Some tool questions
 

Been searching ebay for some universal sockets and the 1/4" drive ones seem to be more plentiful.

Is 1/4" drive strong enough for most applications or would 3/8" drive be better?

All the Snap On and Craftsman ads stress the lifetime warranties on the tools and I suppose this applies to the tool actually breaking. Can you get replacements if the tool is just loose or the fit of sockets is sloppy?

Anyone with experience under what conditions you get free replacement tools?

glenmore
1991 300CE
1990 LS400
2000 C280

only i fit gets broken...I've never worn out a Craftsmant tool....but I have brokken a few...and some of mine I have used for 30 years...

like a 1/2" breaker bar I had a 3' pipe on jumping on it trying to break loose an axel nut....POW!.....tried the 1'2 regualr ratchet same way......POW! broke that.........went to sears adn they chearfully replaced them........after heating it up cherry red then trying agin it broke loose....

1/4 is the smallest one....suitible for small stuff only....3/8" you can break if you lean into it , adn 1/2" is durable for automotive work in general....


You really need all three....get the set sears has on sale for just shy of $200 you won't regret it....its a quality set of tools, and having th eright tools and good ones makes any job far less agrivating.

That's good advice on all points. You can't beat $200.00 for a quality set of guaranteed tools like craftsman.

New Craftsman policy is only to guarantee box wrenches not socket wrenches. I'm not sure if they sell a higher tier wrench that does come with a guarantee. If you buy an older socket wrench (via e-bay...) they may cover it... best to go to Sears and ask specific questions before hand.

Back when I was still wrenching, Snappy would replace sockets that were worn out but not broken.

well
 

well i hate to disagree

but i got rid of all my craftsman (just sold them)
and replaced them with chinease...
harbor freight dot com
the cheap china stuff fits now and is good quality and
i wind up having 4 or 5 of each socket so when there rolling
around on the garage floor i can just grab another 10mm from the
box.... i have about 5 or 6 ratchet and 3 or 4 of each wrench so that
they are easy to find and if i drop one i just grab another instead of having to dive under the car right away..

I've regretted every cheap chinese tool I have ever purchased.....except for my $15 4" angle grinder I bought at carlisle.....

Sears not my favorite
 

Every time I have tried to return a tool to sears they don’t have the exact same tool at the store so I have to go downtown to there main tool repair place and they replace it with the same tool the store had because they no longer make the exact same tool you bought 5 years ago. Now they also give you a used tool that has been repaired for replacement. Stanly tools made a revolutionary new development in socket set design. I have only seen it in there ¼ drive socket set and there hard to find. However, get this a socket set in a nice box that you can open the top throw it across the room and not apiece falls out yet when you need a socket, it pops right out for you, it is about time some one cam up with a decent socket storage design.

Dave S

I've returned tools to Sears. They simply take my broken tool at the counter, and say, "Go get your replacement off the shelf." In one instance, I broke a 20 year old bolt extractor, and they didn't have the exact replacement. They said, "Do we have something that's acceptable to you as a replacement?" I got a better set -- a 7 piece set to replace my 5 piece set.

If you're getting the run-around from a Sears sales clerk, ask to speak with the manager.

jp

harbor freight
 

i bought a hammer with a fiderglass handle just
like i bought 25 years ago... except 25 years ago
it cost 30 bucks and today i bought it for 4 bucks..

i bought a 1/2 breaker bar at harbour freight (china stuff)
and this was about 8 bucks it would have been 50 bucks or
more from snap on or mac or craftsman... and it worked
perfectly and i dont feel bad when it falls on the garage floor
or when i put my foot on it to break loose a bolt..

That's great, but...if I have 4 or 5 of each tool I won't be able to find a single thing. I keep all of my tools organized so I know where it is, and I can grab it quickly without thinking.

I've got some Craftsman, some Gearwrenches (they rock!), and a Canadian Proto Challenger socket set (good luck replacing those in Texas -- but they simply DO NOT wear out).

Rock on! :dj:

I went that route at first until I got tired of punching the block when the sockets broke. I have had the same thing happen several times with craftsman ratchets the ratchets also tend to turn the bolt instead of ratcheting nothing beats a good Snap-On ratchet I bought a nice set of Snap-On tools when I had a mid life crises quit my profession and went back to trade school. We got such a good deal direct from snap on for our basic sets that the truck would not stop at are hanger at all they were so PO that we got tools for less than they paid. the one tool I would never part with is my snap on air ratchet it rocks when it comes to major projects
Dave S

I read that someone in China is making knock-off Honda CRVs, nearly perfect, virtually indistinguishable replicas of an entire automobile, and selling them for $7500. You get sooooo many more tools for your money at Harbor Freight, the quality is good, the return policy is good. There's only one reason to buy at Sears - if Harbor Freight doesn't have it, which does happen.

There's another good reason to buy at Sears. Craftsman wrenches are MADE IN THE USA!

Hey, just trying to keep a few of the real jobs that are left here.

Consider 3/8" size sockets your basic wrench. Add 1/2" and 1/4" to your tool collection after acquiring a complete set of 3/8", both standard and deep. I'm assuming you are working under-hood, whereas underdash clearances like 1/4" better.

Your first 1/2" sockets should be lug-nut sizes--I like deep, 6-points, you won't need an extension and won't mar a nut as easily as with 12-points.

Recently bought my daughters Stanley socket sets to wrench on their Hondas and was impressed with the fit, price and warranty.

Beware of the really cheap no-name stuff which fit poorly and round-over nuts readily.