1/2" Vs 3/8" Click Torque Wrench.

I currently only have a 1/2" deflection bar(beam style) torque wrench which is great for wheels and such.

Does anyone prefer a 3/8's for engine compartment work? I'm thinking about just grabbing (Christmas list item) a 3/8's for size/space constraints, unless there's a big downside.

 

I think you'd want to primarily consider the range of torque values. Both min and max, depending on what you'd be using it for.

 

That’s a good point. I’m seeing that 3/8’s are usually good from 25-100ft-lbs, and my 1/2” goes all the way up about 160, i think.

 

I have all three drives and I use the 1\4 fairly often. Mostly use the 3/8 but the size of it is often difficult to use in an engine compartment. I have a Husky, older Craftsman and a Kobalt. I like the Kobalt best. I like the way it feels and it is easy to use.

 

I have Craftsman 3/8 and 1/2 for standard torque wrenches. For really light work I used an Armstrong dial type 3/8 or a deflection bar 3/8. I want to add a 1/4 drive but it will see very limited use.

 

OTH, those really small torque values may be the most critical ones.

 

hummm
my 3/8 is inch pounds
my 1/2 is foot pounds
and my biggest pet peeve is (click type )
last guy that took it from tool room . didn't turn it back to lowest setting before returning it to tool room
mine at home I always do this

 

I have a Craftsman 3/8" its the version where you twist the handle to set the Torque it runs 5-85 ft lbs The only thing on my Willys it can't do is the Yokes on the Axles and Transfer case and for those I just go to Autozone and get one of their big loaners. I also have an almost 50 year old 1/2" Beam style that was dads. 0-150lbs Its what I will carry in the tool box of the Jeep. As its near indestructible and is certainly accurate enough to get me home should the need arise.

 

my very first . still hangs on garage wall

 

Me too. Started out with a beam, but the ratchet is a big convenience in many situations.

 

My dial-type is an inch-pound wrench for use on differentials and the like. Very low torque values for when I need something like that.

 

My VW requires a torque wrench on nearly everything. Except for the lug bolts, it's all 3/8" territory. Most of your nuts and bolts on American cars don't have a spec, and you just get them good and tight, but not Charles Atlas tight. Some things like oil pans and valve covers you should use the spec (much , if you don't already.

Most shadetree mechanics own a torque wrench specifically to tighten head bolts. IME either a 3/8" or 1/2" works fine for that.

I own a 3/8" and 1/2" clicker, and a 1/4" beam type.

 

"Stop just before it breaks."

 

I'll just mention that most if not all torque wrenches have very poor sensitivity/accuracy down at 10-20% of their max values, so you want to have a couple options depending on what ranges you are operating in.

 

The Harbor Freight torque wrenches are actually half way decent and you can buy 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch drive versions for less than 100 dollars. I come from an aircraft maintenance background and when I was in high school worked at an engine/machine shop, so out of habit I try to torque nearly everything I can. The only beam type torque wrench I have is a 1/4 inch drive inch lb unit that I use for pinion preload checks.

IMO you need more than one torque wrench for the reason mentioned by @teletech .

 

Whether the wrench came from Snap On, Harbor Freight or uncle Joe, send it out to have the calibration checked. Using an inaccurate one is worse then not using one at all. At work we send them out yearly.

 

Agreed. When I was in field services the company paid to calibrate all my wrenches annually. The Craftsman ones (back 15 years ago) were actually pretty accurate. I had a cheaper no-name one and it would not hold calibration for a range so I had them calibrate it for just one commonly used torque value and I never moved the dial.

 

Ok, understood. Who does this calibration?

 

You can do it at home.

How to calibrate your torque wrench in-house

How to Calibrate a Torque Wrench (with Pictures) - wikiHow