Harbor Freight ICON - Professional Compact Click Torque Wrench - 10 to 20% Out of Calibration

[@SchooloftheAmericanRifle]

Lots of accusations being thrown at me over a quick video. People claiming I messed up the wrench or that I did something to sway the readings. I made this video because a wrench being 20% out isn't normal in my experience, even for the cheaper stuff. I'm very much aware that torque wrenches are less accurate at the lowest and highest settings. In my experience a good wrench might be out 10% max at the highest and lowest setting and at the mid range they may be 5% out at most. I won't use torque wrenches that test 20% out of calibration at any setting. If you are ok with that, then you have lower standards than I do. I made this short video to show one example of a wrench that didn't meet my standards. It was purchased a few days ago and I opened it today. I could have made this video 2 hours long, going over every single detail, but I didn't because I don't have my wife to help. The particular tester shown in this short video tests from 5-50 inch pounds. It's wise to not use your testers on the upper limits of their capabilities to ensure they stay accurate. However, before and after the video I tested this wrench on my other equipment at mid and higher ranges and it still was out a minimum of 10-20% at ALL settings. The equipment shown in the video and the equipment that wasn't shown in this video is calibrated once a year. The equipment was purchased new and I sent it out for calibration just to be sure it was right. Again, all of my testers get checked annually for calibration. I test customers and student wrenches constantly. Hundreds of various makes and models. Many less expensive wrenches often do quite well and rarely show what is being seen in this video. I have tested many, many, many H.F. wrenches and they are usually quite accurate. The cheapest variants don't often hold calibration long though. have tested a few dozen of this exact wrench and they tested quite well, so I purchased one. I plan to exchange this wrench in hopes I get a better example.

[@callmeasshole]

People are whiny because they don't want their god attacked or critiqued. They don't want to believe that the Chinese budget tools they bought are in reality cheap junk.

[@spacecat7247]

Lol the fan boys crying about sub standard tools.

[@Invisibleman1776]

@@SchooloftheAmericanRifle screw them. All your info is top notch and appreciated. Like I said in another comment I own all the sizes of harbor freight torque wrenches and if they are way out of calibration that is something I want to know. Thanks for what you do.

[@j.p.1576]

@@spacecat7247I don’t understand the urge to defend cheap tools. Either you like what you have, or you don’t. Talking them up online doesn’t make them work better. On the other hand, telling the truth could result in product improvement.

[@spacecat7247]

@j.p.1576 lol right. Kinda my feelings as well.

[@jpinson09]

In the aviation community, we are taught you don't use the lower 20% or the upper 10% of an analog torque wrench.

[@Fadaar]

i was taught 10/10 in AF tech school but close enough lol

[@JoeVan]

Would have loved to see a reading at 100 inch pounds and 150 along with 200 just to see if it was out of whack on the low end or across the range

[@careyrose6059]

I was a SubSafe/Level1Life Support QAI in the Navy a long time ago and any torque wrench or hydro test gauge had to be 10% inside it's lowest or highest range. Couldn't use a 4000 psi hydro gauge for a 4000 psi test pressure or a 40 inch pound wrench to torque a fastener to 40 inch pounds. Just wondering if you might try a few tests inside the middle of the range to see if it got any closer to the set. Just curious. You do great work on your channel. Thank you.

[@Eric-oe6ow]

I have an old 1/4 in drive Snap On dial torque wrench in inch pounds and it calibrated within spec thankfully. Got it at a garage sale for $20 i was very happy. I love using older tools, most of my machnist tools are all Starrett tools that i have cleaned up and calibrated

[@jardo531]

I always find your posts educational. Thanks for posting.

[@Mjdeben]

I'd LOVE to see a dedicated torque wrench/screwdriver video

[@RC-li1gb]

Unfortunately, I had a more expensive torque wrench that broke after having it for years. It went down to 5 inch pounds. I bought one just like you showed, although I haven't used it yet & it doesn't go down as low as I need. Glad to see what the results were. I'd like to find a way to test it myself. Fasteners on firearms are usually a lot more delicate than on cars.

[@jonleone777]

There is one thing i dont see mentioned. Is the torque tester working properly and is it calibrated. The wrench may be fine.

[@brucehill1220]

Had fairly good luck with the normal Pittsburg model.

[@BertWebbDOA]

I tried 3 of these. I took all back.

[@JohnCorbet-w4g]

I bought the Pittsburgh 1/4" inch/lb torque wrench for $20 and is very accurate

[@clutchcargo1239]

I heard that the use of a torque wrench in its bottom 10% can be inherently inaccurate. Can't recall the reference, but it would be interesting to see how accurate that torque wrench would read in the middle and upper torque ranges.

[@prototype3a]

20% to 90% of full scale is the recommended usage range for MOST torque wrenches.

[@clutchcargo1239]

@prototype3a I never use any torque wrench at the very bottom or very top range. Every torque seems to have a plus or minus final torque range. It is all about the fastener size and material. In my line of work, we don't have personal torque wrenches. Ours all come from the tool room. Our tools are closely monitored for current calibration. Even a new torque wrench from Snap-On will go straight to calibration first. It must have a current cal sticker on it before we are allowed to use it. If you drop it, it's sent back in for a re-cal.

[@409harvesting]

Yesterday I seen a 1/4 Tekton one that goes from 20-200 in-lbs . Their maximum expected error range was 4% for about $50

[@michaelthacker6121]

Now we need a demo of all the torque wrenches in existence! Lol. Thanks for the very useful info

[@H33t3Speaks]

I see you've not heard of @TorqueTestChannel. :D

[@EverythingisFire]

That's Project Farm or Torque Test Channel's job :)

[@WhiTeyFU]

Thank you for sharing. I too am surprised at how bad that is, considering how well icon/quinn stuff usually performs. I'm definitely keen to see follow up tests on more of that model, since I was eyeballing that model for the exact same reason.

[@taylorsrus9543]

For accuracy in a click style you should try the split beam model. Dial is best but I never see those anymore.

[@Tillerman4]

I wound up buying at pawn shop and recalibrated them… they’re within a couple of pounds. Have one for gunbench and the other I use for automotive work…. Recheck settings annually..

[@hololightful]

If you go back to Harbor freight and just swap it for the same thing, would like to see a followup video on how the replacement faired...

[@stefanmolnapor910]

Torque Wrench!😅😂 I just tighten parts till they break!

[@nchintalapani]

Project Farm would be proud of this video.

[@videodistro]

Not really. Todd tests various settings, not just one... at the lowest end.

[@nchintalapani]

@ sure but if the lowest is out of spec by that much, I have no hope of things getting better for other settings. May be the middle settings might be okish, if your use case calls for something at the lower range you will need to buy another one where that is the middle setting.

[@hjjfffaa]

@@nchintalapani Most torque wrenches do not even give a specification for accuracy below 20% of the scale, or they give one that is much worse than on the rest of the scale. Most calibration centers aren't even testing a setting lower than 20%. You get 20%, 60%, and 100% scale.

[@ttss5726]

thanks for doing a test on the icon they do have good tools but then again so does every maker. ill be watching for a follow up. And ignore the assholes that complain to complain about brand and icon. They're are just miserable with their life and taking it out online

[@shadow7796]

Thanks for this test. I need a better in. lb. torque wrench, too. I may check out the Capri now. I think it's a little cheaper anyway.

[@catfishsiegel30]

Question Did you try the test with out the adapter? I found this can change the values. Even on snap on and Mac torque wrenches. Thanks for sharing

[@KentuckyReef]

The first was 35.89, The second was 38.54 , The third was 39.30 still off but I knew you were not as truthful as you act… Also you wouldn’t want to use a 40-200 at 40.

[@rogeu00rager]

Truthfully, Snap On, MAC, so on..they all fail more regularly now then in the past. Our TMDE lab puts all new Torqs through calibration prior to issuing to any maintenance element (military or federal technician) . It's gotten to the point that our TMDE has started their own tracker for failed torque wrenches.

[@shadowforcepb]

Sometimes torque wrenches will break in after some use and get more accurate, but this may just be a bad one

[@actionjksn]

That is probably an anomaly the icon stuff is usually pretty good. I bought a quarter inch drive of one of their cheap $12 ones for rails and stuff.

[@IsaiahChapter53isAboutJesus]

Yours is fine. Chad didn't do this test correctly. Slow the video when he performs the test. You'll see he records a wrong measurement each time, and that his wrench is accurate.

[@advance4066]

Here’s me hoping that Brakleen was deliberately placed in the shot to foreshadow a future video: “is brakleen safe for cleaning ARs”.

[@hanotme.1085]

I would like to see a proto

[@j.p.1576]

I would like to see the wrench tested every ten lb-in over the full range. The price is too high for that wrench to be off more than twenty percent anywhere in its range for my money. I might be willing to pay half that price, if the error was much smaller at the high end and near zero in the mid range, simply because I have the Wheeler for the low end.

[@atfsgeoff]

As mentioned by a few others, 40 inch pounds is at the very bottom of its rated range, does it get more accurate above 60 inch pounds?

[@Invisibleman1776]

Its kind of like PSA spec. I have all the sizes of the harbor freight torque wrenches. Please do a follow up. I feel like mine are pretty close.

[@ETHRON1]

I don't think mine is that brand but I did get it at HF...im worried now.

[@Invisibleman1776]

@@ETHRON1 dont be worried just use common sense. Its most important to be consistent and properly lube your fasteners than the torque wrench being spot on.

[@danielruiz3853]

how much was that torque tester?

[@awesomedave8484]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Maine307]

VERY COOL VIDEO, I am wishing this was just a bad batch..becuase HF actually deos have a few items that work great.. on a different note.. for us noobs and youtube watchers.. what is that tool u use to calibrate? and is it something the average DIYer should have???

[@joelatkinson2080]

Another great video!!!

[@rhettlyerly545]

It is a terrible idea to use a 40-200in-lb torque wrench to set something to 40in-lb if accuracy is critical. Most click torque wrenches are only accurate between 20%-100% of their stated range. That wrench may be fine if used for appropriate torques.

[@WrenchHead]

Not to mention, beam type torque wrenches are a better choice than click. I literally have a 50 inch lbs beam type for checking bearing preload, that's what I'd be using. Idk....peanut gallery I reckon lol.

[@rhettlyerly545]

@@WrenchHead The beam type torque wrenches might be better for. things like AR barrel nuts where there is a broad torque range.

[@j.p.1576]

@@rhettlyerly545No, you have that wrong. The click-type wrenches are best for broad ranges, while the beam-type wrenches are more accurate, period.

[@billangell6478]

Not so true anymore. Most of the the time it’s 20-100 percent from zero. At least that’s the standard for aerospace. That’s why the wrench starts at 40 for a 200 in-lb wrench, it prevents you from thinking about going lower.

[@rhettlyerly545]

@@billangell6478Most click type torque wrenches only specify accuracy in the top 20-100% of their RANGE. Accuracy from zero makes no sense as torque wrenches come in many different ranges. I’m sure that there are some torque wrenches that have better accuracy at low ranges.

[@LilYeshua]

Can the torque wrench be calibrated?

[@Invisibleman1776]

@@LilYeshua a good one can. Not sure about the HF

[@P_RO_]

All the 'click' type ones can, but the method used may vary.

[@flopus7]

This is very worrying. I use these to tighten down my lmt bolts

[@trevorfloyd8447]

I know they come with cert papers. So yeah bring it back

[@brassmule]

48 in-lbs with your finger in the middle of the wrench, definitely ain't right. Normally the Hazard Fraught stuff is pretty consistent for me.

[@dancarter7009]

Are the torque testers expensive?

[@SchooloftheAmericanRifle]

They are not cheap. They can vary between 2K and much more. They have to be recertified annually at about the cost of $400

[@michaeltimcisko7828]

@@dancarter7009 what I don't get is why people spend $1,500 plus dollars on proto torque tester and pinch pennies on the actual torque wrench. Buy a good torque wrench to start , get it calibrated annually and you'll never have an issue

[@dancarter7009]

@ Oh wow! Guess I’ll have to wait on that purchase, lol. Always Appreciate the information,Thank you sir! 🤙🏻

[@gfdemt917]

​@dancarter7009 some tool trucks will let u verify ur torque wrench on a in house tester but it will not certify ur wrench

[@aliceburte9278]

Thank You sir 🇺🇸👍

[@IsaiahChapter53isAboutJesus]

Chad, your tester showed that the torque wrench is accurate. Its measured break weight was 36, 38.5, & 39. Slow the video and watch the measuring device and the torque wrench.

[@JustFixinGarage]

damn man, I have that thing hahah. along with a snap on.

[@Megadellicantera]

I would suggest a Precision Instruments torque wrench. I have no problem with their basic hand tools, but I wouldn't trust any calibrated instrument made by Icon.

Saving for hall of shame, or are you going to calibrate yourself and test how it holds up?

[@MrTylero28]

The only thing I can say is it looks like you kinda yanked it as you were getting to the torque value. But it could have been because you’re also doing camera duty 😂😂 Regardless I suppose being over is better than under torqued

[@bdkj3e]

I thought you were using it wrong there for a second but it was just KZbin being stupid and the video was stuttering.

[@steveninaz9576]

Thank you Sir

[@tmtundra]

Click types are inaccurate at the low end

[@michaeltimcisko7828]

Thanks for sharing what the world knows. Harbor freight doesn't sell precision tools

[@Shackleford_Rusty]

Thanks as always Chad, Gods work sir!

[@tjf1531]

Nice purchase

[@melissasmess2773]

I'm a mechanic by trade, got their big one, will have to check it against my beam style gauge. I actually laugh when people discuss torque values for gunsmithing, a good mechanic understands the material strength and the limits fine threads have, you just know when it's tight enough. I'm 60 and still won't let some guy put a wheel on my car or change my oil and have never used a torque wrench on a barrel.

[@SchooloftheAmericanRifle]

The big ICOM Clicker checked out on my FT # Tester.

[@drleesharon]

AWESOME videos, but harbor freight sell's nothing but sub-par chinese garbage....all of it.

[@drtmi8789]

Guess what genius. So does snap-on and most other companies.