Best socket set besides snap-on (1 Viewer)

[DanMedeiros]

Hi everyone,

I am moving this month and finally have a two car Garage! I just received purchased a huge tool cabinet that is pretty much empty. I need to fill it up.

What is the best quality brand for sockets and wrenches. I have tons of cheep random tools in my 80 for emergency wrenching but want to by a solid kit for the garage. Any suggestions?

 

[Milkm4n]

SK Tools are quality but not much cheaper than snap on.

 

[musthave]

Snap-on is the best. IMHO. Bluepoint is a close 2nd. Williams a close 3rd.

 

[DirtScaresMe]

I have the Gear Wrench 1/2" deep impact sockets, although I only use the typical Toyota sizes. For swivels I have SK's metric set. They've both been great for me, all driven by my monster dewalt 1/2 driver.

 

[Technician1985]

Gearwrench flex head 120t ratchets. You might be able to do better but they are really smooth, cheap, and strong, and I’ve made great use of the flex heads on my 80. They’re as good as snap on in actual use. For 1/2 drive though I’m partial to the SK 17.5” flex head.

For torque wrenches you can get precision instruments 3/8 drive 100-600 in and 1/2 drive 40-250lb for $250 shipped from tool topia. If those are too dear then get the Capri tools ones off amazon.

For sockets I use SK at work and wera at home. Wera isn’t cheap but their sockets are a cut above imo. Get 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 obviously.

For wrenches just do gear wrench, metric XL are nice and the flex head ratcheting wrench set is nice.

For flare nut wrenches piece together a snap on set from eBay or buy a new SK set. Do not cheap out on these.

For extensions you can get long tekton brand extension and wobble extension sets from amazon for small money and they work just fine.

Get Klein or wiha screwdrivers

Channel lock, Klein, knipex pliers.

 

[DanMedeiros]

Trying to find something between Home depot Husky crap and insanely expensive snap-on. C

 

[DirtScaresMe]

SK Tools are quality but not any cheaper than snap on.

My SKs were a bit cheaper than the comparable snapon, and I could order them easier through amazon (I live 3 hours from the closest tool shop).

 

[DirtScaresMe]

Trying to find something between Home depot Husky crap and insanely expensive snap-on. C

Gear Wrench works for me in that area. It will outlast me but I don't need a second mortgage to buy them.

 

[Milkm4n]

My SKs were a bit cheaper than the comparable snapon, and I could order them easier through amazon (I live 3 hours from the closest tool shop).

ya I meant to say not much cheaper

 

[Technician1985]

I should add that imo everything snap on makes besides the flare nut wrenches is a waste of money compared to something else, unless you’re working somewhere the truck comes to you. Someone I know spent a grand on a drill and impact set from the snap on truck that is no better than desalt or Makita sets for 250.

 

[DanMedeiros]

@Technician1985 Awesome. Thanks for the advice

 

[Mudder]

Trying to find something between Home depot Husky crap and insanely expensive snap-on. C

I have hundreds of hours using Home Depot husky and the only one I've ever broken was when I put a 4ft cheater bar on the ratchet. Took it to Home Depot and they have me a new one on the spot. I'd hardly call them crap.

 

[DanMedeiros]

@Mudder I have used them a ton too and they seem to slip or round the nut. Maybe I just suck at wrenching

 

[DirtScaresMe]

Searching my amazon orders these Tekton pry pars are dope, $30.

 

[Mudder]

I bought one of their kits, it has the 3/8 1/2 and 1/4 ratchet. I've used every socket in the box that is a 6 point. I learned my lesson with 12 points very quickly. Were you using 12 point ones?

 

[DirtScaresMe]

I bought one of their kits, it has the 3/8 1/2 and 1/4 ratchet. I've used every socket in the box that is a 6 point. I learned my lesson with 12 points very quickly. Were you using 12 point ones?

Not enough surface area grab on the 12s?

 

[Red Merle]

I should add that imo everything snap on makes besides the flare nut wrenches is a waste of money compared to something else, unless you’re working somewhere the truck comes to you. Someone I know spent a grand on a drill and impact set from the snap on truck that is no better than desalt or Makita sets for 250.

What is the interest rate on Snap-On tools? I see people selling full boxes for what seems like an insane amount of money on CL all the time. My guess is that they either stopped being mechanics or finally ran the numbers and realized that not only was the initial cost exorbitant, by the time they paid the stuff off, it would cost twice as much.

I have a few Snap-On tools and a Matco 3/8" ratchet that I use a lot, but most of what I have is old Craftsman stuff from before they were cheap junk and even some Harbor Freight stuff for oddball sizes that don't get a ton of use. The Snap-On and Matco stuff is nicer, but from a pure function perspective, there isn't that much difference and I can just throw the cheaper tools away and buy new ones several times before I would even get to the cost of one round of the high end tools. I have more than a 1000 hand tools and probably 50-75 power tools and I have learned over the years that as long as it gets the job done, it really doesn't matter that much unless you are doing it for a living and even then, some stuff just wears out, no matter what you buy. I am probably on my tenth set of battery powered drill/driver kits and although I prefer Makita for those tools, they still wear out, which is fine because by the time they do, something nicer is on the market.

 

[AtlWagen]

The sears cross-force wrenches are the box wrench of choice for the discerning wrencher.

 

[DanMedeiros]

I bought one of their kits, it has the 3/8 1/2 and 1/4 ratchet. I've used every socket in the box that is a 6 point. I learned my lesson with 12 points very quickly. Were you using 12 point ones?

Yeah probably

 

[Mudder]

Not enough surface area grab on the 12s?

I haven't used the Husky 12 points unless I've had a 12 point bolt head (ARP) so I can't answer that. I was using an old no brand 12 point and rounded off a brake caliper bolt once is why I only use 6 points now.

I guess this is my take, I own Husky because I can take it to any Home Depot and get a new one if it breaks and I'm too poor for the Snap on. Maybe there some decent middle ones out there but last time I looked I couldn't find anything and settled for Husky again after my last tool kit was stolen. For the weekend wrencher I think any Kobalt/Husky will fit their needs and just buy a better ratchet than the kits come with.

I'll also add, I have a set of gearwrench ratcheting wrenches and those things are the bomb. It makes installing stuff that's hard to get to easy and I'll never not have a set around me anymore.