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New Super-cool Torque Wrench

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In the V6L
So, who but me can get excited about a new torque wrench? Nobody, probably...

It looks like this:

New Torque wrench small 2019 04 30.jpg

And it's the PERFECT tool for tightening the two rearward bolts that hold the front wheel hub in place. They're hard to tighten with a normal torque wrench because a regular torque wrench with a socket on it doesn't fit in the space available - the strut bolt and the ball joint are in the way:

New Torque wrench on rear bolts close up small 2019 04 30.jpg
New Torque wrench on front hub rear bolts small 2019 04 30.jpg

And of course, when you tighten the partially shrouded forward bolts on the front wheel hub, you can just use a regular torque wrench and socket:

Torque Wrench on front hub front bolts - small - 2019 04 30.jpg
 
That is pretty nice, do you have a link? Those bolts are a PITA to get at. Do they have a crows foot option?
 
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Wrench is from Amazon.com and it's a "Stanley Proto JH5-100F Proto 3/8-Inch Drive Electronic Interchangeable Head Torque Wrench". About $285 without any of the interchangeable heads. It's a "production" torque wrench designed for factory use, and it's priced accordingly. The heads are about $50 each and are available in box-end and open-end styles in metric and inch sizes. The 3/8 drive ratchet head is about $150.

I got it with the 17mm, 18mm and 22mm box ends and the 3/8 ratchet end. The 18mm fits a lot of Ford bolts and nuts and it reaches into spots you just can't get to with a regular wrench, and the 22mm fits the hex on the oil filter adapter.
 
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I like it...might have to pick one up.
If you want to get one, be patient. Amazon stocks them but not in depth, so they do run out of various part numbers from time to time. If Amazon has the wrench and the heads in stock you'll get pricing similar to what I paid, but third party sellers charge a lot more, nearly triple. I bought the four heads and the wrench all on different orders that I placed when I found them in stock.
 
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These interchangeable head wrenches are becoming more common, which I think is a good thing. I looked at the CDI ones and at a couple of other brands, and I settled on the Proto because of the combination of available head sizes, wrench length and max torque setting. I really wanted a click type wrench, but they only seem to go to 80 ft-lbs and I needed 100. The next size up was a lot bigger and a lot more money.

The other thing to watch for when you're shopping for these torque wrenches is that many of them have the word "preset" in the name and they show a range of available settings. However, the word "preset" means they're set at the factory when they're made and they can't be user-adjusted. These are intended for factory use or construction where the right torque is crucial and the workers using them aren't highly trained technicians.
 

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