MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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So, I'm thinking I might treat myself to a new socket set, and it turns out that Halfords have some of their Professional sets reduced at the moment.
I'm after it for general spannering and tinkering, I don't do any heavy car maintenance but I do bits and bobs on the campervan (removal of seats etc). I'm tempted by the 120 piece, but I wonder if I'm paying for stuff I'll never use (esp the AF drive stuff, can't remember the last time I saw a non-metric nut)
Whatever I get, I need to get some spline sockets too.
So, what would the STW spanner monkeys suggest?
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_862463_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]170 piece, £130 instead of £260[/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_177693_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]120 piece, £90 instead of £200 [b]- The one I'm tempted by[/b][/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_862443_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]120 piece, £90 instead of £160[/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_862455_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]90 piece, £90 instead of £120[/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_241771_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]64 piece, £60 instead of £100[/url]
[url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_177537_langId_-1_categoryId_255215 ]36 piece, £20 instead of £40[/url]
i find halfords stuff expensive, get to screw fix, their forge steel stuff is fine, i've got the deep reach set which is a must.i only use about 4/5 sizes anyway, and i do all my own repairs on cars, just replaced front suspension bushings, driveshafts, brake drums and shoes. the only halfords stuff i'vegot is an extension bar, which snapped.
I've had one of these for a fair few years now.
Great piece of kit for the money.
Like you say, maybe the AF sizes will be something you don't use much and there will be parts of the kit the get used much more than others, but then again you might find that one day you do need some of it.
The halfords professional stuff is great. I've got one of the larger sets, great value when on offer (which it often is).
I've got one of those 36 piece 1/4" sets (had it for >10 years) and it's probably the most used tool set I own. It's not really comparable with the rest of the things on your list, but it's seriously handy for all sorts of stuff...
I'd go for the 64 piece one, and spend the saving on [url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_811703_langId_-1_categoryId_165572 ]these flexible ratchet spanners[/url].
The other socket sets just seem to add more items by adding spanners anyway, and the halfords advanced ratchet spanners are good. I've got a set and they can take a hammer blow trying to loosen stubborn nuts, and are very handy to compliment your socket set for hard to reach stuff.
I have one of the 36 piece jobbies - really good bit of kit. For 20 quid you can't go wrong.
The halfords 120 piece one is pretty good quality. As I've said on here before though - it's not really on offer, they just alternate between reduced and expensive constantly (6-8 week cycles from memory).
Don't buy a socket set. Instead, make a list of the sizes you need, and but individually, getting the best you can afford.
I can vouch for the Halfords tools (my first tool set was King Dick when I went into engineering post-school).
Got both the big Halfords set and the ratchet spanners, both have been very good. The ratchets have on more than one occasion made what would have been a pig of a job much much easier and they can get in places that a socket set can't.
36 piece 1/4 drive set +1
Excellent kit and as above gets used way more than any other tools I own. Perfect for bike maintenance.
Ive got that cheap one - its great.
Used it to swap a gearbox on a Fiat Punto van, alternators, EGR valves, disks, pads on a Zafira.
In fact as its a small box its ideal to leave in the car on long journeys like family holidays etc.
Highly recommend the Halfords pro range
Cheers for the input chaps. Having looked, I think the 120 piece one is overkill and I'm looking at probably the 64 piece.
Saying that, the spline drive set that Halfords sell is 1/2" drive. Can I get an adaptor to use 1/2" drive sockets with a 3/8" ratchet? Halfords don't seem to stock one (not online, anyway)