Recommend Torque Wrench for outboard engines

[alansmith]

Heh Fellas, I will be servicing my Zuke 9.9 hp EFI outboard. I will need a small torque wrench. I am agast at Snap-On and Matco prices for Torque wrenches. So, if found a decent one with good reviews on Amazon for about 115 dollars. It is a Precision Instrument 3/8" drive split beam torque. Is that too big for my outboard? I don't trust the overall reliability of digitals...and have seen some problems with my click type torque wrench reproducibility. ai ya...

any recommends or insight into Precision Instruments appreciated. Respects and thanks for your help

[davis53]

Check with Harbor freight. They are very reasonable and for the do it yourselfer work just fine.

[C420sailor]

It’s an outboard. Don’t nuke the problem.

Any Craftsman, HF, or similar 3/8” torque wrench will get it done. Beam, digital, click...that’s your preference. Bottom line, the calibration will be of more than sufficient accuracy for this kind of work.

[ronstory]

I've been impressed with the bang-for-the-buck of the tekton products for mechanical stuff. I used one of these recently to rebuild an Atomic 4, it just simply worked and was dead when we compared it to my machinist friend's Snap-on.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Jammer]

If you are within 20% you are doing better than most "professional" mechanics who just kind of muscle noncritical bolts. Any torque wrench will work ok.

[P3sailor]

If you don't know anything about tools, specifically torque wrenches, you probably shouldn't be performing maintenance on your engines. Snap-on, Matco, and Mac make excellent and reliable tools. Torque wrenches should be calibrated annually and/or after dropping, say on the floor, deck, whatever. I really wouldn't rely on the accuracy of any harbor freight torque wrench nor would I consider purchasing one from same. Harbor Freight tools, in my opinion, are throwaway tools, they're not made to last and, most likely, will fail you when you need it the most. I will be expecting some flak regarding this but trust me, there's a reason HF is or was cheap.

[Cheechako]

I have had a cheapish clik type torque wrench for 40 years now. I would trust it more than a typical Harbor Freight item. It seems repeatable, that's the main thing. Not sure on an outboard you really need a torque wrench though, if you are good with your hands you can pretty much tell.
One caveat though: on an outboard you are torqueing into aluminum, an inaccurate wrench could cause you to strip a hole!

Why not rent one?

[Madehn]

"If you don't know anything about tools, specifically torque wrenches, you probably shouldn't be performing maintenance on your engines."

this is the kind of snark that some people seem to think is ok say on the internet when they would not think to be that rude in person. its also just garbage in my humble opinion.

you dont really need a great torque wrench to work on a low horsepower outboard- I've been doing it for years with no adverse issues. tighten stuff snug and remember it is always the last half turn that strips the threads.- use anti seize compound as you are putting the bolts back into aluminum. be careful go slow-- i like to use a short quarter inch rachet instead of a 3/8" as it helps to keep the torque applied a little lower. if you really want to torque (maybe head bolts) wrench then one from harbor freight will be fine for your purposes. be sure you know whether you are doing the torque in INCH pounds or FOOT pounds. big difference

[C420sailor]

Agreed. It’s an outboard, not the Space Shuttle.

[CarinaPDX]

Most, if not all, fasteners on a small outboard can be handled by a ¼" torque wrench and socket set. These are lighter and more compact than ⅜" tools. I would check the maximum torque you will need with the maximum for a ¼" torque wrench and choose accordingly. Also, ¼" is best for bikes as well.

Greg

[Boatwright]

A click type wrench is much easier to use accurately. The Harbor Freight best quality mechanics tools are now way better than the Craftsman brand, and should be fine for your needs. The 3/8" size should do the job on your small engine and will also do many of your car repair jobs.

In spite of what earlier posters have said about any old wrench will do, real men don't need them, etc., proper torque is very important for bolts screwing into aluminum parts. Over-torquing can deform the metal around the bolt and will result in loosening parts, blown gaskets, and oil and cooling leaks. FYI: Never use an impact wrench for assembly on an aluminum part.

Real pros and amateurs who aspire to doing the job right read the repair manual and follow the recommended procedures.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by P3sailor

If you don't know anything about tools, specifically torque wrenches, you probably shouldn't be performing maintenance on your engines. Snap-on, Matco, and Mac make excellent and reliable tools. Torque wrenches should be calibrated annually and/or after dropping, say on the floor, deck, whatever. I really wouldn't rely on the accuracy of any harbor freight torque wrench nor would I consider purchasing one from same. Harbor Freight tools, in my opinion, are throwaway tools, they're not made to last and, most likely, will fail you when you need it the most. I will be expecting some flak regarding this but trust me, there's a reason HF is or was cheap.

My last high end 4-1/2 inch angle grinder lasted about 1 year, my $22 Harbor Freight grinders last for years, used day in and day out. Expense does not equate to dependability. Same with an 8 inch Harbor Freight bench grinder which I have had for about 6 years. There are some of the cheaper items I wouldn’t buy at Harbor Freight, but for the most part their stuff works.

[SailRN]

From the U.S. Navy, Naval Ships Technical Manual, Fasteners:


075-4.5.1.4 Torque Wrenches. The most dependable and accurate torque wrench is also the simplest and cheapest, the beam type. Either the round or flat beam type will do. To calibrate it, make sure that the pointer is pointing to zero before you start and that it is not rubbing on the scale. A slight bending operation with a pair of pliers will correct either problem. The deflection of its shaft, therefore the reading that you see on the scale,depends on the modulus of elasticity of the material. The modulus does not change with the amount of use or abuse, so the wrench will not get out of calibration unless you somehow manage to reduce the thickness or diameter of the shaft. Various types of torque wrenches, with various size drives and torque ranges, can be found in the Afloat Shopping Guide under Class 5120.



Be careful with aluminum.

[Adelie]

Beam type is not subject to marine air corrosion affecting action of mechanism.