Tools - Sockets, wrenchs, spanners etc

[theduck]

This weekend has made me decide I need some new tools for working on cars with. My collection currently consists of a B&Q special automotive kit, which served me well, untill it came to this weekend and I realised it didnt have sockets big enough for me needs.

I therefore treated myself to a set from wickes for £20 that had a half inch rathchet, breaker bar, a few sockets and a couple of extensions. I knew that for £20 it was never going to be amazing, but I expected it to be better thatn it was. The ratchet broke first time I adjusted it and the 17mm socket broke when I used it with the breaker bar, subsequtly round the head on the nut in the process

Thats now been returned and I am left still needing some new tools. I've come to think that maybe the B&Q set I have isnt too bad, and that maybe I just need some more sockets to go with it, or maybe a half inch drive ratcher and some of the larger sockets missing from what i have at the moment (Currently have upto 17mm) and get some spanners, as I currently dont have any spanners at all.

Your thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Want to spend as little as is realistically possible, and am happy to buy good quality second hand stuff if thats the best way for me to get what I need.

 

[sideways danny]

I dont think you can beat Halfords for occassional use tools. I often need a single odd socket and halfords always has what i need

 

[Matt Cup]

This seems very good value for money

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...DCAT_ESPOTMAIN_165532-_-07-AUG10-WORKSHOP-M-1

Also when I popped into Euro Car Parts last week they had an offer on a Sealey Tool Box/Drawers and a load of tools worth £700+ for £300? I know that is probably a bit more than you'd like to spend but it seemed a bargain TBH.

 

[mark123]

Halfords professional stuff is pretty good for the home mechanic.

Loads of tool web sites, I use www.tooled-up.com mostly. Always had good service.

 

[Djw John]

Ditto to the halfords professional range. Has done me well in the last 10 years!

 

[theduck]

This seems very good value for money

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...DCAT_ESPOTMAIN_165532-_-07-AUG10-WORKSHOP-M-1

Also when I popped into Euro Car Parts last week they had an offer on a Sealey Tool Box/Drawers and a load of tools worth £700+ for £300? I know that is probably a bit more than you'd like to spend but it seemed a bargain TBH.

I actually had a look at that in halfords earlier and couldnt work out if it was the range that came with the lifetime guarantee or not. Is much more tempting now I know it is!

 

[Will.]

I'm tempted by that set. I need something as I always have to borrow off people

 

[Bluebeard]

iFail.

 

[Pep]

I have that halfords set.
Has pretty much everything you'll need apart from proper specialist tools, but the quality isn't what I expected. Broke 2 ratchets so a decent breaker bar is needed along side it really.

Not bad for the cash though, the RRP is stupid for it though!

 

[blambert]

There's some chunky discounts on all Draper stuff on Amazon at the moment. I'd never pay the RRP but with those discounts just picked up a torque wrench and socket set.

For example: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node=114414031&field-keywords=draper+socket&x=0&y=0

 

[jenic]

Halfords advanced stuff is cracking, no questions asked exchange when you break something

 

[Pep]

Halfords advanced stuff is cracking, no questions asked exchange when you break something

Apart from ratchets, which aren't all they're cracked upto be in my opinion.
Had loads of torx bits snap as well under light use, and yes they do replace those easily, but if the cars in bits when they break then it's annoying as hell!

 

[Benny06]

Also a £10 voucher when you spend £50 plus in store to use from the 20 Sept to the 12 Oct I think. Doesn't need to be part of a sale over X amount or anything like that. Effectively a £10 gift voucher!

Spend a fair bit in there on two different occasions so have myself £20 'credit' to use

 

[jenic]

Apart from ratchets, which aren't all they're cracked upto be in my opinion.
Had loads of torx bits snap as well under light use, and yes they do replace those easily, but if the cars in bits when they break then it's annoying as hell!

Dont have the ratchets, just sockets and spanners. Use my grandads really old ratchets and they never fail. Dont make em like they used to!

 

[Rob]

Mr duck, buy the £99.99 halfords pro set, pretty good set of tools really

 

[theduck]

Thanks for all the help guys. Now not sure what to buy though. Do I get:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9RZ8/?tag=cliospnet01-21
and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9QEA/?tag=cliospnet01-21

Which I think has everything that I would need from the Halfords set, but is half the prive, and I could maybe then get torque wrench as well? Or is there something else maybe I could add?


OR do I just get the Halfords one?

 

[James28]

As said, my first tool kit I've recently got for working on my car is the Halfords professional 150 Piece socket set, which comes with pretty much everything, and its really good quality too, in an easy case. It's £99.99 half price at the moment I think

 

[Will.]

How much is that on trade card?

 

[daddycool]

i agree with getting the 150 piece halfords set. i think its always half price at £99, should be better value than the 120 piece set, but i don't know what the extra 30 pieces are. it has the lifetime guarantee. i would buy this if i needed a new tool kit, or if i had a spare £100 laying around. i've got most tools, but i'd prefer having this in its plastic case, rather than a massive toolbox full of bits to lug around.

 

[Mark One]

I've got one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DRAPER-29362-...-1-2-/110414886617?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment

I've really abused this kit (extension bars on ratchet, impact gun on sockets etc) i've never had any problems at all. You might occasionally notice a bit of a 'nose' on the sockets that's annoying when bolt heads are really flat (very rare) and also the ratchet is not the finest, but, at this price, for all metric sizes, you can't go wrong.

 

[sideways danny]

I rate Draper stuff also, my 3/8th set lasted me years until i broke the on/off switch on the ratchet. I still use the sockets

 

[theduck]

Thats the one I linked to on Amazon. Tempted to get that and the draper 11 piece spanner set. Is it worth getting a torque wrench while I'm at it?

 

[sideways danny]

Is it worth getting a torque wrench while I'm at it?

depends what you're doing really. i use mine all the time, but that's on torque sensitive bolts like bottom pulley, bearing cams, wheel bolts. you need more than one size to cover everything too.

 

[Danny133]

i have this one

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9QEA/?tag=cliospnet01-21


bargain for what it is

 

[theduck]

Wont bother then, think I'll order those Draper bits.

 

[Danny133]

i also have these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001KA0CM/?tag=cliospnet01-21

.. it doesnt include a 16mm or a 9mm though so i bought them seperate on ebay for £5 each brand new

 

[Danny133]

duck before u order see my above posts ....

 

[theduck]

Just seen that. Will want most those anyway so will add some singles to the order.

 

[Danny133]

ebay and amazon are the cheapest places.

Amazon are cheapest for the 2 items i listed above.

Singles are cheaper on ebay for sure

 

[Gaz.]

Halfords stuff is OK, but the multi point sockets are w**k for anything remotely rusty and you will end up using the free warranty as you'll snap things.

 

[theduck]

Ok one final question!

Do I go for this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001FCJTBI/?tag=cliospnet01-21

or

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0001K9QEA/?tag=cliospnet01-21

 

[Danny133]

2nd one .. more bits and its cheaper

 

[theduck]

the 1/2" drive not worth the extra?

 

[Danny133]

not £17 odd extra with the postage no lol

 

[blambert]

Remember to sign up for the Amazon Prime trial for free shipping... if they still do it.

 

[Mark One]

Are you working on cars? A/F sizes not really required surely.

The deep sockets can be handy, but you can often work around by not fully fitting the socket on the ratchet. My advice would be get this
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DRAPER-29362-...-1-2-/110414886617?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment

or failing that, the 69670 you've listed above.

edit; Having said that, your 69670 comes with 2 extensions which will be handy. So it's 6 of one and half dozen of the other.

 

[Danny133]

I chose the 18970 because it has all the metric sizes.

It has extension bars.

Ok its a 1/4 ratchet BUT its a good quality one and you can pick up a draper expert 1/2 ratchet for under £20 if you get pissed off with 1/4

 

[Rob]

Thanks for all the help guys. Now not sure what to buy though. Do I get:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9RZ8/?tag=cliospnet01-21
and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0001K9QEA/?tag=cliospnet01-21

Which I think has everything that I would need from the Halfords set, but is half the prive, and I could maybe then get torque wrench as well? Or is there something else maybe I could add?


OR do I just get the Halfords one?

With the Halfords kit you get torx bits, ratchet spanners and all sorts, quite a bit more than what you just put up, not to mention if you break it, jump in the car, go to Halfords, swap tool for new one. If you break the ratches (which I haven't seen done yet) then they refurb the whole set for £11 or something iirc?

S'up to you though dude.

 

[aucky]

Spot on.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_173083_langId_-1_categoryId_165572

 

[Ste666]

I bought his from halfords last week and i'm anoyed i didn't buy it years ago, it's the ratchet spanner set, apparently it has a lifetime guarantee too ......and at my store it's half price down to £40 at the moment, no more fiddly spanner work in hard to reach places!
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HalfordsProductDetailsLiteView?storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=229913&cm_vc=IOV4PDPZ2&iozone=PDPz2&TB_iframe=true&TB_C_ID=productdetails&TB_C_TITLE=Halfords%20Advanced%20Professional%2033%20Piece%20Ratchet%20Spanner%20Set&width=800