Cutting our previous suggestion to half, this smaller set gives you the 1/2″ drive torque limiting extension bars you’re most likely going to need.
Made of Cr-Mo steel, the set offers coverage for 65, 80, 100, 120, and 140 foot-pound applications. The storage case is extra-sturdy and perfect for your car’s emergency tool stash or a garage tool chest.
These sticks work really well and accurate to within +/- 2-5 pounds of their rated capacity. If you’re hesitant to use these, you can always use a lower capacity stick to tighten to a certain ft-lbs and finish off with a manual torque wrench. You’ll still save a ton of time.
While this smaller set may not be the best for a commercial setting, it’s perfect for the autocross track or drag strip, or simply for swapping out your winter tires for summer ones. This excellent gift idea is covered by a lifetime warranty
Oh, I found that set, alright. It was in my earlier post as the “best” torque sticks available. The article I found claimed +/-4% rather than 2 to 5 ft-lbs. These are trade-rags as another poster called them. Claims with nothing to back them up.
So I went the the Capri Tools site. The problem is that Capri Tools themselves does not even list the torque tolerances for this set. The technical information doesn’t even tell the specs. Capri Tools website even has a “how to” video with the tech using a slick-type torque wrench to set the final torque. If the torque sticks are more accurate than a torque wrench, that would neither be necessary nor desired.
If you can find the actual claimed specs by Capri or anyone who sells them, please post them. Until the actual specs are listed by the folks that make them or sell them - the folks with “skin in the game” - the accuracy is merely speculation.
Tester:
It looks like you’re picking and choosing snip-its of wording from different sites to suite your argument., and it’s not holding together.
I searched the Capri Tools website, and there is no mention of accuracy for their torque sticks.
The wording you stated above about the “+/- 2-5 pounds of their rated capacity” came from someone’s wording on garagetooladvisor.com. But if you look at the top of that section, you would see the their introduction stating:
Are Torque Sticks Accurate?
Because of the way these torque bars are designed, they will never need to be re-calibrated unlike many types of torque wrenches. When used properly, a stick can prove to be quite accurate but if you’re looking for the highest level of accuracy, a torque wrench is recommended.
Back to the original topic:
We agree that torque sticks are frequently “good enough” when used correctly.
We don’t agree that they are more accurate than torque wrenches.
Yes torque wrenches do need to be recalibrated, and yes torque stick tolerances do fall off when rpms change, air pressure changes, and when impact guns with different torque ratings are used.
I’m very willing to listening to your input, but please help the discussion for all of us by providing meaningful data.
A torque stick that requires the pressure regulator, its gauge, the pressure drop in a 50 ft length of hose, and an un-serviced, any brand impact wrench to have the combined accuracy,
Or a torque wrench that is out of calibration with nothing in-between?
Do you agree that a torque stick’s accuracy is specified at a given impact wrench’s torque and rpm settings, which are dependent on constant inlet PSI?
Cutting our previous suggestion to half, this smaller set gives you the 1/2″ drive torque limiting extension bars you’re most likely going to need.