The Best Digital Torque Adapter For Converting Your Ratchet Into A Torque Wrench

Click here to see examples of digital torque adapters.
Click here to see examples of digital torque adapters.
One can never have too many tools, however there may be a time when you have too many for the space you have available to store them. In the case that you run out of room to store more large tools, it’s time to start buying more compact tools that can serve in the same function as larger tools. Applying the correct torque to your fasteners during work in your home garage is a critical function and sometimes having a large torque wrench is too expensive or takes up too much space to make sense. In those cases, a digital torque adapter can take the place or a torque wrench in that it can measure the torque applied by a normal ratcheting wrench or breaker bar when connected in line with your socket.

The Best Torque Adapter

The ACDelco ARM602-4 1/2” Digital Torque Adapter with audible alert is one of the best torque adapters available on the market today. The ACDelco adapter is pretty simple in that attaches to the head of your current ratchet in line with your socket, and then you add the correct socket to the base of the adapter. In other words, you connect it to your wrench in much the same way that you’d connect a socket extension.

ac delco torque adapter
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The adapter has many functions that mimic those of a larger torque wrench such as being able to operate in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. The adapter has a digital display, and can easily turn your ratchet into a digital torque wrench with auditory feedback. The display will show four different units of measure: foot-pounds, inch-pounds, newton-meters, or kilogram-centimeters. This gives you a lot of flexibility to switch between units of measure and allows you to avoid converting units from one type to another if you are using a manual with different units of measure than you’re used to.

Accuracy on the adapter is listed as 2% in the clockwise direction and 3% in the counter-clockwise direction, which is better than the ASME standard of 4%. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) accuracy requirement in ASME Standard B107.14 for this type of torque wrench requires ± 4% of indicated value from 20% to 100% of full range. Full range of the ACDelco adapter is from 4.0 – 147.6 foot-pounds.

Once you set the target torque to stop at, the adapter will emit an audible solid beep to inform you that the appropriate torque has been reached. Another helpful function is that as you approach the target torque it will also emit an audible beep that increases in tempo to let you know when you are getting close. This is a worthwhile feature as the adapter rotates as you tighten a fastener so you may not always be able to read the display.

The adapter is available in 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch drive sizes which can provide some nice flexibility depending on the torque range you need. The tool is lightweight at 0.31 pounds and runs on two CR2032 coin cell batteries which are included at purchase. Battery life is decent, and the batteries rarely have to be replaced.

As far as available purchasing options, Amazon’s attractive pricing makes it the best value in our book. Overall, the ACDelco ARM602-4 Torque Adapter is one of the best digital torque adapters around and we expect that you will be very happy with it. If should last quite a long time so long as you keep it clean and dry and overall we give it a strong recommendation. Happy wrenching!

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