Cal26Stang

MAC makes a pretty nice set, if your willing to spend a bit extra

Art161

Well, I didn't punch the guy in the face, but I did call the manager on the phone. It was a AAA diagnostic center that over tightened the lug nuts. They used an air wrench with a torque stick. The manager said the torque stick was probably defective, and they would check it against their manual Snap-on torque wrench. Yes, it was a chrome socket that broke. Now I use the black from Snap-on. It's lucky that I routinely check the wheel lug nut torque myself every time I get the car back from a shop.

pascal

Good thinking.

157dB

I absolutely despise Snap-on and MATCO.
They both have their noses way to far up
in the air for me. Maybe if you make 40-50 $$s an
hour with them 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year.

The Old School Craftman tools rock the house.
These newer cheaply made Craftsman stuff
is crappy crap crap. You can go thru about
a ratchet a week in professional use. They
replace them with a smile, but geeze, I dont want
to have to LIVE in the fricken Sears store.
You can put a 30 year old craftsman wrench next to
a new one in the store and see the difference firsthand.
When Bob Vila started hawking Craftman, I went the
other way.
Proto makes mean tools nowdays and they proudly sit in the
same toolbox as my dads 40 year old Craftsman tools.

GTRaider

I have a Craftsman tool set that I got 35+ years ago and another partial set that belonged to my Dad that must be over 50 years old. They still work fine for most jobs. Of course, I've added tools when necessary over the years.

My main complaints are that several years ago, I needed to replace the guts of my 1/2 ratchet and the parts they gave me had a quick release ball that was too small to hold my old sockets on. It's a real PITA to drop a socket and worse if you don't hear it hit the floor, meaning it got hung up on a crossmember or something. New Craftsmen ratchets are for the most part - useless IMO. I looked at the Snap-On ratchets but just can't justify that kind of money as a weekend mechanic. If I was a full time mechanic, you bet that's what I'd have.

Also, they don't warrant their Torque Wrenches like the hand tools. I had a Micro-Torq for several years that had the ratchet part give up the ghost. When I looked that the cost of the replacement ratchet head, I said to hell with that. I bought an SK Torque Wrench and haven't looked back. Absolutley no comparison in my book! It was over $100 but well worth it.

It's interesting to see that may have said the Lowe's Kobalt tools are pretty good quality. Maybe I'll look at a new ratchet next time I'm there.

157dB

The Kobalt tool box will hold up a race car,
thats about the end of their claims commercial
wise.

I mean, when is the last time YOUR lift failed
and the vehicle dropped down on your roll
around worktop tool box?

JDWalton

I really like my Kobalt tools. They are not the best tool on the market, however I like them the best in there price range. So thats the standard craftsman tools from sears or whatever Home depots brand is, cant recall. Sure, you compare these to tools 5X the price, they will probably get beat, but then your missing the point of the thread. The Op is looking for value for the money, these tools win IMO

JIM5.0

I agree 100%. Decent tools for your car are a must. The cheap ones are made in China, and they use inferior materials and are not even in par with industry standards. These tools are nothing short of dangerous to use. Their inferior materials and inferior production standards put you, the user at risk when you use them.

Aside from the fact that I despise buying Chinese goods because that only takes jobs away from Americans and drives down wages, I am so afraid of a tool breaking on me when it is only being stressed to normal usage.
I can understand if a tool is being abused, but a tool breaking under normal usage is unacceptable, and such cheap Chinese tools should be banned from even being sold.

For these reasons, I too suggest to the OP to get the Craftsman set, but make sure you get the set that is made in America (yes, some Craftsman stuff are made in China, but I do not buy those).
Or if you can find some other tools that are not cheap Chinese, like Snap-On or whatever, get those, if those are not too expensive for you.

6-Speed

Here's the inventory of tools included in the 182 pc set, which appears to be a decent starter set.

http://download.sears.com/misc/IL33182.pdf

All the 1/2" sockets included in the kit are 12 pt standard sockets. In the future, you'll probably want to add some 6pt 1/2" sockets, both standard and deep well and some various length 1/2" extensions. While 12 pt sockets are good for some applications, you'll want 6 pt sockets to loosen and torque on larger bolts. You might consider Harbor Freight breaker bars, 3/8" and 1/2", along with some decent torque wrenches. CDI and Precision Instruments make some decent torque products; and stay away from the HF torque wrenches.

Roy_R

Went to Sears today and could not get myself to pull the trigger in that set...going to buy the stuff on a "as needed basis". Turns out I have quite a bit of tools, just need to organize it a bit. Will get a Craftsman wheel box for that...I don't like supporting the Chinese either...unfortunately we sold out

PS. For the blower job you need a torque wrench from 5+ ftlb....the ones with the screw handle started at 20+???