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Hot take: torque wrenches don't need annual calibration if you handle them right
I know the FAA and most shops say to calibrate torque wrenches every 12 months without fail. But I've been using the same Craftsman clicker on engine mounts for 6 years now and it still passes every check against the shop's digital tester. The trick is to back it all the way down to zero after each use and store it in the padded case, not tossed in a toolbox drawer. I worked at a hangar in Wichita where we sent them out yearly and half came back with readings that were worse than before they left. Has anyone else compared their field results against calibration reports and found the factory service actually introduced errors?
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william_harris1mo ago
My 2005 CDI torque wrench came back from calibration with the low end reading 10% high. I had to send it back twice before they got it right. @murray.jana it happens more than you'd think. Some calibration shops rush through the job or use sloppy standards. I keep my own test bar and check it myself every few months. That tells me more than a yearly paper tag from someone who doesn't care about my tools.
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laura_schmidt821mo ago
Had a buddy get back a torque wrench that was 15% off after calibration. Makes you wonder.
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