Trail Tools

shawn

shawn

running dog lackey of the oppressor class
Administrator
Joined
Mar 13, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
I thought I posted a thread this morning asking about trail tools. Unless somebody else can find it for me, I likely typed up a post and then wandered off and forgot about it.

Either way, I meant to ask if Crapsman was still the gold standard in cheap, good-enough hand tools. I'm working on putting together a new set of trail/trailer tools.

Well, a buddy sent me this today:

255 piece Craftsman set with a blowmold box for half off. Use promo code "JUNESAVINGS" to get an extra $15. $135 plus tax out the door.

Seems like a decent deal. I'll be picking up one of these tomorrow. :beer:
 
I have 4 of everything Craftsman makes that doesn't have a cord attached! I have no prob at all with them.
 
Craftsman is good stuff if you stay away from the imported stuff. Also old Kobalt tools when they were made in USA are good stuff.
 
i have no problems with craftsman hand tools, use them every day. I travel from customer to customer so If I lose something Im not out a fortune.
 
I've been using my basic Craftsman 75 peice set for like 18 years. Old problem is the 3/8" ratchet, the pins break if you put too much force on it. But sicne you can just swap it out, no big deal. I bet I've swapped 10 times. Never broken a socket.
 
Yea and don't forget about the craftsman ratcheting wrenches for about $50 a set. I use them everyday and never broke one. Sizes 10-19mm. I must say though, I bought swivel head ratcheting wrenches from harbor freight and they have been awesome also. The only thing harbor freight I have ever broken would be a 3/8" drive 13mm deep that I used with an impact on a wheel hub on a pontiac g5, but I use some harbor freight stuff every day with no issues. Good trail tools also, especially for the money.
 
My whole toolbox is nothing but craftsman and kobalt tools...my tools have a habit of wandering away. For my purposes they hold up fine. They've touched darn near every nut and bolt on all of my rigs. If you keep in mind they're cheap tools and don't stress them too much, they'll work just fine.
 
Thats not really a bad deal, the box is probably not all that durable though.

unless you have a specific NEED for a 12pt socket on a certain application, pull them out of the kit and toss them in a box, the best thing 12pt sockets are good for are busted knuckles and rounded bolts/nuts. a lot of dead weight you'll rarely if ever use intentionally. make room for something of better use in the box. ( i've never found myself NEEDING a 12pt socket that wasn't application specific )

find a Matco truck and buy the socket rails ( the plastic ones ) I use them daily and have had the same rails ( and sockets ) since I've bought them (some at least 10years ) , helps keep things organized and together. ( unless Snappy has a similar or better version available, I dunno, I try to avoid ALL the CRACK trucks anymore ! )

get REAL gear wrenches ( Name brand ) your preferance may vary, but I like the regular single direction ( no flip lever, just turn the wrench over ) have had the same set and use daily for the last 7 years. haven't needed to warranty any of them. regular wrench and a gear wrench duplicate is a nice set up, they work well together.

a good ratcheting screw driver is a nice addition as well ( Snap-On has a couple nice ones that aren't terribly expensive and pretty durable) get an assortment of bits that you may need for in handle storage as well. very good trail tool.

Knipex Cobra pliers, needle nose and cutters, ( 3 piece set ) only thing better is a second set of Cobra pliers
 
craftsman are great tools if you are not making a living with them.
12 point sockets suck unless you enjoy bloody knuckles
i agree about the gearwrenches, they are decent wrenches, i just don't use them to break tight things loose, and i don't use them opposite an impact.
 
transman731 said:
craftsman are great tools if you are not making a living with them.
12 point sockets suck unless you enjoy bloody knuckles
i agree about the gearwrenches, they are decent wrenches, i just don't use them to break tight things loose, and i don't use them opposite an impact.
Click to expand...
I finally had to warranty my first gearwrench and it randomly happened to be an 11mm (wtf? I know). My boss wont let tool trucks on our property because he has seen it ruin lives he says.
Most of my cornwell and high-dollar stuff was handed down in the huge toolbox I was given that came stocked with everything, so I would be considered blessed
 
Bigbluechevy said:
Yea and don't forget about the craftsman ratcheting wrenches for about $50 a set. I use them everyday and never broke one. Sizes 10-19mm.
Click to expand...

I've got a set of flat craftsman wrenches in metric, but I like the gearwrenches better. Craftsman might make theirs in a "Pro" polished/fine tooth version... not sure. But the ones I have are pretty coarse ratcheting in comparison to the gearwrench brand ones.
 
shawn said:
I've got a set of flat craftsman wrenches in metric, but I like the gearwrenches better. Craftsman might make theirs in a "Pro" polished/fine tooth version... not sure. But the ones I have are pretty coarse ratcheting in comparison to the gearwrench brand ones.
Click to expand...
The craftsman do take more torque so they are a bit frusturating when you think it's loose and its still more than hand snug.

The gearwrenches are almost zero-effort so I can run most bolts all the way out. Good for getting to that slave cylinder on a miata, or an alternator on a nissan v6 truck
 
lockedup5 said:
I've had good service out of my Husky swivel ratchet wrenches. Most my stuff is Craftsman. Last I was told they won't swap a ratchet any more just send it off.
Click to expand...

That's what mine are... not gearwrench, they're Husky.

When did you try to swap a ratchet, and what brand was it? I swapped several craftsman ratchets, but it was a few months ago.
 
shawn said:
That's what mine are... not gearwrench, they're Husky.

When did you try to swap a ratchet, and what brand was it? I swapped several craftsman ratchets, but it was a few months ago.
Click to expand...
Been a great while since I tried swapping my Craftsman ratchets in. I told them if they didn't want to stand behind their tools I'd just quit buying their tools. And that's what I did. Haven't bought any tools at sears in a long time. I bought a couple cheap ratchets at the flea market to throw in my trail bag. Cant remember the name but they have a black and yellow handle and they have swivel heads. Probably the best ratchets I've ever owned.

On a side note I generally use my 1/4'' dewalt impact w/ a 3/8 adapter on 90% of everything I do.
 
lockedup5 said:
Been a great while since I tried swapping my Craftsman ratchets in.
Click to expand...

See... I think that's some of the nonsense I heard about a few years ago. Some stuff about how you were going to have to mail in the busted tools to get replacements (which, BTW, I'm pretty sure is how Lowes does it now), and how the new sockets were only guaranteed until the painted-on markings wore off. That's kinda why I asked. But I took a fist full of busted stuff in... probably about 6 mos ago now, and the guy just told me to go back and pick out new ones. I'm pretty sure he swapped the ratchets with rebuilds from behind the counter, but the sockets were replaced with brand new ones.

Anybody else had trouble getting stuff covered under warranty? Was this a full-fledged Sears, or one of the little "neighborhood" stores?
 
It's been a couple months since I returned any tools to sears but I was in there weekly returning torx bits while I was tearing down the jeep. Never had an issue.
 
Last I replaced a ratchet @ sears was ~4 months ago.
The guy at the sales kiosk had a drawer with a handfull of rebuilt ones, I handed him mine and he handed one back.
I've had a problem before w/ them exchanging one that is slightly longer. Which sounds great, until you get home and realize it dosn't fit in the plastic case. Actually last swap, I specifically asked for a smaller one so it would fit again. Guy looked at me like I was crazy.

I also asked once if I could just have a couple of the rebuild kits. Its nice that they exchange 'em, but honestly it's a PITA to get to the store here. i'd rather just rebuild it myself. He said he couldn't do it b/c they had no way to inventory the rebuild kit parts o_O... I might be able to buy the kits... but that's crazy.

For guys that just buy cheap sale leftover to have as spares/emergency trail kits... I don't get it. Really, the LAST thing you want when you have to repair something in the middle of nowhere... is for your tools to break!
 
Oh, and when are they gonna sell a kit that is just a Jap-spec metric mechanic set? That's all I want to carry on the trail... who needs thiose silly 11,13,15,16 or 18mm sockets lol.
(ok so I do carry a 13mm since it works as 1/2" for my SAE friends and the few bolts that have been replaced w/ E-spec 8mm bolts)
 
the problem i had when i first started as a tech was , i couldn't go to sears every other day to get a 14mm socket(subaru dealership). now if i go to get things warrantied they never have what i need, because i guess everyone everyone broke the same things.

Bigbluechevy said:
I finally had to warranty my first gearwrench and it randomly happened to be an 11mm (wtf? I know). My boss wont let tool trucks on our property because he has seen it ruin lives he says.
Click to expand...

your boss is right in some aspects, but he is going to fall way behind in technology, and really fast.
 
My Neighbor gave me his set, he bought for cheap it was missing some sockets. Their all made in USA, and i've used them with a impact gun. Not one of them are stripped or broken.
 
I have the same set in your original post. It stays in my garage and is my "shop set" of tools until I can afford an actual tool box full of tools. So far its has done everything I have needed it to including swapping an engine and axles in my RamCharger. Add to that set another ratchet and 2 sets of wrenches and what ever special tools you need and you will be golden.

Duane
 
Back
Top