recommendations for tool set

[aa909]

Hi Guys

So I'm planning to do much of the standard maintenance on my new Backdraft myself and really looking forward to getting to know the car from the ground up. I'm getting ready to order a floor jack, jack stands and chocks but I also need an updated set of drive sockets and wrenches (my current set is old and missing parts)

Looking for recommendations on a quality and robust SAE and Metric drive socket and wrench set. let me know what you guys use and really like

Thanks in advance
Art

[6t8stang]

I've always gone with Craftsman for most of my hand tools - good quality and can't beat the lifetime warranty as well. Once in awhile if it's a speciality tool that I might use once or twice a year, you might be able to get away with the cheap Harbor Freight tools - I wouldn't for your main set. I also bought a compact, fairly complete set from Costco which I keep in the trunk - it too has a lifetime warranty.

Look on craigslist...many times you can find decent deals even on Craftsman sets. Even if it's missing a socket or two - you can easily pick up the missing ones individually at Sears.

[fordracing65]

Craftsman lifetime warranty, but Sears might not be around for much longer, there all gone in AZ it seems.

[aa909]

thanks guys, I'll go to sears this weekend and pick up a craftsman set. what's the largest socket / wrench size I need, want to make sure I don't buy a set with too many small and useless sizes

thanks
Art

[Jerry Clayton]

They used to have a kind od combo kit that had smaller sockets 3/8 drive and larger ones 1/2 drive--saved some $$$ and weight to carry not having full sets of both drives socket

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by aa909

thanks guys, I'll go to sears this weekend and pick up a craftsman set. what's the largest socket / wrench size I need, want to make sure I don't buy a set with too many small and useless sizes

Art, just don't use the shiny sockets with your impact gun, if you buy one, which you will, sooner or later. There are flat black sockets for your gun -- they're the same size, just stronger. And they'll fit your ratchet wrench, torque wrench, etc. so you might consider just buying them the first time.

[SkipB]

Craftsmen tools are now at some Ace Hardware stores. I think they are planning for the eventual demise of Sears stores. I've had only Craftsmen and have needed to replace several sockets. Always replaced at no charge. But, why did they fail. My neighbor works on his cars way more often than I do and has had no failures on his Snap On tools. I guess they are much more money?

SkipB

[DonC]

I've got a Crescent set in a fold-over hard plastic case that I got from Costco for about $100.00 that stays in the trunk and takes up very little room. It's suitable for "most" roadside fixes. Have a separate home made "roll-up" soft carrier with special tools (flat nosed pliers, channel locks, safety wire pliers, large adjustable crescent, big honkin common screw drive that doubles as a pry bar, and a couple of other odds and ends that fits in the rear wheel well.
Have a bunch of special purpose/ seldom used and miscellaneous tools in the garage that have been picked up piecemeal over time along with a full set of heavy duty impact wrench sockets.
Over all I'd say you need a full set of sockets and box/open end wrenches that range from an inch down to 1/4 for all around maintenance.
DonC

[mpanten]

Dont cheap out on hand tools, other stuff you can get from Harbor freight but not the sockets, wrenches, pliers and screwdrivers. Craftsman are Ok, not great but ok, SK are a step up for not that much more. Kobalt are pretty good but they just recently started having them made in china, Snap on are absurdly priced, even on ebay. If look around on ebay you can find stuff from Matco and mac reasonably priced. ONe more I forgot, which is very similar to snap on that I like is JH williams, very good tools at reasonable prices, if I were starting over again thats what I would buy

[aa909]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went down to Sears this afternoon, they had a sale on craftsman tools and I picked up a mechanics socket and wrench set for a $100. They're not an A class set but they seem serviceable. I used them this afternoon and the set is pretty complete in terms of the sizes I'll need and they seem robust enough for my planned use (tightening the nuts and bolts on a periodic basis, oil changes, etc)

[D-CEL]

Hey Art,

I have Craftsman, but honestly I have returned alot of failed ratchets, sockets and screwdrivers. Older pieces are good, but from the 80s on…not so much.
I have to say I like the Husky (Home Depot) hand tools better. To me they feel like Snap-on with smooth, highly polished finishes, round ratchet handles. They have the same life time warranty, but with a HD every 5 miles, much easier to replace, and they are far less expensive.
I’m right up the road in Rancho Cucamonga. Feel free to give me a shout if you need a hand. I have a little experience working on these things. I’ll bring the cigars! lol

Jason
818 322 6733

[aa909]

Thanks Jason

I'm actually up north in Alameda (Montclair, Peidmont, Berkeley Area). But I would like to connect with someone near by who knows how to work on their car and can educate me a bit

thanks
Art