I absolutely love my craftsman set. I use the 1/4" stuff occaisionally, which is nice since that is the kind of thing I would never buy and they get royally screwed in the middle of a job b/c I didn't have it. My mechanic's set (I don't recall how many peices) has paid itself 10 times over, and I've really only added a set of pliers, hammers, screwdrivers, and a set of wrenches and gearwrenches (both presents :-)). I got my torque wrench from Tirerack for $50 with one of my orders a couple years ago, and it still does the job fabulously every time.
Additions to the list:
8) Breaker bar: Get a at least a 1/2" bar and a 1/2"->3/8" adaptor. These are fabulous, simple tools that will serve to be invaluable when working on a 15 year old car with nuts and bolts that haven't come off since it hit the assembly line. I didn't have one until about a year ago, and now I don't know how I lived without it.
9) Rubber mallet: like a sledge, except you probably won't screw up whatever you are hitting. Also comes in handy to deliver an impact to a wrench wrapped around a stuck nut.
I agree with number 8, breaker bars come in extemely handy. I would not recommend getting the geared box wrenches from craftsman though - not sure about other brands, but the crafstman ones are made of hardened plastic (the actual boxed part) which seems kinda gay for the cost of them. Even though they are replaced free, you dont want to have to be doing it all the time. If you are doing any engine work at all, feeler gauges are sweet. Also, you might invest in a dial bore indicator and a micrometer set. This will allow you to double check your machine shop, if nothing else, to make sure they are doing waht they say they are doing.
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HAULN-SS Wrote:...not sure about other brands, but the crafstman ones are made of hardened plastic (the actual boxed part) which seems kinda gay for the cost of them.
I have a complete set of them, SAE and metric. I have broken the 1/4" one (just as soon as I got it), replaced and I recently got the 12mm one stuck taking off a driveshaft bolt, backed the bolt out against the DS and couldn't screw it back in and couldn't get the wrench off, so the hammer went to it. Both replaced. Other than those 2, none have broke, if you get them in a weird position they don't grab, but work MUCH better than a cheap set I got for like $20.
I've broken the 12mm and 14mm racheting wrench. In both cases, it wasn't the actually 12 point teeth, it was the internal racheting mechanism that broke.
Two feet.
That sounds like what happened to all my HF ratcheting wrenches.
My rule with the chinese tool emporium is that if it has moving parts, I dont buy it. Sockets, extensions, prybars, screwdrivers, wrenches.... I cant get enough.
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
.RJ Wrote:My rule with the chinese tool emporium is that if it has moving parts, I dont buy it. Sockets, extensions, prybars, screwdrivers, wrenches.... I cant get enough.
You will stop when you realize that 12mm isn't really 12mm in china and you round off a bolt head b/c the stupid socket doesn't fit correctly...
I never had a problem with that.
Maybe its your shitty Ford hardware? 
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
My racheting wrenches were craftsman but taking a hammer to it was probably my fault.
Two feet.
white_2kgt Wrote:.RJ Wrote:My rule with the chinese tool emporium is that if it has moving parts, I dont buy it. Sockets, extensions, prybars, screwdrivers, wrenches.... I cant get enough.
You will stop when you realize that 12mm isn't really 12mm in china and you round off a bolt head b/c the stupid socket doesn't fit correctly...
to true. Most any tool that says "Drop Forged" on the side is junk. Not all, but most. Too often the method of drop forging causes the tools to be off from the actual size.
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Most all my tools are craftsman. Got the craftsman mechanic toolset and then added to it with craftsman ratcheting wrenches and craftsman screwdrivers (all three presents from my girlfriend).
2010 Dodge Ram 1500
2019 Ford Mustang
.RJ Wrote:I never had a problem with that.
Maybe its your shitty Ford hardware?
Maybe when both the bolt and wrench are 'Made in America' even if they are both shitty they are both shitty in the same direction, either way, import junk doesn't fit my domestic junk.
white_2kgt Wrote:You will stop when you realize that 12mm isn't really 12mm in china and you round off a bolt head b/c the stupid socket doesn't fit correctly...
Evan Wrote:Harbor Freight has some very good tools for very cheap if you know what to buy. The trick is not to get the ultra cheap version of a tool. I bought a $7 set of metric wrenches and they were horrible. I bought a $15 set of metric wrenches and I love them.
Evan Wrote:white_2kgt Wrote:You will stop when you realize that 12mm isn't really 12mm in china and you round off a bolt head b/c the stupid socket doesn't fit correctly...
Evan Wrote:Harbor Freight has some very good tools for very cheap if you know what to buy. The trick is not to get the ultra cheap version of a tool. I bought a $7 set of metric wrenches and they were horrible. I bought a $15 set of metric wrenches and I love them.
yea, but _why_ were yours 'horrible'? I'm saying that all the socket crap I got from harborfreight, no matter the price, were not 'true' to the size stated on the socket (according to the micrometer). They have all been demoted to house duty.
Evan Wrote:Mike how did your Craftsman tq wrench break?
it functions as a breaker bar now... it doesn't release when it reaches the specified torque. it hasn't been dropped, left "loaded" or anything.
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Mike Wrote:Evan Wrote:Mike how did your Craftsman tq wrench break?
it functions as a breaker bar now... it doesn't release when it reaches the specified torque. it hasn't been dropped, left "loaded" or anything.
What do you mean it hasn't been left 'loaded'? You have to keep a small amount of torque on them when not in use, like 10lb. You can't unscrew them all the way out and put them away.
white_2kgt Wrote:Mike Wrote:Evan Wrote:Mike how did your Craftsman tq wrench break?
it functions as a breaker bar now... it doesn't release when it reaches the specified torque. it hasn't been dropped, left "loaded" or anything.
What do you mean it hasn't been left 'loaded'? You have to keep a small amount of torque on them when not in use, like 10lb. You can't unscrew them all the way out and put them away.
I was told to screw them all the way out before you put them away. Where'd you get your info from? The machine shop that ported my head said that's the way they do it. Also, the owner wrote the book for Ford on building Ford V6's for Busch series back in the day.
Two feet.
Andy Wrote:white_2kgt Wrote:Mike Wrote:Evan Wrote:Mike how did your Craftsman tq wrench break?
it functions as a breaker bar now... it doesn't release when it reaches the specified torque. it hasn't been dropped, left "loaded" or anything.
What do you mean it hasn't been left 'loaded'? You have to keep a small amount of torque on them when not in use, like 10lb. You can't unscrew them all the way out and put them away.
I was told to screw them all the way out before you put them away. Where'd you get your info from? The machine shop that ported my head said that's the way they do it. Also, the owner wrote the book for Ford on building Ford V6's for Busch series back in the day.
That was from the instruction manual from the $200 craftsman torque wrench. Closest I could find on the 'net was this,
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.jlwinstruments.com/torque-tips.htm">http://www.jlwinstruments.com/torque-tips.htm</a><!-- m --> - Adjustable "Click Style" wrenches should be stored set to the lowest setting on the scale.
While it doesn't say 'don't screw them all the way out' it does say store on lowest setting. Since 0 isn't a setting...one can infer it means to store 'above' 0.
I bet those manchine shops get irritated when they have to recalibrate their torque wrenches every 3 months :lol:
One set of pliers that I have found are invaluble are the long needle nose pliers. Usely come in a set of three and have different angles on the jaws. Nice. Also a good rachet screwdriver. Hell and a good flex head Rachet. And for safety a good set of jack stands and a floor jack or two.
Needle nose pliers are a must in any tool set. A few other items that I consider a must for my tool set are:
Above all others not mentioned in this thread, Vice Grips are a MUST. A tool box isn't complete without them. I don't consider brand to be really important in vice grips, just make sure they are sturdy. Hell we've got 3 or 4 pairs in the garage that my dad got in the 1970s that still work perfectly, use them about once a week.
A good set of Torq bits. Mine are Craftsman.
Allen head wrenches. Not sure what brand mine are, but they work fine.
Good sturdy set of Channel Locks.
Another thing I've found to be very valuable is a nice butane powered soldering iron. Butane is 100000x better than the electric. You can pick up a decent one at lowe's for about $20.
Since I tend to do a lot more around the house work than automotive work I also recommend having easy access to a jigsaw and skillsaw, but they aren't all that necessary for automotive work.
2010 Dodge Ram 1500
2019 Ford Mustang
HArbor Freight: Awesome
Craftsman Gear Wrenches: good, but i broke one when breaking a bolt loose with it and a plastic hammer, this was before i got my set of regular wrenches, but lifetime warranty, so i got a new one
Craftsman Sets: Are good starters but i already wanna upgrade, good thing is they are starting to have upgrade sets that allow you to eliminate doubles
Craftsman toolboxes: great quality and most all of them are upgradeable, i wouldnt recommend anything other than the ballbearing drawers though, more expensive but well worth it when the drawer is loaded down with tools.
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