I'm in the market for a new torque wrench, Loaned mine out a little while back and now it's broke. It was an old craftsman. I need a suggestion on a good quality torque wrench. I use it mainly for diff cover, lug nuts, need it for pinion seals at the moment etc... I know I'm going to get 20 different opinions but I need a good quality all around wrench.

i just bought one from advance auto parts, dont use it for too many things like yourself, but good to have when needed.

i think i paid about $30 for it.

i would think that a new craftsman would be just fine for what you need.

I thought with Craftsman, you had a lifetime warranty on most things like that . . . won't Sears hook you up with a new one?

"Limited" lifetime warranty, doesn't cover using it as a prybar and bending it


Need some links or pics!! I looked at autozone and they only had 1 cheapo that was the size of my leg.

In my experience sears doesn't ask questions, they just replace. I don't think it would be unreasonable to try.

x2 . . . don't volunteer the info

FWIW - I greatly prefer the beam type over the click type. I like being able to see the torque being applied, know when I'm close, and be sure not to miss a 'click' and snap a head bolt. Been there, done that.

I have two Craftsman torque wrenches and they seem to do the job just fine. I picked up a 1/2 and a 3/8" drive in the clicking variety. IIRC they were around $ 100.00 each.

Stop the snap-on truck! while i was at landair i purchased $1000's of dollars worth of snap on and blue point tools. I have a 1/4" inch lbs torque and a 3/8" ft lbs torque, they are pricey but covered no matter what. you can get a good used 3/8" drive for around $80-125. and if the used one breaks they'll repair it

Sears wont replace it. Craftsman click-style torque wrenches only have a 1 year warranty. The beam type have the full warranty. I work in the sears tool dept BTW

Lowes brand.

Its the same manufacturer as Snap on. and its much cheaper. I hear nothing but greatness about it.

Craftsman torque wrenches are very good based on write ups I've seen in the past. Actually the last write-up I read actually favored a HF torque wrench to the Craftsman.

I think its Kobalt (the lowes brand I speak of)

I didn't know that!

I was thinking of trying lowes I might stop there tonight.

O BTW...went to sears, that's a no go, jeepmans right, 1 year warranty, they just laughed at me.

snap on makes there own torque wrenches

kobalt cant really say they are made by "snap on". nor is the quality even close to being the same. a very different metal is used and the process is much different with making these tools.

Of all the kobalt tools at LOWE'S only 7 types of tools are made entirely in the USAThe rest are either made with parts from other country's or made in china.
The air compressors are made in the USA with the motors coming from Mexico.
Two screwdriver sets are made entirely in the us
The 3rd set labeled "professional" is made in china.
all their power tools are made in china (except the air compressor)
all the mechanic associated tools like jack stands, ATV lifts, bottle jacks and the 3 ton jack combo.
rolling tool chests are made in USA. as are the mechanics tools like the socket sets and wrenches.
the "locking pliers and all other kinds of pliers are made in china.

You get what you pay for in the world of tools!

Mitch where do you suggest getting snap on tools in our area than? I have a few snap on things and they have never let me down so why not.

i can give you my old reps # and you can see what he can do for you, hes a good guy and i think he has all over essex and colchester, he should be able to stop into your work with his truck so you can pick up some things.

worth a try, ill PM you his info.

KOBALT is manufactured by J.H. Williams, a division of Snap-On Incorporated. At least this was the case in 2002...dunno bout now.

At one point in time its been said all over the place that CDI actually made the torque wrenches for Snap-on...CDI made torque wrenches for some other brands as well...Kobalt was listed as one of them.

I dug this up via Google:

Tool Facts

From the website Scout found

"Lowes now is selling a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On. They are good tools."

Also at the bottom of that link:

That info is all from 2000, and I think that it is no longer accurate as of 2003.

Either way - Kobalt still makes some good tools that I've been happy with.

That's where I'm curious. ALl the info is old now. (damn should have bought one of the Kobalt sets back then.) So the real question is who makes what NOW?

I found somewhere just now that said Lowes and Snap on no longer have a relationship since lowes wanted to sell "SNAP-ON" branded tools, snap-on said "no" and then it declined from there. (it was a mustang site, if you want to search you can. I feel lazy now....too busy to search it up again.)

didn't read all the way to the bottom but thanks scout, sounds like mudslinger was right about the forging and such.

Not a big deal considering price difference.


I've broken a tool from every manufacturer back when I was wrenching for a living. (this was back when Kobalt was apparently being made by Snap-on)

I don't put a lot of faith in "well you see its a lot stronger b/c its forged differently"...since I've been able to break them all.

LOL, you da man!

I hear ya, I have tools from every kind of manufacturer and I ahve broken, dinged and screwed them all up one way or another, F' it I'm just gonna go get another craftsman and stop wasting my time...thx for the input everyone, I knew I was going to get 20 diff opinions

ide call josh, he may have a used 3/8" thats $80, the same cost as a craftsman one. he has a lot of used tools, with lifetime warrantys no matter what, even 25 years from now when and if it breaks.

all in all, if someone needs a tool and doesn't plan on using it much, or wont leave it out in the rain over night, or wont get coolant on it, or wont drive over it, or wont break the tools internals, or doesn't count on the tool to get rebuilt, or doesn't need a real snugg/sure fit to prevent stripping and rounding im sure kobalt is a fine tool.

Not trying to sound like a "badass". I'm just stating fact. Back in my shop days I broke snap-ons, craftsman, mac, cheapo-junk, etc. expensive do last longer than extra cheap crap. but mid level (what I call kobalt and craftsman) and high end (what I call snap on) are close enough that the extra $$ isn't worth it (esp when dealing with basic hand tools). This is purely based on what I've seen while under vehicles. I do believe in a good torque wrench. I wish Kobalt was still made by CDI. if it was I'd own one. but since it isn't (so we believe) I'll continue to not own one...until I can prove otherwise.

I've never broken a Kobalt (primarily because I've only used a couple wrenches from them.)

pretty bold statement. I'll leave it alone. but that's pretty bold

Used snap on Torque wrench for 80.00. I'd buy it for that, for the reasons stated by Mudslinger.

I will call Josh, thx Mud.