least 15 years. Who knows what actual torque it was applying. But at least it was all even!
It also depends what you're working on. In the automotive world, if you're tightening lug nuts you can go by feel. If you're tightening head bolts on a 4000+ hp pro mod, you probably want to get something with more accuracy than a click torque wrench.
@@bobbygetsbanned6049 there are click torque wrenches plenty accurate enough for head bolts. Just don't use a cheap one. I used my Craftsman 5-80 lb-ft 3/8 drive torque wrench (about $100 12-15 years ago) when I changed my Acura Integra GSR head gasket around 10 years ago. Spec is 60 lb-ft on the head bolts. That was at 330,000 miles, and the engine has 385,000 miles on it now. No issues whatsoever.
@@Patrick94GSR On a stock engine you have a lot of leeway. When you're torquing head bolts on FI motors on the edge of pushing head gaskets you need the accuracy, and click type are the least accurate torque wrenches.
My father has been a chief inspector for almost twenty years and that was the first thing he taught me, Always set it back to zero so you don’t strain out that spring in like a year. Been almost ten years of doing that and when he brought them back to his job to get calibrated again, it didn’t need it. Spring was just fine, the teeth weren’t chipped up on the ratcheting mechanism, and as you stated they have the torque tester at his job and after ten years still torques down dead accurately.
Ah yes the parts guy is who you should be trusting for all your mechanical needs.
How many times u think he practiced tht laugh?
Once upon a time partsmen actually knew what they were doing, unlike the ones today at Autozone or O’reilly that are basically just cashiers
Obviously that workshop never had the torque wrench calibration checked😂
It probably wasn't even calibration. It was the early days and the idiot probably didn't know you stopped pulling when it clicks. He probably assumed it was a torque limiter and no matter how hard you pulled it wouldn't torque more than what it was set at.
Blame the tool not the person swinging on it…you should see my mini g-clamp (others think it’s a micrometer😳🙃)!
😂😂😂😂😂😂
I laughed out loud at this lmao
I have an issue of Popular Mechanics where it has an image of a micrometer but it is labeled "c-clamp".
@@Ihateutubecontextandsensorshit - why not 😆 - it all depends on what reading you want!!😞😅
@@chris_ackroyd"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant...excepting Alice."
As my father used to say, "What you want and what you get may be 2 different things."
Still rocking my snap on clicker from 1995.
The funny thing is, most engine builders use a dial or bending beam still because you can see the torque build. If it jumps, you know something is binding and you stop and investigate.
You shouldn't run straight up to final torque in any torque specific application, regardless of the type you're using
@@usernameisaname but you can still see as you pull on it the torque building... Have you never used a beam type wrench?
You can see the torque build with digital beep types too,which measure in real time the torque being applied at any specific time,and with some experience feel what is going on too. Snapping a fastener while using a torque wrench because you can't feel the yield is the preserve of the ham fisted! And having seen the difference in torque settings achieved using two identical deflection beams despite showing an equal loading on the same fasteners I would consign them to being a spare breaker bar at best.
Well, most engine builders may not use a torque wrench but more likely angle tightening stretch bolts because its more accurate. It always gives the same torque because 75 degrees of a turn is 75 degrees even if the thread is a bit tight.
@@michaelbamber4887 This is only true if the fasteners have the same heat treatment and a correct heat treatment.
Bet you he didn't reset the adjuster back to 0 when he was done with it. Do that and it will go out of spec real fast.
Or at least get it down to the lower 20% of its range so the spring isn’t compressed too much. I know the ends of the scale are going to be the most variable and in reality I hardly use them. 25-150ftlbs range and I’m usually using that torque wrench in the 60-120ftlb range.
Set it at the lowest setting, no more, no less.
Unfortunately this isn’t how springs work. A spring doesn’t get weaker from a static load, it gets weaker from repetition. This is why you can leave a magazine loaded for 20 years and it will work fine.
@@Grunttamer This is just plain wrong. while a static load isn't as bad as back and forth it will cause issues. If you want to test it take any spring and measure it's length. Put it in a vice for a month then check it again. It will be shorter.
@@Grunttamer This is correct information. What you state is correct despite the other myths around click style torque wrenches. Guys who set fasteners all day to a specific torque dont set their torque wrench back to zero and they will tell u their wrenches stay within spec for years. Repetition is indeed what wears a spring.
I have a click torque wrench I bought in 1992, still use it regularly. I get it tested every few years and it has passed every time so far. I do also have a few deflecting beam that I use for smaller things.
When I’m working on a vehicle, the only thing I need my parts guy for is to get me my parts.
If you use a torque wrench daily then you need to get it calibrated every 6 months to once a year depending on rate of use. This includes Click, Deflection Beam and Beep styles.
How do you calibrate a deflection beam?
@@EddieTheH That's what Google is for. I could type a few paragraphs to explain it for you or you can Google it and save me from that and Google can give you pictures and shops to send it to as well.
@@frankdelucey2137 Calm down with the attitude, if you don't know just say you don't know! I just meant is it a simple case of bending it with a measured load on it or something, I wasn't asking for detailed, step-by-step instructions. It would have taken you less effort to give a basic summary than it did to write that snarky comment.
@@EddieTheH my response was to direct you to more information then I care to explain on here. Apparently your emotional side kicked in over a response. Don't worry my kids do that all the time so im used to it.
@@frankdelucey2137 Cute.
Clickers are my favorite. No batteries required.
Mines been used thousands of times and every time it’s checked for calibration it’s spot on every time wouldn’t use anything else
FYI most tool trucks have a tool to check your torque wrench to make sure its in spec! If not you can send it out to get recalibrated
Any kind even my craftsman
A good quality click type can be as good as any other torque metering devices. As long as it's well maintained and properly stored with no preload on the handle
Click type wrenches that never get re-calibrated will tend to under torque as the click point wears and dulls.
You brought it in 2001 nice. A couple more payments and she will be ours outright!
Ive over torqued many bolts with the click type wrench. I would highly recommend electric or deflecting beam for people who are on a budget because the budget click type are more unreliable.
Always reset them to Zero after using.
Wonder if that tech at the dealer dropped his torque wrench a few times and never had it calibrated
Assuming he is a diesel mechanic, he has probably "dropped" it at the wall more than once 😁
@@jerleh261 💀
I work in a shop where everyone slams the wrenches hard to get a loud click out of them. And bashes them against metal surfaces to get the sockets off. Like they’re trying to overtorque everything by 20 ft lb and throw the sticks out of calibration on purpose. Even kids with ASE certification. Longer I work there, the more insistent I am on never, ever, EVER, letting anyone else touch my car.
I have a tremendous amount of experience calibrating torque tooling. Click wrenches are by far the most accurate and reliable if you take care of them. Most newer torque tools that are digital are not designed to last nearly as long.
You know People laugh at older folks when they say things however there’s no replacement for life experience. After seven years go by 10 to look back and say’ “Dang, They didn’t know what they were talking about.” Plus it’s always good to respect your elders.
Good race engine shops will have a torque tester. Had one mounted on the wall and it was periodically checked and sent in if need be
Every shop should have a torque tester, I worked at a tire shop that had a torque tester ready to go in the corner for whenever a wrench stripped a stud or just seemed off, every few months they'd all get checked.
You gotta recalibrate it now!
Then there's just the rest of us maintenance guys that don't OWNa torque wrench, and still don't break shit or have it fail...
The cheap ones all spin the handle loose when you're tightening. That's probably why people don't like them.
I noticed that on one of the one I bought didn’t like it.
I agree to this... to a point, and for people that don't take care of their tools. RELEASE the spring tension, when storing, and store in a place that doesn't have huge temp swings i.e. in a unheated shed in winter
click type is far better, i like to feel when the wrench clicks... we have an electronic torque wrench at work, and you cant feel the beep it makes when you reach torque. really hard to hear when there are machines being tested or running in the shop. a trusty click type wrench will always be my go to.
Electronic wrenches are good in videos, but crap in the real world
Some of the newer ones will vibrate too.
I prefer an old school beam.
I calibrated thousands of these in the Navy. My favorite brand was CDI, bang on straight from the factory and stayed tight. And Snap-on was a close second. Everything else was junk. We never used deflecting beams anymore. They work, but these are sturdier.
You've provided no evidence that this wrench does it's job other than chuckling
I don’t think he has to. I believe it’s pretty well known in the mechanical world that Snap-on makes extremely accurate and durable click type torque wrenches. Lots of videos that prove it. He was just telling a story.
You're lost guy lol
I own a Proto click wrench,
I don't trust it like I do the million year old beam wrench.
I like the clicker for most automotive work, but I like the bendy bar for things like "40ft/lbs then to the next whatever" like the barrel nut on an AR15. The only thing I didn't like (other than the price) about the electronic beepers is that it reset and I had to set the torque multiple times for things like torqueing a head.
I can agree with him to a point if a click type torque wrench is not calibrated correctly or is damaged or broken and you use it. It can over torque. It can do damage. It can give you the incorrect torque reading. I have used the click type in the past. I've relied on them. I have currently a deflecting beam torque wrench but I don't work on cars anymore and I just have it because it was part of a set that I purchased. It's brand new. It's never been used. I've not used it yet anyway but even the deflecting beam has its fault. They can get out of calibration as well so you have to take care of them. You have digital ones now which you know their precision instruments. They're not any different than a micrometer or a caliper or something along those lines you have to take care of them
The goal is to pre-load the bolt. Torque isn’t a very good measure for preload but sometimes it’s the only way. Other times it’s the simply the most convenient. Measuring bolt stretch works better. Problem being a wide variation in friction within the threads, clean or not, oil on them (or not), side loading from the torque wrench as well…. Usually for an applied torque the preload will be +/- 30% which is ok for most applications. It’s not so much the wrench, just using torque to achieve preload. Bolted joints in fatigue applications are finicky to the preload being within a range. These joints behave in counter-intuitive ways.
big brain answer ^
Dude that's so wild. You bought it in 2001 but it looks so damn good. Like you just bought off the tool trucklast year or so. So impressive. I also didn't know Snap-On was using the current logo in 2001. I thought it would've been the old style logo.
It only comes out for a few seconds at a time, plus I have multiples to use, and it stays in a case.
i still use that same exact torque wrench to this day
Lookie here friend, it is because no one ever told you that you are suppose to get your clicker type torque wrench calibrated before the use of the tool. That way it is setup for the correct & proper torque for all bolts & nuts. i see people forget to return the tool to either zeroI or the lowest when the finish use of the tool. also I see alot people unknown of this knowledge for the this tool. I still use my clicker torque tool to this day because it still get calibrated every year & I cannot rely on tool with failed batteries.
I only have one beep type 3/8’s that I use on engines but the ones for tightening wheels on cars is a click type. If you’re unsure about it accuracy, get it calibrated
Crazyness.....
I have a selection of "click" type torque wrenches and some angle gauges, some head bolts require a torque first and then an angle that's not just to make us buy tools, only thing I'd say is always torque if the values are available, make sure your wrench is calibrated properly and stop listening to horror stories lol!
Your old man sounds like a lad tho, I never had a dad growing up just for him to give you that advise is wholesome as fook imo.
stay safe and keep smiling people.....👍👌👍
Parts guy = well I wanted to me a mechanic but my dad only let me hold the light
Old timers like old school. But I love the snap-on clicker! Store it right and keep it calibrated, or shit can go south.
Couldn't even imagine a 5ft long, 3/4in deflecting beam torque wrench, with a 3ft wide graph! 😅😅😅
Most of the big boy torque wrench's I've seen are break back not click (tho they're similar internally), now that's the superior way in my opinion. It's a shame you can't get that style in smaller sizes.
Takes all kinds to make the world go round
That’s for sure
These wrenches always work. When not in use turn the handle back to as low of a torque setting as possible. Then adjust it to the desired torque for use. The battery is never dead or exploded inside ruining it. No batteries, it just works.
Nothing wrong with that torque wrench. People do however like to do the quick double click sometimes that will cause over torquing.
From my experience they usually undertorque the older they get..
Every torque wrench needs to be calibrated every so often. In the aviation world, any torque wrench over a year from its last calibration, can not be used. If one is, the mechanic can be fined or suspended, depending on the case. They aren’t designed to hold the same torque forever and need lil adjustments the more one is used
ISO 6789
When I was working at NASA, they used nothing but click type torque wrenches in the vibration lab - for every torque setting they would calibrate the wrench in the back on a big calibration machine.
If you want to be super accurate, the beam or dial type are more accurate. You can measure the 'running torque' on a fastener and add that to the desired torque value.
OR
Measure the bolt stretch if you can get to the back side
Gonna mention how electronic torque wrenches cant be used by the handle? says right in the manual "dont turn wrench by the handle as you may damage the electronics, tighten from one hand one end with socket and the other in the MIDDLE or the bar and go straight down, not circles"
Deflecting beam are accurate you can bend the needle by hand to exactly where you want torque to be 😅
I still prefer the click type over digital all day long.....just a more positive feel.
I have 3 snap on torque wrenches that are click style that I've had for about 20 years. They still do a great job and to this day they are still in calibration and gets checked twice a year. I've never had a problem with my torque wrenches. Click style torque wrenches will live on forever lol.
I’ve worked in the aircraft industry for nearly 40 yrs now and it’s the standard torquing devise. They are calibrated regularly and if dropped. Beam wrenches are just as susceptible to inaccuracy. There’s some checks a beam is better for than click or digital beep but generally click is cheaper and fictionally adequate.
I have never seen a deflecting beam torque wrench return to zero. Always bent
Weird, mine does
What the hell did you do to it to bend that thing?
The one I have I inherited from my father when he passed away 25 years ago He probably had it 30 prior to that. He taught me when I was a young teenager that torque wrenches were precision tools and they should go in their own special padded drawer in the tool chest.
Today that 1960s Craftsman ½" beam is shared with a ⅜" Snap-on beam and there is a proto click ½" and a Snappie that is also ½"
I prefer the beam torque wrench other than it doesn't ratchet, That thing has rebuilt so many engines in my adult life, at one time I thought a click wrench would be better but I don't trust them for bearings. They are sufficient for flywheel bolts or intake manifold bolts but I always resort to the beam wrenches when doing main and rods because how do you know if the spring hasn't lost any tension, I always back off my torque wrenches when I'm done using them but you don't really have a good way to check them to make sure they're within tolerance where a beam wrench even if you bent it You just can do basic math and figure out where it should point.
@@AtomicReverend 300 nm beamer
I had to tighten a bolt to exactly 300 :)
All these snap on guys pull out the shiniest tool from 20 years ago. Shows me buddy doesn’t use his tools or he Must buff them all the time like a goon.
Or I have 5…
Yeah you’re right, taking pride in your tools and taking care of your investment really makes you a goon. Take care of your stuff it takes care of you. Do what you want with your Pittsburgh stuff bro.
@@eightpenny6379 or you take pride in your nice tools and don't leave them out in the rain. Wipe them down after use and keep them in a protective case.
It's a torque wrench. Not a hammer. Beating up a torque wrench would be asking for poor calibration....
I’m a wannabe carpenter and I take care of every tool I own to the best of my ability. When you take care of your tools, your tools take care of you
You must not use tools cause when it comes down to it there’s 2 types men you take care of there tools and men who don’t, I wipe my box and tools down after every use, it’s called giving an F about your stuff
I used a Snap-on click type torque wrench since 1982 building race engines and other applications. I worked in a shop in Texas building race engines and all the mechanics that worked there always used those styles. We never had any issues with that.
Dude I bought a 240lb ft torque wrench from O'Reilly. Used it to tighten two axle nuts and placed it back in its case, put it up.
Took it out 6 months later 2 weeks ago and the gears are stripped.
I know it wasn't the best brand but I didn't do anything wrong. It cost $150.
I will try taking it apart and fixing it at some point. But it just pissed me off. I'll probably just get some paper and a tape measure and do some math and count some turns next time.
Properly serviced and calibrated click type torque wrenches can last for years. Used them everyday on commercial airliners for 40 yrs. If in doubt use test fasteners to check all torque wrenches. Common sense goes along way.
I have a split beam for over 10 years. Got it checked on snap on truck recently 😊STILL within 1-2ft-lbs i can live with that for sure
That wrench there is a piece of art.
That's like never changing your car oil and bitching the engine seized up 😂 my grandpa gave me a snap on from the 80's and I get it calibrated every 6 months and works perfectly all the time.
I used those snap-on torque wrenches for 20 years as an aircraft mechanic. Seemed to do just fine. Of course they calibrate them every 4-6 months or so.
As someone who does calibrations for a living. These Snap-on ones are probably the best as far as clicky type torque wrenches go (which is the majority). They don't go out of spec very far and on the occasion they do need adjustment they're super easy to do taking a few minutes. The other brand I rate just as highly are Warren & Brown (even easier to adjust). The other brands are kinda... not very good to be honest. Often require adjustment each cal period and super complicated with lots of parts.
I think what makes the Snap-on and W&B ones mentioned so reliable and repeatable is because they have the fewest parts.
I've been using Snap on click torque wrench for almost 30 years .I just sent in for recalibration it was within 2lbs ..Never ever had any issues.
I feel attacked. I love my clicker so much I’m taking it with me to the grave.
As a UL control panel builder, I have to use click type torque wrenches and torque screw drivers for every wire terminal. I get them certified every year.. Sometimes they pass sometimes they tell me I have to buy a new one. In this case I surely trust a click type..
When you said "parts manager" i knew we could discard his opinion
Years ago I purchased a new SnapOn torque wrench. It was a new design at the time with a little knob on the side to set the torque. The first engine I was assembling using it was a Detroit Series 60. It would not click on one stud and stretch it but another it would be fine. I went back to my old torque wrench like the one illustrated and got the engine together after replacing the couple of stretched studs.
When the dealer came again I explained the issue. A month or so later he returned the torque wrench. I asked what they found was wrong. Nothing was the reply, but it has functioned perfectly ever since.
Just one of those situations life throws you, but you do have to be paying attention to what you are doing and how it is going.
As a professional mechanic I love when people that used to work around mechanics think they knows everything about the craft.
Which is why when people ask me what I do for a living, I used to say I work at a library, just to avoid peoples stupid opinions about cars or mechanics in general.
Like most things people don't maintain or don't realize things need maintained. Torque wrenches are calibrated tools, simply put that need to be calibrated and re calibrated. Aircraft industry all tools maintained by the company requiring calibration get sent out annually.
I have one from the mid 1970s. I still use it and compare against my newer models,(all click types). I have had it calibrated and it keeps on 'clicken'.
The click types are more accurate then the digital ones in my opinion
I absolutely don’t like snap on as a company, but that specific TR is the best one you could buy. Have had mine for 20+ years.
Dude, you left your torque wrench in the "ON" position. That will kill the wrench's battery. Always be sure to turn a mechanical torque wrench to the "OFF" position to save the battery. :D LOL.
you usually get a test certificate which shows deviation from the settings with every torque wrench, so you know how accurate your specific wrench is
Yeah a parts guy is definitely a go to person. His advice is about as accurate as you getting the correct parts
I'm very glad that makes you chuckle. You would be the best audience at a comedy show.
Funny. My Dad used the sound of his 1/2 inch impact for thirty-five years on engines and transmission. Zero failures. And it was a daily occurrence. Heavy line mechanic in Mopar dealers.
We use these all the time in airline maintenance, they’re great. Never had any problems.
20+ year mechanic and I use harbor freight clickers 😎 just check it before using it every time and even while in middle of jobs. I've been lucky because I do prefer a digital but I can't spend the money
I have been working aircraft maintenance since 2008 and I have always used snap on click type torque wrenches unless I needed a very low range dial indicating torque wrench to calculate run on torque (prevailing torque). Let’s just say that I have worked on well over 100 different helicopters, and easily 500 airplanes using them and not a single one of them crashed so far.
Meanwhile the needle pointer type torque wrench work by flexing the shaft of the wrench. The needles get bent easily and over time (yes a long time) repeated flexing of the metal weakens it, meaning it takes less torque to flex it the same distance
I'd rather have a click type instead of always replacing batteries. I hate battery powered tools.
The good thing about deflection beams is that they don’t lose calibration in rough conditions and environments.
“You don’t generalize from a specific instance of failure”
That is mechanics. In politics you do.
I used deflecting torque wrench in the 1970s. Now click type. I check the accuracy from time to time. Still have my deflecting
A lot depends on what the torque spec was for the fastener, and if the mechanic was using a torque wrench outside of the acceptable accuracy of ±4% over 20-80% of the range of the wrench. If the fastener required 25 ft/lbs, and he used a torque wrench with a range of 20-100 ft/lbs, you'd be using it in the very low, inaccurate end of it's range, and would probably over tighten the fastener before it clicks. Other things to consider are proper hand placement, smoothly and consistently pulling the handle, not using a cheater bar or socket extension etc.
It's foolish to use one anecdotal example of over tightening to decide clicker-style torque wrenches are generally inaccurate.
Never had any issues using them been a mechanic for 40 years one click and it’s over not five of six clicks .
I’ve built prop planes, private jets, commercial and military jets, and rockets. Click style torque wrenches were present in all of the facilities. You have to follow the maintenance manual on the wrenches and you have to get them calibrated at least every year and it is mandatory to send them for recalibration after the wrench experiences a shock-load aka. dropped or a heavy item/tool was dropped on the wrench.
The only issue with click types is when the calibration ends up being off you won't know. Deflecting beam doesn't have that issue. You can clearly see if it's no longer zeroed or if it's become damaged. I keep both, critical fasteners get the beam type wrench.
We get our Stahlwille torque wrenches checked/calibrated yearly. As should any dealer shop
All precision equipment should be calibrated regularly in order to ensure precision. In an industrial or manufacturing situation, it might need to be calibrated every few hours.
In the specific situation that was provided, it is just to general to know why it failed..
* was the mechanic actually a mechanic (I.e. licensed)
* When was the last calibration?
* Did the mechanic reduce the torque value to zero after use
* What was the physical condition of the wrench (was it damaged in any way?)
If all that is good and you are still doing damage, then it's time to watch the mechanic to see if they understand how the tool works.
Worked with an apprentice who thought the click ment go one extra 1/4 turn on the wrench. I grabbed my digital torque wrench and was able to show him by how much he had over torqued the bolt.
I believe as with most tools, it is highly specific to the situation. I have found that the click type torque wrench is less reliable under 100 lb. In those applications I believe the bending beam type wrench is more reliable as you can see the torque building, and know that you are at least in the vicinity. At the lower levels The Click is at times either non-existent or highly inaudible.
I'd be willing to bet a fair amount of money that the mechanic used an impact wrench and just said he used a click type torque wrench to cover his ass after the failure.