By Andrew Liszewski
Automotive repair is as much a mystery to me as brain surgery, rocket science and basic dinner etiquette (nap-kin?) but thanks to a childhood spent watching cartoons I know that improperly tightening a bolt here and there on a car can lead to hilarious consequences. So if you do endeavor to fix your ride on your own, a torque wrench is a handy tool to have in your kit, but we prefer this digital adapter instead.
Besides a handful of buttons (for changing units, remembering a measurement etc.) and a tiny LCD which is enough to get us to buy any old device, the Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adapter can be used with any standard ratchet, giving you accurate feedback on how tight a bolt really is. It’s available from Amazon for just $49.99, and if you think you don’t need one because you already have an analog torque wrench, you’d be wrong. The adapter can also be used to calibrate a regular torque wrench, which in the long run could probably save you money if you were used to paying a professional to do it.
[ Mavromatic – Powerbuilt Digital Torque Adaptor – My Favorite Tools – March 2010 ]