Thread: Buying a Dial Test Indicator

Mate ive got a multitoyo brand dial gauge with the pushrod type and it has a ball in the end its been great and i cant fault it and at the moment i cant find it either must have stashed it away and have forgotten where ive put the bugger

just get the mag based dial indicator. im millimeters (.01mm) unless you like the old school thou? (.001'')
im a fitter/machinist by trade and in the 10yrs ive owned both i think i ve used the arm type ohh never! but the other one goes round like a clock. you'll be supprised where you can get one to fit. does every thing from checking TDC, bends in shafts, and flipping and setting disco rims

cheers phil

ps, even the cheaper brands like KC and kingcrome are quite accurate. should be able to get one for $60

The pushrod type is the traditional type, but I suspect for almost everything you would want to use it for, either will do just as well.

The magnetic mount I have found to be the most useful accessory.

Mine is a Russian one I found in a pawn shop, was quite cheap, but I can't remember how much - it was about eight years ago anyway. It reads to 0.01mm, which is as close as anything you are likely to want. Other things apart, few surfaces are finished well enough for any finer reading to be useful.

I actually find few direct automotive applications for it, the most common one I have is setting up wheel bearings.

Also has uses in machining, however.

John

I have several. Inch measure to .001 and .0001. total travel from 1/2" to 2". Metric ones from .01mm to .001mm. I have pushrod type, usually called dial gauges or "clocks", and the lever type, the smaller of which are usually called dial test indicators, or "last word indicators". I also have a couple that are operated by a short push rod on the rear of the dial. Unless you are doing toolroom or inspection work in a machine shop or manufacturing then the coarser range dial gauges and a magnetic base are all that is required for basic machining or rough workshop use. The Chinese ones are very good and you should not pay more than $45 for the gauge and $40 for the magnetic base. I was importing and retailing them for this when the exchange rate was less favourable than it is today. In day to day automotive use, tappet gaps can be set very accurately using one, or points, or finding TDC with absolute certainty. I rarely use one today for other than setting up jobs in a four jaw chuck.

Thanks guys.

I don't have a lathe so it is purely for automotive use. So from what you have said a .01mm push rod dial gauge should suit my purposes.

I'm sure it won't get much use but it will be nice to have one just to check things out such as wheel bearings and the like.

Originally Posted by Utemad

Thanks guys.

I don't have a lathe so it is purely for automotive use. So from what you have said a .01mm push rod dial gauge should suit my purposes.

I'm sure it won't get much use but it will be nice to have one just to check things out such as wheel bearings and the like.

Wheel bearings, don't bother, tapered rollers should be under preload, not end float, despite what the book says

Only thing I use my dial for is Diff centre's