It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

The time has come for me to bite the bullet and go buy some tools. For years I've spent hours picking through my dads mix'n'match socket sets where there's 3 x 13mm socket heads from different kits but no 10mm. Or allen keys, he's got the tiny delicate ones which bend in half and the giant ones which look like they'd be good for using as a walking stick - but never the one to get your tax disc holder open. Why is this>?

Anyway, I should really go out and buy a decent socket set, a torque wrench or two (think there's a thread about torque wrenches already), and some other tools such as allen keys and a big hammer. Any advice on what brands to get or any other must have tools for use in regular maintaince?

thanks in advance pt6^

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

halfords pro

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

you talk too much :P nuff said then? Just having a look at their pro range now funnily enough

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

I'm hamfisted and I've never knowingly knackered anything with my Halfords pro bits an pieces.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

i know.............

depends how much use/how much money you have to spend.

snap-on is probaly about the best, but quite expensive, probaly more than you need just to service your bike.

stay away from cheap stuff though, buy cheap but twice.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

any specific torque ranges, can't find the original post but someone advised on two ranges? i.e. one wrench to do lower stuff and one for more?

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

dunno? never needed/wanted one

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

There was a thread earlier in in the week / last week.

2 wrenches should cover all settings.

I've just got one of the Halfords Pro sets for crimbo, £150 reduced to £99 - nice stuff.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

so am I right in assuming you can only get a 8-60nm and a 40-200nm (i know the units vary i.e. nm/lb ft/kg m etc) in terms of the amount of torque?

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

+1

Good gear and guaranteed for life too.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

instead of just normal allen keys try and get ur self a set of t-bars ther really handy!!!the teng ones are very good ther about £60 quid i think.;)

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

Halfords Pro is good. Machine Mart's better range, Clarke Pro, is also more than good enough and I think probably works out a little cheaper. You can choose your kit a wee bit more carefully too, with Halfords the big kits make most sense but the machine mart rails and smaller kits are better priced than the small Halfords stuff. Probably 9/10 of all my tools are Clarke or Halfords Pro.

Teng is very nice, but more expensive- I've got a set of their 1/4 inch drive sockets and the quality is excellent. Draper do some nice stuff too, and some rubbish, but the trouble is it's hard to tell which is which til it breaks.

The golden rule- if a brand has a "pro" range and a standard range, or a standard range and a budget range, the lower of the two will probably be absolute trash.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

If they are just for tinkering with the bike at weekend they Halfords Pro are plenty. Plus if for some reason you do snap and spanners etc then they do have a lifetime guarentee i think so you will get a new on for nowt.

If you wanna spend a bit more and have quality then teng tools are superb. Same idea lifetime guarentee but the quality is much better. I use teng every day and give them some serious punishment as i am a service engineer and look after large machinery.

Hope this helps

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

Sorry to hijack but I'm glad I saw this post, as I've been looking at getting some proper tools as well. Can anyone confirm whether the Halfords Pro Socket Set here
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...dkey=ClickInfo# includes torque wrenches or would they need to be purchased separately ?

Cheers

Lee

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

No that set doesn't include a torque wrench. you would need to get on of these. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...tegoryId_76866

This is the best on halfords do and its not a bad price. Check out the price of a similar teng one

http://www.workshopshop.com/product.asp?prod=680704

Hope this helps.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

I hate halfords purely because they charge the earth for everything and dont have a clue what theyre talking about - much the same as PCworld.

Screwfix have great customer service, and cost the right price too:

Sockets:
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?_d...rch=socket+set

Torque Wrenches:
http://www.screwfix.com/search.do?_d...=torque+wrench

Obviously, at the prices they show for torque wrenches, you get what you pay for - when it comes to Halfords, they'll charge you depending on whether youre a mug or not.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

This is a great example of how Screwfix are better.

The same wrench as above, but £30 cheaper:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/22796/...-Torque-Wrench

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

I don't like halfords as a shop on general principle, never owned any of their tools but they seem alright.

Most useful thing I have is a 1/4 drive ratchet with a socket to use 8mm allen bits with it, brilliant for getting the SV in bits quicker and less head damage than allen keys. Closely followed by the 10mm drive draper set of allen bits.

That and the massive pile of "stuff," you can never have too much "stuff" from bits of tube for fuel/vacuum line mods, spare brake bleeders, hooks and prodders....
Start collecting, you'll use it some day :rolleyes:

(or alternatively, you'll never use it until you throw it away, then you'll need it)

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

That's not the same wrench- the first link is the high value one, 70-350nm, the second is the 40-200nm. The 70-350 is more expensive everywhere. You can get the 40-200 one that Screwfix do for £50 for £36 from Teng direct just now btw, which is a very good price.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

I need some good tools for my bike, and probally eventually for pulling a race bike apart and putting it back togther.

What tool do I need to this, how do they cost? It would be good to some tool that will do the job right and that can be used to totally look my bikes.

Can anyone let me know! Thanks.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

I've had a Halfords Pro Socket set for about six years. Work on everything from Land Rovers to army trucks and even tanks with it and it's still spot on.

Re: It's about time I bought some tools. Socket set, Torque Wrench & some other bits. ADVICE plz...
 

Had a big Halfords Pro socket set for 10+ years, Brilliant