Trail Tools

I've been buying and using Craftsman tools my whole life. I've never had a problem exchanging broken sockets or ratchets for new ones. Dude just hands me a rebuilt ratchet from under the counter, and pulls new sockets out of the display case. I go to the big Sears store in Greensboro. It has probably been a year or more since my last exchange.

For trails tools, I have a tool bag that I just fill with random tools out of my toolbox, and throw it in the back of my Samurai before any wheeling trip.
 
I have a really nice blue point kit for the trails it's got everything except flat wrenches and pliers. Craftsman tool are ok but I will never buy a ratchet from them I have broken to many of them.
 
have several pieces of craftsman tools with no real issues but i was working in Greensboro several years ago at the now defunct North State Chevrolet and went to the big sears @ the friendly center on my lunch break and the guy at the tool counter told me that craftsman was not warrantied for profesional use WTH!!!! and refused service to me and two other techs that went in there with me!! so long story short i sent my then girlfriend back later to have my broken tools warrantied and have never bought another thing from them, now that being said my trail/junkyard bag has Harbor frieght sockets(impact 6 pt), gear wrench ratchet wrenches, whatever cheap cobalt or master technician combo wrenches i pick up cheap and channel lock side cutters, vice grips, slip joints, and wire crimpers, and a couple of harbor frieght hammers. I am not making a living with this bag of tools i'm just trying to get me and my friends off the trail, or trying to get a part off in the junkyard and don't want to be overly concerned with losing my tools, but i also never use this kit otherwise but it has been pretty durable for the last several years just my .02
 
transman731 said:
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.
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That is the thing I've noticed, any tool I've ever wanted to make a warranty claim on (with the exception of sockets) or purchase (outside of standard hand tools)...they never have in stock.
 
Infamous1 said:
Harbor frieght sockets(impact 6 pt)
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Those things are the best deal going on sockets. I've got a set of 1/2" metric and SAE... use them with my titanium IR gun... just let it eat, never broken one. I've even had a few bolts the IR gun couldn't touch. Put the socket on a breaker bar with a 4' cheater and it was still fine.
 
At work I have a bunch of craftsman tools, broke a few sockets and ratchet over the years, but mostly torx bits with the 3/8 drive. I've been buying more from the mac tool truck lately, but I don't see myself replacing my basic craftsman any time soon.

I have another set of craftsman hand tools at home and harbor freight impact sockets. I've also got a cheap plastic tackle box style tool box on my rig with mostly harbor freight tools in it, including a $3 on sale multimeter, none of which has let me down on the few trail repairs I've had to do. If your wrenching a lot in race conditions I'd stick with craftsman though (except harbor freight impact sockets, theyre pretty good)
 
I've got a full collection of Harbor Freight wrenchs and ratchet wrenches in the jeep, and they've never let me down. They sat in water for a couple months and all the mechanisms got rusted, but after some WD40 and exercise, the ratchet mechanisms are smooth as they ever were. Plus they are cheap enough that if somebody steals them or I leave them somewhere, I won't be overly devastated.

I also have this set that I carry everwhere, and the quality of the tools is outstanding:
http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-CTK148MP-148-Piece-Professional-Tool/dp/B000BQMLLY
The chrome is extremely tough and rust resistant, and the ratchet mechanism is very fine. I've beat on them and impacted them and ran over them, but everything still looks like new after about 7-8 years of abuse.

This looks like the same thing, but with more and cheaper, and a pair of channel locks instead of dykes:
http://www.qcsupply.com/351627-cres...m_medium=cpc&gclid=CL2v_sGo0LACFS7DtgodShhZZA
 
The verdict is in. I picked one up on the way home and just finished unpacking everything.

For $135, it's not a bad set of tools.

For $300 (regular list), it's a fawking rip-off.

I bought a similar set of Craftsman sockets about... 15 years ago. Same kind of thing, 250-ish count Mechanics set. The old set went up to 1-1/4" and 32mm. The new set goes to 1-1/8" and 22mm. It's got a fair bit of dumb stuff in the box... about a dozen *tiny* box end wrenches, a 9mm 12pt 1/2" drive, etc. The overall quality of the sockets isn't terrible, but it's also not as nice/clean as they used to be.

I'll probably pad this one out with some pliers and such and leave it in the trailer. The box isn't super durable, but it's good enough to keep stuff organized. Then I'll make up a trail set from random leftover tools.
 
shawn said:
Those things are the best deal going on sockets. I've got a set of 1/2" metric and SAE... use them with my titanium IR gun... just let it eat, never broken one. I've even had a few bolts the IR gun couldn't touch. Put the socket on a breaker bar with a 4' cheater and it was still fine.
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Yeah these are durable enough, though not as precise a fit as a better piece.
 
i've been to sears about 3 times this month for ratchets and all they will do is rebuild them for you, good as new but thought that sucked alittle
 
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.
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That's not true, I just busted the head out of one the other day and they replaced it, well, actually I ask them to repair it, they replaced the head in store for me. You get a "refurbished" replacement of you aren't willing to wait on them to fix it or your store doesn't support it.
 
transman731 said:
now if i go to get things warrantied they never have what i need, because i guess everyone everyone broke the same things.
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Yeah nothing worse then burning up an hour or 2 going to sears to replace your broken stuff and they are out of what you need. Last time I went I had a broken 3/8 drive swivel. And of course they didnt have any more. So I quit buying craftsman and buy snap on. I can call my dealer and get a replacement part at any hour of the day or night if I need it. Yeah it costs alot more but its worth it. Now for trail tools harbor freight/craftsman/kobalt/husky are just fine.
 
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