Thanks for the correct version of the info DAVEMAN, don't PO me any I'm an engineer at heart to but I didn't know the tech side of this issue. All I know is on an actual torque wrench there's a "needle" and a "scale" on it to measure the force.

Here's a Craftsman wrench I found at Sears' website.

 

Yeah, I used the stock jack to change the tire on my expi, took me forever to get the thing up high enough to change the tire. I didn't like that I had to put the thing on the axel to jack it up. "Back on the farm" we used to use handyman jacks on the bumper heh.

I have no idea how good that torque wrench that I posted is. I would think it would do the job for emergency issues anyway.

 

not sure VP, but this is the one I use one Tomas....the one you posted requires some mechanical skills which I have zero.
Tomas's Torque Wrench

 

That's the one I have two of Skagel. Work very nicely.

 

I own so few tools that I struggle thinking about tossing $100 out for a ratchet.... I think I'm going to stick with the POS that comes with the truck.

I do concur with dufunnel on the jack though, that thing is a POS. I have a 2 ton floor jack in the garage. Nifty little item to have.

RP

 

RP -

I was the same way about dropping that kind of money on an item that I would use once in a blue moon. I ended up finding a decent quality (not Craftsman, mind you) torque wrench at my local Harbor Freight Tools for less than $20. Dunno if you have one in your area, but can be ordered online as well here.

 

I took my dad's Craftsman into work with me a few years back and checked the torque calibration... after 25+years of never being re-checked, and seeing industrial use as an industrial truck mechanic, I'm happy to report that it was within 3 lbs (sorry... lb*ft) of the correct value (could be due to the sensitivity of the equipment I was measuring it with... when the handle clicks, it would tweak the instrument).

As for the nomenclature, it is generally assumed that in English units, torque is a measure of force applied at a distance of 1 foot. That's why often times, people refer to torque in lbs alone instead of ft*lbs or lb*ft. Because a torque is a unit of force times the distance of the lever arm, it could also be Newton*Decimeters, or pound*meters, or Dyne*furlongs, or rod*joule per centimeter, or slug-force*cubit... they are all torques, but the American standard units for torques are ft*lbs, and the SI standard is N*m.

Daveman... about what you said regarding the calculation of the force necessary to achieve the torque... perfectly correct... it explains why the lug wrenches are as long as they are... so a 100 lb woman can theoretically change her own tire on the side of the road. (100 lbs standing on the lug wrench 2 feet long should be able to break them loose!)

As for lifting them, I didn't have any trouble getting Skagels tires on... MINE, on the other hand...

Skagel... Told'ja so! :P

Just my .02

-Joe-

 

Joe, you should be in the dog house for the smart "I told ya so" remark, but instead I will say this....."you are right, and I am wrong" "you are God, and I am poo."

<-----trying to get brownie points so Joe will start on Tomas's electrical work.

aka kissing butt.