DAILY TOOLS AND TECHNICIANS

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Rate my parking job

anyone have opinions of this brand?
http://www.toolfetch.com/armstrong-tools-56-611-11-pc-12-point-metric-black-oxide-regular-length-combination-wrench-set.html

We literally had one yesterday that lasted 7 post.

>>14026029
Stick with polished and not oxide for wrenches IMO, if you have old impacts you'll know why. Sunex makes a set that isn't much more expensive

>>14026062
no polish is more slippery when my hands are dirty. there is a reason i want the grip

i was asking if that is a reputable brand name?

I bought a Bosch 1100 OBD scanner yesterday

its' pretty freakin NATO

What's a good brand of car jack? I've been using the tire-change scissor lift that came with my car to jack it up on stands, bought a Torin jack before changing my oil/brake fluid last week, I was only able to pump up one side of my car before the pneumatics failed and it failed to stay raised. Need to try and return it.

>>14026125
Horrible Freight's are actually pretty decent for a good price.

>>14025968
I have the xl version of that wrench set, shit is dreamy how well it works. I don't remember the last time I used my (twice as expensive) set of snap on ratchet wrenches.

>>14026129
Snap-On makes a quality tool if you never want to replace it

>>14026193
>buying a snap-on floor jack

I mean if you like overpriced rebadged shit go for it. May as well just buy a crapsman at that point.

>>14026125

I just bought a Harbor Freight for my Miata and have been very impressed with the build quality. Just check the reviews on the specific model you're looking for and you should be fine.

On a side note, I'm going to buy a 1/2" ratchet in the next few weeks - what's the best long handle one for weekend wrenching? And can I get away with a non-flex head if I have a universal socket?

>>14026290
Just get a Snap On flex head, it's worth it

>>14026290
thats a good question.
the ones with more "teeth" feel better.
um just try to look on ebay for pics of various kinds and see what you come up with.
i prefer the ones with plastic handles not steel

I worked for Sears as a manager for 3 years and this is what I think of Craftsman.

Go professional. It is built better, the evolv is the cheap poor mans version, the craftsman professional is more expensive but its built better.

>>14026319
what kind of torque wrench
clicker or beam?

when i use a beam its almost always useless because i cant put my head in a position to see the fucker.

who calibrates the clicker kind?

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What kind of wheel saver impacts do you guys have? Been using my normal impacts with tape on them but that won't last long.

My brother in law says that Craftsman is pretty good, partly because if you break something and you send it to them, they'll send you a new one or fix it as long as you own the tools. I wanted a reliable set of tools that will last a long time. Should I go with Craftsman or is there anyone else I should look into?

>>14026290
Tekton extra long handle ratchet is goat
There's a couple reviews on youtube

>>14026290
https://youtu.be/RfCDCtm2Uf0

>>14027851
TEKTON
E
K
T
O
N

Are there any essential home mechanic tools that should definitely be Snap-on caliber?

>>14028053
Craftsman is great, and is not nearly as expensive as to be Snaperon

>>14028053
You don't need expensive shit if all you're doing is replacing an alternator or a thermostat every few years.

Though, if you buy jacks and jack stands, buy the best ones possible.

>>14026299
>he uses flex heads to tighten/loosen bolts

I'm scared as fuck of flex heads. They spread too much at the ratchet head and I always feel like they're going to make me slip off the bolt.

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my poor socket
why do shops think its cool to make lug nuts so tight

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>>14026009
8/10

430?

>>14029091
Probably some retard that held it down for like 10 minutes.

>>14028407
Never had an issue, the flex head is pretty beefy. Broke the little C clip once but the Snap On guy had already given me an extra. If I'm pulling something big off chances are I'm using a breaker bar anyway and if I'm torquing something down hard I'm using an impact or torque wrench, not often I put a ratchet through too much hell.

>>14029443
360. Parking the manual cars like that isn't bad but it's tough with the F1 trans since they are so lurchy,

>>14029443
if it wasn't an easymode convertible

>>14028053
Snapon dual 80 ratchets are expensive but worth every fucking penny if you use tools regularly.

>>14029485
I always like to final torque with a ratchet on small and medium sized fasteners. Axle end service on a semi requires hand tools as well and have torque values of up to 300 lbs. Positioning a 3 foot long breaker bar on a nut inside the wheel hub assembly just right is really impractical.

>>14026290
get the harbor freight one it pains met to say iit but it does work quite well for the price

>>14028053
All of them, can't go wrong with snap on they'll last forever and you can pass them on to your grand kids. Don't buy the same tool twice cause you thought the harbor freight or husky one would do the job

Got a set of Husky tools myself!

>>14031340
is the kobalt shit that bad?
never used it personally

i have no favorite brand. does anyone here like cornwell?

>>14031353
It's ok it's pretty much just lowes version of husky. Craftsman is alright but I remember I did bend a husky long handle wrench and then I broke out the snap on long handle and it handle the same botl just fine

Here's what do buy the harbor freight Pittsburgh brand, still had a warranty on it, and if/when it breaks depending on how often I use it I'll replace it with something better of the truck be it snap on our matco

>>14031340
>thinking your grand kids are going to want your shitty outdated worn out tools

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Postin' muh stamped sheet steel toyboxes

What's a good, cheap torque wrench?

>>14031340

If you're a weekend mechanic then a set of HF wrenches and sockets are all you need. Craftsman is restamped Stanley as I understand. Its Chinese, but you arent likely to use it enough to break it. If you care about ergonomics or are worried about bashing your knuckles, just wear gloves.

Snap on is made in the USA for the most part, but more and more tools are being made in china. If its not stamped as made in the USA then pass on it since it was made in china and you're only buying the name.

>>14032592
Heard good things about Precision Instuments so just ordered one myself

>>14032592
I have actually heard good things about the HF torque wrenches. Apparently very accurate out of the box and retained accuracy pretty well. Let me see if I can find the article.

>>14032592
Here you go
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/additional-how-to/ccrp-1304-torque-wrench-testing/

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>>14032592

Gearwrench, if you're torquing something that actually needs to be in spec.

If all you're doing is wheels, and just looking for repeat-ability rather than accuracy fuck it - go down to the local home depot / lowe's and get the cheapest one you can find.


Also - what's yer favorite tool ?

I'm torn between my Milwaukee 1/2" and M12 ratchet

>>14032620

I use a HF torque wrench because it was $20 for a in/lb wrench. You'll be hard pressed to match that price for that wrench.

>>14032658
Snap on 3/8 drive impact use it all the time

>>14032610
snap on outsources a shitload.
like 40% of their tools are sunex.
would be surprised if it was all chinese steel either and wouldnt be surprised if some of it was actually made in china.
snap-on now is not the snap-on of 30 years ago.

>recommending HF just because someone is a "weekend mechanic"
dude hf tools are pure garbage, not even suitable for "weekend mechanics" w/e the fuck that means. HF is for like use 3 times tools. or little things like dremel sets and zipties and shit like that.

the guy should just buy craftsman and be done with it forever.
doesnt matter if its taiwan forged steel it's still never going to fucking break.

>>14032686
>sunex

Sunex makes fucking awesome sockets, extensions, universals and roll carts.

I'm tempted to try some of their combo wrenches out, but I'm not sure.

I should just buy a few 17mm and 19mm combo wrenches from different manufacturers and see which hold up the best, and go from there.

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>>14032669
They apparently aren't bad. I have craftsman wrenches because I got Sears gift cards a few times but it's good to know the HF ones aren't bad.

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>>14032584
ayyy shit stamped steel specials

>>14032686
Horrible Freight has a lot of shit, but a lot of decent stuff as well. Just need to use your best judgment when buying something, check the reviews online, and always wait until it's on sale.

>>14032686

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth. Cheap Chinese crap is cheap Chinese crap. The steel that goes into a Pittsburgh wrench is likely the same as that which goes into a crafstman. I use some of the harbor freight tools and never have had an issue. I've changed just about everything in my car except the engine and axels and I cant tell a difference between my hf tools and my craftsman.

>>14032712
yes, all my impact sockets are sunex

>mfw some kek out there spent $2000 for the same set i spent $200 on

>>14032737
craftsman is a significant step up from the typical hf tool for not much more money. maybe not wrenches and screw drivers shit like that, but anything slightly more complicated than a piece of metal

>>14032733

I've got a ft/lb craftsmen torque wrench that handles well (interestingly its one of the few tools not warrantied for life) and I use often. If it were to break I'd be comfortable replacing it with a HF model due to the quality of the in/lb model I use.

I do have to say I'm continuously impressed by my craftsman breaker bar. I've used cheater bars to put questionable force on it and its still good as new. Sometimes its worth it to pay a little extra.

Nice garage btw.

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>>14032793
Yeah the calibrated tools usually don't have the lifetime warranty because no matter what they will eventually go out of spec.

I have a couple no name breaker bars that have taken lots of abuse, and I'll be honest I've put a cheater on my Craftsman ratchets before and they hold up fine. I kind of want to get one of the composite ratchets from HF as they are super smooth and I've heard good things about longevity.

And thanks, it's modest but I typically have the tool I need.

>>14032780
I've always found HF to have slightly nicer hand tools than craftsman.

The standard craftsman wrenches and ratchets are literally garbage. Using a craftsman ratchet feels like sticking your dick in a bucket of rusty nails.

>>14032954
ive been the same craftsman 3/8 socket wrench for like 20 years.

I bought a set of HF combination wrenches and a set of sockets because /o/ said they are ok.

The combo wrenches are shit. They are chamfered and the bend encourage the box end of the wrench to slip off of the head.
The open ends arent cut to a very good tolerances, change from wrench to wrench and the steel strength isn't very good. My HF 14mm with very little light use is already stretched wider than my cornwell 14mm that was used professionally for ~4 years. Cant really compare a 20$ wrench to a 1$ wrench but i didn't expect it to be so bad.

The HF impact sockets are ok actually. But the standard sockets arent very good, a lot of slip problems again and they crumble more than toast when used hard.

They are ok if you just want a tool set that you will never use but kep for posterity and precaution. They would not suit a weekend mechanic.

Personally i have found that kobalt, husky, and craftsman are perfectly fine for just about anything less than daily professional use. If you need cheaper but want better than HF i have had really good luck with Stanley. I have a 3/4 Stanley ratchet that has seen about 5 years of weekend abuse.

I use my tools pretty hard so your millage will vary

Gonna buy some sprangs and shocks

What kinda tools do I need m8s?

>>14033083
spring compressor if you have struts.
all you need is just sockets and ratchet.

>>14033068
>/o/ lies about HF quality
/o/ probably told you that HF has hit or miss quality. Because that's the truth. One tool will be absolute shit and break first use, while others will last at least as long as the more expensive stuff. The difficult part is finding what tools are the good ones. My dad has a cutoff saw he got from Harbor Freight probably 15 years ago, used extensively, and it still works perfectly. He has other tools with similar stories, that one just sprung to mind because I need a cutoff saw. He has other things that don't last through first use.

>>14032753
>>14032712
Amazon has 20% off select Sunex tools till the 23rd, just fyi.

>>14033139
no im talking about literally only combination wrenches and sockets.
/o/ says combo wrenches are OK and they are poo.

I know a little thing or two about using cheap tools and also owning really expensive tools.
HF combos that i have are bad, and i want to put an end to people saying "the hand tools like wrenches are fine, they're just hunks of metal"

>>14033462
Who is saying that in these threads, 1 anon, while most other people say they are garbage? 95% of posters have never done anything beyond an oil change, I would never believe anything on 4chan concerning cars, these threads are for entertainment only. You can get pointed in the right direction but always have to research further on more reliable corners of the internet.

>>14033518
Im just posting to let people know ma nigga.
I bought the HF tools because i was curious, didn't need the tools. They arent very good.
Maybe a beginner grease monkey will avoid a hf purchase after reading my post, thats all i want.

>>14033462
I honestly have never heard anything good about HF hand tools, except for their composite ratchets.

>>14033068
Even the cheapest 3/4" rachet is going to take any abuse you give it because they are never long enough to apply the 900+ ft/lbs that it would take to break it

>>14032979
That doesn't make it good.

>>14031340
This. My father passed down his Snap-On collection to me, and I feel like a spoiled piece of shit having all these tools.

>>14035018
good
i think snap one stuff is decent but like mac tools, its a tad softer than matco.

i have been disappointed by a lot of stuff.
many broken snap on sockets
broken williams branded shit. i think that brand is worse than HF
broken HF yep
stanley broken too.

i think the only ones i have used that take an actual beating are the armstrong.
but they cost a lot more than snap on so yeah.

its like buying a Fluke meter vs a UEI
they both work, the fluke just reads faster and costs double

I don't use my home tools at work mostly, but my dad had a fairly sizeable collection of craftman mixed in with a ton of junk tools

I've stopped buying harbor freight and mostly buy snap on just because most of my harbor freight gear is shot and I've only had most of it for a few months

>>14033651
Except they break at less than 100 ft/lbs