The Best Torque Wrench in Australia (Buying Guide)

Torque wrenches are precision instruments that should be one of the staples of every mechanic’s toolbox. Unlike regular wrenches, a torque wrench indicates the exact amount of force that’s being applied to its handle, which makes it mandatory for any detailed car-related wrenching.

Due to its ability to apply a specific amount of force to a fastener, a torque wrench finds use where guessing simply doesn’t cut it, and a proper level of torque is required instead.

Here are our picks for the best torque wrenches on the market today.

Torque Wrench Comparison Table

Best Torque Wrench for Cars: Teng Tools 1/2″ Drive Torque Wrench

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The Teng Tools 1/2 inch drive torque wrench ticks all the right boxes for anyone looking to use it for automotive work. It’s high-quality yet affordable, which makes it a great choice for professionals and hobbyists alike.

With a torque range of between 40 and 210 Nm, it’s more than adequate for tackling sturdy nuts and bolts. Thanks to its steel construction with satin finish and rubber knurled handle for better grip, its sturdiness won’t be lacking either.

All Theng Tools torque wrenches come with a storage case (with embossed measurement conversion table) and calibration certificate from the date of shipping. They’re also equipped with an angular gauge for after tightening and a reversible lever, but only for right-hand action for torque checking.

One slight inconvenience reported by some users is a somewhat stiff adjustment handle, but that should sort itself out with some use.

Pros:

• High quality
• Good price
• Great durability

Cons:

• Stiff adjustment handle

Best Torque Wrench for Bikes: Venzo 1/4 Inch Driver Click Torque Wrench Set

Being on the smaller side, this 1/4 inch click style torque wrench from Venzo serves as a perfect choice for working on bikes and motorcycles. Its smaller drive translates to a lower torque setting, but a range of 2-24 Nm is still more than adequate for what it’s meant for. Thanks to its small ratcheting head, it’s suitable for use in tight spaces.

What it lacks in range, Venzo 1/4 inch makes up for in precision. You can set the desired torque preset step to as low as 0.1 Nm and, at the same time, not be concerned about accidentally changing the preset value while turning the handle. A convenient locking ring will take care of that.

The Venzo torque wrench comes together with a 10-piece set packed in a hard plastic case. Aside from a 100mm extension bar, the set consists of six hex tips (H2, H2.5, H3, H4, H5, H6) and three Torx tips (T10, T25, T30).

The only negatives we can find with Venzo’s 1/4 inch torque wrench is that some users have found it to be inconsistently calibrated.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• Storage case and a set of tips
• Easy to use
• Great in tight spaces

Cons:

• Inconsistent calibration
• Provides a single click

Best Digital Torque Wrench: ACDelco 3/8″ Digital Angle Torque Wrench

The ACDelco 3/8 inch drive digital angle torque wrench is among the most accurate and best torque wrenches on the market. Utilizing its technology to the full extent, it provides three different alerts making it virtually impossible to misuse (visual alerting LED’s, audible alerting buzzer, and alerting vibration).

The LCD display is easy to read in normal conditions, but even with a green backlight, dimly lit areas might present a problem. Four different measurements (kg-cm, Nm, in-lb, and ft-lb) are another nice touch, and so is a 30-set memory function.

Two AA alkaline batteries the tool requires aren’t included in the package, which comes in a quality metal case. Its 72-tooth ratchet head is reversible and measures torque in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Furthermore, as its name suggests, the ACDelco 3/8 inch drive digital angle torque wrench provides up to 720 degrees of maximum angle measure for hard-to-reach places.

One of the potential issues with the tool is a long boot time which can take around two minutes in some instances. Another is the auto shut-off feature that saves battery life when the tool isn’t in use but can also be annoying since it resets the tool to another boot-up.

Pros:

• High precision
• High quality
• Sturdy metal case
• Wide range of available measurements

Cons:

• High price
• The display can be hard to read in low light
• Auto shut-off function and long boot times can be annoying

Best Budget Torque Wrench: Neiko 1/4-Inch Drive Beam Style Torque Wrench 

The 1/4 inch drive beam-style torque wrench from Neiko is one of the most affordable options on the market. Although it revolves around the basic deflecting beam patent, it’s still a fine choice for those that’ll use it on an odd occasion and don’t necessarily need one of the more expensive options.

With the scale in both metric and imperial units (Nm and in-lbs, respectively), the Neiko beam-type torque wrench can be used on a variety of applications. Its low torque range stemming from both its beam design and smaller drive size, however, may limit its usage to smaller fasteners most often found on bikes and motorcycles.

Beam-style torque wrench’s advantages are an easy to read scale (provided it’s read at a straight angle), ambidextrous design as it is intended for both clockwise and counterclockwise use, length of 29 cm, and simplicity of maintenance.

Still, numerous limitations of the beam-style design such as low torque, lack of audible click, or other sorts of warning from more advanced wrenches, and accuracy that’s highly dependant on proper use mean that professionals will usually opt for more advanced wrenches.

Pros:

• Affordable price
• Easy to use and maintain

Cons:

• Low torque value
• No audible feedback
• Inaccurate when read at an angle

Best Torque Wrench Set: Wera Click-Torque Wrench 18 Piece Set

The 20-piece set from Wera revolves around a 1/4 inch drive click-type torque wrench of high quality. Apart from the mandatory torque wrench itself, the set consists of six 1/4 inch sockets, six Torx tips, four hex tips, one Philips head tip, an extension, and a socket adaptor. Needless to say, a stylish and organized textile carrying case is included as well.

Due to its lower torque and smaller drive, the Wera toolset is best suited for bikes and motorcycles, but thanks to a wide range of extensions, it also finds use in numerous different applications.

Measurements are exclusively metric, which might deter some buyers. The Torque wrench itself is of high quality, but some users have found the extensions to be subpar. Set the torque at the high end, and the extensions might break, which shouldn’t happen with tools at Wera’s price point. The manufacturer does provide a one-year warranty and a lifetime warranty against breakage due to defects in materials or workmanship, though.

Pros:

• Good quality torque wrench
• Stylish and organized storage case
• Plenty of extensions

Cons:

• Lower quality extensions
• High price

Best Heavy Duty Torque Wrench: Capri Tools 3/4-in. Dr. Torque Wrench

The 3/4 inch drive torque wrench from Capri is the most competent of the bunch when it comes to torque range. Able to work in a range between 119 and 485 Nm, the Capri torque wrench is everything you’ll ever need for some serious automotive work.

The tool boasts a diamond contour ergonomic grip design with a 30 per cent lighter handle. A Spring-loaded pull-down ring allows for a seamless way to set torque, while a positive lock mechanism secures it.

Although the dual-scale measurements are a nice touch, being engraved on the aluminium surface, they might be hard to read.

Pros:

• High torque value
• Good price
• High quality
• Great durability

Cons:

• Large and heavy
• Scale can be hard to read at times

Also Great: Teng Tools Torque Wrench 1/4 Inch Drive 5 – 25 NM

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The 1/4 inch drive torque wrench from Teng Tools is another fine choice for those working on smaller applications such as bicycles and motorcycles, but it can also be used on cars, boats, etc. You won’t be able to tighten larger fasteners such as lug nuts with it, however.

Unlike its 1/2 inch drive counterpart, the 1/4 inch Teng Tools torque wrench works at a lower torque range between 5 and 25 Nm. Other than that, it comes with all the perks of its sturdier stablemate.

Thanks to its long handle and small ratchet head, it’s capable of reaching tight spots that larger tools might not be able to.

Pros:

• High quality
• Good price
• Great durability
• Good mobility

Cons:

• The adjustment handle can be stiff
• Slightly lower torque range

Also Great: TEKTON 24340 1/2-Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench

With a torque setting that ranges from 33.9 to 338.9 Nm, the TEKTON click-type torque wrench finds itself among the most capable 1/2 inch drive options on the market. This qualifies it for some heavy duty wrenching as no nut or bolt will be able to withstand it.

TEKTON 1/2 inch drive clicker has a reversible ratcheting head that drives fasteners in both directions and can measure torque in the clockwise direction.

Thanks to its steel construction with no plastic parts, this torque wrench is highly durable, while its head exhibits a nice chrome finish.

A high contrast scale in both metric and imperial units is easy to read even in low light. A quality carrying case is provided as well.

However, one of TEKTON half-inch wrenches advantages over other torque wrenches doubles down as a disadvantage too. Having a high torque limit also means that the wrench is rather large and heavy and hence unable to reach the spots its smaller counterparts can.

Pros:

• High quality
• Good Price
• Great durability
• A high amount of torque

Cons:

• Large and heavy

Torque Wrench Buying Guide

Here’s a more detailed rundown of torque wrenches including their types, purposes, operation, and everything in between.

How does a torque wrench work?

A torque wrench applies a specific amount of force to a fastener by utilizing a mechanism within it. Depending on the type, this will either be a spring mechanism or a beam.

Regardless of the type, the force is applied to the torque wrench until the desired torque has been reached. Depending on the type, however, the desired torque will be indicated on a display, scale, or through actuation by the tool itself.

Depending on the type of torque, or rather the range of torque you’re looking for, a different torque wrench will be needed. It’s important to follow the range guidelines as working outside them can lead to potential damage to the fasteners or the torque wrench itself.

Don’t forget that some torque wrenches are delicate and require recalibration roughly once a year or after 1,000 cycles. They also need to be properly stored for the same reason. And don’t even think of banging or dropping them as that might lower their accuracy.

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Types of torque wrenches

There are many types of torque wrenches out there, with the following being the most common.

Beam

A beam-style torque wrench (not to be confused with a split beam torque wrench) is the simplest design and typically consist of two beams and a calibrated scale for force readout. The indicator beam is attached to the handle (fixed beam) on one end and is free on the other. By applying force, the handle bends while the indicator beam remains in place and indicates the applied force on the scale.

A more advanced type of beam torque wrench is called the dual-signal deflecting beam torque wrench. It consists of two beams, one of which is distinctly shaped and bends away from the handle at an angle. The desired torque is set via a wedge attached to the handle (deflecting beam). As the force is applied, the deflecting beam bends, and the indicating beam’s end comes in contact with the wedge. Once this happens, a clicking noise will sound parallel with protruding pin coming out of the indicator beam, thus giving both the visual and audible signal of the desired torque value having been met.

Pros:

• Simple
• Inexpensive
• Easy to maintain and don’t require calibration

Cons:

• Lower torque range
• Fragile
• Torque has to be read straight which limits the wrench’s movement

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Click

Click style torque wrenches utilize a spring mechanism for torque generation. The spring mechanism revolves around a coiled spring within the handle that stores linear force to be used on a fastener.

The amount of force in the spring is set by twisting the handle to the desired reading indicated on it. At the top of the spring sits a piece of steel in a shape of a cube called the pivot block. When the amount of twisting force applied to the wrench exceeds the amount of linear force stored in the spring, the pivot block will pivot, emitting a clicking sound in the process. This is called actuation and indicates that the wrench has fastened the nut, bolt, or screw to the desired specification.

Pros:

• High precision
• Easy to use
• Clicking notification

Cons:

• Higher cost
• Require calibration roughly once a year or after 1000 cycles

Electronic

An electronic torque wrench, also known as a digital torque wrench, uses a digital display for torque readout and notification of the target torque being reached. They use an electronic strain gauge within the handle to measure torque which is then displayed on the LCD screen.

These are the most expensive and most accurate of the mentioned precision instruments, but also quite delicate. Another one of their upsides is the memory function which can store several different settings for continual use, making them easier and quicker to use than other types.

Pros:

• Highest precision
• Easy and quick to use
• Digital display and buzzer notifications
• Memory function

Cons:

• Highest cost
• Require a battery
• Fragile