Broke down and bought that fancy torque wrench after stripping 3 bolts...

Was using a cheap beam style wrench for my e-bike repairs and kept going past spec until I snapped a seat post bolt last Tuesday. Took a gamble on the Tekton digital adapter for $65 and now I can actually feel the click instead of guessing... has anyone else had their cheap tools cost them more in the long run?

2 comments

2 Comments

michaelw2629d ago

Jumped straight into buying cheap tools when I started fixing stuff around the house and learned the hard way too. It's funny how we think we're saving money upfront but end up spending way more on replacement parts and wasted time. I stripped a bolt on my lawn mower last summer using a no-name ratchet and had to drill the whole thing out, cost me like $40 for a new spindle assembly. Now I look at it like buying cheap shoes that hurt your feet or cheap tires that wear out fast, you just end up paying more in the long run. The Tekton stuff is solid though, I got their click style torque wrench for my car and it's been dead on for two years now.

karen_shah5629d ago

Totally get where you're coming from but I see it a little different. Some cheap tools are garbage yeah but I've had GREAT luck with budget stuff from places like Harbor Freight for basic home jobs. The key is knowing what you can cheap out on and what you can't. For stuff like screwdrivers and basic wrenches that don't take much force I've had $5 ones last years without issues. But for something like a torque wrench or a socket that's gonna take heavy use I agree you gotta spend real money. It's not always about cheap vs expensive, it's about knowing your limits and what you're actually using it for. A no-name ratchet might suck but a $20 breaker bar from the same brand has saved me hundreds.