Are these tool kits a good buy, and worth keeping?

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:32 pm

2nd Hand Yank wrote: I saw a set that interested me from KingChrome today.
$144 for a 1/4" and 3/8" drive set (mostly 3/8"s)
with something "Lok" in the name, meant to take off rounded nuts.
It has extensions and spark plug sockets, but I think it's missing a flex-joint in the kit.
This I think was possible a "6-point" socket set.
It's actually the perfect size and weight to keep in my wagon.

How often do you need a flex joint?
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Sounds like the set I bought seven years ago, which is still going strong. The AF sockets live in a drawer at home, and I ditched the blow moulded tray that the set came in and riveted socket rails into the case to hold the metric sockets and other bits and pieces I use regularly (extra extensions, uni joint, allen bits, oil filter grabber, etc).

A flexi joint (either ball or universal) is certainly nice to have, but you'll live without it. Repco brand extensions have a built in wobble.

Also have Sidchrome metric spanners, cheap generic AF spanners, cheap flare nut spanners, and various brand name other stuff. Recently splashed out on a big Dawn vice, which I love and which will become a family heirloom.

Quality tools are great to have, and if you use them you'll love them so buy the best you can afford, but remember cheapies are better than nothing. Cheapies are sometimes even good enough for occasional/light use (hence the cheap bits in my list above).

Dane.

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:34 pm

Stanley gear goes alright. That's what I tell my sister to buy. It's made in the same factories as Sidchrome.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:19 pm

The Kinchrome ones are Lok-On. I haven't looked at them fully but from what I have seen on the net they appear to be only for taking off stubborn bolts - it looks like they only work that way - anybody confirm/deny that ?

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:45 pm

What's Lok-On? I've used mine for doing and undoing all manner of bolts. The Kincrome sockets I just eyeballed are the same shape as my Repco and Koken ones.

EDIT:
Ok, done a bit more research. Lok-on seems to be Kincrome's name for a six-sided socket designed to drive the faces rather than corners of a fastener head, which should be better for ubertight or rounded fasteners than a similar 12-sided socket. You should be able to turn a Lok-On socket either way.

Dane.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:20 am

Yeah sorry - I was referring to 2nd Hand Yank's post #39.

I thouhgt the Lok-On ones had like a spiral inside them which made them get tighter as you turned them - I've been looking at so many lately maybe I'm confused (which isn't hard nowadays).

I have seen sets with this spiral and it certainly looks like it would only work one way.

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:17 am

TOONGA wrote:there is still one of those Stanley sets at Super cheap, or there was when I bought mine. it is all 6 point and the quality is actually better than I guessed.

Im home this weekend if you want help with the oil change and tightening of the bull bar.

as for the flex joint my snap-on one looks brand new as it has rarely been used

TOONGA

Saturday I'm going on a bush tucker tour.

There's a special price for winter (Jun-Aug) and this is the last weekend before regular price.
Maybe Sunday?

I should check out SuperCheap again.

My 1/2" Stanley set was all 12 point, so I thought that was a bit of a waste. (money + weight in my wagon)

I would also prefer ractchet spanners to regular ring spanners.
Both are typically 12 point, so might as well get some that make the job 5-10 times quicker.

(if the ratchets don't break

)

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:20 am

GOD wrote:Sounds like the set I bought seven years ago, which is still going strong. The AF sockets live in a drawer at home, and I ditched the blow moulded tray that the set came in and riveted socket rails into the case to hold the metric sockets and other bits and pieces I use regularly (extra extensions, uni joint, allen bits, oil filter grabber, etc).

A flexi joint (either ball or universal) is certainly nice to have, but you'll live without it. Repco brand extensions have a built in wobble.

Also have Sidchrome metric spanners, cheap generic AF spanners, cheap flare nut spanners, and various brand name other stuff. Recently splashed out on a big Dawn vice, which I love and which will become a family heirloom.

Quality tools are great to have, and if you use them you'll love them so buy the best you can afford, but remember cheapies are better than nothing. Cheapies are sometimes even good enough for occasional/light use (hence the cheap bits in my list above).

Dane.

Nice picture. Good post mate.

flare-nut spanners... are needed for what items on a subaru?
I remember using them on brake and hydraulic lines in school, way back when.

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:23 am

GOD wrote:What's Lok-On? I've used mine for doing and undoing all manner of bolts. The Kincrome sockets I just eyeballed are the same shape as my Repco and Koken ones.

EDIT:
Ok, done a bit more research. Lok-on seems to be Kincrome's name for a six-sided socket designed to drive the faces rather than corners of a fastener head, which should be better for ubertight or rounded fasteners than a similar 12-sided socket. You should be able to turn a Lok-On socket either way.

Dane.

Would "Lok-On" be better than other 6 point sockets; slightly different gripping surfaces?

What about Hex-Drive?
I've seen a few hex drive sockets and spanners around, although they seem very uncommon.
When can you use hex drive?
How does hex drive compare to a 6 point socket?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 3:37 am

Dear GOD, you must be my mates long lost brother ! as you two are the only ones I have seen toss the internal tray - for more room and wow you can jam a few more important bits in there. Start to think chocolate box makers could do the same

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:56 am

2nd Hand Yank wrote:
I would also prefer ractchet spanners to regular ring spanners.
Both are typically 12 point, so might as well get some that make the job 5-10 times quicker.
(if the ratchets don't break )

Ratchet spanners aren't designed to undo stubborn nuts - you can't put much as much torque through them as a standard one-piece spanner. So you will still need normal spanners.

Whatever you do do not buy the ratchet spanners that are 2 pieces of lat steel with the ratchet mechanism riveted between them. They are too big around the head and you don't always have the room to fit them on. Also they are nowhere near as strong and they are only made by cheap crap tool companies so that tells you how bad they are........

tex · Post by **tex** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 12:01 am

I cant help but say Ive got one of those "LOK" on socket sets in 1/2inch drive, I was given a sidchrome set by work which was fine until you came across a rounded off bolt then you were stuck So I went chasing a metwrench set as I only had odd sizes but the bloke in the bearing shop that sold both put me on to the Lok on set and I always think him for it because now that is the only set I use and carry!
And for the record ratcheting spanners are worth their weight in gold too I know your supposed to loosen bolts first but i bought a quality set and even I would hate to think how much pressure I've put these through!

2nd Hand Yank · Post by **2nd Hand Yank** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 1:05 am

tex wrote:I cant help but say Ive got one of those "LOK" on socket sets in 1/2inch drive, I was given a sidchrome set by work which was fine until you came across a rounded off bolt then you were stuck So I went chasing a metwrench set as I only had odd sizes but the bloke in the bearing shop that sold both put me on to the Lok on set and I always think him for it because now that is the only set I use and carry!

And for the record ratcheting spanners are worth their weight in gold too I know your supposed to loosen bolts first but i bought a quality set and even I would hate to think how much pressure I've put these through!

That's what I was thinking. If I'm gonna spend a fair chunk of change on a set, I'd rather it be something special. I'm happy to hear Lok-On works for you as good as it sounded like, to me.

Even better for me, the set is small and somewhat-lightweight vs. a large 99 piece set of average quality, with even more pieces I might not need.

What kind of ratcheting spanners do you recommend?

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:54 am

Only thing I can complain about with my Kinchrome ratchet spanners is they are quite sharp on the edges, probably so you can't put too much pressure on them but otherwise I wouldn't be without them, 10mm, 12mm & 14mm, a 17mm would be handy too but not got yet.

I bought a brand new set of Sidchrome 1/2" AF socket & ring/open ender spanners with breaker, ratchet and 2 extensions for the grand price of ................$23 through work in Port Hedland in 1974 when I was 17, I broke the breaker when I put a 3' extension on it to remove a rusty bolt and snapped the drive off the ratchet at the ball catch bit but have a spare and still got the majority of them left. Can't really take them back as the bar is a bit bent & there are too many marks on the ratchet where over the years I've used it as a hammer, I've bought most metric sockets needed over the years from cashies & garage sales to match but very rarely use them now I have the Kinchrome 1/4 - 3/8th set.

Smash1911 · Post by **Smash1911** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:55 pm

My kinchrome ratchet spanners have done some work and copped some abuse. Using a standard 19mm open ender on the 17mm ratchet ring spanner for extra leverage and not one slip or breakage. If they can put up with 6+ years of abuse by a mechanic, home use will last a lifetime.

LIFTED · Post by **LIFTED** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 11:44 pm

After watching different people come over and remove stuff from my Outback I'm wrecking and seeing what they used I went out and bought a set of 4 kinchrome rachet spanners from bunnings today 8,10,12,14mm for $45

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:40 am

That's an excellent buy, 8mm will be useful on some hose clamps, but not a lot else.

pitrack_1 · Post by **pitrack_1** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:49 am

2nd Hand Yank,

Sounds like some experienced mechanics here. Thanks for the 'flank' spanners info, all!

My 2c worth as a (very) amateur mechanic is:

You use 5% of your tools 80% of the time. If you don't know exactly what you need, buy a cheap(ish) set to begin with, then:

- If they don't wear out or damage your equipment, fine.
- As tools wear out or damage parts, replace those worn/damaging tools with good quality ones. Or if you can afford it, now buy a good set which contains those tools you mostly use which you've now figured out. You can then throw the cheap set in the back of the car as an emergency kit.

At my work we have an annoying mix of imperial and metric. We've even got some Whitworth threads thrown in I think... we've used Sidchrome ring spanners, Fragram ratcheting spanners and socket sets (reasonable), various screwdriver sets (all tips chewing out- no Sidchromes), PB swiss allen keys + small screwdrivers (if you need 'em- expensive but lifetime purchase), also GS allen keys (good), Bondhus allen drivers (reasonable). For small precision screwdrivers, Felo- in frustration one day I bent one of those through 90-180 degrees trying to break it, only to have it spring back! We also have a 12-point socket set, but one of those sockets mates to some 12-point (star) bolts we have- replacements have to come from MDC in the USA. Unfortunately the worst tools we had were allen drivers made in the USA- they had the shafts come out of the grips/heads- most annoying!

If you want some portable tools such as screwdrivers, you could consider the exchangable bit sets, e.g. I've seen technicians using Xcelite amongst others.

My Dad gave me a Sidchrome socket set for Christmas, I love it. Between that, a set of Stanley screwdrivers, Makita drill, etc and my once-a-month doing something, they'll last me a lifetime- if I get to keep 'em!

Good tools here are good tools anywhere if you can take 'em with you. You may just have to cover off on SAE and metric.

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:36 am

I remember losing one of my most used and favourite tools, a 10mm Kinchrome ratchet spanner, that was about 6yrs ago, I replaced it with another as good a quality but instead of having the offset head and direction lever it was flat & you flipped over to change direction, about 4yrs later when I finally decided to take the WRX out from under it's tarp and pull it apart I found it under the top of the r/h guard, it had i little bit of rust near the ratchet but a bit of oil and it was back to perfect and back to being my little pride and joy, funny how you become so attached to something so inanimate.

For some weird reason there are tools which I keep on losing too ........ medium phillips heads, multi grips and especially crescent spanners under 10", I've lost heaps over the years.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:23 pm

I just received an early Christmas pressie in the mail - a brand new set of 7 genuine Gear Wrench flex head ratchet spanners (10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19mm).

RRP in Aus is about $220 - got the from eBay and posted from USA for $57 - woohoo !!

OOOOHHHHHHH SHINY :

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:46 pm

niterida wrote:I just received an early Christmas pressie in the mail - a brand new set of 7 genuine Gear Wrench flex head ratchet spanners (10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19mm).

RRP in Aus is about $220 - got the from eBay and posted from USA for $57 - woohoo !!

OOOOHHHHHHH SHINY :

Great find

Yes, very shiny lol