Quick verdict
A half-inch drive click torque wrench covering 10 to 150 foot pounds, pre-calibrated to plus or minus 4 percent, with a hardened chrome vanadium ratchet head and a black corrosion-resistant finish, made in Taiwan. That range covers every fastener on a mower that has a specification: blade bolts, wheel nuts, spindle bolts, engine mounts and the lug nuts on the trailer that carries it. It is the step up from guessing with a breaker bar, and LEXIVON has built a reputation for accuracy at this price.
Strengths
- Ten to 150 foot pound range covers blade bolts to lug nuts
- Pre-calibrated to plus or minus 4 percent with a certificate
- Hardened chrome vanadium ratchet head
- Corrosion-resistant finish for a garage tool
- Clear dual-scale markings in foot pounds and newton metres
Weaknesses
- Half-inch drive is large for small fasteners under 10 ft-lb
- Click wrenches must be wound back to zero after use
- Not for breaking fasteners loose
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
The Number in the Manual
Every mower manual lists a torque for the blade bolt, and almost nobody uses it, because almost nobody owns a torque wrench. The result is bolts tightened by feel, which means too tight on a good day and loose on a bad one. LEXIVON’s LX-183 is a half-inch click wrench covering 10 to 150 foot pounds, pre-calibrated to plus or minus 4 percent with a certificate in the box, with a hardened ratchet head and a corrosion-resistant finish.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on how click torque wrenches are used in equipment maintenance generally. We have not used this wrench ourselves.
Range
Ten to 150 foot pounds spans a walk-behind blade bolt at 40, a rider blade bolt at 70, spindle bolts, wheel nuts and the lug nuts on a trailer or a car at 80 to 100. It is the one range that covers a garage. Small fasteners under 10 foot pounds want a 3/8 inch wrench; nothing on a mower is that small except the spark plug, which sits at the bottom of this range.
Using It
Set the target on the scale, lock it, fit the socket and pull smoothly on the handle until the wrench clicks once. Stop. The click is the signal, and a second pull over-torques. After the job, wind the setting back to the minimum so the spring relaxes; a click wrench stored at a high setting drifts.
Accuracy and Build
Plus or minus 4 percent is the standard for a quality click wrench and LEXIVON ships a calibration certificate with each one. The chrome vanadium ratchet head takes years of use and the black finish resists the rust that attacks chrome tools in a damp garage. Taiwanese manufacture at this price has earned the brand a solid name.
What Not to Do
Never loosen a bolt with it; the shock ruins calibration. Never use it as a breaker bar. Never drop it. Treated as a measuring instrument, it stays accurate for years.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone who changes mower blades and wants them torqued right.
- Owners of riding mowers and trailers with wheel nuts to check.
- Home mechanics who need one wrench for the garage.
Common Owner Complaints
Forgetting to wind it back and using it to loosen. Both are user habits.
Alternatives to Consider
A 3/8 inch drive torque wrench for small fasteners. A digital torque wrench for a readout rather than a click. TEKTON and GEARWRENCH make comparable wrenches at similar prices.
Verdict
For blade bolts, wheel nuts and everything else with a number beside it, this wrench is accurate, well built and fairly priced. Set it, click once, wind it back and the bolts are right every time.
Full specifications
LEXIVON LX-183 1/2 Inch Drive Click Torque Wrench, 10 to 150 ft-lb, Pre-Calibrated FAQs
A blade bolt too loose lets the blade shift and strike the deck; too tight cracks the blade adapter. Wheel and spindle bolts have the same problem. The manual gives a figure and the wrench hits it.
Set the scale to the target, fit the socket, pull smoothly until it clicks once, stop. Wind it back to the lowest setting before storing so the spring does not take a set.
No. Loosening with a torque wrench ruins the calibration. Use a breaker bar or impact to loosen and the torque wrench to tighten.
Car and trailer lug nuts, ATV axle nuts, engine and deck bolts, spark plugs on the low end. One wrench covers the garage.
