Tool Rental Sources

[JoshT]

I know we've got a thread for tools recently bought. This is one I'm hoping I won't have to buy, and can budget option if I do have to.

I need a BIG torque wrench for torquing a single bolt on a single job. This bolt, a harmonic balancer bolt, calls for about 215 lb-ft of torque. I've got torque wrenches that are good all the way up to about 200 lb-ft, but nothing thatgoew higher. I don't have anything else that requires this much torque, and once this job is done, hopefully I'll never need need to again.

So far I've checked Advance Auto and theirs only goes to 150 lb. I suspect the same for O'Reilly and AutoZone. Even if they had it, I'm a little hesitant knowing how people treat those tools. Are there any other big chain places like that you can think of which might do loaner tools like that? Any other ideas of where one might be able to rent/borrow something like that?

Push come to shove, I'll buy something. I'd rather not make that investment for a one time use tool. Being honest, if I'm buying it's probably coming from Harbor Freight. Considering that I was trained to not use the upper or lower 20% of torque range (aviation maintenance background), I'd also be wanting to buy buigger than a 1/2 drive 250 lb-ft torque wrench. We'd be talking a big 3/4" drive unit, and to stay in price point and practicality we're probably talking about a digital angle adapter. The alternative is almost $400 for the ICON click type.

 

[pjtoledo]

with a 3/4 digital adapter just get a 3/4 bar and add a pipe.
if you trust 'em the 3/4 digital adapter at HF goes up to 750 lbsft.
it's $65 though.

try regular rental places.

 

[JoshT]

Only "regular rental places" that I know for tools is the chain auto parts stores as mentioned. Is there someplace else I should be checking?

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm pretty sure my MAC Tools 1/2" clicker goes to 250 lbft. If closer you could just borrow it.

The reason I mention it is any of your mechanic buddies would likely have one.

 

[pjtoledo]

Only "regular rental places" that I know for tools is the chain auto parts stores as mentioned. Is there someplace else I should be checking?

I'll admit it has been a while since I rented big stuff.
a local place rents 48" pipe wrenches but no mention of torque ones.

 

[JoshT]

The reason I mention it is any of your mechanic buddies would likely have one.

LOL

Me and dad are the mechanic buddies. We just don't regularly have need to torque anything over 200 lb-ft. We're covered up to that point, just no over.

I used to regularly go well past that at work, but they supplied the tools. Carrying one of those torque wrenches off base is an excellent way to lose a job.

The one buddy that I have that does auto maintenance professionally would have one, but his shop is also about two hours away. I need to give him a call, but trying to borrow a torque wrench for a day/weekend isn't going to work out too well. He'd probably let me borrow the shop for a Saturday, but the vehicle is in no shape to take there.

 

[pjtoledo]

try searching torque multipliers

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I think Autozone has a 250# 1/2” drive for rent. If they bring me a rental tool that looks beat to crap, I’ll ask for a different one. Sometimes I just keep the rental tools too. I have a few of those around, lol.

I bought a Duralast brand 1/2” drive that I believe is a 250#, because some axle nuts are over 200# and I want to say that was less than $100 when I got it…

 

[JoshT]

I know what a torque multiplier is, kind of the opposite of what I want. Those multiply the force applied and I wouldn't trust them to be true to multiplication factor.

@lil_Blue_Ford I'll check AZ. I rarely ever go there because of poor past experience and not exactly convenient to get to. Hey, if they've got one for rent that is in decent shape, I'll take that over the extra expense right now.

Advance only had the 150 lb beam type, and I'm pretty sure my local O'Reilly had the same when I checked before. I'll second check O'Reilly (or another location) because they are showing it on their website.

If they don't have a good rental, I'm going to pull my head out of my backside and buy one. If they do have a good rental, I'll still buy one, just might be at a later date.

Looked through my stuff again and my current TWs are a 1/4" drive lb-in, and 3/8" drive good to 75 lb-ft. Dad has the 1/2" drive that's good to 150 or 200 lb-ft and I've been borrowing it from him when I needed bigger than my 3/8" drive. So I'm going to buy a 1/2" drive that covers 50-250 lb-ft. That'll cover the range I need with minor overlap, and I won't have to keep borrowing dad's when I need something bigger. When/if I buy, it'll probably be a Quinn from HF. The price is right, has a lifetime warranty, and locally available for purchase and warranty exchange.

 

[SenorNoob]

Sunbelt Rentals lists some. IDK if one local to you would have what ya need or not.

 

[Bill]

O'reilly's has them for rent. Some of the Napa stores have them as well. Other than that, if you are in a larger city you there might be a few local tool rental places that rent them out for a fee. Other than that, head over to Lowe's and buy a Kobalt or Craftsman for about $100.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Shy of that, harbor freight's 1/2" drive digital adapter shows to go to 250ftlb...

 

[sgtsandman]

I got my huge torque wrench from HF and it has been fine so far. I got it for doing axle nuts because of the half shafts and the way they are attached.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Another vote for Sunbelt rentals or any shop that rents heavy equipment. I would try AZ first though.

and if this is a one time use tool, call a local trusted mechanic to see what he would charge for torqueing it down, may be cheaper than the rental fee.

AJ

 

[97RangerXLT]

as for having a shop do it... when I did the steering system on my Ranger in 2019, the pitman arm nut required over 200 lbs torque, I was able to torque it to almost 200 and took it to a shop for alignment and asked them to torque it properly. they did so without any charge above the alignment.,

AJ