Warning: Using a standard torque wrench on a 3/4 inch hoist rope socket bolt...

I had a job last month in Tampa where the specs called for 450 foot-pounds on those big bolts. My old click-type wrench just didn't feel right, so I rented a digital torque-angle wrench for the day. The difference was huge... the digital one showed I was under-torquing by almost 60 foot-pounds because the old wrench was worn out. Has anyone else made the switch to a digital model for the heavy stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

milacarr2mo ago

Man, that old click wrench was basically lying to you lol. It's like trusting a speedometer that's off by 20 mph, you're just cruising along thinking you're good. Glad you caught it before something decided to take a flight. Makes me side-eye every old tool in my box now.

clark.kelly2mo ago

Yeah, a worn out click wrench isn't really lying, it's just broken. It's not like a speedometer, it's more like a scale with a weak spring. Good call by milacarr to be suspicious of old tools though.

james_butler1mo ago

Oh nah, I gotta call something out there. A speedometer being off by 20 mph is a way bigger deal than a click wrench being 60 pounds off, cause speedometers can be off by a few percent from the factory and nobody loses sleep over it. A broken torque wrench can get you killed on something like a hoist bolt, but a speedometer that reads a little fast just gets you driving slow.