Damn you Harbor Freight tools

[5Toes]

Or you get an oil leak.

I used my 1/4 ratchet with a small handle and just went by feel the second time.

Way to go on this job IMO.

[bernzpeed]

thanks!

[lowsodium]

Torque wrenches are usually pretty long, which really increases your torque (versus a 8" ratchet)

[efficient]

I bought a torque wrench from harbor freight used it and it felt cheap, so I used it as a breaker bar.

[TimKninja]

My friend put on my wheels with a harbor frienght Torque wrench , three lugs fell out before I caught it. :/

At least he claims he did .

Who the fuck uses a torque wrench on an oil pan gasket."?

[nick526]

For tightening small bolts, grasp your ratchet by the head, not the handle. Unless you're King Kong, you'll never develop enough torque to break a bolt that way.

An old timer taught me that after I broke a valve cover bolt on an old Maxima back when I was wrenching professionally. Re-removing an intake manifold you just put back on to fix a fuck up is no fun!

Hopefully someone will find this tip useful...

[noid]

So swapped out the oil pan for my S52 and was torquing the bolts and the torque wrench did not click. Now I have a snapped bolt stuck on the block.
Should I just drill it out, I am afraid of ruining the thread.

Tips?

Torque specs are meant for dry bolts, if the bolts have any type of lubricant (including anti seize) then you will over torque.

[gtdragon980]

For tightening small bolts, grasp your ratchet by the head, not the handle. Unless you're King Kong, you'll never develop enough torque to break a bolt that way.

An old timer taught me that after I broke a valve cover bolt on an old Maxima back when I was wrenching professionally. Re-removing an intake manifold you just put back on to fix a fuck up is no fun!

Hopefully someone will find this tip useful...

This is what I do when tightening those really small bolts BMW uses that tend to strip easily.

[be34st]

i think that i can try the vice grips and yes, i shouldn't have bought this there. I could probably return it for credit since it's over 30 days. and just get something else.

You can return it within the first 90 days. And if you got the extended protection plan then you have 1-2 years plus the 90 days.

[iamsam]

+1 to torque by feel. That's all I do unless it is head bolts.

Also, you have to know what to get and not to get at HF. Sockets, extensions, swivels, wrenches, etc are great. So are their jack stands and floor jacks and engine stands. But don't buy power or pneumatic tools, or torque wrenches or anything that requires reliability and precision.

[be34st]

For better or worse I got my son who is a senior in high school a 301 pc. HB tool set with "lifetime warranty" for Christmas for the total price of $168.48 including tax. I know some shit will get broken or lost and I know it will get used on his Schwarz 88is. I guess I'm a pragmatist. Hell I might even borrow a tool every now and then...and then swear like hell when it breaks.

You got duped. Harborfreight does not have lifetime warranties.

I work for the company that sevices their warranties.

[Cabriolet]

buying cheap tools is like buying cheap hookers.



for our in-lb we use snap-on tools and for the bigger toque stuff er use a clicking craftsman toque wrench.

having the wrong/crappy tools has screwed me once too many times.

[McGyver]

You got duped. Harborfreight does not have lifetime warranties.

I work for the company that sevices their warranties.

ok, so whats the deal then?

[be34st]

The item manufacturer might have a warranty but that would not be through HFT. HFT has 1 or year replacement plans or repair plans for tools that generally begin after the first 90 days of purchase.

[lambo]

I guess it's time for me to start saving up for a nice torque wrench...