Hansen vs. The New Harbor Freight Pittsburgh Pro Socket Trays

[Rudyjr]

I bought two of the new black sets, SAE and Metric last weekend at my local HF store. I was surprised how well they worked. I wish they sold them individually as well as all three together, I don't need that many 1/2 dirve trays.

 

[Steevo]

What are the size ranges on each size tray?
I'll give you a cut-and-paste list to use:

1/4" drive metric goes from x - ** mm?
3/8" drive metric goes from x-** mm?
1/2" drive metric goes from **-** mm?

1/4" drive SAE goes from **/** to **/**?
3/8" drive SAE goes from **/** to **/**?
1/2" drive SAE goes from **/** to **/**?

 

[meissen]

Well I'm sad to say my Hansen socket tray set ($60 ) arrived today and my Craftsmen 3/8" drive metric sockets are too small to fit on the pegs. Go figure - bad enough I spent $60 on a set of socket trays I could have gotten at Harbor Freight for $20, but then to add insult to injury the dang trays won't even work with my Craftsmen sockets.

If anyone is interested in the full set, I'll sell you a brand new set for $50..

 

[kfainf]

Great write up. Thanks. I am going to go check my local HF for these new black trays.

 

[GTO]

Thanks for sharing that with us. My life can go on now that I know that.

You're welcome.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

I'll take the Hansens any day over the HF garabage.I don't care how much they cost.

I like money. I also like turtles.


Hey meissen, I'll give ya the $20 that the new HF ones will cost you for those Hansen trays, haha.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I would pay good money if someone made a Hansen-style tray that was 3 rows, so I could keep my semi-deep sockets on the same tray.

I would pay good money if someone would make a set specifically for the Sears 299 pc socket set...

 

[Cryptic1911]

Where'd you go? Last I was in Berlin, they had a bunch of them. That was right before New Year's though...

I went to the one in Vernon

 

[Seanbev24]

I would pay good money if someone would make a set specifically for the Sears 299 pc socket set...

Craftsman would be the ones to make it if they didn't have their heads up their asses.

 

[rickairmedic]

I just happened to end up over near my HF today and couldnt help it . I went in and they had the new Black trays. I grabbed a set of Metric and SAE . Havent slowed down long enough yet to set them up but will get to it and if I like them I will be going back for more . Also grabbed the 9 piece wobble extension set for $5.97 and another 10 pack of micro fiber cloths as long as I was there .


Rick

 

[Rickster]

Aww geez.. I went and bought a set of metric and SAE in black. My local HF was trying to get rid of the red ones and they only had one black metric on the shelf. I had to ask at the register for the SAE and they sent a guy to bring one from the back. So if you go and don't see them, ask at the register.

I bought these because of the flat square mounting pegs that I can use for my torx, hex heads and swivel sockets. I'll let you guys know how this plan works out for me.

 

[Bigpigdave]

I would pay good money if someone would make a set specifically for the Sears 299 pc socket set...

How much good money?! I could custom machine you whatever you want but it would cost a pretty penny.
Thanks, Dave

 

[bww_mnm]

just got my hansen's in the mail yesterday (1/4, 3/8 SAE & Metric). I'm very happy w/ them. One of my smaller craftsman sockets sits funny, other than that, great. No surprise, but they need to go into a deep drawer on the HF 13 drawer'er. I realized i have a pretty small socket set ... there are a bunch of open spots on the Hansens for me.

 

[meissen]

just got my hansen's in the mail yesterday (1/4, 3/8 SAE & Metric). I'm very happy w/ them. One of my smaller craftsman sockets sits funny, other than that, great. No surprise, but they need to go into a deep drawer on the HF 13 drawer'er. I realized i have a pretty small socket set ... there are a bunch of open spots on the Hansens for me.

What drawer were you using? I use the top one for my sockets, but I only used the Hansen tray for 3/8" drive while I was testing it out... is the 1/2" drive too tall?

 

[bigdummy30]

Are both metric and sae black....the website shows both in black....id hate to have to pay hansen money just for different colors...

 

[rickairmedic]

Yes they are both black. However they both have BIG white numbers on them that are pretty easy to tell apart one has numbers like this 12,13,14,15 . While the other has numbers like this 1/2 , 9/16 , 7/16 ect.


Rick

 

[NJHandyGuy]

hmm i'll have to keep an eye out for these

 

[RLRRLRLL]

i about bought all the hansen sets at orlielys the other day, they were out, but ordered some. i havent made it back there yet....but, for the cost difference, i can wait till the next time im where a harbor freight is.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Picked these up at HF tonight. Not too bad, but still not up to par IMO. Most of the SAE 1/4" sockets don't fit on the pegs, many of the sockets stick to the pegs and it misses some of the sizes. Much improved from the first set though. Maybe one more run and they can perfect them.

 

[williaty]

I have only one 1/4" socket that sticks and I'm willing to bet it's the sockets fault because even cheaper **** than the HF stuff. I also have a whole series of SAE shallow 1/2" drive that don't fit because the "hole" from the drive to the hex is so far off center the peg won't pass through. That's DEFINITELY the socket's fault. But, hey, it was a set of tools I inherited for free and that's just the right price to pay for something as useless as SAE tools

 

[posaune]

Picked these up at HF tonight. Not too bad, but still not up to par IMO. Most of the SAE 1/4" sockets don't fit on the pegs, many of the sockets stick to the pegs and it misses some of the sizes. Much improved from the first set though. Maybe one more run and they can perfect them.

Just out of curiosity, what sizes are missing from the SAE set? I thought they were the same as the Hansens, but I didn't look too closely at the SAE.

 

[williaty]

There's some **/32nds stuff that it doesn't have. Not all socket sets have them. Only one of my uber-sets from Stanly had 2 of them that don't have a home.

 

[bww_mnm]

What drawer were you using? I use the top one for my sockets, but I only used the Hansen tray for 3/8" drive while I was testing it out... is the 1/2" drive too tall?

the 3/8" requires the top, big drawer. i was referencing that as deep.

 

[williaty]

You have to use one of the "tall" drawers in the chest or cabinet, so that's either the bottom drawer in the top chest, the full-width drawer at the top of the cabinet, or the bottom drawer in the cabinet. The 1/2" drive metric rack will also only fit into the "wide" drawers (left hand column of the HF box) and even in them, will only fit side to side, not front to back. If you wanted to use the full-width drawer as your socket drawer, you'd have a lot more options.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

Just out of curiosity, what sizes are missing from the SAE set? I thought they were the same as the Hansens, but I didn't look too closely at the SAE.

I guess I should have been more specific. The sizes it misses from my Craftsman set are:

1/2 Drive 1 3/16, 9mm

3/8 Drive 21mm, 22mm

It doesn't skip anything, it just annoys me that I have those sockets just sitting in my drawer.

They aren't bad, but a few sockets do stick. I might take a file to the posts tomorrow and see if that helps.

 

[williaty]

You have a 9mm 1/2" drive? WTF is the point of that

And I also have the 21 and 22 just stacked out of place on another rail.

 

[SnowBlaZeR2]

You have a 9mm 1/2" drive? WTF is the point of that

And I also have the 21 and 22 just stacked out of place on another rail.

OCD and to piss me off apparently.

I would just throw it in my truck box, but then I would know it was in there taunting me. For now it just sits to the side of the socket tray.

I'm probably going to get another set for my impacts, and I know I won't fill that one up. Maybe I'll just re-label a few and stick it next to my regular sockets.

 

[posaune]

I guess I should have been more specific. The sizes it misses from my Craftsman set are:

1/2 Drive 1 3/16, 9mm

3/8 Drive 21mm, 22mm

It doesn't skip anything, it just annoys me that I have those sockets just sitting in my drawer.

They aren't bad, but a few sockets do stick. I might take a file to the posts tomorrow and see if that helps.

Ahh yes. Okay, that makes more sense. It bothers me too (especially the 1 3/16) but the same thing applies to the Hansens.

As for the sticking, I had the same issue with some Hansens and CM/Armstrong sockets. After trying to file down the peg, I said screw it and ran a drill bit through the inside of the sockets to open them up a tiny bit. It worked much better. This was on 1/4" drive sockets though - I don't know if that would weaken bigger ones enough to matter or not.

 

[meissen]

Yeah, I figured since I already spent the $60 I might as well just **** it up and use it. I used my empty pegs to put the sockets that I have that are bigger and have no spot (same ones listed as SnowBlazer2).

 

[anythingfastxxx]

First of all I wish to say this: Williaty/OP if it weren't for you I wouldn't have found this place. . This is my first post.

I am starting a new job on Monday and was trying to get my cart cleaned up/organized and ran across this thread while searching for Hansen organizers. I had actually already bought a few....... for 43 bucks from Clark Tool here in Kansas City. I felt like I'd been robbed and I still needed 3 more which would have totalled over $80. With that said I started looking for other options. I knew HF carried socket trays but I also knew they were JUNK. After reading this thread and calling HF I was able to locate the exact ones posted here. Since, I have gotten my sockets all in order which may sound like not such a big deal but to me makes a HUGE difference.

Long story short: Thanks Williaty and everyone else for all of the info I was able to benefit from here.


Here is what I ended up with. Super stoked. IMO the biggest difference would be overall dimensions as the Hansens are slightly smaller and take up less space. But the savings of $40 let me overlook that haha. And from my experience the Hansens aren't as tough. (I haven't had the Pittsburgs for long but they appear stronger) The Hansen tray studs tend to break leaving you no option but to replace.

 

[bww_mnm]

thanks for the pics. that's a nicely organized box. I also like the screwdriver holders!

 

[anythingfastxxx]

thanks for the pics. that's a nicely organized box. I also like the screwdriver holders!

No problem. Glad I could help!! If anybody needs any more pics for reference let me know. Hands down I would definitely recommend these to ANYBODY. If you love the Hansens and have money to blow I'd say go for it....... But if you don't wanna throw your $ away I'd suggest the Pittsburg. I'm going back to buy more.

 

[williaty]

First of all I wish to say this: Williaty/OP if it weren't for you I wouldn't have found this place.

Did google find this thread, or did you follow me over from a Subaru forum?

 

[anythingfastxxx]

Did google find this thread, or did you follow me over from a Subaru forum?

GOOGLE!!! I was searching for Hansen socket trays and this thread was on the 1st search page. Woot!

 

[914forme]

I used wood bottom and a dowels for my first set of socket holders. With a brother label machine, you could easily setup a tray set for any socket set you have. Only issue is it requires an extra 1/2" in the drawer.

Getting ready to redo it, and am thinking that I will go the wood and dowel route again. It has held up for almost 20 years. Just need more holders, socket collection has grown.

 

[meissen]

Yeah, I've been going back and forth with that too. The nice part about doing the wood and dowel is that you can have one peg for every socket you have - you're not restricted to having pegs for whatever the socket tray manufacturer deems you should have. Those socket trays don't have a spot for spark plug sockets, universals, adapters, etc which now roll around clanking all over my drawer.

 

[ThatsWhatSheSaid]

After seeing these new ones, I wonder how close they are to the GRIP trays I got. They are similar in price and also look similar. I may have to stop by HF and get a set to compare the 2.

 

[allinon72]

I looked at the HF ones yesterday....I wasn't that impressed. The plastic was rough and the labels were crookedly applied. I'll stick with Hansens...I buy them when Sears puts them on sale.

 

[csp]

Did you expect anything different, especially considering the price point?

Personally I'm interested in function over form. Rough plastic and crooked labels have no effect on how well they keep my socket drawer organized.

 

[jam0o0]

finally. i've been waiting for someone to come out with a socket system that wasn't more expensive than the moon. so glad i can get these and ditch my 3 drawers currently being taken up with the craftsman flat trays.

craftman tray for ref: http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...ge+Accessories&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=L1