Sorry if this is a repeat. I sent it yesterday but am not sure if it made it
to the list.
> List,
>
> Take a look at Craftsman's latest nifty tool, go to www.sears.com and
> input part number 47712.
...
> like a great deal.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kai
I have the Snap-On version of these in 1/2 and 3/8.
My thoughts:
They come with documentation tracing their accuracy back to some pretty
impressive standards.
But I assume the initial accuracy really doesn't mean anything if you don't
have them recalibrated periodically
And I also assume that any variance from "I have the correct torque value"
has now moved from "the wrench is now +/- 2%" to "the proper preparation of
the bolt [clean threads, no or proper lubricant, etc.] is the same old, if I'm
really lucky, +/- 5%" minimum variance.
Snap-On suggests that you take the batteries out of it if you are not going to
use if for a while. The case has a place to hold the batteries so it is a very
minor pain to put them in the wrench when I use it and to remember to take
them out when I put the wrench back in the case. I have switched to lithium
batteries so battery shelf life is not an issue.
I like the fact that the LCD will tell me the applied torque value as I use
it. In my humble opinion, this is the big difference between the digital, a
clicker and a beam.
The beam will indicate torque "as you go", which is nice feedback, but is
impossible to use if you can not see the scale - such as when you need to put
the bolts on the back side of the caliper bracket with the spindle firmly
attahed to the car and the inner fender panel is in the way and the wrench
will be facing the wrong way. And I have always thought that my ability to
read the correct value was suspect.
The clicker resolves the "can't see the gauge" issue but only has two states:
(a) not enough torque
(b) at least enough torque.
As mentioned, the LCD displays torque as I go [assuming I can see it] and also
remembers, for about 10 seconds, the highest torque applied so if I set it for
74, tighten until it makes a sound and vibrates, then remove the wrench and
look at the LCD, I can see that I actually applied 75.2 or 73.6 or what ever.
Or if it didn't vibrate, I can see that I had applied 50 and then have a sense
of where I am at.
The 1/4 inch version [Snap-On has one, Craftsman does not] is physically as
large as the 3/8 version and therefore quite impractical use and was returned
to the vendor.
And one final "nice to have" is that the display switches from ft-lbs to
inch-lbs to newton-meters. Better that it do the math than I.
I do not regret having either of the electronic ones but if I had a set of
clickers that I liked and trusted, I probably would not get an additional
digital one.
So why DID I get the digital?
I was working on the MR2 and my trusty 20 year old Craftsman clicker 3/8
literally fell apart - the plastic handle broke and I was left holding most of
a wrench in one hand and a plactic adjustment handle in the other. I rushed
over to Sears and bought the best Craftsman 3/8 clicker they had on hand, came
home and immediately broke the first thee fasteners I used it on. My
"calibrated elbow" was telling me "you're about to do something you will
regret", but I believed the wrench - and paid for that blind belief. A test
against a beam wrench I had in the back of the drawer suggested that 12
indicated was acutally over 20.
Took it back to Sears and decided I would look elsewhere. Happened to see the
Snap-On guy the next day and was seduced by the 'wow' factor and the
documented accuracy. And my 20 year old Craftsman 1/2 clicker might just go
the same way the 3/8's had, so of course I had to look at both the 3/8 and 1/2
wrenches. Better to be safe ... You deserve a treat ... It will last a life
... Ok, stop with the justification already!! At that point it became a simple
'hide it from the wife' credit card event.
Arvid
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