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Torque Wrench $29.99 @ ALDI (Bunnings $29.95)

1221
  • 12.7mm (½") torque wrench with automatic quick release
  • Includes 17, 19 and 21mm sockets and 125mm extension bar
  • Heavy duty case for safe storage
  • Working range: 28-210Nm (measuring tolerance)

Craftright 4 Piece 1/2" Drive Torque Wrench Set

The Craftright 1/2" drive torque wrench offers a range of 30-210Nm (22.1-154.9 ft/lb), with +/- 4% accuracy, and a reversible head.

The kit also includes:
120mm 1/2" Drive extension bar
2x 1/2" Drive sockets: 17mm & 19mm
Torque Range 30-210Nm (22.1-154.9 ft/lb)
+/- 4% Accuracy
Reversible ratchet head

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closed Comments

  • +2

    Wonder how good its tolerances are. I've got one from bunnings and its lower range is pretty ordinary which caused a broken screw.

    • +4

      I had mine tested by a mate. It was within 3% of spec I believe.

      • +1

        Unless your mates one is tested and calibrated on a schedule then it;s anyone's guess.

        But yeah these do the job for 99% of DIYers unless you plan on building a space shuttle. If you plan on doing things thta require single digit torque specs then buy a smaller one that maybe goes up to 20-30Nm.

        • +15

          He calibrates for a living..

          • +4

            @jazattack: Yeah yeah, we know he does just like AvE does - pulls on the thing whilst making groans of exertion then just shouts "CLICK" when it feels about right.

          • +1

            @jazattack: Garrus?

      • +1 - there's an article online where one of these was tested against a certified expensive torque wrench and found to be within similar % of spec - and this was a few yrs back, so I think it's safe to say these are reliable enough for home users unless as others have said you're doing very torque specific finer stuff i.e engine rebuild.

        I've had one of these for yrs and found it very handy - well made and easy to use.

        • They are reliable enough except in the extremities of the range they can be set at. Avoid using it at or near 28 or 210 for this particular set.

    • +11

      Also back the tension completely off when not in use it will help retain the accuracy by not compressing the spring.

    • +13

      you don't need that much accuracy. Bloody tyre monkeys put my wheel nuts on with a few hundred percent more torque than needed, I reckon.
      +/- 50% would be a massive improvement!

      10N is a 1kg at one metre, or 2kg at 1/2m etc. e.g. for 40N apply 10kg weight to the end of a 40cm wrench. (hand 40cm from centre of turn)
      You know what 10kg feels like?

      or go ghetto: luggage scales plus shifting spanner = torque wrench :-)

      • Just putting it out there….I would be setting the baseline at tyre shops. They’re notoriously bad for overtightening.

        • I had to jump full body weight to even crack the nuts on my hiace once… I don’t think I would ever have had a wheel coming loose in that thing.

    • I also broke a screw using this one from Aldi… but think it's more to do with my stupidity than the wrench…

      • Whatta tool!

        • Ha ha, if you look at it this way… :)

  • I have 2 of these from years gone by, both clicked at the same time as my mates SnapOn.

    I'm sure they're not quite as good, but it's pretty close considering the price.

    That said, i was at 90ftlb torquing head studs, so I can't vouch for the lower end.

  • I've been waiting for this since the last sale but ended up getting the Craftright Bunnings one. The Craftright is tricky to set to an exact torque spec and I wonder if this would be the same?

  • i wonder how out far out of whack the calibration is

    • +3

      Around 3% people say.

      I've had one for years, I don't use it a lot but it sure is handy when the need arises. For this price you might as well add one to your tool box, or leave in the car boot.

      • 3% is pretty good for the money, wouldn't leaving it in the car make it more out of whack? i bought a similar thing for $90 at totaltools years ago and use it every now and then for when i want to do something correctly.

        • Nah, when you're talking delicate 1nm stuff, maybe.
          But it's a metal spring (or spring steel) and a tensioner.

          It takes significant heat, or impact (not a normal drop) to affect those internals.
          Torque wrenches are a strangely simple device inside.

          If you're worried about the car damaging it, and exacting accuracy is not important, you can look into a flex-beam torque wrench.

          • @MasterScythe: if its delicate stuff then i do it hand tight then half to a full a turn with a spanner, even then i dont really care. i used mine to do up motor mounts & wheel nuts and it all seems to be fine so far.

            • +1

              @HKS: She'll be right, mate.

            • +1

              @HKS: That's the part turn method. Its detailed in structural Australian standards. No good in reality (when erecting structures) though.

  • -3

    With the sockets and extension it comes with, makes a decent breaker bar too.

    • +16

      If you plan on actually keeping it somewhat accurate, never do this. They are designed to work in the tightening direction. Reversing (i.e. using as a breaker bar) the direction messes up the calibration. This goes for all torque wrenches. Never undo a tight bolt/nut with a torque wrench.

      • TIL thanks

      • Good to know. I've been doing this with my bike bolts (10-15Nm)… do you think I've borked it?

        • +1

          You can get it calibrated.

          Or do the backyard calibration - find a mate who hasn’t munted his, and test yours against it.

      • +1

        Thanks Calvin, would have ruined mine pretty quick.

    • Absolutely do not use it as a breaker bar. Beyond messing up the calibration the cheap ones will very likely break completely. Broke my first ever torque wrench a number of years back undoing a set of wheel nuts.

    • +1

      Was it a sarcasm?

    • holy shit

    • An actual 600mm 1/2" breaker bar is just $27.90 from TradeTools, so there's not much reason to buy one of these if your intent is just to destroy its efficacy as a torque wrench…

  • +37

    This deal will have everyone torquing.

    • +4

      9/10

    • +5

      All torque,
      no action

      • +5

        3/10

      • +3

        You can really feel the tension in the discussion

        • No you can't. Torque is not an appropriate indicator of bolt tension. Just so you know.

          • +1

            @justtoreply: I bet you're fun at parties…. puns are not meant to be factually correct, just so you know.

            Tension is the actual desired measurement, but due to the impracticality and difficulty in measuring it, applied torque is used as a proxy which is why tools like this exist in the first place.

            But enough torque about that.

            • @OnyxBlack: It was tongue in cheek. In my case also factual though. Was my humour too subtle? :p

              PS: On a serious note though, the only good way I've found is a direct tension indicator such as a squirter washer. That's for structures though. In my industry there is such a massive lack of understanding about bolting and it blows my mind. I get a bit narky about bolt tightening, worse yet re-tightening a bolt in a friction grip connection, and some other things like idiots that still specify split ring washers for anti-vibration purposes.

              caveat emptor: do your own research and be responsible for your own work

              /rant

              • +1

                @justtoreply: no your humour is just terrible lol

  • +1

    how much is the craftright one normally?

    • +2

      It's always $29.95

    • +1

      $29.95 according to pricehipster

  • Would you only use this if you were putting a car together?

    • Useful anywhere you have to tighten steel bolts into softer alloy and vice versa to avoid stripping the softer metal thread.
      Knowing what torque strength to set is the hard part.

      • 1/2, 1/4 or 3/8 though?

    • Can be used for other stuff, of course. But it wouldn't be suitable for your average bicycle because the bottom end of the torque range (30nm) is higher than the torque ranges you'd need for a bicycle, which would probably be less than 15nm. Pretty much, you'd probably need more than one torque wrench in different ranges to cover everything.

  • +1

    Good for torquing up wheel nuts if you do your own tyre rotations

    • -2

      So when I change the wheels and allow for a offset in the tyre air pressure, less on right hand side, to offset camber of the road, how much do I also offset the torque on the nuts of the wheels on the other side?

      🤩

      • +2

        That's weird.

        • Oh dear such seriousness here on a monday……

      • +1

        Depends. Japanese car or European car?

      • And also depends on the month of the year

    • +1

      Yeah, just like the mechanics & tyre shops use..

      Load of hogwash using it for wheels…

  • So ALDI one or the Bunnings one? Or are they pretty much the same thing different badge

    • Probably the same thing. They both look identical to my ancient Kincrome branded one so I have little doubt they're all out of the same factory.

      • Agreed. My Kincrome has an etched logo but that could easily be done after the fact.

    • +2

      my mates in the business told me pretty much all the tools are coming from the same few factories in China, just marketed at different price and brand, the expensive ones comes with better quality parts and design.

    • +4

      Whenever faced with this question myself I'll usually go the Bunnings option, mainly because if there was ever a warranty issue at least Bunnings will likely have them in stock at the time.

  • -1

    Yeesh i wouldn't trust this one bit. The tile cutter pretty much exploded (one of the bearings) when i tried to use it, and that was barely any force at all!

    • +8

      yes because this is the same as a tile cutter…..

      • +1

        I clearly don't mean they're the same function. i'm just saying the build quality is rubbish on the workshop stuff Aldi sells. And i'd be pretty damn cautious about something like a torque wrench which is actually designed for applying force………….

    • +1

      Don’t want a big end bearing exploding. The cost of the bearing will be the least of your worries.

  • +3

    Gonna head down to the Torquay store to get a turnkey torque wrench.

    • +4

      Edward Woodward would..

  • +3
    • -1

      But it looks really short, you know, when it comes to torquing, size does matter

      • +1

        Yeah but for lower torques it's appropriate.. can always use a cheater bar if needed.

      • Will be fine for the range. I only use mine up to 15Nm and that's super easy to do, even with the tiny handle.

    • Thanks! If I got one it would be for working on my mountain bike.

      • +1

        For bikes (especially carbon frames) you might find the low end range is simply too high. I'd look for something that goes down to 5NM, which probably lacks high end for working on big boy's toys.

        • The one I've linked goes down to 2NM.

        • This is for exactly that purpose, low torque for bikes.

      • Only a couple of areas of a bike that I can think of requiring the sort of torque range from this wrench (>28nm) - installing a cassette and tightening only one side of a threaded bb (drive side is reverse thread). As others have suggested, for a bike something around the range of 2-12nm is much more useful.

      • Thanks guys!

    • Good find @Nuggets, thanks for sharing

    • $54 is a bit much to barely use it. I would buy it at $30

  • +1

    cartwright?

  • I used a cheapie like these to torque flare nuts on several split-system air-con installations. No leaks and still running strong several years later.

  • +1

    Anyone has full catalogue please and can upload photos. Thank you very much.

  • -6

    These work great as a BREAKER bar.

    • Only if you specifically want to use it like Breaker bar, and not torquing the nuts.

      • YES. I think i got if for $10 years ago from Aldi.

  • +1

    At the age of 10 I ran away from home to the Great Australian Outback, entirely on foot. Barefoot and in 45 degree heat. I subsisted on the corpses of tigers, pandas and tapeworms, that I wrestled to death with my bare hands. In my spare time I taught myself how to build rockets and sent my first satellite into outer space by the age of 12.

    To cut a long story short, I was building my fifth ever lunar rocket when my long term nemesis, an alligator, exacted his revenge on me for eating a zebra he had his sights on. He chewed my hand-built rocket engine to shreds and hid all of my hand-crafted tools.

    Now I'm not one to brag, but my experienced arm is probably more accurate at measuring torque than all those expensive machine-crafted tools you can buy in the shops. But since I needed a wrench quicksmart anyway, I swallowed my pride and rowed my kayak upstream to the nearest ALDI to purchase one of these budget torque wrenches.

    Let's just say my 5th flag is looking pretty neat up there on the moon. If it's good enough for my rocket it will probably work fine with your Meccano set.

    • I enjoyed this comment.

    • +1

      tl;dr

    • I believed it all until I got to the Aldi bit - I don't know any of their stores near water.

  • +7

    Sorry what is the bargain if there is a similar offer from Bunnings without discount?

    • +4

      Yeah Aldi stuff seems to have free rein on here

      • If you don't like it, don't upvote it. Good deals will get more votes, poor deals will get less.

        There certainly isn't support for banning the posting of special buys from Aldi, as more often than not they're ripper deals.

        • +2

          Yeah I love them, still doesn’t make sense as a “bargain” unless it’s in clearance though

          • @iShibby: So let's take as an example the MTB they put out a couple of weeks ago.

            Is that not a bargain? Why not? Just because it's the original price and not discounted?

            Of course it's a bargain if its price is relatively low compared to what you would pay elsewhere.

            Now whether it's relatively low - and therefore a bargain - is up to the community to judge. It definitely doesn't have to be on clearance to be a bargain.

    • +2

      100% correct - some users and some companies can just do what they want on this site.
      This isn’t a bargain when you can buy a comparable product in store, in stock at the same price.

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