torque sticks

[waterpirate]

Any one have opinions on them? Looking at the single 80# for my k10 from grainger for 11.00 plus shipping.
Thanx
Eric

 

[Soundmound]

We used to use them at Pep Boys back when I worked there(Early ought's) and I never fully trusted them to be honest. I prefer the click of an actual torque wrench myself, but to each his own.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Torque sticks are good to make sure you do not over torque the lug nuts. This is especially true on alloy wheels. As @Soundmound stated, a current calibrated torque wrench, is what is required where I work.

"Good best practices are required" We torque all wheels, road test, and then a re-torque.

 

[Mr Clean]

I'm with everyone else. I prefer the click. I will say this, my one buddy bought Icon I think that's the name of it...Harbor Freights top of the line torque wrench. It is pretty nice, his son is a professional machinic type guy, and has all the big name tools...ie Snap-On. The HF was maybe a 1/4lb off from the Snap-On. I have Craftsman. The 3/8, and 1/2 are foot lbs, and the 1/4 is inch lbs. All I do is work on my own stuff, so they've been great for me.

 

[justhorns]

Using torque sticks is dumb. The Project farm guy (On YT) proves that if you keep hammering with your gun on the torque stick the bolt keeps getting tighter. and tighter. Discount tire are pros at overtorqueing lug nuts with their torque sticks. They tighten with the torque stick, and then, go for the click from the click type (no idea of what their click is set to!) > Use a proper torque wrench and maybe go around a second time on each wheel in a diamond pattern is the way to go. One customer I had to cut numerous capped lugs off the car after a DT run for tires.

 

[fast 99]

Torque sticks have their place. Used them to get the nuts down then recheck with torque wrench. It speeds things up and little risk of over torque. Primarily used the 80 lb ft one. That would cover most vehicles except of course the odd ball like a Geo. Our shop always had a torque wrench handy with extension and flip sockets. So, it was easy to do it properly. I don't recommend them for final torque.