OK, I'm no professional mechanic but I always try to use a torque wrench at least when I know what the torque spec is. So I have two Craftsmen torque wrenches that I got for Christmas 2 or 3 years ago. How often should these be recalibrated? Where could I take or send them? Has anyone ever taken theirs to Sears? Do Sears even offer this service?

 

I've heard that many machine shops would be able to do this.

 

After an issue with under-torquing the spindle nuts on my car I did a very approximate test comparing my old (10+ years) Craftsman wrench to a fairly new Snap-on. The Craftsman seemed to be close until the 80 - 90 lb/ft range, and then seemed to be off by an increasing amount as the spec was increased. I inquired a couple of places but got no answer on adjusting it.

 

The torque calibration equiptment is EXPENSIVE. My last look at a Snap on catalog listed a calibration rig well over 30K. I know Snap-on, Mac and Matco offer recalibration services, but you have to send the wrench off. Sears may offer the same, but I highly doubt it will be a in store service.

A click style wrench should not be stored with a torque value selected. Always wind the handle back to a rest position after use.

If you have a beam style wrench you never have to worry about recalibration, as long as the pointer rests at 0.

 

And I ALWAYS do.

 

I *believe* Sears will do at least their own brand. I haven't looked into it, though, so don't quote me.

 

It definitely won't be an in-store service. They'll direct you to one of their service centers which may or may not be very close to you. You can also look forward to surrendering the tool for at least a week.

Good luck,
Steve R.

 

Hello.

I work as a calibration technician in Norway. I calibrate torque tools amongst many other things.

I have seen that very many torque wrenches are are out of the manufacturers accuracy specs, even if they are brand new even not unpacked from the box.

I work towards the offshore, airplane and car manufacturer costumers mostly. They have to recalibrate at lest once a year.
But If you are a private person and use the wrench typically in your "back yard" you don't have need for calibration. But that don't mean that you don't want your tools to show correct values.

But I guess it would be very expensive to send our tools to Norway for calibration.
But I think there are many calibration laboratories all over the states.

please forgive my bad english, I speak it just as terrible as Petter Solberg.

Odds

 

The web site sucks, but here's one company:

http://www.anglerepair.com


They're in WV, so the people on the left coast might want something closer to home to save shipping time and cost.

 

calibrate it yourself! a torque-wrench is simply a weight scale with a radial (rather than linear) direction of motion.

have a 1ft section of 1/4" steel welded to a socket and fit that socket onto your wrench such that the steel arm is horizontal.

hang various weights off of the end of that section (you can purchase exact weights from scientific catalogs).

depending on what setting you put on your torque wrench, it should closely* correspond to whatever weight you hang off of it. if it does not, scratch a new line where it does, and label that new line as the corresponding new torque setting. it's ghetto/redneck, but it's cheap!

(*-- closely, but not perfectly, because you won't be taking into account the weight of the steel piece, any slight flexing, and any other imperfections. but I'd say you'd be able to get it to within a couple lbs of accuracy.)

I know nobody is really going to do this, but I do enjoy a bit of Saturday morning practical science.