My question is what brand names do you trust for torque wrenches and other things like dial indicators, calipers. Or do you just trust the accuracy of these precision tools in the harbor freight clearance bins?

 

For precision tools, I'd probably steer away from Harbor Freight. No, I can't talk from experience, but precision requires flawlessness and accuracy, and I haven't seen that from Harbor Freight Yet. Now I have a set of both standard and metric wrenches, socket sets, allen wrenches, screw drivers, jack stands, air impact, angle grinder, cut off tool, 50 ft. air hose, from harbor freight, and have only had 1 issue. That was with a wrench that i'd piggy backed another wrench onto for more torque and broke a side off the open end of the wrench, but tbh, I was tugging super hard on a rusted, stuck bolt. Walked in the store with my receipt, and switched it out for another one. As far as the air tools, keep 'em cleaned and oiled, and they'll last a long while.

I am more than happy to save money buying basic tools from harbor freight, but when it comes down to torquing bolts, that are inside the motor, to prevent them from rattling loose and getting tossed around in the motor, I'd much rather spend the extra cash beforehand on a quality company, with higher quality control, than spend the extra cash later replacing more expensive parts on vehicles.

 

what im asking is what names do people trust for items like these

 

Craftsman, sorta... Mac, Snap-On..... (be prepared to mortgage the house, the car, the kids, the wife, left nut, half you soul... etc....) Matco isn't bad. I used Sears torque wrenches for years on my own stuff, and never had a problem. At work, it was almost exclusively Snap-On. Premium price, (to say the least....) but, premium quality as well.

 

Well, the only actual precision tool I have is my craftsman torque wrench. It's got 4-5 years of abuse on it, without any issues. It's adjustable from 10-265 inch pounds, and has been used on tons of jobs within multiple motors.

 

i use my good eye

 

Now we know why the transfer case keeps falling off! LOL

 

+1. Craftsman is probably the lowest I would go on quality for precision/internal engine work. I have a Harbor Freight 1/2" drive click type torque wrench I use to tighten lugnuts though.

 

Cool cool so Im leaning towards craftsman for the "affordable quality" lol i currently have one from harbor freight tested it out at work against others with a couple different settings was pretty accurate until someone used as a ratchet with a cheater bar on it (dont trust it anymore). Is the craftsman name on the dial indicator too? or is there a better company for that?

 

Its not the transfer case now lol