tools

[Rams-n-Hogs]

For sockets and wrenches, I use the Craftsmen professional. I like the laser etched sockets. I can actually read the sizes. I have replaced the ratchets with Snap-on, though.



Jim

 

[daveshoe]

I bought a set of Cobalt on sale,and there is quality there. If you buy a set for hauling around in the truck,Cobalt sockets will actually stay organized in the carrier when you carry them around--That is what got me to buy them in the first place. Are you listening,Craftsman???

 

[nickleinonen]

The Husky warranty sounds interesting that they would take broken craftsman's.

homedepot did this with my torque wrench. the crapsman broke, and sears wouldn't honor warrenty. HD did and the husky torque wrench is much better built in my opinion. .



i've got a handfull of proto wrenches at work and they are great i think. they are a flat black industrial coating on them. the open end doesn't seem to spread when you abuse them [my other westward combo wrenches at work have spread from overloading the open end]

goodthing company pays for the tools i use at work eh

 

[BK]

I bought a set of Cobalt on sale,and there is quality there. If you buy a set for hauling around in the truck,Cobalt sockets will actually stay organized in the carrier when you carry them around--That is what got me to buy them in the first place. Are you listening,Craftsman???

In my Ram I travel with a Craftsman blown molded 4 drawer case that came with ~ 220 peices and I've added to it.

It stays real nice and organized.



In my Jeep, I have travel with a Craftman 150pcs set ( added to it as well) thats a blown molded folding case, like a book or small brief case.

Again all the sockets and such stay nice and organized.

 

[john3976]

I keep reading about complaints of the open end spreading on wrench's from certain members.



Maybe the open end spreading is a clue that you need to switch over to the boxed end as the torque required to turn the bolt or nut is more then the open end was designed to handle.



That is why wrenches are made with both an open end and a closed end of the same size.



Open end wrenches are not designed to handle heavy torque, they are for light torque applications.



If you need more torque you need to be using the boxed end of the wrench.

 

[nickleinonen]

Maybe the open end spreading is a clue that you need to switch over to the boxed end as the torque required to turn the bolt or nut is more then the open end was designed to handle.

where i spread my 13/16" and 7/8" open ends is in an area where i can't get a box end wrench, and i can't get a socket in once the driveshaft for the aux. generator is in place. it would be ok if we used a nyloc nut there, but they [company] wants us to use a crushed metal type locking nut. they go on easy usually [tightened to about 200lbs/ft (gun tight)] , but coming off, they either come off easy [someone reused the lock nuts], come off with the wrench spreading, or you get the torch out and burn the bolt head or nut off the coupling without lighting the rubber bushings on fire [they are a pain to replace]. .



the proto's i have haven't spread yet in that abuse, but the cheap westwards have. . [the proto is close to 2x in price though]. .