It's too expensive to be cheap. I tend to value my time rather than running back and forth to harbor freight replacing sockets and drivers.

Nice tools make working on stuff pleasent.

Get the best you can afford, but keep in mind it's an investment. It will pay back overtime. So buying something a little better will pay for itself in time savings alone.

 

Statement of the week!!

Everything I own is Snap-On, and I haven't had to warranty a tool in months. I use them every day at a wrecking yard, so I am rather hard on the tools.

Most at-home mechanics can get away with Kobalt or Craftsman and not wear them out too fast. However, even Sears is cheaping out and many of their tools are now made OVER SEAS. Even Craftsman doesn't mean "made in America" anymore

 

I love my SnapOn ratchets I have sets of SnapOn Matco, Mac, SK, Craftsman and others.

I just about only use 6point sockets living in the great Salt belt.

Wrenching for fun and profit I like the better tools but doing it for over 30 years Quite a few tools have been purchased.

A find a good quality ratchet well worth the price. you can skimp on the sockets.

 

Harbor Freight is great for the guy who wants wrenches that he may use once a year and have a possibility of being lost or stolen. May not be the best hand me downs to your kids.
The quality mid priced brands might be Wright, Armstrong and SK. USA made.
For the professional mechanic, the tool truck guy. But "ouch" on the cost.

 

All my tools at work are snap on, mac an matco. At home though i have a blue point socket set that is awesome but its only shallows so i went to harbor freight an got deep wells from them. Broke 1 an had it replaced no problem but i was told if i break it again i will have to buy a new one. One warranty exchange per tool. Just an f.y.i.

 

Been using my stanley socket sets for long time. As well as some husky stuff (at one point was all made by stanley tho anyways). I do road service for living and its been at least 8 years of hard abuse and no breakage besides the ratchets wearing out over time-but I have a tendency to be lazy and use them as hammers sometimes.

 

If you live within a reasonable driving distance of a HF I still would argue that the 305pc set is about the best bang for your buck (assuming your a weekend warrior or DIY at home mechanic)...

the blow molded case is nice but the snaps that hold the case together dont handle the weight very well, ive gone to sticking a small bolt through the lock hole in the case, I also cut three cardboard rectangles as spacers/seperators between the layers.

If you catch it on sale for ~$125 its a very hard deal to beat for the sockets alone let alone all the various ratchet driver attachments.

I dont mind the ratchets myself but I can see why some would say to buy nicer ones, If I ever break one and dont feel like returning it ill just buy a better ratchet set.




p.s. if you dont live within driving distance of a Harbor Freight disregard this entire message and spend a few more bucks on a stanly/cresent set

 

I recommend genius tools. After they came to my shop I no longer buy matco or snapon. Harbour freight=crap. If your aren't going to use v them that much maybe its worth while. I break everything I've ever purchased at hf. I also use my tools on a daily basis. Check out genius, same quality as matco, snap but they're actually competitive with there prices.

http://wap.ebay.com/Pages/ViewItem.a...nbcol=0%7Cnull

 

Help I don't know where to post my questionz?


10-07-2013 07:27 AM - permalink
cjoregon

I am working on one of several Toyotas out of my garage and getting ready to do a pinion seal on a 1993 yota pickup 4 wheel drive,My question is, what size impact socket do I need for the yolk /third member? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

what about somthing like this? worth it? http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-to...35338-568.html

 

As a paperweight sure.

As a legit tool set, no.

Pony up the money and at least get better quality than harbor freight junk.

 

Thing is some people never having been exposed to the professional grade of tool have no clue just what they are missing.

Like going from 120WHP to 500WHP

Even the tool truck tools quality seems to be not what it was 25 years ago.

One must stay competitive !!

 

I have never had the privilege of using high quality Snap-on or Matco tools, but I do a fair bit of wrenching on my rig. At least once at week if not multiple times. I keep my tools in my truck at all times just in case.

The best bang for your buck and warranty in my opinion is the duralast 3/8" set. Duralast as most of you know is the autozone brand. All their hand tools have a lifetime warranty. If it breaks just walk in and exchange it. I broke a ratchet, then drove over there and they handed me a new one no questions asked. I love their tools! The set doesn't skip a number either, which is my pet peeve when it comes to purchasing socket and ratchet sets. The case is perfect for fitting in the truck and I have no worries about the case breaking.

I picked mine up for 40 bucks on sale, but it is hands down the best socket and ratchet set I have ever owned! I strongly encourage everyone to at least check them out!

 

Years ago my dad bought me a Craftsman socket and wrench set when I was like 3 or 4 for Christmas. He got it on sale and hoped I'd use it in the future. I still use it to this day and haven't broken any pieces.

 

Except for torque wrenches and precision measuring instruments, which I buy best quality new,
I usually buy professional quality used tools. Snap On, Matco, and the like.

When I buy a first quality used tool for a fair price, I have a good likelyhood of being able to get most, or all, of my money back if I want, or need, to sell it down the line.

When you buy a HF type slave labor tool, it is worthless as soon as you walk out of the store with it. Nobody will pay anything for it, and it may hurt you or damage your machine when you use it.