lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 what do you guys use for torque wrenches? i wrench professionally, and i need to buy a torque wrench. . As i work at a GM dealer, all the headbolts get torqued to yeid. as in angles. up until now i have been using just a regular torque wrench for the initial torque, then a "Kent Moore" digital angle meter the shop supplies. well, i have been getting a lot more lifter jobs and stuff where i am using the torque wrench daily. I would ike to just purchase my own. as now i have a few side jobs where i am going to have to do work at home. a few head gasket jobs. so what have/ are you guys using? reminder, it must do both ft/lbs and angles. i used the snap on tech angle on my last lifter job. the snap on guy here let me domo it. I must say i was impressed. on the other hand, gear wrench makes one similar, and like 200 bux cheaper. but i am not sure on the quality. just looking for opinions/ experience. Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 The Snap-On one is the business. The Snap-On guy will take care of ya. It costs more, but is worth every penny. You gonna get service for your GearWrench(Knock-off Matco/Craftsman) torque wrench? Stay away from the expensive parts house flyer tools. I've been burned every time. My theory...If I have to trust it, it will say Snap-On on it. 2 Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 The Snap-On one is the business. The Snap-On guy will take care of ya. It costs more, but is worth every penny. You gonna get service for your GearWrench(Knock-off Matco/Craftsman) torque wrench? Stay away from the expensive parts house flyer tools. I've been burned every time. My theory...If I have to trust it, it will say Snap-On on it. we have a local parts store that deals a lot with tools. they sell them and will warrenty everything. even if it does not have a warrenty. this store is awesome. thats one thing i like about small town, small buisnesses. but, im lookin for opinions. snap on 1, gear wrench 0 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 You gonna get service for your GearWrench(Knock-off Matco/Craftsman) torque wrench? Yes, guaranteed for life free replacement for at home use they are open till 9pm and Sat and Sun too. Try that with snap-on. Quote Link to comment
Ken_B Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I work collision repair, have tried tools off of all the tool trucks, as flatcat says if you want to be sure and trust that your tools are going to take care of you, just spend the $ and get a Snap-On, you will not regret it. Quote Link to comment
Sinnful Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I use the Snap On flex head torque wrench Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 the majorito of the tools i have now are snap on. i have a few mac items, ads some random things from the parts store that i needed when snap on was out of town. so far, i love all my snap on tools, just wondering if there was something better. Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 My opinion, if you are careful, and watch what you are doing is it easy to get torque and angle with a beam type wrench, you have to know how to use it. You should be able to eyeball common angles. You should know what a 90 degree angle is. 45 degrees is half of that. The distance a wrench moves on as nut, by going from the one set of flats to the next, 60 degrees. A 12 point socket moves 30 degrees. more than 90 degrees, 90 plus 45 degrees equals 135 degrees. If you are using the tools everyday, to make money, and beat a flat rate, Snap-On tools are good to have. but never forget it is very easy to get deeply in debt to the Snap-On tool company. Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Yes, guaranteed for life free replacement for at home use they are open till 9pm and Sat and Sun too. Try that with snap-on. I agree.except for a specialty tool They had a great sale this weekend Mike :lol: I work collision repair, have tried tools off of all the tool trucks, as flatcat says if you want to be sure and trust that your tools are going to take care of you, just spend the $ and get a Snap-On, you will not regret it. Specialty tools Snap-on, Blue Point all the way Quote Link to comment
HRH Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I don't like Snap-On, but there's Matco, Mac, Cornwell, and I'm probably forgetting some others. FYI, ALL torque wrenches from major non-professional retailers have only a homeowner's warranty. If you use a Craftsman torque wrench for example, the warranty is only one year and VOID if you wrench professionally. Granted, you can say, no I don't work in a shop when warrantying, but I'd definitely go with a truck type professional wrench for that application, especially if there is potential to need a replacement in the future. Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 yes i know i could mark the blots and do it with just a breaker bar, and be careful. but i am doing this everyday, trying to beat the clock and not be worried i messed up. and yes, it is easy to get way into debt with snap on. currently i owe about $5,500 to snap on. when i first started i owed about $8,400, so within 9 months, ive dropped it down to that, but i have bought a lot of stuff in between, so i believe with all the tools i have, from parts stores, mac, and snap on, about $10,000. no where near a lot of tools. but it is enough to get me by. now if i would have gon and bought all craftsman, atd, and gear wrench tools, i'd have a lot more then what i do now! but, i do not have that much to drop all at once. snap on is nice becuase i can make payments. i am trying to get my bill paid off as fast as i can. and i am going to stop buying snap on for a while, and just get parts store tools as i need them. unless its just a snap on only tool. also, has anyone here used the new low profile pitman arm puller from snap on for gm's? i got one a couple weeks ago and havent had a chance to try it out. can i leave the gear box in the vehicle completely if i drop the drag link? Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I agree.except for a specialty tool They had a great sale this weekend Mike :lol: Specialty tools Snap-on, Blue Point all the way have you tried the snap on flank drive plus wrenches? those things are amazing!! i have not stripped a single bolt since i bought them! blue point stil has a standard design. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 ...... If you are using the tools everyday, to make money, and beat a flat rate, Snap-On tools are good to have. but never forget it is very easy to get deeply in debt to the Snap-On tool company. True that. I saw friends in a motorcycle shop trying to one-up each other with snap-on. Spending 1/3 and 1/2 their paychecks to buy dumb shit like an add-on locker for your coveralls. Just like old Cadillac owners... " I have air"... "I have auto load leveling for my trailer"... "I have heated mirrors"...... Snap on laughs all the way to the bank.. and that shit is expensive and breaks just as easily as my Canadian Tire Motomaster tools. 144" 'work station' for under $25,000 http://buy1.snapon.c...ore&dir=catalog Doesn't even have a single tool in it. Give me a big fuckin hairy break. This is obscene. Tell everyone "Hey! I got the money to afford this ridiculous shit and I bought it because I can" Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 have you tried the snap on flank drive plus wrenches? those things are amazing!! i have not stripped a single bolt since i bought them! blue point stil has a standard design. Havent had the need to(not turning wrenches for a living anymore)in some years Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 that shit is expensive and breaks just as easily as my Canadian Tire Motomaster tools. I beg to differ. I have used a lot of tools. I have cheap tools at home. They tend to crack sockets, bend wrenches and breaker bars. Screw driver tips get fucked instantly and fuck up the screw. Ratchets explode. I have never had a problem with snap on. Except my 1/2" long ratchet. That only broke cuz i was trying to break a crank bolt loose on an '03 duramax. i use my tools hard, shouldnt matter, they are supposed to be built to last. just at home, i tend to be a bit more careful, so i dont break tools as often. Quote Link to comment
nismo dr Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 true, you certainly don't need professional quality tools for wrenching at home, but like putting on nice clothes and taking a shower, your tools are on display, that is your uniform (the only one that matters). Two guys walk in with exact same resume, one outfitted with all harbor freight, one with tools that show you are willing to invest in yourself, well............. Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Havent had the need to(not turning wrenches for a living anymore)in some years if you ever get the chance to try them they are awesome! they have little teeth things in the open end that stopr the nut from stripping. Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 if you ever get the chance to try them they are awesome! they have little teeth things in the open end that stopr the nut from stripping. I will,sounds like a good thing to have with dattos :cool: Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 , well............. the dumbest of dumb can have all the Snap-on they can get their hands on and still not "do" the job correct..Seen this many times..Have had to tell people how to do their job(even as a customer) :lol: Quote Link to comment
nismo dr Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 My dealership is pretty small and we actually like each other, so only 1 guy really needed to shell out for a whizbang torque wrench, I still use that pos Kent Moore tool most of the time tho, its fast and to the point. Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 My dealership is pretty small and we actually like each other, so only 1 guy really needed to shell out for a whizbang torque wrench, I still use that pos Kent Moore tool most of the time tho, its fast and to the point. yea we al get along at our dealer, at least us in the shop do. we have are regular arguements with our service writers on a daily basis though. since i had my ranting thread on here, we have lost our head tech, and one other tech. now its just 3 of us. and 3 other oil changers. and we move into a brand new shop the first of the year.... if we dont have a tool, we borrow from each other all the time. and yes the kent moore tool works great, but it seems like its always out at out sister toyota store. Quote Link to comment
lil89ram50 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 so back on topic... has anypone tried the gear wrench torque wrench? or should i just get the techangle from snap on?.... or i could just experiment and get the gear wrench and report back. it might just be a good one for at home. ??? Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 so back on topic... has anypone tried the gear wrench torque wrench? or should i just get the techangle from snap on?.... or i could just experiment and get the gear wrench and report back. it might just be a good one for at home. ??? Id say get the Snap-on Whats a few hundred bucks when it comes to the daily bread and butter Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 I beg to differ. I have used a lot of tools. I have cheap tools at home. They tend to crack sockets, bend wrenches and breaker bars. Screw driver tips get fucked instantly and fuck up the screw. Ratchets explode. I have never had a problem with snap on. Except my 1/2" long ratchet. That only broke cuz i was trying to break a crank bolt loose on an '03 duramax. i use my tools hard, shouldnt matter, they are supposed to be built to last. just at home, i tend to be a bit more careful, so i dont break tools as often. If you can afford them it's fine. I've busted a few 3/8 ratchets (not any 1/2" yet) but only with 3' of pipe on the end. None twisted the end off and none bent only snapped. Same with sockets 2 or 3 split down the length but only from severe loading, and replaced them free on a Sunday afternoon, never a question asked. true, you certainly don't need professional quality tools for wrenching at home, but like putting on nice clothes and taking a shower, your tools are on display, that is your uniform (the only one that matters). Two guys walk in with exact same resume, one outfitted with all harbor freight, one with tools that show you are willing to invest in yourself, well............. Got me there I guess. Someone should get a Sears (we might have them here but my Motomaster are lifetime guaranteed) and Snap-on 1/2 ratchet with a 24mm socket on a welded bolt and load to see how they compare for breaking point. (note to self buy Snap-On-Tools stickers and put all over tool box) I'm sure they are excellent tools just over priced. Quote Link to comment
Guest 510kamikazifreak Posted November 28, 2011 Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Got me there I guess. Someone should get a Sears (we might have them here but my Motomaster are lifetime guaranteed) and Snap-on 1/2 ratchet with a 24mm socket on a welded bolt and load to see how they compare for breaking point. Mastercraft maximum>Craftsman busted a few Craftsmen,Never a Maximum. Snap -On is years and years old,the gears are worn now :cool: Quote Link to comment
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