Spanners heads up

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Discussion

Quinny

Original Poster:

15,814 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Just been to halfords, and picked up a set of 25 professional Spanners from 6mm to 32mm for £50 quid...

£2 quid a spanner for this quality...smile can't be bad


julian64

14,317 posts

253 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
You were robbed. You can go to pretty much any kit car show and pick up a giant set of US pro tool spanners for half that.

Halfords quality is improving, but only slowly and their prices aren't cheap.

I bought a set of through ratchets from halfords. Kept for six months then used one which immediately locked up and wouldn't turn left or right. Took them back under their lifetime guarantee. I spent nearly an hour with one employee after another commng out, fiddling with them and then telling me I'd overtightened something and therefore wasn't covered. I really had to stand my ground to get them to honour the guarantee. So not very impressed.

Barreti

6,680 posts

236 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Ooo spanners. dribble....

Quinny

Original Poster:

15,814 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
julian64 said:
I bought a set of through ratchets from halfords. Kept for six months then used one which immediately locked up and wouldn't turn left or right.
Probably operator errorhehe


Well I've been using halfords professional stuff for years.... Have had a couple of failures (due to abuse) and never had an issue getting a broken item replaced under their lifetime guarantee....

And no matter what you think £2 per item for this kit is good value.... Especially as it includes most inbetween sizes that many TVR's use....

Most of the stuff I've seen at car shows is cheap crap, try taking a broken spanner back to an empty field 2 years on, on a Sunday afternoon.

rhyspw

312 posts

191 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
julian64 said:
You were robbed. You can go to pretty much any kit car show and pick up a giant set of US pro tool spanners for half that.

Halfords quality is improving, but only slowly and their prices aren't cheap.

I bought a set of through ratchets from halfords. Kept for six months then used one which immediately locked up and wouldn't turn left or right. Took them back under their lifetime guarantee. I spent nearly an hour with one employee after another commng out, fiddling with them and then telling me I'd overtightened something and therefore wasn't covered. I really had to stand my ground to get them to honour the guarantee. So not very impressed.
Us pro stuff is total crap, halfords is much better.

s p a c e m a n

10,752 posts

147 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Car boot sales/gumtree/ebay for me. I've had low profile high reach alloy trolley jacks, mac/bluepoint tools, compressors, engine hoists ect. all in perfect condition and cheaper than buying cheap quality new stuff.

A mate even managed to buy an immaculate 4 post lift for £400 from a bootsale biggrin

billynobrakes

2,675 posts

264 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Barreti said:
Ooo spanners. dribble....
Agree and in my hands I can work wonders

Quinny

Original Poster:

15,814 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
I thought it was worth a heads up, due to the set having 15mm, 16"" 18mm and a few other inbbetween sizes, that are often missing from standard sets...smile
A fair few TVR fasteners use these..smile

jamienshelly

1,826 posts

137 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Halfords Advanced/professional or whatever they are are this week are fairly good tools, keep your receipt and you should have no problem if they break (your reciept is your guarantee!).
And nearly every town has one, I admit they are not quite Snap-On quality but for light, diy/hobby use they are perfect. One of the guys i work with has recently bought the same set, we all thought 'bargain' even as 'spares'.
Enjoy them and keep that reciept safe smile

Engineer1949

1,423 posts

143 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
They are good and with my trade discount even better

John

jamienshelly

1,826 posts

137 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Engineer1949 said:
They are good and with my trade discount even better

John
I wouldn't be without mine, saved a fortune in oil and batteries over the years,

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
The problem with those halfords ring spanners is they are bi-hexagonal. If you are working on seized bolts this is a good way to round them quickly.

I thought it was largely mumbo jumbo but since moving to snap-on sockets, with the relieved corners 10 years ago iv had next to zero rounded bolts. The amount of force you can put through them before the loose contact is in a different league.

Quinny

Original Poster:

15,814 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Engineer1949 said:
They are good and with my trade discount even better

John
They were £47.50 with my card smile

jamienshelly

1,826 posts

137 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
There is a massive difference between a £50 set of Halfords spanners and Snap-On. He was merely saying what a bargain it was for the spanners he bought was, I am sure a lot of people would like to have the opportunity to own a complete set of snap-On single and Bi hex sockets and spanners, but unless you use them everyday constantly, as nice as they are, they are just not worth it, And I have rounded many a nut/bolt with flank drive spanners/sockets, they are good but they have limits. Thats why they have the 'life saver' twist socket!! smile



julian64

14,317 posts

253 months

Monday 1st December 2014
quotequote all
I don't buy snap on. I think the quality is pants. I have a US pro set of spanners that have delt with everything I've thrown at them over the last ten years. Before that I had a snap on set of spanners that cost a fortune and one of the sides of the open ended spanner cracked on only medium pressure. I sent that spanner back and was told I'd used a lever to break it.

I bought the uspro tool set at stoneleigh to replace the snap on set. It had no problem removing the nut, and has not baulked at anything since. I really don't care about a name, or the cost, but I can vouch for my set of uspro being better than the snap on set I had.

ackbullchang

270 posts

209 months

Monday 1st December 2014
quotequote all
Those in the know use Stahlwille, or the "Big Willies"!

smile

JVaughan

6,025 posts

282 months

Monday 1st December 2014
quotequote all
Ive had Halfords professional tools for the last 5 years. so far ive had 2 of the ratchets break and Halfords Lifetime warranty doesn't cover moving parts, so they refused to replace them. a few of them have some spots of surface rust on them too.

carsy

3,018 posts

164 months

Monday 1st December 2014
quotequote all
ackbullchang said:
Those in the know use Stahlwille, or the "Big Willies"!

smile
yes

jamienshelly

1,826 posts

137 months

Monday 1st December 2014
quotequote all
JVaughan said:
Ive had Halfords professional tools for the last 5 years. so far ive had 2 of the ratchets break and Halfords Lifetime warranty doesn't cover moving parts, so they refused to replace them. a few of them have some spots of surface rust on them too.
Thats not right, I have exchanged 2 ratchet spanners! No questions asked. I would go to a different store or try again!