Good budget priced sockets

[junkman]

I had to replace a bunch of tools ,this time the Matco truck had a value line of their impact sockets ,so far they have been holding up pretty decent ,i stripped out a 12 point on a ford driveline bolt and they replaced it just like the expensive ones ,Silver eagle and Gearwrench brand have been fairly durable also if on a budget buying tools ,any one else have quality budget priced tools to add ?

 

[woodtool89]

pittsburg?

 

[junkman]

Looks like the value line are the "adv" line of Matco ,i do like the big #s on the side of them ,my eyes are not what they used to be for small print .
All the blacks are adv Matco ,chromes are Gear Wrench brand ,also off the Matco truck .

 

[junkman]

pittsburg?

Have not seen that brand around here ,they pretty good ?

 

[woodtool89]

Have not seen that brand around here ,they pretty good ?

probably...lots of *f-word tards buy em?

 

[AVB]

I actually have set of the HF Pittsburg ratchet wrenches I am trying out. Like some us I have to buy the cheaper tools. So far they are holding better up than the Blackhawk that I can't get replaced as no one honors the lifetime warranty. So far in 8 years I haven't busted a Pittsburg impact socket.

When it come to sockets I prefer the single hex instead of the double hex for most my serious impact work. Darn Air Cat done snap two extensions in two and one 1/2 to 3/8 adapter. I had a Campbell Hausfeld impact but it won't even loose the lug nuts on my Silverado so I gave it away.

 

[srcarr52]

I've been beating up on some GearWrench 120XP ratchets for a while, 1/3 the price of any tool truck ratchet and so far they are holding up well.

Most of my sockets are still Craftsman but I'm slowly swapping out that brand with others now that there is no where to get them warrantied close. I'll probably go with GearWrench or Sunex.

 

[Czed]

Looks like the value line are the "adv" line of Matco ,i do like the big #s on the side of them ,my eyes are not what they used to be for small print .View attachment 77755 View attachment 77756 View attachment 77757
All the blacks are adv Matco ,chromes are Gear Wrench brand ,also off the Matco truck .

I've had great luck with all the gearwrench line I've used.
My favorites are the j.h. Williams brand but their prices have went up some.

 

[junkman]

I've been beating up on some GearWrench 120XP ratchets for a while, 1/3 the price of any tool truck ratchet and so far they are holding up well.

Most of my sockets are still Craftsman but I'm slowly swapping out that brand with others now that there is no where to get them warrantied close. I'll probably go with GearWrench or Sunex.

The Gear open end/box wrenches i had are almost a clone to the Snap-on ones ,i used to have the 120xp also with plastic handles ,felt comparable to the Snap-on ones i have now ,the gear wrench solid head ones that came in my socket kit are not too bad ,i like the flex heads better though .Silver eagle has good price on torx socket kits ,and they are good quality also .I think the bargain brands are keeping my Matco dealer in business

 

[srcarr52]

I have the solid head and the flex head non plastic handle GearWrench 120XP ratchets. Sometimes you need the flex head... sometimes you really need a solid head. Using the 120 position heads will spoil you, makes even a quality 72 tooth feel sub par. So far I haven't stripped any teeth but I have broke the square drive on the 1/2" and the replacement was only $15.

I went and bought full Craftsman sets of the polished professional long pattern wrenches after using an older set along side of snap-on wrenches at a friends shop. Unfortunately I was too late and they switched to China manufacturing and the quality has suffered. The open end is too bulky and has a loose fit. I should have spent a little more money and bought GearWrench ones.

I bought a set of stubby Sunex wrenches and I am very happy with them.

 

[CR888]

Ya Pittsburgh is a HF in house brand. If its impact sockets you want in 6pt, I'd look at these brands in the following order; Sunnex, Genius, GP (Grey Pneumatic), Gearwrench. Whatever you choose shoot for Taiwan made not China. Gearwrench make great price range ratchets but I don't care for their chrome sockets to much, impacts are decent. The quality today of some of the Taiwan sockets are so good that tool truck brands are very hard to justify the price. The Sunnex socket master sets are great and don't skip many sizes. I have Genius impacts in 1/2" deep and shallow, Teng tools 3/8" impacts and just use chrome for 1/4". There are some damn good buys on Amazon for you guys in the US for Sunnex & Genius sockets. Mine are holding up better than the Snap on ones I replaced.

 

[jakethesnake]

I've been alright with some of the harbor frieght impact sockets. They seem fine as far as no breaking. Kobalt makes good sockets.

 

[Ryan Browne]

I've got some harbor freight ratchets. They've been great. I like that a guy like me, who doesn't wrench for a living, can afford to buy all sorts of ratchets to try out. I figure if I fall in love with a particular size and style and break a couple of them (lifetime warranty), I can always go buy the snap on version down the road. I have some of their impact sockets too, but they're in the tractor tool box, so they don't see much use. I'd honestly be happy to own any of the Pittsburg wrenches or sockets. I have a few sets of their wrenches also. Yeah, they're made in China, but so is craftsman now, and the warranty is the same or better at harbor freight. The tools are super cheap too.

Anyone looking for a great set of wrenches for cheap would do well to look at the Wright brand. They make a wrench similar to the snap on flank drive wrenches. They call it wrightgrip. Made in the US, polished or satin, and about half the price of snap on.

 

[FergusonTO35]

USA made: Wright or S-K. If I was starting my mechanic career over again I would buy as much Wright stuff as I could get away with. Most of your older Matco tools were made by Wright or Bonney. Their boxes are really sweet too.

Foreign: Gearwrench or Tekton. I've read some really good reports on Tekton and their warranty service.

Check these guys out: https://www.harryepstein.com. They are a Wright and S-K dealer and have bunches of other USA brands at excellent prices. Nowadays, I only buy tools elsewhere if Epstein's doesn't have it.

 

[jakethesnake]

Felton stuff is pretty decent from the little bit I've got

 

[jakethesnake]

Tekton

 

[Dub11]

I've got some harbor freight ratchets. They've been great. I like that a guy like me, who doesn't wrench for a living, can afford to buy all sorts of ratchets to try out. I figure if I fall in love with a particular size and style and break a couple of them (lifetime warranty), I can always go buy the snap on version down the road. I have some of their impact sockets too, but they're in the tractor tool box, so they don't see much use. I'd honestly be happy to own any of the Pittsburg wrenches or sockets. I have a few sets of their wrenches also. Yeah, they're made in China, but so is craftsman now, and the warranty is the same or better at harbor freight. The tools are super cheap too.

Anyone looking for a great set of wrenches for cheap would do well to look at the Wright brand. They make a wrench similar to the snap on flank drive wrenches. They call it wrightgrip. Made in the US, polished or satin, and about half the price of snap on.

I really think those HF sockets are made with old craftsman dies.

 

[FergusonTO35]

They're probably made with the current Craftsman dies. Oops, didn't mean to insult Harbor Freight there.

 

[Dub11]

They're probably made with the current Craftsman dies. Oops, didn't mean to insult Harbor Freight there.

Lol there the older round head. Last time I bought something that said craftsman tools it had made in China on it. If I'm buying Chinese I'm going to pay that price.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I'm 100% through with Craftsman, although to be fair they were circling the drain long before the Chicom tools showed up. I worked for Sears back in the 90's and don't think I have ever seen a firm work so hard to keep both employees and customers disappointed.