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I just had a torque wrench malfunction. First time ever and in a tough spot

emmett518

emmett518

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JL Sargent said:
Thanks Nige, you're probably right, but if that bolt shears, I'm screwed! :eek:
Click to expand...

Which would be a worse screwing? Having it break in the shop, with tools, possibly in a heated garage, in a spot where you can work on it, or have it break in the field with no tools, no safe place to work on it, in the middle of a job?

It's like dental work. Putting it off until later will just make it more painful, more expensive, and more aggravating than dealing with it now.

Good luck.
 
John C.

John C.

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How much did it cost to have that Mac 600# wrench redone. I bought mine in 1983. It hasn't had the calibration checked at least twenty five years. I probably haven't used it in twelve years though.
 
92U 3406

92U 3406

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John C. said:
How much did it cost to have that Mac 600# wrench redone. I bought mine in 1983. It hasn't had the calibration checked at least twenty five years. I probably haven't used it in twelve years though.
Click to expand...

I think it was about $250. I think it had some stripped teeth. Every once in a while it would skip a couple.
 
John C.

John C.

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Mine doesn't have any stripped teeth but the top plate and bolt keep coming loose and then the ratchet just spins around. I think I paid $300 for it in 1983. The guy on the tool truck gave me some static about my regular 3/4 ratchet handle being bent slightly so I never dealt with him again.
 
D

Dirttracker18

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Remove the bolt and if you really think you went way past the torque value then replace it. As others noted, better to break now while open and apart than in the field.
Bolts are cheap, your time is not.
 
JL Sargent

JL Sargent

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I was able to remove the bolt. It was not that much over torqued after all. I would estimate it at 20%. So probably would have been fine if I had left it. All good now. Check your torque wrenches guys. I would say this one is 20+ years old and only gets used once in a while.
 
92U 3406

92U 3406

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John C. said:
Mine doesn't have any stripped teeth but the top plate and bolt keep coming loose and then the ratchet just spins around. I think I paid $300 for it in 1983. The guy on the tool truck gave me some static about my regular 3/4 ratchet handle being bent slightly so I never dealt with him again.
Click to expand...

Over $1,000 nowadays.
 
JL Sargent

JL Sargent

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What I think happened: I have torque wrenches from 600 ft lbs. down to 1 in lb. I keep them clean and in their cases. I've never oiled or lubricated any of them. They are Snap On, Precision Instruments (makes some of Snap Ons), Proto, etc. I don't know when I used this specific one last and it may have been quite a while. I suspect it needed a light oiling. For example: I have a near mint Dan Wesson 357 magnum that I hadn't used in many years. Gun looked new, but would not fire. Had been sitting in a safe and not oiled in 20 years maybe. I think this torque wrench was like that, simply not used in a long time and needed a little care.
 
John C.

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The on line Mac catalog shows a similar one to mine for $900. Mine has the round head and it doesn't appear that they offer that anymore in the 600# range.
Whenever I've had to use a torque wrench that has been sitting a long time between uses, I exercise them at lower torque ranges multiple times to make sure the internals are working.
 
92U 3406

92U 3406

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John C. said:
The on line Mac catalog shows a similar one to mine for $900. Mine has the round head and it doesn't appear that they offer that anymore in the 600# range.
Whenever I've had to use a torque wrench that has been sitting a long time between uses, I exercise them at lower torque ranges multiple times to make sure the internals are working.
Click to expand...

I'm paying with Canuck Pesos too so that sounds about right.
 
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