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Old Matco electronic torque wrench ETWB100A calibration?

2.8K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  Lis2323  
#1 ·
Have an old Matco ETWB100A torque wrench. Probably a decade+ old, but it's been a good unit and up until a few weeks ago had never let me down. I keep batteries out of it, the other day when I went to use it I put batteries in, powered it up and instead of reading 0 ft/lbs like it normally would, it's reading a negative torque value. If I set a torque value and turn it clockwise it will go from negative to zero into positive reading before it actually hits the threshold and beeps, but I know full well that the calibration is off, both because its not zeroing out and because measured against another torque wrench its taking the spread between the negative and positive to reach the threshold, thereby reading 5-15 ft/lbs above the set threshold before it beeps

Talked to local Matco rep who called the calibration shop he uses for theirs and they said they can't get "head kits" for them (guessing a strain gauge/sensor) and therefore can't fix or calibrate them, and suggested I upgrade to a newer $650 3/8" torque+angle wrench they sell. Haven't really gone much further than that and not exactly keen on buying another expensive Matco wrench that will not be supported in who knows how long from now.

Just curious if there's any non-Matco affiliated shops anyone here can suggest that repair these (not really) antiques
 
#2 ·
do you know who the original maker is ? maybe call them. could try transcat as they do calibration but not sure if they do any repair. if spare parts arent available you might be in a bad spot
 
#3 ·
If it truly just needs calibration it should not need parts and they should be able to do that. If it needs parts that are NLA, then that would be a problem but calibration alone should not require any parts. Sounds like a BS upsell attempt. Time for an internet search and a few phone calls on Monday, I'd say. There was a place out east I sent one to for repair and cal some years ago that I found online but can't think of the name. This is one application where I think adding electronics to it makes it worse, not better. A regular click style torque wrench is about as easy as it gets.
 
#8 ·
This is why I keep my old Snap-on click type wrenches. Sure, these new digital ones are cool, but if you don't need them everyday, I feel they're not necessary.
Good luck! Sucks to see it non-repairable.
 
#10 ·
I learned my lesson on digital calipers .... cursed things always went dead when I needed them. Now it's dials, clicks and Vernier scales... and I don't think I paid $650 for any of them.