Customer Reviews

GearWrench 85071 1/2-Inch Drive Electronic Torque Wrench 25 - 250 ft lb

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fantastic torque wrench. Ergonomics are first-rate. Easy to set and use. Quality rugged construction and a fine looking tool! Complete with NIST traceable certs. I recommend this tool to anyone looking for a high capacity 1/2" torque wrench. John

Great product, works as advertised. Bought it for use in the R&D facility of our manufacturing company. The only complaint about it has to do with the calibration certificate. The lighted display as well as accuracy of the wrench is excellent and allowed us to perform some breakaway torque measurements that would have been difficult to perform with a standard wrench.

It came with a calibration certificate that contained everything we need to satisfy ISO requirements. However, when looking closely we noticed that it was calibrated with a piece of equipment that was overdue for calibration itself. So we have had to take it out of service until we can have it calibrated ourselves. Had to deduct a couple stars due to the calibration problems.

I own this torque wrench (both in 1/2 as well as 3/8 sizes). I have to say it's one amazing tool. In fact, it's so nice I hate to even use it :-) My girlfriend is always amused when I tell her I want to buy a 2nd one to use, so that I can keep my first one "perfect".

If you have purchased other Gearwrench tools, then you know what a great company they are and what top quality tools they produce. Myself, I prefer Gearwrench to most other brands (snap-on, craftsman, etc.). However, on their torque wrench here, they have really out done themselves. First off, the quality and feel of this wrench is outstanding. It has a beautiful design. The buttons feel great and the handle is nice machined aluminum which is black. You remove a cap at the bottom to insert 4 AAA batteries to power the wrench. I personally never leave the batteries in the wrench; I take them out after each use (just takes a second).

The wrench comes in a high quality and attractive red plastic case. Operation is first class as well. You turn the wrench on with a push of the button. You then can dial up the torque with the arrow keys. You can switch to ft lbs or newton meters with the push of a button. The wrench also has some LED's which light up as you near your target torque. There is also a small buzzer which sounds when you hit your torque settings. Another very nice feature is that the wrench has a "highest torque" reading. When you torque something, the wrench will record the max torque hit, which is a really nice feature.

I grew up using a craftsman torque wrench (which I still use for day to day stuff). I'm talking about the kind where you set the torque and then the wrench will "break" when you hit the torque (it sort of snaps or clicks when the torque is reached). When I first ordered the Gearwrench torque wrench, I didn't know if I might miss this method. I'm happy to report that you won't miss it. I still use my old "breaking" torque wrench for jobs such as lug nuts, etc. However, in really critical situations (such as building a motor, etc.) I always wash my hands and then reach for my Gearwrench digital torque wrench. As mentioned, the "highest torque" reading is a really nice feature and allows you to know exactly how tight bolts or nuts are.

The 3/8 model is just as nice - only a little smaller. Otherwise, it's exactly the same in its design and operation.

While the price on this item is a little higher than some other wrenches, it's money well spent. I doubt anyone would be disappointed when they receive this beautiful tool in the mail. I can say without hesitation that this is one of my most prized tools in my tool box - it's an absolute masterpiece of design and a joy to use.

This is identical to the 1/2" Torque wrench by Sears, it is probalbly made by GearWrench for Sears to market. The rating on the original is quite a bit larger than the model offered by Sears. This was also lower priced than the Sears Model. I use it on the Newton Meter Scale almost everyday. You cannot go wrong buying this product!

I have the 1/2 drive and 3/8 drive Gearwrench torque wrenches. Easy to set desired torque value. It beeps when you approach the set point so you don't have to watch the display. Battery life is acceptable but not great. Keep some spare AAA in your tool box. Both wrenches quit working within 9 months of purchase and they were repaired under warranty. The 1/2 drive unit has failed again and the 3/8 drive wrench acts odd at times. Bottom line is that I don't have a lot of confidence in these tools. Tools received light use in a home garage.

I ordered this to supplement a 35-year-old clicker, and now it's the only one I'll use. Building a kit car, I needed to torque the front hubs to 235ft-lbs. This wrench easily did the job. I especially like that it shows you the torque value attained so you can "sneak up on" the correct value. I'm a hobbyist, not a professional mechanic, but I highly recommend this product.

I bought this torque wrench to install head studs in my Powerstroke diesel. I went with Gearwrench because I previously purchased the 3/8" angle version and love it. This tool works great and served its purpose with good accuracy. My only improvements would be a socket lock/release button like other brands use, and possibly a vibrate signal in addition to the beep (like others) to allow it's use in loud conditions when you are at an angle that the LEDs are not visible. Otherwise, outstanding product and one of my favorite tools.

I don't use this wrench as much as I used to. It's down to twice a year when I switch back and forth between summer and winter tires on our cars. It is solidly built and very accurate. Not only do you get the visual digital readout but also the lights and tones.

Bought this wrench and as I thought I wanted to go digital. It is a great wrench but then the use becomes a different issue. In the past with a break away wrench one always knew exactly where the torque was reached - here one gets a tone and it is a little more subjective. But then again does one really know what the break away wrenches are doing?? The issue is probably me not the wrench as it seems to be great quality and overkill for my use of putting on wheels.

I have been working in heavy manufacturing for 40+ years and owned a lot of torque wrenches. Started with the old style beam wrenches and evolved up through the years. I recently was blessed with a trainee to pass on all those years of knowledge and decided to upgrade my existing torque wrench to a digital and pass on my existing, very nice click torque wrench to my trainee. After many hours of research I settled on the GearWrench and rolled the dice. When I recieved it I was stunned! This is the best tool, much less torque wrench, I have ever purchased and very much worth the higher cost. The quality of this unit is beyond belief. The knurled metal (not plastic) grip is great, no slipping. The digital control is excellent, giving visual and audible signals when the torque setting is reached. The length is perfect, not overly long or short. After several weeks of use I have had no issues or problems, it just works. I really like the way the led indicators tell you how you are approaching the torque setting and the leds and beeper letting you know when you reach the setting. I really like the fact that after you reach the torque setting and release, the unit will indicate the torque level you actually reached. That is a major help in assuring proper tightening! There are a few minor negatives. The display is locked and doesn't rotate so sometimes a little neck bending might be necessary to see the leds and/or hear the beeper (I have hearing issues). Not a problem in my usage. The instructions are a little skimpy but this is not a toy, it is meant for professional use and any professional mechanic will pick up on how to use it easily...and love it. This is the first time I have ever done a "review" but this tool is too good to not recommend. It is the rare instance of paying big money for a high quality, precision tool and actually getting it. If I ever have the need to buy a torque wrench of different size or torque range, I know exact what brand (GearWrench) and place I will buy. Just a great experience!