snap on torqometer

[Martin 2,130]

picked up two snap on torque wrenches on ebay just recently. never had a dial wrench before and ive got to say i like using them. one is a late 1990s one and the other from what info i can find is mid to late 60s. both work fine and seem to be as accurate as anything else i have. both of them are within a inch pound of each other as well. the newer one was tested last week and seemed accurate according to the weight and length i used. the older one i got in the mail today. not sure if i will clean it up nice or leave as is. easy to dismantle to clean the body up, just not sure if i want to go to the trouble. i polished the dial lens so i could read it a little better. heres a few pics of the old one, the chrome plated top is scratched pretty bad, but overall its in reasonable condition, and if i get the urge to do the cast aluminum body i can throw it in the vibe at work to get it nice and shiny....

anybody use these wrenches? opinions on dial vs click type?

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[bowtiebutler956 649]

That's a nice looking old torque wrench Martin. I've used both, and I prefer the click type. Just seems easier, especially when torquing to a high ft.lbs, when you would rather not have to stare at a needle.

Matt :flags-texas:

[zieg72 209]

Nice one, mine you can barely read the gauge cause the plastic is so distorted and yellow

[Martin 2,130]

i know what you mean matt. i needed one for doing the small stuff and somebody mentioned them. i did a bit of searching on ebay and theres some good buys on them. this one was under $15......

i also wanted to be able to check preload on bearings and will be ideal for that.

i have a 150 (if i remember correctly) ft lbs click that i use constantly for most other stuff......

Nice one, mine you can barely read the gauge cause the plastic is so distorted and yellow

i looked at quite a few like that, i think you can still get the lenses for them though....

[Martin 2,130]

from the 1967 snap on tool catalog....

[sorekiwi 761]

Nice score Martin!

I dont own one like that, but I've been telling myself for years that I should. I've used them a lot though, mainly for measuring the torque that the clutch plates in limited slip diffs break free.

All the torque wrenchs I own are click type Snap-ons. It does piss me off that I have to spend about $80 apiece when I decide I want to have them calibrated. I've often thought that I should buy a dial type and weld up an adapter so I can check my click wrenches against the dial wrench.

[massey 111]

I prefer the click ones myself, but I like the dial ones over the deflecting beam ones any day. Snap on is a fine tool and will serve you well.

[smoreau 658]

For small engines, that's exactly what you need! Great score!! I have a small engine tool box that I put together a fey years ago, and I have two of them in that box in it. The dial meters are the simplest to check turning torque. As long as they have never been abused, they should never need to be re calibrated.

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Kinda wish I had a set , My clickers should be unclicked ( for use of a better word )

to make sure they dont loose accuracy and I don;t always remember ! ! !

Jim in Texas

[rick 215]

I have three clickers and one dial type. The big clicker and the dialer are Snap On, the other two are Mac. No problems with any of them. I like to set the dial to the target torque so the needle moves to zero as you approach the proper torque. It's easier than trying read the little hash marks as you turn the wrench. One nice thing about a dial type- if the needle stops moving as the handle still moves, you better slack off! Or get ready to remove a broken bolt or helicoil some stripped threads.