Any ideas on what model and where to buy a decent click-stop micrometer-type of torque wrench that goes up to 600 foot pounds?
Would be nice to set the correct 450 ft lb torque for our lug nuts.
Not interested in a torque multiplier at this time.
I found some for about $500 and they are 42" long for 3/4" sockets.
Barry:
I got (Won) a Central Measuring Tools 3/4" Torque Wrench, 100-600 ft lb, part # 97355 on Ebay for $81.00 + shipping in December. In searching the web, I found these torque wrenches sell in the $400 + range. It was in excellent condition and came from a pawn shop in Denver, CO. I tried it on my coach and it seems to work fine. You might try Ebay.
Barry,
Googling that Central Tool torque wrench shows it as cheap as $382.00. Why would you not want a torque multiplier?
I'm thinking along the lines of John Cooper. 450 ft-lbs using a 42" wrench requires 128 lbs of force at the wrench. That's a bunch. Of course you could add an extension pipe or whatever on the end of the wrench if amenable to it.
Be careful how you are torquing your wheel nuts because:
The recommended wheel nut torque is 450-500 ftlbs with dry threads
but is reduced to 350-400 if the threads are lubricated.
I use an anti-seaze grease to lubricate threads which makes torquing easier.
NOTE: that the taper on the nut/wheel (flat surface on hub centered) must not be lubricated, just the threads.
I was lucky and stumbled on a Proto 500 ftlb torque wrench at a local (Victoria, Canada) Pawn shop for $150.
It works very well, but I must remove two screws and reverse the square drive to torque the Driver Side wheel nuts.
My 96 U320 has "stud centered" wheels with left hand threads on the Driver side.
Using a torq multiplier as a torque wrench is partly guess work as the ratio with a smaller torque wrench has too much room for error. Torque multiplier is good for removing and tightening.
As it is, with our anti-seize in the wheel bolt threads, we really don't know for sure what our wheel nuts are set for.
I have never seen a truck tire place that owns a 500 ft-lb torque wrench, so I figure if I have one, I can be better off.
Yielding those threads in the past has led to a couple of broken wheel bolts when they were being removed the next time.
Harvey,
Most micrometer torque wrenches are adjusted the the end of the handle that would get the cheater bar applied - not a good idea.
Barry,
Where is the source of the error using a torque multiplier coming from?
A interesting read concerning torque wrenches and anti-seize lubricant: What torque wrenches measure (http://www.mechanicsupport.com/articleTorqueWrench.html)