Recommend a quality tool brand?

[nictry]

Thinking I might invest in some decent Hex drivers, spanners etc. but TBH I am not really up with which brands are cheap (destroy the thread/head) type gear vs. the gear that is actually going to last and shouldnt hash up anything you use them on!!!!

Would appreciate some recommendations of decent enough small tool sets (dont need much just the usual sizes for bike working)

Cheers

[timwilky]

Snap on if you have a big wallet.

Brilliant value for money is Bahco. Teng.

Many seem to suggest Halfraud Pro. No thanks, I like the skin on my knuckles. Then again I have snapped Snap on breaker bars before now.

[petevtwin650]

Teng for me.

[Jabba]

Despite what TW says, Halford's Pro socket sets and torque wrenches are good quality and a fair price :thumbsup:

[Wideboy]

Despite what TW says, Halford's Pro socket sets and torque wrenches are good quality and a fair price :thumbsup:

and life time guaranty on some of it range

[timwilky]

BTW Britool doesn't seem to be as good as it once was. Draper was/is terrible. At one time I liked Kamasa, until I could afford to buy decent.

Still it broke my heart a few months ago to spend >£100 on a 1/2" ratchet from snap on.

[Specialone]

Machine marts pro range is good, lifetime warranty as well.
I havent had a single socket break and i am not kind to my sockets.
Both my britool ratchets have broke, so not impressed with them.
Halfords pro range stuff is ok, i have some sockets of these, expensive IMO for what they are.
No better than machine marts stuff but more expensive.

[beabert]

Machine marts pro range is good, lifetime warranty as well.
I havent had a single socket break and i am not kind to my sockets.
Both my britool ratchets have broke, so not impressed with them.
Halfords pro range stuff is ok, i have some sockets of these, expensive IMO for what they are.
No better than machine marts stuff but more expensive.

Thank you, never realised the stuff had a lifetime guarantee, I need a new ratchet.

[Lozzo]

Despite what TW says, Halford's Pro socket sets and torque wrenches are good quality and a fair price :thumbsup:

Agreed. My toolkit has all manner of quality tools in it from Snap-On, Britool, Teng, Sykes Pickavant etc, with a growing number of Halfords Pro in there too.

[embee]

I think Britool went the way of all things, not what they were, but having said that I inherited this 1/4" drive set (http://www.pvrdirect.co.uk/productinfo.aspx?cmd=list&tier1=Hand+Tools&tier2=Mechanics+Tools&tier3=Sockets+-+Sets&=&showCats=false&Page=2&tier4=&catRef=BRI748254) and have to say it's the best bit of kit I have, it's the first thing I reach for when doing routine fiddling maintenance and the quality is pretty good, recommended.

(old Britool stuff is near bombproof).

Otherwise Teng is nice, Facom too. Stahlwille make some very nice slim spanners.
The couple of Halfrauds Pro things I have seem good. I recently needed some Torx star sockets in a hurry, so got a Pro set from Machine Mart, and have to say I was favourably impressed, good fit, nice finish, freed off some VERY tight caliper bolts on a Vauxhall.

[Sean_C]

Another vote for Teng here.

[nictry]

Cheers guys, great info and would never have known some of the brands mentioned without this thread. Much appreciated

[barwel1992]

halfords pro for me

ohh and a draper torque wrench

[squirrel_hunter]

Halfords Pro for me. Also if you are after a set time it right when they have an offer on and its even better value.

[Tom_the_great]

another vote for the halfords pro kit.... i bought 200notes set for 100 50% off and nothing has gone wrong yet *touch wood* but life time replacement cant go wrong :)

[nictry]

another vote for the halfords pro kit.... i bought 200notes set for 100 50% off and nothing has gone wrong yet *touch wood* but life time replacement cant go wrong :)

Just seen the same deal so reserved a set for pick up later, only concern is only has a 6 and 8mm hex socket but guess I can pick up some extra ones if/when I need them

[tigersaw]

Another vote for halfrauds pro, but dont like their sockets, prefer the proper 6 point rather than 12 point ones

[punyXpress]

[QUOTE=nictry;2217599] (destroy the thread/head)
Just be aware that a few thread/heads will self destruct no matter how good your tools.

[the_lone_wolf]

Halfords pro here too:

150pc Socket Set
Bendy rachet spanners
10-60 & 40-200Nm Torque wrenches
Screwdriver set

All have been good, I had a minor issue with the 1/4" wrench and extension bar, so took them back with no receipt, got the wrench replaced and the equivalent cost off a 2pc extension bar kit 'cause they didn't have the single one in stock

All the stuff feels solid and to date hasn't slipped or damaged the bike in any way

[thulfi]

Glad this thread came up actually, might invest in that £99 Halfords pro set.

Excuse this numpties question, but when would you use a spanner instead of a socket wrench and vice versa. Do pretty much the same job right?

[the_lone_wolf]

Glad this thread came up actually, might invest in that £99 Halfords pro set.

Excuse this numpties question, but when would you use a spanner instead of a socket wrench and vice versa. Do pretty much the same job right?

Use a C spanner if you haven't got clearance around the whole bolt to fit a socket over it, or if you don't have clearance above the bolt head to place a socket over it

[yorkie_chris]

Use a spanner when you can't get a socket on it basically.

I prefer sockets as it's easier to get a direct torque onto fastener and less chance of rounding stuff.

[ChrisSV]

I use all sorts, part of me job. teng are good, as are halfords and machine mart, as previously mentioned. Kamasa are ok if you get teh right things, there spanners are excellent but there sockets leave a bit to be desired at times, especially if they have a har life, like mire do.

And yeah, use a spanner when there isnt room to get a socket on, or if youre like me cant find the right socket xD

Chris

[Nobbylad]

I got this puppy the other week for £49.99, bargain!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_19 5903_langId_-1_categoryId_165572

[CheGuevara]

Got myself a Halfords torque wrench after reading a review/comparison that put it amongst the most accurate.

I also have a Halfords pro set which I've used on the SV, and abused on the 4x4, including persuasion with a hammer, rattle gun and so on with no issues ever. I can't imagine what people do to sockets that warrant the spend on Snap-On (I do get that they make stuff that just isn't available elsewhere) etc?

Also, using a breaker bar where appropriate will help ensure you never have issues with a wratchet (regardless of whether it's lifetime guarantee).

A good bit of advice from by bro-in-law (an aeronuatical engineer for one of the big firms in this country) was to have a set of dental picks on hand to scrape clean the heads on crusty screws and smaller bolts before attempting to remove them.

[yorkie_chris]

I can't imagine what people do to sockets that warrant the spend on Snap-On

The cheap sockets aren't just weaker they're not as good a profile either so more chance of rounding stuff.

I've snapped sockets by using a scaffold pole on the end of the breaker bar, best one was a cheapy 32 on a front sprocket nut. Went with a right bang!

[CheGuevara]

The cheap sockets aren't just weaker they're not as good a profile either so more chance of rounding stuff.

I've snapped sockets by using a scaffold pole on the end of the breaker bar, best one was a cheapy 32 on a front sprocket nut. Went with a right bang!

I've never had that problem and have done virtually the same thing. Granted not the cheapest of cheap - in the past I've used Canadian Tire brand (which is like a Halfords but on steroids) which is about half the price and the same qaulity, but indeed have used a rattle gun (120v electric) and then a scaffold pole on a particularly stubborn hub-nut on a Jeep Cherokee (which being an American car would no doubt be less accurate than any tool used on it). As there were 2 of us hanging off the pole at a good distance, I'm sure we applied enough torque that I would have flipped an SV :)

To be fair though -if you were using a scaffold pole as an extension -that's far beyond the intended use of any regular socket and I wouldn't be suprised if a Snap-On or similar would have broken as well. Right tool for the right job and all...

[ophic]

I've split cheap sockets with nowt but the short wrench they came with. My other set had better sockets but I broke the ratchet in that set :?

[CheGuevara]

I've split cheap sockets with nowt but the short wrench they came with. My other set had better sockets but I broke the ratchet in that set :?

Do you mean Halfords cheap, or no-name cheap?

[ophic]

Do you mean Halfords cheap, or no-name cheap?
made of cheese cheap. The 2nd set was better - I was really straining when the ratchet gave in. Of course I had scuffed and swollen knuckles for a week afterwards :(

[yorkie_chris]

To be fair though -if you were using a scaffold pole as an extension -that's far beyond the intended use of any regular socket and I wouldn't be suprised if a Snap-On or similar would have broken as well. Right tool for the right job and all...

Hmmm dunno, I reckon a half inch drive socket should be able to take as much torque as the fasteners it's going to be applied to.

[embee]

...when would you use a spanner instead of a socket wrench and vice versa. Do pretty much the same job right?

Best tool on a normal hexagon fastener will be a six sided socket or ring spanner, most modern six sided tools will be some sort of "flank drive" design, basically they have relief at the corners so the drive gets transmitted into the flat of the fastener rather than the corner and are much less prone to rounding off. There are even "reverse" designs of this principle for hex "allen" keys, then they are designed to bite into the corners of the socket to minimise rounding out, I have some Facom keys like this.

The advantage of low offset ring spanners is that the handle is more or less in line with the ring so there's little tendency for it to try to tilt as you apply load. Think when using a socket on an extension you have to apply a force to the extension to balance the torqueing force so it doesn't all tip over. Socket systems give much more scope for assembling a tool to suit the occasion, extension, ratchet etc. Only use universal joints when unavoidable. Some socket set manufacturers provide "wobble bars" where the extension has a radiused square to fit into the socket itself which allows a few degrees of misalignment, this can be very useful sometimes to ensure the socket is correctly aligned on the fastener head.

Open ended spanners are the spawn of the devil and should only be used for turning slightly stiff fasteners up to the nip point, thay are too flexible and will damage the fastener head. Obviously sometimes there's no option due to access, but use them as a last resort.

[beabert]

Just been reading on halfords website that their lifetime guarantee does not cover moving parts like rachets! nor machne mart

[squirrel_hunter]

Yes this is true they will expect you to buy a new ratchet mechanism that they sale. However they were quite happy to replace a seized 3/8 ratchet of mine last year (after I left it in a leaky pocket of my tank bag as I rode through winter) so I think it would come down to who serves you if you have a problem.

[_Stretchie_]

Despite what TW says, Halford's Pro socket sets and torque wrenches are good quality and a fair price :thumbsup:and life time guaranty on some of it range


The lifetime guarantee is on all of their Halfords Pro range (I think they may have changed the name of the range to Halfords Advanced now??)

And I use all the kit I have from them on the Land Rover and have to combine them with my own brand of swear words and grunt to get seized bolts undone and not broke anything yet (doh.. Shouldn't have said that)

[Sid Squid]

Just been reading on halfords website that their lifetime guarantee does not cover moving parts like rachets! nor machne mart
That's not surprising, the ratchet is a moving, wearing part. Something guaranteed against breakage is one thing, wearing out is another business entirely.
The same is true for all quality tool guarantees, it's defective manufacture that is being assured against, and that you will receive reasonable* service and life from your purchase.
Absoultely everything, however good, bad or indifferent its quality of manufacture will, eventually, wear out.

* Whatever that means - this is where companies that offer good service stand out.

[Stuuk1]

I haven't read any of the replies but the only two i'd go for is SnapOn (lifetime guarantee) and Halfords (also a lifetime guarantee). All of my sockets and spanners are Halfords Professional. Ive only ever had one failure, it was a ratches spanner. Took it in and they replaced it without the need for a receipt.

Cant go wrong in my eyes!

As for screwdrivers, I once has a long reach changeable head one. It was amazing but I misplaced it and never found another :( But if you can get hold on one then you can get some very good diamond headed bits for it that are super tough where as standard ones break very easily. They are around £3 each but are well worth it and I use mine everyday.