Picked a cheap torque wrench over a Snap-On last month... already regretting it

I had a choice between a $40 Harbor Freight special and a used Snap-On for $120. Told myself I'd just be careful with the cheap one. Now three weeks later it's clicking at 40 ft-lbs when I set it for 55. Took a stubby breaker bar to confirm with my old beam style. Gonna cost me a Saturday morning drive to the tool truck to make it right. Anyone else burn themselves trying to save a few bucks on torque wrenches?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lisa23d ago

$40 HF special cost me a stripped drain plug on a customer's BMW and a whole lot more than a Saturday.

luna_wright23d ago

And honestly? I used to be the guy who was like "it's a socket, how bad can it be?" Like I genuinely thought tools were tools and paying extra was just for the name on the handle. Then I borrowed a buddy's cheap torque wrench to do my brake calipers (big mistake) and the thing didn't even click at the right setting, just kept going until I heard a snap. That one stripped bolt cost me an entire Sunday and a trip to the junkyard for a replacement knuckle. Yeah, I get it now - cheap tools are a gamble where the house always wins (or in your case, the BMW loses).

jessica13023d ago

Yeah, "gonna cost me a Saturday morning" is the part that stings the most. Cheap tools always end up costing you time, and time's the one thing you can't get back.