Tools

I fancy getting myself a half decent set of tools in a bit, and here's my list of questions :).

1) Spanners - sockets and a ratchet or the sort that are open at one end with a ring at t'other, or both? Is it worth bothering with a torque wrench?

2) Cheap tools, middling tools or expensive tools? I know some things, like cheap torque wrenches won't be as accurate as a good torque wrench, but is there any big difference between cheap and good spanners? I don't want use once tools, but then I suspect snap on might be a bit over the top :).

3) What else to get other than spanners, feeler gauges and an oil filter wrench?

4) Is getting a set of really s**te cheapo tools and lobbing them in the boot worthwhile or is there bugger all I'll be able to fix at the side of the road, and if I can fix it, will I break the spanners halfway through the job?

5) Are tools on ebay good as a general rule, or are they knock offs like some of the stupidly cheap high quality powertools you see on car boots, look the same but last 20 minutes?

THE END.

Reply to
Doki
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Snap on tools for you sir?

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oooh.... suits you sir.... Shall I wrap that for you?

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

In article , "Stuart Gray" About torque wrenches, make sure you buy a good one that has the lower

Don't think such a thing exists. I've got three. Oh - and a torque screwdriver.;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Dave> A torque wrench is essential for some jobs - more probably Dave> if you're inexperienced. Experience will tell you how tight Dave> to go with non critical things without one.

I have a cheap torque wrench for just that reason - lack of experience. If I ever have to do head gaskets or anything else where torque is critical to a successful job, I'll buy a better quality one.

The other day I got two people to do up the wheel nuts on a range rover using a "dial" type torque wrench - i.e., one that doesn't "click", you have to watch the dial to tell when it's tight enough. I hid the dial and said "tell me what you think is right".

The specified torque is 80Nm, and we had one at 120 and one at more like 180Nm

These guys had both been working on their cars for the last 20 years or more.

AndyC

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Andy Cunningham aka AndyC the WB | andy -at- cunningham.me.uk | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |
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- Everything you wanted to know || about the P38A Range Rover but were afraid to ask. |+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+"And everything we want to get/We download from the InternetAll we hear is/Internet Ga-Ga/Cyberspace Goo-goo" -- from "Radio Ga Ga"/"We will rock you"
Reply to
AndyC the WB

Facom don't make the Halfords stuff. I've seen it written in many places (i.e. everywhere) but they don't.

-- James

Reply to
James

Selling my car wouldn't pay for that set.

-- James

Reply to
James

I've got three socket sets. 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4". The 1/4" gets into the gaps that the 1/2" won't fit into. Having the right sized socket set stops you from breaking stuff, if you've got something small like T25 torx headed screws holding your front brake discs on, you'll struggle to shift them with a 1/4" set where as the 1/2" set will round the heads with no problems (as I found out). The 3/4" set I've got doesn't get used much, but for things like wheel hub nuts or drive shaft nuts the 1/2" set just doesn't do the sizes needed.

3/8" is a common size used garages and I'm tempted to buy myself a nice set but I don't really need it since the other three sets cover almost every eventuallity.

A 1/2" 18 inch breaker bar is a useful addition to any 1/2" socket set for shifting stuff that's being a bit awkward and a lot cheaper than buying a

3/4" set (and is probably my favourite tool too).

-- James

Reply to
James
  1. Socket set and spanners do different things so you will need both. I would go for combination spanners (i.e. one size open and ring). A torque wrench will be very useful as virtually everything (from sump plug upwards) has a torque now!

  1. Quality depends on what you are doing. I have technicians with over £20,000 worth of tools but this may be over your budget. I would buy a middle price set and expand when you need things.

  2. See above, get a set?

  1. See 2.

  2. You get what you pay for but if you are willing to take the risk you can get some deals.

Finally, I have a really cheap socket set and spanner set that is 20 years old. I don't use it much and the chrome is going in places but they haven't broken yet.

Reply to
Alan

halfords SELL facom stuff :)

Reply to
dojj

buy spanners in a set halfords do a few sizes and they haven't let me down yet, from 8mm right up to 24mm they look the part as well :)

sockets are a new problem altogether ecause you have to think of it in stages

1/4 drive is the small piddling stuff (but it's usefull for getting into the akward places that a 3/8 drive won't get to, upper limit is 13mm 3/8 drive is for the majority of normal sized car mechanicals, with the upper limit being 19mm then you have the 1/2 inch stuff, which is sutable for the majority of the other aplications you'll need it for, wheels, hubs, big ends, head bolts, crank pulley's and the like i've also got a 3/4 drive set which comes out when i feel like a lazy bum :) but be warned that i've broken wheel studs with this baby and it starts from a 19mm and goes right up to a 50mm socket (great for removing bushes with the bolt/nut/washer business :) )

after this you'll also want to invest in 2 torque wrenches one for the smaller stuff and one for the bigger stuff i had to buy another one simply because the one i had didn't go up as far as i needed to go with the poundage and it was too far to hoik the 8 foot bus wheel tightener upper one :)

this should cover you for most things tool wise obviously you need screwdrivers and other things like pry bars and scrappers and testers and the million and one other specialist tools that you'll only use once, but buy them as you go along and need them rather than buy them for the sake of it

things like pullers and stuff, if you can egt a cheap set them fine, but don't fork out loads on a whole wall of them when you'll never need more than one bit of it (unles it's too good to miss)

:)

Reply to
dojj

I bought a halfords professional set, the 150 piece one I think it is, has sockets metric & imperial, impact sockets, some rachet spanners, open ended spanners, 3 rachets, torx bits, etc.. lifetime warranty. Wouldn't use it if I was using them for work but for home stuff its ideal.

Reply to
Mark

Selling my house probably wouldn't :/

Reply to
Andrew Kirby

Both, I've got a set of 1/2" halfords professional sockets which are excellent, a very cheap 1/4" set for small stuff and a set of cheap double ended spanners. Most people on here would say you need a torque wrench, but I've never got round to getting one. Most jobs can be completed just fine without one.

I'd get a decent large socket set and cheaper other tools, just replace the ones you use most with decent stuff as you need it.

If you can get your hand to your oil filter you shouldn't need a oil filter wrench, a hex/star socket set can be useful (or just buy them as you need them), a selection of screw drivers, a few different pairs of pliers.

Other useful thinks that you may want at some point; a ball joint spliter, a scaffolding pole, a mig welder.

Just get a AA/RAC membership and a mobile phone. A leatherman can be useful though.

Reply to
James Grabowski

I couldn't even raise enough ebaying my first born.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

It's only their pro range, though, their ordinary stuff ain't that good IMHO. I read it in an article on Facom on their takeover of Britool. Perhaps you'd tell us who do make them, then?

Reply to
Dave Plowman

I've got pretty comprehensive 1/4 and 1/2 sets as well as a few 3/4, but my 3/8 is the one of choice for most things. Of course it will depend on what 'most' things are.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Well, you could get two combination spanners for the most common sizes, and still be quids in over a set of rings and open enders.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Trouble with Draper is they source from all over and simply stick their name on it, so quality varies enormously. In general, I'd not recommend them unless they are the only supplier of a more specialised tool.

Kamasa I like, if I was to name only one value brand.

Machine Mart is almost always poor value.

Worth trying your local motor factors or engineering suppliers too.

For anyone in SW London, Cannon's Of Clapham Common has a tool department well worth a visit. But make sure you get trade price.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

Aha! So there is a market! (c:

I think the Teng equivelant is about £6000 or £7000. Hmmm...

Douglas

Reply to
Douglas Payne

Draper have several ranges, their cheaper stuff is best avoided, their mid range is passable but their top end (profesional ?) ranges are as good as anything else at the same price. I suppose it depends on how big a discount you get on Draper, if you pay full RRP they aren't good value at all, but the same goes for any supplier. I never pay anything close to RRP for my tools but I've found local suppliers who are willing to discount without too much arm twisting.

My Dad is a Kamasa fan, he hasn't managed to break all of his Kamasa 1/2" set yet. Some of their cheaper stuff isn't as good as their more expensive stuff, they are similar to Draper in that respect. If you get the Swedish Kamasa stuff, it is almost certainly better than the British Kamasa, there is something a bit odd about the way the brand is marketed in different territories. I think it may be a global brand with different franchises supplying different tools under the same name in different countries.

In my experience it depends on what you buy, some stuff is better value than others.

I'd agree with that, although I do get my tools from dedicated a tool supplier.

I have seen budget brands e.g. Draper & Kamasa at comedy prices i.e. double the price I can get them elsewhere, this often makes budget brands not very budget...

-- James

Reply to
James

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