This weekend I'm starting doing some suspension and engine work and I'm in need of a good torque wrench. I'm looking at a Craftsmen 1/2 "MICROTORK" TORQUE WRENCH, good choice for the mechanic on a budget?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I have one, it works well......and I use it pretty often.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

The Craftsman wrenches are good and come in different ranges. Be sure to check the torque values for the jobs you expect to do, and purchase a torque wrench that handles everything in that range.

Otherwise you end up buying more than one.

I have a smaller one for inch-pound readings that is 1/4" drive.

But I used to re-calibrate torque wrenches or check them for customers, and I still have the equipment. So mine go all the way to 600 lbs-feet, since the Citroens require them.

If you unbolt the engine cradle from the frame, that's 450 ils-feet.

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

That's a lot of torque!

And what about these: Sears?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

in the race shop we use a beam type torque wrench like in your picture from sears that is called, to check the click type torque wrenches ( ratchet type )

they take longer in a production shop to do the same job as a click type torque wrench but we think they are more accurate ( beam type ) like pictured

if you cant find the right torque for a bolt or bolts read the the torque when removing the bolts, it will always be around 5 pounds short of the install torque on anything smaller than 3/8 inch or 8 mm bolts the larger stuff will almost always have a torque IE head bolts, main caps, A frame to chassis -- jz

Personal opinion is that beam torque wrenches are ok, but they rely a lot on the ability of the mechanic to read them as they apply torque. So you can be off a few degrees, whereas with the click-type, set it, apply consistent pressure slowly until you hear the click.


BTW, those 450 lbs-feet nuts cited previously hold the entire front section to the rest of the car, on the Tractions.

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

With my eyesight it's maybe better to stick with the regular one.

Nice collection of Citroen's you got; one of these days I will own a SM, my dream car since childhood.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

untill you have to change the water pump - jz

Behind the engine against the firewall, any experience?

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

Craftsman are fine for pretty much everything. I had a nice 3/8 drive Snap On that I borrowed for internal engine work.


I have a 1/2 drive no name that I picked up for $20 on ebay for torquing on wheels, its good enough for that. When it breaks I'll get a Chraftsman.

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2006 CL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2026 Genesis GV70
2007 Tiara 3200

I've got a 3/8 and 1/2, both Husky/Home Depot. Have worked well but numbers are hard to read.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I got several snap on torque wrenches from ebay for a good price. My local snap on guy is great about checking that, replacing worn gears in the ratchets I buy as broken, etc. The one that I got was 3% off, and the other was 7%... Got the 7% one recalibrated, and it works great...

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All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

It is my understanding that the beam types do not go out of calibration. Even if you drop it, or otherwise bend the free arm, a simple straightening so the beam reads "0" and its OK.
The clicker types are easier to use since you don't have to bend your neck at funny angles to see the scale, but calibration can be an issue.

Whenever I do critical work, I set my clicker wrench, clamp the 1/2" drive in a vise and apply pressure at the middle of the hand grip using an electronic scale to measure the force. Then I multiply that force by the distance to the center of the 1/2" drive as a check on the applied torque to make it click. Its a quick and easy way to make sure the calibration is good.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

the Italian motor in the car was a nightmare to fix anything, V6 as i remember, the hydrolics systems as i remember was also in the RR Silver Shadow cars, amber fluid but the pumps were belt driven i THINK, not in the engine off the camshaft like a rolls - one of the shops i had was near a college and in the late 70s we had almost all the buzz in the area, in those days regular garage would not touch a foreign car at all not even to change oil -- dont remember much except parts was a real thing even than and nothing was an easy fix Nothing -- probly have some old books maybe -- jz