What socket set?

[Tom D]

I just bought a 3/4" drive Facom set for about £350, its good stuff..

 

The halfords professional range is ok but is massively let down by the papier mache boxes that they come in. No point having good tools if they are all rolling around in the back of the landy / lost in the woods.

[leedeerman]

Having bought the Halfords pro socket and spanner set when it was on special offer, it's OK but I can't say much more than that about it imo, I have a fair bit of Clarke professional socket set gear and that has been abused like mad but still in very good condition, and have proved their worth on worn bolt heads.

I would like Snap-on but have a bad habit of not putting tools away properly when we have a break down in the field and losing them, so would be insane for me to spend too much money on tools.

The only thing I do intend to treat myself to soon is a Snap-on torque wrench as I am sick of inaccurate poor quality one's.

their torque wrenches are not that great, they come close to failing a calibration test even when new, a good pass should be + or - 2%, snap will be close to 5, and those from the market are about 15%! The ones to get are Norbar, they can be repaired and easily adjustable.

[aspenarb]

On the breakages side and forgetting the whats best argument for a minute I think intended use comes into play. A 3/8" drive 19mm socket and ratchet thats trying to undo a seized solid nut or bolt is going to break, this becomes 1/2" drive territory . The same applies to the 1/2" drive with a seized bolt on a towbar using a 24mm socket, if its not going to undo with reasonable force you need to move up to 3/4" drive. We have all done it:blushing: and then bitched about quality, properly used even the modern cheap stuff will do for in the field work.

 

Bob

 

I try to keep the kit I carry down to bare bones but you just end up with it all in there anyway so its sockets sets from inch drive down and spanners from 50mm down.

 

 

Edited May 24, 2015 by aspenarb

[jARBy]

Another vote for Halfords - pro...

Im not a mechanic but my lamping truck is forever requiring work so they get a bit of use, and have done me really well.

 

Snap on are great, but the price is just too much for the occasional user.

[crawley park]

On the breakages side and forgetting the whats best argument for a minute I think intended use comes into play. A 3/8" drive 19mm socket and ratchet thats trying to undo a seized solid nut or bolt is going to break, this becomes 1/2" drive territory . The same applies to the 1/2" drive with a seized bolt on a towbar using a 24mm socket, if its not going to undo with reasonable force you need to move up to 3/4" drive. We have all done it:blushing: and then bitched about quality, properly used even the modern cheap stuff will do for in the field work.

 

Bob

 

I try to keep the kit I carry down to bare bones but you just end up with it all in there anyway so its sockets sets from inch drive down and spanners from 50mm down.

 

 

 

Wouldn't want to be in your truck doing an emergency stop:biggrin:, but then thinking about it you would probably not stop:laugh1:

[cornish wood burner]

Aspenarb your first job tomorrow should be to fit a divider between your seats and tools. Even a slow speed front end collision could be fatal with that lot coming at you. It might not be your fault but you would reap the consequences.

[MATTMOSS]

Aspenarb your first job tomorrow should be to fit a divider between your seats and tools. Even a slow speed front end collision could be fatal with that lot coming at you. It might not be your fault but you would reap the consequences.

 

Yes I suggest your dividing wall should be about 4 bricks thick

[ally]

has anyone tried the draper vortex/halfords vortex pass-through style socket sets ? I can see where they would be handy , as long as it stands up to tough jobs .

[mendiplogs]

has anyone tried the draper vortex/halfords vortex pass-through style socket sets ? I can see where they would be handy , as long as it stands up to tough jobs .

 

Hi ALLY just taken back to halfords Advanced screwdriver they changed over in five minutes brilliant service thanks John

[ally]

Hi John , that's good to know . They have a sale on just now , think I'll try a set off them .

 

Cheers