Socket / Torque Wrench Recommendations Please
Discussion
My son's asked for a socket set and torque wrench for Xmas as he wants to start doing work / upgrades on his car like suspension etc. so I'm looking for some recommendations.
I've bought the B&Q £30 home jobbie in the past for myself but probably looking for something a step up, not to pro level / expense but something intermediate that will be fine for a hobbyist.
I like the idea of a set in a box including spanners as much as anything to keep it all in one place / convenience as he lives in a small flat but I get the strips of sockets ar probably better quality?
Any help / recommendations inclusing the sort of length torque wrench you'd get would be much appreciated.
I've bought the B&Q £30 home jobbie in the past for myself but probably looking for something a step up, not to pro level / expense but something intermediate that will be fine for a hobbyist.
I like the idea of a set in a box including spanners as much as anything to keep it all in one place / convenience as he lives in a small flat but I get the strips of sockets ar probably better quality?
Any help / recommendations inclusing the sort of length torque wrench you'd get would be much appreciated.
I would recommend a Halfords Advanced socket set. Reason being is that, despite the cost, they're a good quality set of tools. The Halfords Advanced range has a lifetime warranty and I've used that a few times with no quibble.
I've owned my HA socket set (it was the £100 one back in 2017) for four years. I will upgrade it at some point soon, but for now it's still absolutely fine. One of the ratchets stopped ratcheting and I took it to my nearest store (with the rest of the set, just in case) and I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. No need for proof of purchase (in my case, at least).
I also own the HA breaker bar (20 inch or so, I think!), as well as a few odd spanners and special brake union spanners as well.
As an aside, I use Ryobi for power tools and have found them brilliant. I have a 6 way charger, two 4ah and one 2ah batteries, a drill, impact wrench and garden strimmer. It's almost disposable because of the price. 3 year warranty with that lot.
No affiliation, just a happy customer with those!
I've owned my HA socket set (it was the £100 one back in 2017) for four years. I will upgrade it at some point soon, but for now it's still absolutely fine. One of the ratchets stopped ratcheting and I took it to my nearest store (with the rest of the set, just in case) and I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. No need for proof of purchase (in my case, at least).
I also own the HA breaker bar (20 inch or so, I think!), as well as a few odd spanners and special brake union spanners as well.
As an aside, I use Ryobi for power tools and have found them brilliant. I have a 6 way charger, two 4ah and one 2ah batteries, a drill, impact wrench and garden strimmer. It's almost disposable because of the price. 3 year warranty with that lot.
No affiliation, just a happy customer with those!
If Hilka stuff is as good as it was 45 years ago when I bought mine, I'd recommend that.
Else the Halfords Pro stuff (as recommended above) is (surprisingly) quite good. I have some odds and ends (sockets, ring spanners and an entire ratchet ring spanner set) from them, and they don't seem to be made of the usual Chinese Cheesium.
Else the Halfords Pro stuff (as recommended above) is (surprisingly) quite good. I have some odds and ends (sockets, ring spanners and an entire ratchet ring spanner set) from them, and they don't seem to be made of the usual Chinese Cheesium.
I've still got most of the Teng set from some 30 or maybe 40 years ago, the three normal sized ratchets have worked and abused on countless vehicles and still going strong with the occasional oiling.
Unless the Halford set are on special offer, they arn't that cheap but when on offer are good value indeed, my daughter has the large set, but tbh its a pain dragging a large socket set around all the time you either plonk it on the ground and it fills with rain or you need a large secure flat surface off the ground which you don't tend to find near the car if working outside, again the same water problem with our weather.
I keep instead a couple of rails of 6 sided high quality sockets ( as above always buy and use 6 sided sockets whenever possible), a normal set in 1/2" drive and a normal and deep set in 3/8th drive, have umpteen varying length extensions for both, on most jobs i know which drive size i'll need so only need to carry the rail, socket and general extenison plus a roll of spanners.
Roll of spanners most useful, have ring combo and open ended of great variance in the one roll, think i got those from Cromwell Tools some 30 years ago.
Bought have a set of ratchet spanners bought a few years ago but can count on one hand the number of times they've been needed.
Unless the Halford set are on special offer, they arn't that cheap but when on offer are good value indeed, my daughter has the large set, but tbh its a pain dragging a large socket set around all the time you either plonk it on the ground and it fills with rain or you need a large secure flat surface off the ground which you don't tend to find near the car if working outside, again the same water problem with our weather.
I keep instead a couple of rails of 6 sided high quality sockets ( as above always buy and use 6 sided sockets whenever possible), a normal set in 1/2" drive and a normal and deep set in 3/8th drive, have umpteen varying length extensions for both, on most jobs i know which drive size i'll need so only need to carry the rail, socket and general extenison plus a roll of spanners.
Roll of spanners most useful, have ring combo and open ended of great variance in the one roll, think i got those from Cromwell Tools some 30 years ago.
Bought have a set of ratchet spanners bought a few years ago but can count on one hand the number of times they've been needed.
I’m going to go along with everyone else and say that Halfords Advanced is probably the best bet. Decent quality, and wait for the regular offers and the price gets cut in half. You won’t have to wait long for such an offer so don’t rush in. There are also stores all over the country where you can get extra pieces, and/or get any broken bits replaced. Can’t really go too far wrong.
Halfords Advanced sockets don't bear on the corners so you're much less likely to round a bolt than with a standard 12pt socket. I'd personally prefer 12pt sockets than bear on the flats, as HA do, than be terminally frustrated by 6pt sockets for everyday use.
Get a cheap set of 6pt impact sockets if you think you might round something or are using an impact driver. I've got Lidl impact sockets and they take a shedload of abuse from a 240v impact driver and none have failed me.
I mostly use Teng for normal use and they're fine (and not the price of Strap-on or Beta) but the few Halfords Advanced sockets I've got are arguably better and definitely a lot cheaper.
Blokes at my current work all buy snap-on, mostly cos the van comes round to take another chunk of their monthly wage but it's handy for them and it's full of shiny kit, ooooh aaah, shuddup and take my money. But a few of them have the Halfords Advanced 200pc set in the boot of the car - "if you can't fix it with that, you won't fix it at the roadside," and think they're more than fine.
They're not using them daily, but then neither are you, and they've got a great warranty that you'll struggle to beat elsewhere. And if they do break Halfords is open for exchanges a lot more than a motor factors or the ebay seller you bought something else from, so you're without the tool for much less time.
Get a cheap set of 6pt impact sockets if you think you might round something or are using an impact driver. I've got Lidl impact sockets and they take a shedload of abuse from a 240v impact driver and none have failed me.
I mostly use Teng for normal use and they're fine (and not the price of Strap-on or Beta) but the few Halfords Advanced sockets I've got are arguably better and definitely a lot cheaper.
Blokes at my current work all buy snap-on, mostly cos the van comes round to take another chunk of their monthly wage but it's handy for them and it's full of shiny kit, ooooh aaah, shuddup and take my money. But a few of them have the Halfords Advanced 200pc set in the boot of the car - "if you can't fix it with that, you won't fix it at the roadside," and think they're more than fine.
They're not using them daily, but then neither are you, and they've got a great warranty that you'll struggle to beat elsewhere. And if they do break Halfords is open for exchanges a lot more than a motor factors or the ebay seller you bought something else from, so you're without the tool for much less time.
Another vote for Halfords Advanced. Thier sets are generally pretty good and cover most of the sizes you want. The 1/4" ratchet failed in my set and they replaced without quibble or even wanting to see the receipt. Farnborough store didn't have one in stock so they phoned round local stores and Farnham put one aside for me to collect, so it was replaced within about an hour of me breaking it.
Oh and OP your son might need screwdrivers, if you're after some I'd recommend Kennedy Pro, they do some with a non tapered flat blade which can be really useful for very tight spots, and a decent range of lengths. I got a 12 piece set for 30 quid quite recently, the best range of screwies I've owned. I'm sure there are better ones but these look a good starter set for sensible money.
FNG said:
Halfords Advanced sockets don't bear on the corners so you're much less likely to round a bolt than with a standard 12pt socket. I'd personally prefer 12pt sockets than bear on the flats, as HA do, than be terminally frustrated by 6pt sockets for everyday use.
HA deffo does, or has done, 12pt sockets as well as the 6ps options?RizzoTheRat said:
Another vote for Halfords Advanced. The 1/4" ratchet ...
The little 1/4" only set, which predates it being even Halfords Pro let along Advanced, is bloody brillent.Had mine most of my life, much be knocking on 20 years now, including originally it being my only socket set so especially as it does up to 13mm, has been used on plenty of things it shouldn't really. Cant fault it at all!
Just been on, and they have actually changed the box layout slightly. in the last few years, but this.
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s...
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