Clarke 3/8″ Drive Torque Wrench – Product Review

A decent torque wrench is an essential component of the classic car tinkerer’s tool kit. Without one it’s all guesswork as far as doing up your bolts is concerned. Like fumbling around in the dark after a few too many cold snacks, as Derek from Vice Grip Garage would say. While that might not be so important on less critical fastenings such as interior trim pieces, when it comes to things like engine and braking components it’s essential. Think of it this way; if the nut or bolt you’re winding on has the potential to cause a catastrophic failure to your classic or potentially injure or kill you if it let’s go then break out a torque wrench like this Clarke Tools option ladies and gentlemen, and tighten it to spec.

There are myriad options on the market when it comes to torque wrenches and it can be a little overwhelming. From different lengths and drive sizes to varying scales and measurements. There are electronic ones, ratchet ones and everything in between, but a lot of it will come down to personal preference as essentially they all serve the same purpose – allowing you to correctly tighten fixings on your pride and joy to the manufacturer’s original specifications. One of our trusty torque wrenches had been passed down from father to son like some mythical sword in a Tolkien-esque fable, and it had served us well. Unfortunately, however, a Volvo front wheel hub proved to be too much for the old girl and it finally let go. It certainly had a good innings but a replacement was required and so enter stage right: the Clarke 3/8″ Drive Reversible Torque Wrench.

Should you wish you can pick one up for yourself here.

The Product

Clarke have been around since 1969 so they have plenty of industry experience when it comes to producing well-made, reliable tools. With an extensive range there’s not a lot they don’t make and their ‘professional’ range is backed by a lifetime guarantee, which speaks volumes. They have a few torque wrenches of various types and prices available but we opted for their 3/8″ drive reversible wrench.

It’s incredibly affordable at around 30 quid, has a decent torque range of 1.4 to 11.1 kg m ( 120 to 960 in lbs ) that can be locked in place and the ratcheting, reversible head is a bonus. It’s a compact tool at just 275mm in overall length that feels sturdy and well made and even comes with a protective case.

The Test

As mentioned earlier, we were in the midst of replacing a Volvo 940 wheel hub when our old wrench gave out. Much to our disappointment the new one hadn’t tightened itself up in our absence so as soon as the replacement wrench arrived we broke it out to torque the it to spec. After consulting the trusty Haynes manual for the actual figures – which were well within the range of the wrench – we were able to get the new wheel hub torqued down correctly and the car back on the road where it belongs.

The Result

With the wrench set to the correct range we were able to fix it in place using the locking mechanism on the bottom of the tool. This is a great feature which eliminates any additional movement after the fact, ensuring that the torque specified remains the same throughout the task at hand.

Our socket fit snugly on the 3/8” drive, snapping positively into place and the wrench felt solid to use. It was a simple, staged affair moving on to a final turn through 45 degrees, although we did have to augment the wrench for this final step with an extra piece of pipe slotted over the end to get the leverage. And that was that – the hub was torqued down with minimal fuss.

The Verdict – 3 out of 5

The Clarke 3/8″ drive reversible wrench is a well-made torque wrench that would be perfectly adequate for most jobs but its rather short length perhaps makes it not quite as effective for those tighter fixings. Having said that the range does go all the way to 11.1 kg m but like us, you may need some extra leverage when getting into those numbers. The markings are clear and easy to decipher but we would welcome the addition of a nm scale to eliminate the need to make any conversion calculations. The reversible ratchet mechanism works well and the locking nut at the bottom keeps the specified torque level set without coming loose. Overall it’s a decent little torque wrench but we would be inclined to supplement it with a larger option as well for those bigger jobs. We’ll definitely be keeping this in our tool box though for when we quickly need to torque down any lower spec fixings without breaking out the big boys.