Digital Torque Gauge Advice

[outermarker]

I'm shopping for advice about the digital torque gauge. I have and use the click type (boring), however lately I have had situations where a digital torque gauge would have lessened the strain and fun of owning a vintage Mooney. So, "What are ya'll using?" I mean, when your hands are up in the wheel bay elbows deep and you're too old and not as flexible to get your head up there too, wouldn't you like to have something that hums, vibrates, and rings when you approach and then hit your set value? Kidding aside, take a moment to brag about your tool. 

 

[A64Pilot]

Deflecting beam is believe it or not but most accurate, doesn’t need calibrating but is a pain to use. Last one I had I think I was 15.

I’ve never used a “digital” torque wrench, what does it do that a click type won’t? Digital is most often marketing, usually the device isn’t digital of course just plain mechanical / analog with a digital display, most can’t read the vernier scale on a micrometer so I understand the attraction, I admit to having a digital caliper but it’s so I can change back and forth to metric and standard, just keep a spare battery in the box.

What could be easier than a click?

[Hradec]

What are you going to use it for? If doing landing gear check I think the dial type is the best.

[M20F-1968]

For landing gear on Vintage Mooney's I have two Dial type torque wrenches.  One is 0-150 inch lbs and the other is 0-300 inch lbs.  One for nose gear and one for mains.  Both are 3/8" drive.  You can get an adapter to fit the Mooney tool 3/8 --> 1/4".  That way you stay in the middle of the range for both.  Both have a needle pointer to indicate max reading.  I have Snap-On and Precision Instruments.

The Precision Instruments has made all of the Snap-On dial torque wrenches.  They are in Illinois, close by to Snap=On which I believe is in Wisconsin or Illinois.  They can be gotten in very nice shape on e-bay if you watch the listings.  New the Precision Instruments wrench has been  about $150 on Amazon.

John Breda

[M20F]

I just hit everything with an air wrench.  You don’t want something coming loose at FL250. 

[PT20J]

I like my ACDelco ARM601-3 3/8” 

You can set it for in-lb or ft-lb. It has an audio alarm and peak hold.

Skip

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, outermarker said:

I'm shopping for advice about the digital torque gauge. I have and use the click type (boring), however lately I have had situations where a digital torque gauge would have lessened the strain and fun of owning a vintage Mooney. So, "What are ya'll using?" I mean, when your hands are up in the wheel bay elbows deep and you're too old and not as flexible to get your head up there too, wouldn't you like to have something that hums, vibrates, and rings when you approach and then hit your set value? Kidding aside, take a moment to brag about your tool. 

 

If I'm understanding the feature correctly, I would like to have something like the one @PT20J has with "peak hold" for landing gear over-center measurement.

[EricJ]

I have a bunch of different click type, and two digital units that are bench mounted for calibrating all the others.   Only the bench mounted units have all the fun digital peak-hold featues and such, and they never go to the hangar.    For everything else I used the clicky things, including gear checks.    For the gear checks set it to the max spec, and the shim should not come out.   Set it to min spec and the shim should come out.   If that happens you're within spec. 

 

[MikeOH]

4 hours ago, M20F said:

I just hit everything with an air wrench.  You don’t want something coming loose at FL250. 

Yeah, I make sure to use my 3/4" drive impact set to max torque (make sure air compressor is at 200 psi, as well)