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Had to pick between a Snap-on torque wrench or a Harbor Freight one for a big job last week
I was working on a Cessna 172's wheel bearings and needed a micrometer-style torque wrench. The Snap-on was $400 and the ICON was $90. I went with the Harbor Freight one because my budget was tight, and honestly I was nervous it would be off. I torqued the axle nut to 90 ft-lbs and tested it on a bolt with my old beam-style wrench after. It was within 2 ft-lbs of the reading, which surprised me. Has anyone else taken a chance on a cheaper torque wrench for critical stuff and gotten lucky?
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alexbennett8d ago
Totally feel your stress on that one, man. It's a tough spot to be in when you're trying to save money but also need it to be right.
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the_anthony8d ago
That 2 ft-lbs difference on a beam style wrench isn't really telling you much since those beam wrenches aren't super accurate either. I still wouldn't trust an ICON for anything that keeps a plane in the air, no matter how good the price is. You got lucky this time, but torque wrenches drift over time and cheap ones drift faster. Landing gear failures are no joke, and a $90 gamble on a Cessna seems like cutting corners in the wrong place. I'd rather borrow a friends Snap-on or rent one from the tool truck than risk it.
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