This month, our Tool of the Month is a little more than just a product feature. You might remember a few months ago when we showcased the digital torque wrench tester from Intercomp. With that tool in our shop, we went on to test every torque wrench we had in the shop, as well as a couple of loaners, too,  just to round out the dataset. However, in that testing, we found a glaring hole in our torque wrench lineup. We had micrometer click, digital, digital torque angle, and digital adapters, but no split-beam style wrenches.

While we’ve used them before and liked the function and feel of a split-beam torque wrench, somehow none ever found the way into our collection. Luckily for us, Olsa Tools (who you might remember from our initial toolbox organization effort) makes two different split-beam torque wrenches — 3/8-inch drive (P/N: 1833) and 1/2-inch drive (P/N: 1774) — and they had no problem having us put them on the Intercomp digital torque wrench tester.

What Is A Split-Beam Torque Wrench

A split-beam torque wrench works differently from a micrometer-style click wrench, although the indication of desired torque is similar — generating a tactile and audible click — the way it works is different. Gus Lange, Olsa Tools’ Product Manager explains, “There are two internal beams in a split beam torque wrench. As torque is applied, the force is transferred through the main beam, and the catch keeps the main beam and anchor beam together. Once the desired torque is reached, the catch releases, causing a loud click as the two beams separate.” Hence, the name “split-beam.”

The split-beam design really shines, in that it doesn’t rely on an internal spring for tension on the catch. That means you don’t need to “unwind” the torque wrench when it’s in the drawer, and greatly reduces the chances of the wrench ever losing calibration. That’s thanks to both the design and the fact that there are fewer moving parts inside of a split-beam wrench. It’s a handy tool to have in the toolbox, especially if you like a manual wrench and a tactile “click.”

The anatatomy of a split-beam torque wrench. Notice, there are no springs providing preload on the mechanism, meaning you don’t have to unwind a split-beam when not in use.

Olsa Tools’ Split-Beam Flex-Head Torque Wrench

So, let’s talk about Olsa Tools’ torque wrenches, specifically. Each is built with a 72-tooth ratchet mechanism to not only provide a shallow five-degree swing, but also give you that nice high-tooth-count ratchet feel. The ratcheting head also has 15 degrees of swivel, allowing the handle to clear anything that might get in the way of your pull. That’s a nice feature, especially considering a smooth pull is critical to getting an accurate reading.

The wrench body itself is Chrome Vanadium (CrV) steel and features an extremely simple-to-use torque setting mechanism. The torque range is 20 lb-ft to 100 lb-ft for the 3/8-drive model, and a stout 50 lb-ft to 250 lb-ft for the half-inch-drive model, so no worries on getting that ARP LS crank bolt torqued.

Olsa calibrates each wrench at the factory to be within the industry-standard (ASME and DIN ISO), four percent of the target torque, and then provides a serialized calibration certificate with each wrench. While we have no reason to doubt its certification process, we’re going to check for ourselves.

Another neat feature offered by the Olsa split-beam torque wrenches, not usually found at this price point, is rebuild kits for the ratcheting mechanism in the head. “The ratcheting mechanism can wear out with use,” Lange says. “In both wrenches, the ratcheting head is independent of the torque system, and the repair kit does not affect the torque measuring system.”

With heavy duty use, the ratcheting mechanism can wear out. Olsa offers this inexpensive repair kit, should you manage to wear one out on your wrench. The ratcheting mechanism is independent of the torque-measuring assembly, so replacing the ratchet guts won’t affect your torque wrench’s calibration.

Testing And Use

The only thing left to do is to check the calibration like we normally do and then torque some bolts to get an in-use feel. Right off the bat, one thing that surprised us was how much leverage these wrenches offer, making reaching higher torque values smoothly an easy task. The clicks are extremely tactile, even at the low end of each torque wrench’s range, so you aren’t going to miss a click, no matter how hurried you are.

Setting the torque value is one of the split beam torque wrench’s biggest advantages, as big jumps between settings are quick and easy. Just flip down the knob cover lever, spin the knob, and then flip up the lever. Digital wrenches would take several button presses to get into the menu to change the torque value, followed by 40 presses to go up 40 lb-ft. A micrometer-style wrench would require unlocking and a bunch of cranks on the handle to get to the new torque setting. The split-beam torque wrench definitely has a speed advantage here.

Olsa Tools supplies serialized certificates of calibration with each of thier wrenches.

With the results in hand, both of Olsa Tools’ split-beam torque wrenches passed with flying colors. Looking at the results, though, there are a couple of pulls that don’t really show how precise the wrenches really are. The coarseness of the setting scale might have hurt the 80 and 100 lb-ft tests by being slightly off the 80 and 100 on the dial. The actual torque value spread was less than 1 lb-ft on average in those tests, but showed as 2 or 3 lb-ft off of the target torque. It’s a minor issue, but one that is inherent to any split-beam design, and the tradeoff for those quick adjustments.

Everything is well within the four-percent, plus or minus, tolerance range. In fact, looking closely, many are significantly within the tolerances.

Olsa recommends calibrating its torque wrenches annually, as is the industry standard. Even though the split-beam style of wrench is unlikely to lose calibration sitting in a drawer, Lange warns there are a variety of factors that can occur during hard use, that can affect the calibration of a torque wrench of any style.

At the end of the day, these split-beam torque wrenches from Olsa Tools are a welcome addition to our toolbox and will see significant use in the coming months, especially considering these results make the Olsa split-beam torque wrenches the most accurate ones in the shop now.

The 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch split-beam torque wrenches are a welcome addition to our toolbox, not only for their accuracy, but the ease of adjustment, which can be a real pain with our other wrenches.