Tool Envy

[bigfootbryce]

Okay, here is the deal. Here a while back (6 years), I went to harbor freight and bought quite a few wrenches. Haven't had any problems with them. In fact, I pulled a landcruiser engine with them and mountains of other jobs. I couldn't afford any thing else. Now, I've got a couple of bucks and most of my stuff is Craftsman. I thought about replacing the wrenches with more name brand, but the angel on one shoulder is saying just use them until you break them. the devil on the other hand is saying snap on, matco, mac, cornwell, s-k, craftsman. I mean, the nut doesn't know it is being tightened by an inexpensive tool right? torque is torque.

my frugal buddy says this-- 100 dollars-snap on in your pocket
100 dollars- back the truck up to harbor freight.

man i need some serious couch time with the doc.

I know this is a can of worms, but can you really, really tell the difference between the wrenches? The price difference is amazing. You would think with the price difference that it would be an absolute "YES".

peace.

[new echo owner]

For occasional repair work, Craftsman tools work fairly decently, even those you can pick at Home Depot or Lowes will serve you just fine. However, if you are going to make a career out of repair cars, those name brand tools can really make some differences. Any specific tools that you are referring to or just the wrenches?

N.E.O.

[bigfootbryce]

Originally Posted by new echo owner

For occasional repair work, Craftsman tools work fairly decently, even those you can pick at Home Depot or Lowes will serve you just fine. However, if you are going to make a career out of repair cars, those name brand tools can really make some differences. Any specific tools that you are referring to or just the wrenches?

N.E.O.

the wrenches. i know i need new flare wrenches. there not pittsburgh from harbor freight. they are gm goodwrench tools i bought at a garage sale.

[new echo owner]

Are you going to make a career out of it, or just occasional repair work? GM Goodwrench does make their own tools, but I am not sure who make them. The name brand flare nut wrenches can set you back a few hundred bucks it you buy the whole set. Any particular make of cars you are interesting in working on?

N.E.O.

[bigfootbryce]

I just want to be armed for any shade mechanic stuff I need to do. I don't plan on a career in mechanics, but it would be nice to fall back on.

[new echo owner]

Any particular make of cars you want to work on? Or just Toyota?

N.E.O.

[WannaBButch]

The thing about cheap tools such as the ones from harbor freight is that when they break it tends to be in a very bad situation. After several injuries, one of which I almost lost a finger I decided to switch to craftsman. I bought broken craftsman tools cheap at pawn shops and then traded them for new ones. I will never buy another hand tool from harbor freight or one of the wholesale places.

[fredk]

I have had craftsman wrenches for about 30 years now and have yet to break one, a couple spread apart and were swapped out right away, trick is to get 2 or more sets of same sizes

[Doctor J]

My Allied brand Taiwan made 3/8 inch drive ratchet had outperformed proto challenger U.S. made.
The 3" twisted by abuse S-K extension I found on the junk yard is still working.
In place of flare nut wrenches I used 4-flats style ones.
Although name brand is important, "the right tool for thee right job" is the rule [you wont expect 1/4 inch ratchet with cheater to remove lug nut for you!]
• just some from my experience: while torque is high, select top brand[ for reduced size heads on the large bolts, star drive keys T 55 and Allen wrenches size 5/16 and smaller.
• the pear head ratchet lasts longer then round head one.
• the good flex-handle must have pin pressed into the center part [on which you put the socket], and not into the 'ears';
• select torque plus sockets with relief in the corners[this will grip the bolt head by the flats not by the edges];
• impact tools are good if you expect to strike them with the hammer; hand tools can shatter if they used in impact gun [especially cheap ones as they are often over-hardened]

Snap -on and Indestro-Super are for production duty jobs, such as assembling the cars 3 shifts 24/7, for repair work S=K and Craftsman should be good enough.

[white90dx]

That reminds me, I have a few craftsman tools I need to swap out...

I use Craftsman almost exclusively, but there are a few exceptions if there is a similar priced, higher quality alternative or I was in an a hurry to finish a project. My mechanic buddies (who do performance work, not repair work) generally get SnapOn/Matco/Cornwell and I LOVE using that stuff. Of course, not enough to pay the extra to fill my garage with it.

Consider getting a nice 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive ratchet from the higher-end sources and all your sockets elsewhere. Oh, and use 6-sided sockets whenever possible!

-Charlie

[sillysspeed]

Check this out... http://www.snapon.com/tools/hand-tools.asp

[bigfootbryce]

Okay, I just got home from getting some donuts for the family. On the way to the donut place, there was a garage sale. Sitting front and center was this monster Craftsman toolbox. We are talking 25 drawers, 42" wide. I slammed on the brakes, ran over a couple of elderly ladies crossing the street, and kicked a cat trying to get over to it.

It had just sold. I asked how much. He said 400 dollars. I then asked- with any tools? He said yea. check em out. Dang thing was full. Full of Snap on and Craftsman. Mainly Snap on.

I said you really sold this thing for four hundred dollars?!! He said, it was my nephews and he told me to get whatever I could.

Gonna start drinking. Seriously.

Thanks for all the input!!

[TBayToyotaBoy]

Not to beat this dead horse, but I'll toss-in my two cents' worth:

If it has a no-hassle, lifetime warranty (Craftsman and Mastercraft, in Canada) then it's worth buying. I've had almost no problems with my tools, but when they do break, they're replaced on the spot without a receipt.

Cheap tools tend to be made of lower-grade steel, so they're generally best for back-ups.

I'm not voting for Snap-On or Mac here, they're rediculously overpriced and unnecessarily durable for our jobs. But Craftsman/Mastercraft are worth the cash.

[ThomasToTots]

You know for my opinion I use Harbor freight. They also come with unconditional lifetime warranty (these are the hand tools not power tools) and I have never warped a socket or snapped a Pittsburgh wrench . I have snapped 3 craftsman and 1 mac tools ratchet . I work on cars all day most days , not as a job but as an obsession. I own 1 snap on hex socket and its for head bolts. other than that nothing I have on the car has outed my Pittsburgh tools (hub bolts, head bolts, rusted into 1 piece bolts) I say skip craftsman and go to snap on if you can for cheap but new I just cant stomach the price.

[schwarz]

Craftsman is all I use except for rare occasion. I've repaired many a car with the set I have and they have never failed me. I do have a set of Snap-On triple squares and hex sockets but I've found you have to use the best for those bolts or you'll have to get out the drill (of which I HATE).

Its always better in my mind to use the better quality tools for automotive work rather than the cheaper stuff and spend more time and labor trying to get off that rounded exhaust nut or stripped head bolt. YMMV.