Found out my torque wrench was 15 ft-lbs off after I pulled a head bolt clean through the block

Checked it on a calibration rig at the local community college shop class last night. Anyone else ever trust a tool way longer than they should have?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_hernandez1mo ago

That torque wrench probably sat in my garage for 3 years before I finally brought it to a friend's shop to test it. Turns out it was reading 20 ft-lbs heavy the whole time. I had been torquing lug nuts and head bolts way too tight for months, which is a scary thought. Never really checked it because it was a name brand and I figured it was fine. You just assume tools work right until something breaks bad.

tara7001mo ago

Yeah that's a common misunderstanding... torque wrenches don't really drift that much just sitting around unless they got dropped or banged up. @jana_hernandez it's more about the mechanism wearing out from use than time passing. Still good you got it checked though.