'rest of my life' socket set for auto work?

As I get more into DIY work on my '07 Tundra Limited, it occurs to me to ask - what is a good overall socket set for auto work?

My latest task - replacing the starter motor - is probably one I could have pushed to the finish line if I had enough flexibility with sockets, drivers, swivel adaptors and extensions. (Luckily a mobile mechanic agreed to get those last 14 mm bolts out for me and put in the replacement starter).

My current socket line up is : 1 x ½" impact set (with Milwaukee mid-range impact wrench), and then a tub full of loose regular sockets, mixed metric and imperial. Not a bad set, but they're not organized and have no storage system. I think it's better to donate those and start with a good quality, last-forever set, and if there's a torque wrench that can come with the kit, that's a bonus. In particular I need to be able to work in all the strange access points that engine bays demand.

 

There are a lot of great options out there now compared to 20 years ago.

if you have 1/2” drive covered, focus on 3/8” and 1/4” tools. Local availability is good to consider. For general home use, Husky tools from Home Depot hit a sweet spot for price and quality. If you want to level up a bit, check out Tekton. They are really good for comprehensive sets with storage.

Harbor Freight Icon are really nice. They are an excellent value when bought at on-sale prices.. I’ve been replacing some of my older USA Craftsman tools with Icon.

 

Most sockets are fine.

Maybe invest in organization, so that you know what you have, can find what you have, and can add to the set as needed.

$34 Ernst Mfg 18" Organizer 3 Rail Socket Boss (8451) - Toolbox Organization Tray - SAE & Metric Storage with labels, 57 Twist-Lock Clips for 1/4", 3/8", & 1/2" Drive Sets, Blue

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CHJHA7I

What was lacking about your sockets or tools? If you only have impact sockets, those can restrict access.

The ICON and Quinn sockets at Harbor Freight are pretty good tools, especially when there is a coupon.

NAPA has a decent buy on a Gearwrench set:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/APX88001

 

How much you want to spend, and what automotive tasks you want to be able to accomplish are some pretty big variables.

I'd look at Gearwrench's Megamod system(s) for a decent compromise between quality, price, versatility and storage.

 

Koken nut grip, Vim Tools Nora, also look for dual drive sockets, so you can put a wrench on them as well. You can also buy adapters to do nearly the same thing. Options are good, and magnetic sockets can also be handy in some applications. The newest Astro swivels are decent for a swivel set.

 

Whatever you get, buy a bunch of extra 10mm sockets.

 

As a mechanic, it’s kind of buy once cry once

but that’s not to say you need to spend 10k on snap on sockets (you don’t), I’ve been using a Milwaukee 3/8s master set that’s metric and SAE shallow and deep as well as 1/4 shallow and deep and it’s been great for 5 years. I learned a couple years ago that the sockets are made in china and the ratchets in the US. So if I had to buy again I would buy tekton 100%. Taiwan made (great place for hand tools) and great warranty as well as being relatively well priced and you can get them on Amazon. I own Milwaukee for power tools but dewalt also makes great automotive specific stuff. I do own a few snap on hand tools that only they make and are worth it; bought for cash off the truck or slightly used on eBay

capri impact sockets are great as well, I’ve also heard their ratchets are good; VIM also makes great stuff and a lot in house, I own their spark plug sockets (magnetic) and they work great.

the icon line at harbor freight is actually very good as well; I wouldn’t buy their swivel impact sockets but all their chrome stuff is great. Great warranty

plenty of other great companies, Bahco for flush cutters. Gearwrench for a lot of stuff.

A lot of really good hand tools that are sold at Matco/cornwell/mac and even snap on, aren’t even made by the big name company. Snap on makes most of their stuff but the other 3 actually rebrand a lot, so if they make something you want, try and find who actually makes it and see if you can purchase that separately from the OE manufacturer. IE: Matco doesn’t make their pry bars, Mayhew does. USA made and a good price, they also make them for Walmart and a lot of other people, you just gotta do the research but most of the time you can’t go wrong for anything name brand, you just have to figure out who to buy from

edit: Koken & wera also good, Knipex is almost undisputed as the plier king

 

Mine are mostly Koblat and a few old Craftsman.
I don't do any automotive mechanical work other than installing mods.

I agree with the organization.
I used these.

$20 Olsa Tools Socket Organizer 1/2" Drive Socket Holder and Rail, Green, Aluminum, Holds 16 Chrome or Impact Sockets, Professional-Grade, Part:1105

Amazon.com: Olsa Tools 1/2-Inch Drive Aluminum Socket Organizer | Premium Quality Socket Holder (GREEN) : Automotive

 

Honestly, do yourself a favor and don’t blow a ton of money on tools. Go down to harbor freight and get a big cheap Quinn set with a boatload of sockets. There’s a 428 piece set that would cover most of what you need. They will do whatever you need.

Then get yourself some decent ratchets. Honestly they don’t even have to be great. I absolutely love my snap-on ratchets. That said, I use my GearWrench ratchets all the time still. They anre great if you don’t throw a breaker bar on them. and ratchets, but I also have a set of Gearwrench ratchets that I got on sale and they have been fantastic for decades. I like them so much I picked up another set on Black Friday sale. You can get a whole set for less than one snap-on off the truck.

Now wrenches are whole different story. While generally a socket is a socket, a good wrench is priceless and a bad one can ruin your day. I use old crappy craftsman’s as beaters but if it matters I use the flank drive plus snap on for an open end that won’t spread and a box end with tight tolerances. Pop on over to YouTube and check out project farm and torque test channel to see your flavor of the week for the in between stuff. Another really important factor here is how they feel in YOUR hand. I like thin beams personally for clearance but often times I need a rag to keep them from chewing up my hands.

Ratcheting wrenches are absolutely fantastic and I wouldn't be caught dead working on anything without them. Sale GearWrench sets are great, as are the husky sets.


from there, whatever you break replace with something of higher quality. Otherwise that should do you for a long, long time.

 

Unless you starting using your "tools" as weapons, as in, throwing wrenches at people, or using 10mm sockets for ambush hits..... you should be good with a good set, and then buy some singles.
That being said, I happened on a few ICON super sale (I think 30-40 or 45% off?) and grabbed a few of their wrenches and sockets, also Quinn which I don't mind dropping while working under the car, but ICON might hurt a little.....lol
I also have Milwaukee stuff, quite a few Tekton (from homeland boys!) and they are super solid. I think investing in a few good solid wrenches and ratchets would be good. Sockets, as long as they are brand-named, can't go wrong really and most would lose the said tool/socket before you get too old to get it done....

 

Agreed. I mean, I’ve been known to throw a wrench from time to time… When I was young I abused my tools and broke a fair share. With some age and experience I don’t abuse them anymore so I don’t break them, but I sure do “misplace them”.

Last time I lost a snap-on ratchet I had a fit. When I lose a Gearwrench I just get an eye twitch.

 

I've got some decent stuff (craftsman, old skool Stanley, random snap-on etc.) and I've got some cheap stuff (companion from Sears, some stuff that just says china on it etc.). The cheapy China stuff sucks. I usually weed those out when I find them. Soft metal, poor calibration for size variation etc. But my cheap Companion stuff I bought at Sears 25 years ago on sale after Christmas is all still going strong. I took the 1/2" ratchet apart once to clean and relube for poor performance and it's back to working like new. Haven't split a socket, or bent a wrench or anything. You don't have to spend a lot of money on tools to get good functional tools. Fuck Snap-on. Go to Harbor Freight and load up on whatever you need if you're in a pinch to get tools now. Hell they even have an exchange warranty if you somehow were able to break them. Ratcheting wrenches are awesome. Having deep well and regular depth sockets is awesome. Wobbles and swivels are awesome. Multiple lengths and multiples of each length for extensions is awesome. You don't have to buy everything all at once either, I buy new tools as the projects require them. Spreads the cost out and gives an excuse to go tool shopping.

 

Check out Sunex sockets. Professional quality, reasonably priced, and lifetime warranty. I have some old ones and when I hold them next to my Snap on impact sockets they look identical, down to the engraving.

 

Many good options for weekend warriors these days. My only suggestion is to buy something that when it breaks that the "lifetime" warranty is easily done. Lowes, Harbor Freight, whatever you got.

 

My dad is a mechanic (or supposedly is retiring at 78 but we will see lol) but I just work on my own stuff/friends stuff so obviously we spend differently. however there is plenty of HF stuff he will buy for certain things even.

I have a bunch of different socket brands. I have craftsman sets that have been great, a few oddball HF sockets in odd/ very large sizes and I really like the Gearwrench stuff I have . I think for a step up in quality for not a terrible price jump the gearwrench stuff is very nice. I do have a slight issue with my 1/4 drive gearwrench ratchet getting stuck between left and right sometimes but generally I can get it out of that without taking it apart but I should get it replaced if it does it again. The rest of my GW stuff is great (ratcheting wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc)

I also have a tool bag for each vehicle and all of those tools are straight up HF. If someone steals my toolbag from the truck I am only out a small amount vs more expensive tools.

If you are just starting getting into wrenching on your own stuff, buy as you need things. Up front get the basics in a decent but not too expensive brand. Then add as you need it so you buy what you need vs a pile of tools you barely use. That is how I started when I moved out on my own in the 90's. Today, given I do literally 100% of any mechanical work I need (other than tire work and alignments... but I even do my own alignments now and then) that buy as I need has turned into a shop full of tools But all were purchased as I needed them so I rarely have a "cool tool" I bought and have not used. Same approach on my woodworking/construction type tools. You can get away with some pretty basic tools for most things and dont have to spend a fortune up front. You can also rent/borrow some special purpose tools from autoparts stores if you need as well. If you find yourself needing to rent something more than once, then maybe its time to buy.

 

I’d like to add to that good advice, if you borrow a tool more than once, buy one.

 

Borrow once, rent once, buy. That's how it works for me. Rental is often a case of beer or something to whoever I borrowed from the first time.

 

A lot of talk about ratcheting wrenches, but mostly just talk. If buying, make sure the ring isn't so damn big or fat that it presents clearance issues. Bottom line, there are tools, and then there are useful tools, buy wisely.

 

That’s a really good point. I have noticed some of the newer ratcheting wrenches have a poorly specced out box end. Sometimes the ratcheting mechanism is off center and some of them have a much fatter ring making it difficult to get them in tight spots.

Also, as an aside and I don’t know why this is, lots of the ratcheting wrenches have a weaker open end.

 

I’m (un)fortunate enough to have inherited my wife’s late father’s collection of tools. He was a lifelong heavy equipment mechanic, you name it, he had it, including a slew of sockets. I’d give anything to have him back instead of his tools. That said, a lot of his stuff is older Craftsman, Snap On, MAC, etc.

Garage sales and Ebay are your friend unless your hearts set on buying new. Keyword to use on Ebay is “vintage” to pull in all the old Craftsman, Thorsen, Stanley/Proto, SK etc. Plenty of good old heavy metal out there for reasonable prices. I bought some organizers from Menards and Amazon and de-rusted all his sockets using vinegar.

 

the ratcheting ones are never a full replacement for standard wrenches either. Always get regular wrenches first, then get ratcheting ones if you want them. I find myself using the ratcheting ones a lot less but they do have their place.

 

Kind to tag along and ask, any suggestions on a good (not breaking bank) torque wrench that works well and is calibrated good out of the box ready to work?
I am looking for a digital one but not sure if split beam means anything to me yet, assuming if I don't know it then no.... ideas?

 

Tekton makes nice ones, gearwrench for budget digital one IIRC; I just saw on Amazon that Ac Delco sells a digital 1/2” do $100, that’s hard to beat

 

Havent been a real mechanic in over 2 decades. I will second or third grabbing the HF Quinn set as an initial starter set to make sure you have the basics covered. Grab some HF Icon ratchets with it instead of the basics in the set the increased ratio will be a life saver.

In all honesty, the HF stuff is better than most of what you will find in its price range. If you want the best, i recommend paying attention to project farm and the torque test channel, both test tools beyond anything a regular person would ever do with them and provide solid recommendations.

Once the basics are covered you can then easily choose what to buy based upon what you encounter. Decide to do the O2 sensors, all you have to go buy is the socket, want to reach around something with an odd wrench, just buy that one, so on and so forth.

You could easily spend 10s of thousands if you bought all the tools you may need off the tool truck that the auto techs use. Those trucks remain in business because they take "high quality" tools to those who cant go buy tools in the middle of the work day. Those tools are not significantly better (not at all for the average home mechanic) than the tools you can order. HERE (chart at 14:40) is a test showing others beat the snap-on "flank drive" wrench, @ half or 1/3 the $ amount, in amount of torque you can apply with an open end wrench.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fa4VFiNa0Xs

Project farm and torque test Chanel for current tool reviews.

I have the high end snap-on and a dozen or so others of varying brands.

I like the digital snap-on torque wrenches the best, but they are insanely overpriced. The GearWrench didn’t do well in the head to head test and while I haven’t calibrated mine it’s fine for what I’m using it for, hell the old craftsman’s I have were fine forever. Pretty much any brand name torque wrench will do for wrenching on cars. That said, when it comes to torquing really important things I always default to the Snap-on.

 

Ebay is a great place to get box truck tools for half the price. I have a lot of Icon and old USA craftsman. But now I'm replacing a lot of it with Snap On from ebay.

 

Was great until now!

 

Fixed one end box and ratcheting other end box, both 6 point and 12 point have their place.

 

I feel ya there, man. Son and I will likely be taking a trip to Arkansas sometime this summer to pick up a bunch of tools from my dad's woodshop. He passed in 2019 and as of this February I will *finally* have a shop on my own property; and while I have plenty of basic tools, there are plenty of tools that I do not have, that my Dad had 6 or 8 of.

That said...I'd give anything to have him back instead of tools.

 

My dad is 79 and still has his shop open and always mentions "this will go to you" ... and I dont like even talking about it! He beat lung cancer at 77 and even worked some during the treatment, so I keep telling him he aint going anywhere soon and we can talk about that stuff later