Please help me purchase right socket set

[Vinivine]

Hello guys,

I currently have 1/4" Bahco (SL25L) set which covers sizes 4-13mm, both shallow and deep.
Not too long ago I have also purchased 1/2" Bahco (S240) set which covers sizes 10-24mm, 27mm, 30mm and 32mm, but no deep sockets. But even without 1/2" deep sockets I call it a complete set as it suits me well.

I am looking to buy myself a new 3/8" socket set as quiet often 1/4" is just too small and 1/2" is way too big.
I was looking at the 3/8 Bahco (S330L) which covers sizes 10-20mm and 22mm, both shallow and deep.

I was reading a little bit on this forums and Halfords Advanced sets seem to be highly recommended. I was looking online and the 200pc set seem to have all I would need I guess. Today I visited Halfords shop and had a look at these sets and wow the 200pc set is massive! I think its too big for me to comfortably work with around my car.

I am not sure what to get. I was wondering if its worth to have all separate sets as oppose to all in one case like Halfords Advanced. I want to get something that will cover all my needs when working on my car.
Can anyone help out please?

[Scrump]

The halfords 200pc set would duplicate some of what you already have.
Why not just buy a 3/8 halfords advanced set if you want to move away from bahco?

[NMNeil]

It depends on the size of the fittings on your car. Most often used metric for me was 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 19mm.
3/8" is strong enough for most exterior engine work, but often for suspension parts or engine internals I would use 1/2", then you start going into the 17, 19, 21, 22, 27, 32, 35mm sizes
Saying this, I often had every socket except the right one when working on cars

[Belle427]

I would just go for the 3/8 set that suits your needs, either bacho or Halfords if they do one.
You can never have too many good tools!

[MB140]

Also if you can get your hands on a halford trade card you can get good discounts. I used my HNC qualification to get my trade card.

Worth a look to see if you can get one.

[Oldandslow]

One thing I'd say is that standard socket sets include an awful lot of 12 point sockets. These are OK if you're working on new cars that haven't seen much weather.

My best investment was a set of deep impact sockets and a breaker bar. Nothing handles old rusty fixings better. 6 points and they don't stretch, hammer them on if they don't fit the crumbly brown lump that used to be a bolt head. I have basically left any 12 point sockets gathering dust as there's really no point trying them.

[NMNeil]

If you can get some that are colour coded.
Very useful if you are under a car and you don't have to try and read the size when it's chrome on chrome
https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/sockets-r...

[Smint]

Sometimes dragging a socket set around is a PITA, handier is a socket rail or two.
I tend to lay my 1/2" sockets on a rail beside whatever i'm working on, and keep the smaller drive set close by for jobs with less room to work with.

I always use 1/2" drive if possible, everything's stronger and stiffer than the 3/8 or 1/4 drives, when undoing tight bolts you want complete control not finding the first few degrees of pressure are winding longer extensions up.

Also, always buy 6 sided sockets whenever you can, much less chance of rounding off nuts and bolts, also have a set of impact sockets which can stand abuse. Screwfix sell a half decent set of sockets some of which are deep as well, mixture of 1/2 and 3/8th drive in the set, none have broken yet and driven by my impact gun i seldom get a bolt snap off.

The Halfords big set is good value when it's on offer, if you bought that and a rail or two you could leave the main set in your garage and clip the sockets most likely needed for the job being tackled onto the rail.
Never dispose of any extensions even if you think you won't ever need them, sometimes you get a job where due to lack of room you'll be swapping extensions and sockets about as the titems unscrew, a perfect example of this is when replacing spark plugs on a boxer engined Subaru which are a hand width from the chassis rails.

[Oldandslow]

Smint said:

Never dispose of any extensions even if you think you won't ever need them.

+1 and also any converters like 3/8 to 1/4 drive etc. There's always some job that due to restricted access will require the Frankensteining together of various size sockets, extensions, wobble extensions and UJ's

[B'stard Child]

Oldandslow said:

Smint said:

Never dispose of any extensions even if you think you won't ever need them.

+1 and also any converters like 3/8 to 1/4 drive etc. There's always some job that due to restricted access will require the Frankensteining together of various size sockets, extensions, wobble extensions and UJ's

I agree I have more extensions and UJ's than sockets

Splitting an automatic gearbox bell housing from an engine I once used all of them and my head (and driver) at that point was under the diff

[Vinivine]

Thanks guys for all replies! I considered all you have said.
Halfords doesnt have any discount at the moment. I will see if I can get signed up for a trade card.
For the time being I have ordered 3/8" Bahco set which includes deep sockets. I think it will be better for now to have all 3 sets same brand.
Once Halfords is on discount, I will look to replace all with Advanced set as wareanty seem to be a good option and then I will keep the Bahco sets as a backup.

What deep impact sockets and breaker bar are you recommending to get?

Thanks.

[Captain Answer]

Vinivine said:

Thanks guys for all replies! I considered all you have said.
Halfords doesnt have any discount at the moment. I will see if I can get signed up for a trade card.
For the time being I have ordered 3/8" Bahco set which includes deep sockets. I think it will be better for now to have all 3 sets same brand.
Once Halfords is on discount, I will look to replace all with Advanced set as wareanty seem to be a good option and then I will keep the Bahco sets as a backup.

What deep impact sockets and breaker bar are you recommending to get?

Thanks.

Keep what you have now, no need to replace what you have unless it gets damanged/worn - just add to it

Impacts I would go 1/2 inch personally, if you are just doing home jobs no need going into getting snap on etc

This is a nice set of 1/2 inch shallow sockets from halfords, I chucked them onto a rail - https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/modular-...

These Hilka deep impacts are decent, and a good range of sizes
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hilka-01151202-2-inch-Imp...

1/2 inch ratchet https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/sockets-...

600m length 1/2 inch breaker - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-AK730-Breaker-600m...

[Smint]

B'stard Child said:

I agree I have more extensions and UJ's than sockets

Splitting an automatic gearbox bell housing from an engine I once used all of them and my head (and driver) at that point was under the diff

T shirt gained there back when me hair was still brown.

80's Toyota Supra manual, top bell housing bolt 14mm but very shallow bolt heads meaning the typical combination spanner slipped off easily, could not get enough grip on the top bolt given its position in situ, ended up tilting engine and box right back and same as you going in over the top using every extension i owned plus a 6 sided Snap On socket and my trusty 30 year old Teng ratchet from right behind the box, did wonder if i'd end up grinding the blinking thing off.

[B'stard Child]

Smint said:

B'stard Child said:

I agree I have more extensions and UJ's than sockets

Splitting an automatic gearbox bell housing from an engine I once used all of them and my head (and driver) at that point was under the diff

T shirt gained there back when me hair was still brown.

80's Toyota Supra manual, top bell housing bolt 14mm but very shallow bolt heads meaning the typical combination spanner slipped off easily, could not get enough grip on the top bolt given its position in situ, ended up tilting engine and box right back and same as you going in over the top using every extension i owned plus a 6 sided Snap On socket and my trusty 30 year old Teng ratchet from right behind the box, did wonder if i'd end up grinding the blinking thing off.

Pretty much same for me - we were doing a torque converter swap on an E65 760iL

Top two gearbox bolts were really tough to get at and Will wouldn’t allow me to use the grinder

[rxe]

Vinivine said:

Thanks guys for all replies! I considered all you have said.
Halfords doesnt have any discount at the moment. I will see if I can get signed up for a trade card.
For the time being I have ordered 3/8" Bahco set which includes deep sockets. I think it will be better for now to have all 3 sets same brand.
Once Halfords is on discount, I will look to replace all with Advanced set as wareanty seem to be a good option and then I will keep the Bahco sets as a backup.

What deep impact sockets and breaker bar are you recommending to get?

Thanks.

The Halfords sets are good value, but I’s guess your Bahco gear is probably better. The Halfords ratchets in particular are utter dogst - they work, but loads of slop and when you really need to be turning some exhaust nut 1/80th of a turn at a time, they won’t do. I would stick with the Bahco, and get additional sockets when you have a need - stick to a make, and build a set. I’d recommend Koken as an oddball choice, but there are loads of options;

[Chris32345]

Oldandslow said:

One thing I'd say is that standard socket sets include an awful lot of 12 point sockets. These are OK if you're working on new cars that haven't seen much weather.

My best investment was a set of deep impact sockets and a breaker bar. Nothing handles old rusty fixings better. 6 points and they don't stretch, hammer them on if they don't fit the crumbly brown lump that used to be a bolt head. I have basically left any 12 point sockets gathering dust as there's really no point trying them.

What's sets?
Halfords advanced?.if so the 12 points socket where removed about 2 years ago when they updated them pretty much all the old sets will be gone by now

[Oldandslow]

Fair enough, my Halfords set is quite old, but impact sockets are still better for those stubborn, rusty fixings. You used to get a small selection of impact sockets but I needed additional to cover more sizes especially the odd "in betweens" like 16 and 18mm.