ahhh, the old school of thought that goes along the lines of "if it doesn't come undone, you need a bigger hammer" :)
or the offshoot of that school of thought that says "if it doesn't come undone, you ain't hitting it hard enough" :)
In message , dojj writes
I prefer the term "percussive maintenance".
The ones with both are probably better IMO, as you have a choice of both depending on what you use it for. I've only ever used a torque wrench when i've been putting a new clutch on - all the other times when i should have used it i've guesstimated and never had a problem. It all depends on what you're going to be doing and how much of a perfectionist you are!
I've brought a few cheap tools in my time - and have normally regretted it. Middle of the range stuff is what i use now. I've got quite a few Draper bits (sockets, ratchets, screwdriver set) and they seem to last very well. Also some of the Halfords stuff i have brought has lasted well. Also got a few things stolen from me dad - snap on, and some other make that eludes me, and they're probably decades old by now - quality lasts!!!
Depends what you want to do. If i were you, for now, i'd stick with a decent socket set 8mm - 19mm (3/8" would do), 10mm-19mm spanners, adjustable wrench, decent screwdriver set (inlcuding a big one that can be used to lever things), a hammer, pliers, sidecutters and a big adjustable plier thingy. Then if you need anything else you can get it as you go and gradually build your tool collection up. Oh, and some gaffer tape and cable ties!
I always keep a decent amount of tools in my car, plus spare pipes (water and fuel), tow rope, WD40, jump leads, spare coolant - all in a plastic box strapped down in the boot. Everytime i've broken down i've always been able to fix it at the side of the road (or patch it up enough to carry on). originally i only did it for rallies - now i just keep it in there all the time.
No idea on that one.
Dave> In article , Dave> James wrote: >> Facom don't make the Halfords stuff. I've seen it written in >> many places (i.e. everywhere) but they don't.
Dave> It's only their pro range, though, their ordinary stuff Dave> ain't that good IMHO.
I used some Facom ratchet wrenches last week and was very unimpressed with the quality - I kept accidentally reversing the ratchet. The Halfords Pro stuff does look good, though I got a great deal on the Teng set I use otherwise I'd have probably bought the Halfords set by now.
AndyC
--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Andy Cunningham aka AndyC the WB | andy -at- cunningham.me.uk | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |
stick their
not recommend
tool.
avoided, their mid
as good as
big a discount
at all, but
RRP for my
discount without too
Kamasa 1/2"
more expensive
the Swedish
Kamasa, there
different
franchises
countries.
I think Kamasa basically makes 2 grades of tools. One grade is cheap drop forged stuff and not worth buying. The other range, marked 'chrome vanadium' is good value.
Apart from Kamasa and Elora, most of my spanners, sockets etc, come from a variety of unknown makers, and have been baught cheaply over a number of years. Most of my Elora stuff was baught when they were first imported to this country, and were heavily discounted to attract sales. None of them have ever let me down, and the only thing they have in common is that they are all made from Chrome Vanadium. (CV) I just won't buy spanners etc made from anything else. Maybe there are poor quality CV tools around. If there are, I seem to have missed buying them. Plus no name CV tools can be remarkably cheap. I'd suggest that buying chrome vanadium tools marked as such, is a good guide of their quality, especially in the absence of a name you recognise. Mike.
Fair , I snapped a draper ring spanner once & punched the block, it was several years before I bought anything off them again, still their ABS brake tool & universal valve compressor(saves you taking the head off ) are holding up & look very similar to Mr Snapons
If you only use it infrequently the heavy stuff like the hydraulics isn't bad, the hand tools are generally crap & the power tools are available cheaper elsewhere (
Ah crap, "(side faced sockets)" should read "six faced" ;(
Hex rather than bi-hex?
Yeah, impact sockets seem to be mainly hex, I've used 'em at a push but they're a bit bulky.
You can get 'normal' sockets that are hex rather than bi-hex. They are said to grip better, but I've never found it a problem on nuts which are in good condition using a good quality bi-hex of the correct size. Rusty nuts might be different.
Bi-hex sockets have the considerable advantage of thinner walls.
Most of my hex sockets are 'normal' sockets, if I need one I don't have I look in my rattle-gun case and use an impact one. I was thinking of rusty heads, I've stripped a few old cars with 'em (cortina and esc Mk2) and they've been invaluable, maybe because I use metric tools on 'em ;)
But for rusty imperial bolts with a fair bit of room around 'em i still prefer a couple of decent hex sockets :)
In article , Paul Giverin writes
Birmingham screwdriver.
"More complicated problem, use a bigger hammer"
"Impact technology".
If it jams, hit it. If it breaks, it probably needed replacing anyway.
BTW, I got my Elora socket set in 1965 with my mother's Embassy coupons. It's still going strong, although the plastic tray insert is severely mangled because of all the metric sockets that also live there.
which meanas they crack easier ;)
Well no, that's why you can make them with thinner walls :-)
well yes actually I broke 2 halfords bi-hex sockets trying to undo a crank pulley bolt (went back and got another one exchanged) it was finally unleashed when I persuaded it to come undone with a 3/4 19mm and 3 foot of power bar and 90 degrees of twist :-0
I've split a six point Elora on Vauxhaul wheel nuts but that doesn'y say anything about the relative strength, it just tells me it wasn't strong enough.
anything about the relative strength, it just tells me it wasn't strong enough.
well, it seems that the halfords 1/2 drive sockets won't take more than about 300lb/ft then :) and the crank bolt? took it up to almost 400lb/ft before it budged (don't ask me how, I'm used to doing up lorry wheel nuts)
Was this through applying an axial rather than rotary load? I've seen sockets broken like this when trying to remove a tight wheel nut - the trick is to support the lever with a second jack or whatever so it's only turning and not applying a sideways load to the socket.
Din Spec for a 19mm 1/2" drive socket is (6pt or 12pt) 531Nm, or 391 lbft. So Halfords fail the cut.
Cheapo socket sets (ala Argos and the like) tend to come in 12 point (bi-hex) only where as more expensive stuff you either get a choice or 6 pointed only, generally this is why a 6 pointed socket has thicker walls than a 12 sided one. If you think about it, a 12 sided socket is basically a
6 sided one with more metal cut away (i.e. the extra 6 points) so if it has thinner walls it is not as strong as the 6 sided socket (assuming all other factors are equal i.e. material, heat treatment and design).When a nut is a bit non-hexagonal (rounded off a bit or rusted away) or very tight, a six sided socket will distort less than the equivilant 12 pointed
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.