Craftsman  Torque Wrench

This is horribly innaccurate after a year.  I do work on my car, and I usually used this to guage lower levels such as 25lb range.  When I was replacing my spark plugs and bolting the boot back on top, I tried to torque it to 40-60 as the manual instructed.  I kept turning and turning and it reached up to 20, then the bolt snapped and broke apart.  While you guys could blame the bolt, this bolt was the original on the car, and was specifically designed to break if too much torque was applied so it wouldn't strip the threads in the engine, saving you a huge headache in repairs.  I borrowed a better torque wrench from an auto parts store, and that gave me the right reading, WITHOUT breaking anything.  This is a cheap piece of junk, and I will never buy craftsman for accuracy and readings.  All their other stuff is good, but when it comes to reading and guages, get a Snap-On.  You can't put a price on accuracy.

This unit is good for the cost. I wish that it would stay on the bolt and turn more evenly without twisting. I use this on my motorcycle, but not on critical safety items.

When I was starting my career as an aviation mechanic I wanted to have "sophisticated" clicking torque wrenches.  One would make torquing a large number of fasteners quick and easy.  Unfortunately, the click-stop torque wrenches were more trouble than they were worth, hard to keep in calibration.  I eventually went back to using the beam-style torque wrenches in my tool box (I would use the calibrated click wrenches from the tool room for large projects, let them wrestle with keeping them in calibration).

The beam-style torque wrench is almost indestructible.  Once calibrated it repeatedly reports proper torque value.  Yes, the beam is difficult to read in some circumstances.  But a piece of electrical tape at the proper value gives you a visible target to read.  This is a great value, especially if you are on a budget.

"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

Best tool I've ever owned!

This is a very handy tool when doing major auto engine repair, and for such a low price you ensure you dont over torque bolts past factory specs. It's an old school design yet still relevant and functional. This Craftsman torque wrench has never failed me.

While lacking "bells and whistles," the wrench is sturdy and well made. Numbers could be a bit clearer or larger for aging eyes. In a comparison with a wrench that cost more than double the price, the accuracy here was pretty good (with some literal "wiggle room" based on how you use this versus the kind that stops at a preselected setting. Good value, you don't even need to wait for a sale on this one. I've used this exclusively on motorcycle related projects.

I LIKE THE OLD SCHOOL TORQUE WRENCH WHICH ALWAYS READS TRUE. THE NEWER CLICK AND DIGITAL MODELS MAY BE OFF CALIBRATION AND YOU NEVER KNOW IT. DOES A NICE JOB FOR ME

I picked up this torque wrench some time back (older model) and have found it to be very useful when working on both my car and my motorcycles.  Torque ratings are accurate and it's quite simple to use (not as touchy or fancy as the internal-set click models).

I'd recommend this wrench to anyone who's looking for a simple solution to automotive torque applications in a non commercial environment (ie, working on your own car or working on cars with friends).

I purchased the 3/8" bean torque wrench about 6 months ago.  For the price this tool is really good. The dial is very hard to read depending on where its used.  If I had to buy again and I don't want to be cheap I will invest in digital torque. If you have limited budget then this wrench will do the job.

Very accurate tool. Great quallty. Easy to use. I will enjoy useing this tool.