Wrench set?

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tripreed

tripreed

10 Year
Joined
Nov 19, 2014
Threads
8
Messages
166
Location
Birmingham
Hi guys,

I will preface this by saying that I have done very little work on a vehicle before. In fact, the extent of my experience is probably changing light bulbs. However, after getting a 100 Series back in December, and finding this forum, I've become incredibly impressed at how many people are able to do serious work on their own vehicles. Since I feel like I'm pretty intelligent, and have at least some mechanical knowledge (primarily from disassembling/reassembling firearms), I am interested in starting to do a little bit of my own wrenching, starting with a dead O2 sensor.

So, my question to everyone is what sort of wrenches I need. Should I get a 10- or 20-piece set, or should I just buy them piecemeal as I need them? Should I go for ones from Harbor Freight, or Home Depot, or should I invest in really nice ones? Are there any special features/attributes that I ought to look for or avoid?

I'd really appreciate any input. Thanks.
 
The great American debate! I like to buy one tool--one time. I would still stay with Made in USA tools. You can pass them down to your children. When I started buying tools in the sixties, it was Craftsmen. I'm glad I bought them then, they went over seas and quality went down.

J.H. Williams are a good brand and buy the sets, you'll be money ahead. Do the research before buying.
 
I appreciate the responses, guys. If I bought a set, would something around a 20-piece be sufficient, with a mixture of SAE and metric? I've already got a ratchet kit, fortunately. Speaking of which, are the ratcheting wrenches worth the extra price?
 
In my opinion, I wouldn't get the ratcheting wrenches until you have a full set of reg. wrenches. Someday you will have a job that will require a ratchet wrench, Us older guys got by without them for years, but they do come in handy.

Look for the most common sizes. SAE.. 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1. you can always buy single wrenches when needed.
Metric..9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21.
 
scrapdaddy said:
In my opinion, I wouldn't get the ratcheting wrenches until you have a full set of reg. wrenches. Someday you will have a job that will require a ratchet wrench, Us older guys got by without them for years, but they do come in handy.

Look for the most common sizes. SAE.. 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1. you can always buy single wrenches when needed.
Metric..9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much, I appreciate the advice.
 
My local Sears is liquidating there gear wrench name brand wrenches to replace them with their own version

I got metric and standard combo pack for $55. Always wanted a set and they were inexpensive.

If you don't mind hand me downs hit up Craigslist lots of people selling estates and mechanics selling doubles.
 
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Kdt/gear wrench are decent. I wouldn't buy anything from harbor freight, Irwin or husky. Snap on flank drive plus wrenches are the best in the industry.
 
I worked with guys who used the long handled HF wrenches routinely while working on extremely large mining equipt, and plenty of hf impact sockets. I have a set at home, never used them at work, like them though. Yes I have truck brand tools as well.

For the average guy with no experience, HF is great. Get a variety of tools for low cost that are decent and can let you start working on your cruiser. There are some HF tools that aren't worth a fxxx though.

I have a ton of HF stuff for trail tools. Been considering buying a set of HF ratchet wrenches but the gear wrench combo sets are about the same price at sears right now.
 
maxamillion2345 said:
I worked with guys who used the long handled HF wrenches routinely while working on extremely large mining equipt, and plenty of hf impact sockets. I have a set at home, never used them at work, like them though. Yes I have truck brand tools as well.

For the average guy with no experience, HF is great. Get a variety of tools for low cost that are decent and can let you start working on your cruiser. There are some HF tools that aren't worth a **** though.

I have a ton of HF stuff for trail tools. Been considering buying a set of HF ratchet wrenches but the gear wrench combo sets are about the same price at sears right now.
Click to expand...

My biggest complaint with HF tools is that the quality seems to be hit or miss. Are there specific ones that you know are crap ans should be avoided?
 
Yes. I find their pliers suck. Adjustable end wrenches suck. Screwdrivers -- depends on which ones. Pry bars suck. Snap ring pliers are s***. Tap and die sets suck. Snips suck.

Their air tools work but don't expect them to last forever. There is a huge difference in performance and quality between my IR and my HF air tools, but good way to get started if you need something for a one off project and you're not a hobby mechanic or more.

Wrenches (professional series) are good to go. I know a lot of people who aren't huge fans of that flank drive snap-on s*** anyway... I'd use a set of their ratchet wrenches at home but why bother when you can get a set of gear wrench for the same price. They're not the best but they work fine.

Impact driver for as often as you'll need one is okay. Digital calipers work good. Hex bit and torx sockets are better than craftsman. Chisels work.

Ratchets, roto head!, and breaker bars are surprisingly decent. Gotta go for the pro stuff though in all of this. Chain hoist has been surprisingly decent, it's no harrington but...

Impact sockets are great, impact wobblys work.

Floor jacks are decent. Stands are decent. Presses are decent. Hoists are decent. Chain falls are okay. Chain hoists are okay.

Torque wrenches are supposedly decent.

Pick set is enough for most people.

Garage journal has a huge thread on hit and miss HF tools. I've used and/or own craftsman/HF and a truck brand of most tools and in most cases where the HF stuff works well it works better than craftsman. You're not getting professional tools, in most cases, but for the guy just getting into working on his own stuff HF is great and I wouldn't waste the money elsewhere.

HF has a pretty damn good warranty too. Check out garage journal though for anything you're considering buying. Also look at reviews on their website, pretty good indication of whether it works or not.

I'm not the end all be all but I know a little about wrenching professionally and a large amount of my friends are mechanics, and diesel/heavy equipt at that, so this is just my opinion and experiences and I'd like to think I'm decently qualified to share that opinion.
 
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Gear Wrench flex head ratcheting box ends. 8 - 19 mm. If you can get a set from Sears, that is what I use almost exclusively.
You'll need sockets 8 - 24 mm. 6 point for larger sizes. Look for a proper sized front hub socket, my 60 uses 54 mm. I don't know 100's.
I like Snap-On ratcheting screwdriver, 3 reasons - when I remove over 400 screws from an airplane the bits are good quality and
don't strip the heads, also the ratchet is quite fine, and smooth. The magnet works always, I hate dropping screws when I have to reach.
Get a headset flashlight, so you can see under the dash when you're looking for fuses, etc.
 
I have the snap on Ratchet screw driver, it's $50-60 but it's worth it.

I like how the bits store in the handle.
 
Here ya go: perfect set for a cruiserhead! On Craigslist this very a.m....

:grinpimp:





Capture.webp
 
Check out the Harbor Freight Pass/Fail thread on garagejournal.com. It gives lots of reviews for each tool you might be considering - separates the wheat from the chaff

Personally I am a Made in America professional tool guy and have bought almost all of my stuff on fleaBay. The professional tools (ratchets, screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.) feel great in your hand, are reliable, and have lifetime warranties. I have a lot of HF too -- mainly for stuff I don't use very often. I don't buy HF if there is a potential safety issue (see the YouTube video on HF pry bar breaking) or if it is mission critical / cannot fail tool.

Having said that, I did part out an 80 series with a Husky (Home Depot) socket set and a few screwdrivers. So echo one of the previous comments: buy a bunch of HF stuff and upgrade piece by piece on the stuff you use a lot and/or break.

Good luck and remember, you can never have enough tools!!!
 
I'd say if you have the funds, start buying nice items. I use a lot of harbor freight, but like others have stated the quality varies. I haven't had a problem with their fixed wrenches and ratchets/sockets, and I've cranked on that stuff. But if you'll be using your tools and applying a lot of pressure, might be best to get something else. Sucks busting your body because a tool broke.

When I buy nicer stuff, I move the HF stuff to another toolbox as a backup and stuff I can loan and not worry about.
 
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I got a big HF tool set on sale which was a great deal. I mostly got it for easy travelling mode -just throw in truck idea- but specifically that one because it included a large number of big sockets that are not normally seen in the usual Craftsman type sets and especially because -unlike most- it had many 6 points sockets which I like to have for serious cranking. Have not used it much yet, cuz I got so many other ones, but had to go to it for the odd nut that I could not have gotten off otherwise. I did in fact measure the slop on some sockets and it was better than most of my other brand sockets. The "fixed" tools look just fine. Don't know about the ratchets but other HFs I have have been fine. I can say though that the plastic box has crappy latches that won't last long. But a strap took care of that.
 
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