Appreciation post: that cheap Harbor Freight torque wrench that saved my ass

My fancy Snap-on 3/8ths digital torque wrench died on me mid-job rebuilding a Paccar MX-13 in a yard outside Bakersfield last Tuesday. Had to grab my old $40 Pittsburgh unit from the truck and it clicked right at 89 lb-ft every time. Anyone else still keep a cheap backup around for when the nice stuff gives out?

2 comments

2 Comments

keith_bennett8d ago

Honestly, did you check if the Snap-on just needed a battery swap or a firmware reset? My buddy’s fancy digital Mac Tools one did that, and I’ve got a cheap Husky click-type that’s never let me down since.

anna4918d ago

Yeah, but sometimes you get what you pay for with those cheap click types... they're fine until they aren't, and then you're chasing a calibration you can't even do. A good digital tool at least tells you when it's out of spec instead of just silently lying.