Car tools- Torque wrench / impact tools

**DSM4Life** · 06-02-2010, 02:03 PM

I am looking to pick up a electric impact wrench/gun and a torque wrench. Been doing some poking around on ebay and such but haven't found anything to my liking. Anyone have any sites they order from or brands they like ?

I don't need air tools as its overkill for what i do now. Maybe later in the future.

**Hoggage_54** · 06-02-2010, 02:25 PM

repost

**calgarian** · 06-02-2010, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by DSM4Life

I am looking to pick up a electric impact wrench/gun and a torque wrench. Been doing some poking around on ebay and such but haven't found anything to my liking. Anyone have any sites they order from or brands they like ?

I don't need air tools as its overkill for what i do now. Maybe later in the future.

u do that alot dont u?

**DSM4Life** · 06-02-2010, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by calgarian

u do that alot dont u?

Only on good days !

**scorpion62** · 06-02-2010, 05:53 PM

DSM I have used this impact wrench for years now and it is the best on the market. I have the 18 volt 1/2 gun and the 14 volt 3/8 drive
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catal...e=snapon-store

**vanduhl** · 06-02-2010, 06:04 PM

where i work we have a goodyear impact wrench....its a good one

**gixxerboy1** · 06-02-2010, 06:23 PM

http://www.northerntool.com/

i purchased somethings from here in the past

**DSM4Life** · 06-02-2010, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by gixxerboy1

http://www.northerntool.com/

i purchased somethings from here in the past

Nice site. Going to give them a try. Thanks.

**run_n_fool** · 06-04-2010, 07:31 PM

For both, check out craigslist. I get used Snap On tools there for about 40-50% of retail. I like to buy the best tools I can because I will use them the rest of my life.

Considering the purpose of a torque wrench, I would not buy anything but a high quality precision tool like SO, Mac, Matco, etc. I would avoid Crapsman. If you are getting one used, you can have it calibrated for about $30 from various places (you are supposed to recalibrate it every year so these places are not that hard to find).

If you need cheap tools I would check out Harbor Freight. I would not buy any precision tools there but for simple things like impact sockets, combo wrenches, hammers, etc. they are pretty decent and they have a limited lifetime warranty. I look here when I need a tool I might use a few times but not that often. I would not buy a ratchet, etc. because when a ratchet fails, your hand goes smashing into something hard at a great force. In fact I only have Snap On and Matco ratchets for this reason. I had a Crapsman give out on me before and broke a bone in my hand.

**gixxerboy1** · 06-04-2010, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by run_n_fool

For both, check out craigslist. I get used Snap On tools there for about 40-50% of retail. I like to buy the best tools I can because I will use them the rest of my life.

Considering the purpose of a torque wrench, I would not buy anything but a high quality precision tool like SO, Mac, Matco, etc. I would avoid Crapsman. If you are getting one used, you can have it calibrated for about $30 from various places (you are supposed to recalibrate it every year so these places are not that hard to find).

If you need cheap tools I would check out Harbor Freight. I would not buy any precision tools there but for simple things like impact sockets, combo wrenches, hammers, etc. they are pretty decent and they have a limited lifetime warranty. I look here when I need a tool I might use a few times but not that often. I would not buy a ratchet, etc. because when a ratchet fails, your hand goes smashing into something hard at a great force. In fact I only have Snap On and Matco ratchets for this reason. I had a Crapsman give out on me before and broke a bone in my hand.

screw crap on. I've broken more snap on shit then i can count. way overpriced crap

**run_n_fool** · 06-04-2010, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by gixxerboy1

screw crap on. I've broken more snap on shit then i can count. way overpriced crap

So what do you use?

SO is more expensive than crapsman and the other house brands but the quality is so much more and comes at a price. Pick up an SO ratchet or box wrench in one hand and the crapsman equivalent in the other and the weight and finish will make you realize it is simply a better tool. Work the ratcheting mechanism a few times and you will see it is sooo much smoother and locks more securely. And the dual 80 ratchets have two locking mechanisms instead of 1 so they are that much stronger. Buy crapsman sockets if it is all you are willing to spend on but do yourself a favor and get a good ratchet.

**gixxerboy1** · 06-04-2010, 07:45 PM

my shop i worked on had all snap on so thats what i used. just so much shit broke. i've split a ton of sockets with a rachet.

**run_n_fool** · 06-04-2010, 07:46 PM

DSM, some other brands to look at are GearWrench (made by Danaher, the company that owns Matco and makes Crapsman tools for Sears). They are a slightly lesser version of Matco tools.

ALso look into Genius and Toptul. Newer brands that are very high quality. I would consider any of these if I were looking for hand tools.

http://www.wrenhandtools.com/index.html is a Toptul distributor.

**DSM4Life** · 06-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by run_n_fool

DSM, some other brands to look at are GearWrench (made by Danaher, the company that owns Matco and makes Crapsman tools for Sears). They are a slightly lesser version of Matco tools.

ALso look into Genius and Toptul. Newer brands that are very high quality. I would consider any of these if I were looking for hand tools.

http://www.wrenhandtools.com/index.html is a Toptul distributor.

Will def add to my bookmarks, thanks.

**run_n_fool** · 06-04-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by gixxerboy1

my shop i worked on had all snap on so thats what i used. just so much shit broke. i've split a ton of sockets with a rachet.

Fair enough, but if they are not your tools then who knows how they were abused by others. Doing stupid shit like using chrome sockets in an impact will create all sorts of micro fractures in the socket. Same with using the wrong size drive for sockets, or using cheater bars on wrenches, etc. I have always found that unless someone pays for a tool, they tend to abuse it.

**DSM4Life** · 06-04-2010, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by run_n_fool

Fair enough, but if they are not your tools then who knows how they were abused by others. Doing stupid shit like using chrome sockets in an impact will create all sorts of micro fractures in the socket. Same with using the wrong size drive for sockets, or using cheater bars on wrenches, etc. I have always found that unless someone pays for a tool, they tend to abuse it.

Which is why when i worked in a shop my tools were locked whenever they weren't being used.