Torque wrench loaner/rental?

[AG]

Anyone know of any place in the area that loans or rents torque wrenches? I'm looking for one in the low end of the torque range (~10Nm) for the valve cover & VANOS seal replacement job I plan on doing.

Thanks,
Anand

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

FWIW, the Craftsman 3/8" beam torque wrench (old school, no clicking) will go from 0-75 ft-lbs. for $25. Low precision, though.

I really want to buy this one: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...=torque+wrench

[Whitewolf]

Napa... and I think Pep Boys rents tools out... actually loans.. as you get back your $ in full. if you want to keep,.. you just don't return it.

Bill

[Munchenman2]

Torque wrenches are among the tools least desirable to loan out, because they can be rendered out of adjustment so easily - with a drop to the floor, or with it being used to UNDO a nut, plus just less than fastideous handling.

The whole idea of a torque wrench is to apply a precise amount of torque when you tighten your bolts, and as such it is recommended to have your torque wrench professionally recalibrated once per year.

I'm not sure that it is a good idea to borrow a wrench from someone or some business unless it can be proven to you that it is in calibration.

Just my tuppence worth...

Slainte,
Alan
DIYCom

[woodym3]

When replacing my wheels recently, I torqued the first one to what I thought was 80 ft-lbs. Then I noticed I had set the ~10-yr old, never recalibrated, wrench to 60, not 80. So I set it at 80 and re-did wheel. No additional tightening occured. hmmm

[JC5]

Agh, tell me about it. I'm doing a head gasket replacement, and the Bentley manual has values from 6-89 in-lbs. Even when converted to newton meters this takes at least 2 different torque wrenchs.


Anyhoo, I e-mailed Mike Miller last week. He says:

"In my opinion, S-K tools (Made in U.S.A.) are an excellent compromise between Snap-On, the high-end European tools like Facom, Hazet, Gedore, and the cheap Chinese junk at the low end. I starting with S-K as a teenager because they were sold locally -- not so anymore, of course, thanks to the big box auto stores and global trade. "

Here's a random google link to a vendor for their tools, http://www.superiorpaneltechnology.c...gory_s/155.htm. They are about on target for what sears/ craftsmas might charge for the same tool.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

The snap on torque wrenches don't require zeroing after use. That makes them FAR more valuable than anything else I've used.