do you really need 1/2 and 1/4 rachets?

[astrodoggie3000]

A friend of mine works on cars as a hobby and he claims he only uses his 3/8 set and a breaker bar when he needs to free some large bolts. Can you do alot with a 3/8 only setup? I am building my tools up... and don't have the money for things i don't need. What do ya think?

 

[jfcasey]

When you need a 1/2'' sized socket, you really NEED it. I'd absolutely keep both 1/4 and 1/2. No matter what brand of vehicle you work on, you will run into a bolt with a head bigger than 3/4 or 19mm, turning something that big with a 3/8 and an adapter is just stupid when a simple functional 1/2" wrench would only be a few more bucks.

Edit: I missed the money part. If you are strapped for cash I would buy a 1/2 inch handle, and then just be prepared for a trip to the store if you need a big socket.

 

[1969]

The correct answer to your question is "yes"......... if you intend to work on your entire vehicle. FWIW..... the 3/8" drive will do about 75% of your work though. My .02.

 

[mrholeshot]

You can do a lot with 3/8 but you can't do it all. Anything over 3/4 I tend to move to 1/2. Anything under 7/16 I nomally go to 1/4. Thats not a set in stone rule just a guideline. You will hurt yourself trying to use 3/8 for everything.

 

[moparmuscle88]

depends what your working on, but i work on full size dodge and ford trucks alot, so 1/2 is a must for alot of things like suspension work

and even on smaller stuff 1/2 is still good for axle nuts, lugs, cossmember and strut bolts

1/4 is essential for carb and trhottle body stuff, under dash, trim stuff that takes 1/4 drive torx sockets

i use all of mine all the time

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Is this a serious question? Do you loosen/tighten wheel bolts with 3/8" stuff?

As a mech, i couldn't do a whole lot without 1/4" and 1/2" stuff. I even have 3/4" stuff that i use fairly often.

 

[astrodoggie3000]

The idea of 1/2 and 1/4 only appeals to me as i can't imagine having three sizes in both shallow and deep! Thats alot of money spent.

 

[moparmuscle88]

i use 3/4 a good bit myself too, but i think what i failed to say in my first post, is what are you trying to do?

what type of work do you forsee you doing, and youll get a better answer

 

[Grogan14]

Can you do alot with a 3/8 only setup?

Yes, you can do a lot. Not everything, but a lot.

 

[moparmuscle88]

The idea of 1/2 and 1/4 only appeals to me as i can't imagine having three sizes in both shallow and deep! Thats alot of money spent.

yes, its not cheap, but those are just the foundation of a good toolset, theres ALOT of other stuff that costs just as much if you want to be a mechanic

 

[ironfist]

At work I use my 1/4 drive the least , and 1/2 drive i only use 7 sizes ( 3/4 , 7/8 , 15/16 , 1 , 1 1/8 , 1 1/4 and 30mm ) . And the 3/8 drive is prime socket set . At home I only use 3/8 drive , that's all i need .

 

[mrholeshot]

I havent used 3/4 very often but often enough to justify owning a set and some select 1" drive. My Budd wheel sockets really got worked out.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I have 1/4" and 3/8" in shallow, semi-deep, deep and universal, plus long, short and universal drivers. 1/2" in shallow and deep, drivers in long and short. Shallow and deep 1/2" and 3/8" impact sockets.

Then there are all the special purpose sockets, the 12-point socket and 12-point impact sockets. etc..

And all the others that i can't remember. I have about 3 socket drawers.

So, the short answer is no.

 

[premierplayer]

Buy the 3/8", and see how far it takes you. It's a good solid base line investment.

I suspect the more time you spend wrenching you'll see the need for the other sizes.

Try shopping the classified here at GJ, good tools, good bargins.

 

[bonneyman]

The S-K 3/8" drive is my regular set. I can do most things that I'm competent to do with it. 1/4" is nice to have for bench work, DIY projects, or restricted areas on things.
I have a partial 1/2" Bonney set - have used it once.

 

[Wesley B]

Alot of places you aren't going to fit a 3/8 unless its a stubby. And alot of times you're gonna need 1/2 for strength.

 

[cglasgow]

Like the others mentioned, I mostly use 3/8, but I do frequently use 1/4 and 1/2 as well. (And for the record, I'm not a pro but I'd consider myself an advanced hobbyist). My personal answer to your question would be, "yes, you do. Buy the best quality inexpensive sets you can manage (which will probably mean import and/or used), then upgrade later as money allows."

And obviously, the size of the tools you need will be determined by the size of the stuff you work on....

 

[astrodoggie3000]

Thanks for the advice. all good points

 

[posaune]

Obviously a lot of people start with 3/8, but I started with 1/4 and 1/2 sets (and no 3/8). I did everything this way for 10yrs or so and didn't have any problems since they overlap (-15mm in 1/4" and 10- in 1/2). I couldn't imagine doing things with only 3/8. It seems too small for suspension and too big for lots of things.

 

[shampoop]

yes.

 

[bart1]

I do almost everything with 3/8, use 1/4 on tight clearance places and when I need a 1/2 drive, I almost always use a breaker bar ($5 from HF). Use a 1/2 torque wrench a lot too.

 

[route246]

It's like trying to play a par 72 golf course with only a 5-iron. It can be done but it is far from optimal. In fact, many use a single club round as a way to learn improvisational shots.

 

[treasureseeker]

I seldom use a 1/4 drive rather a short 3/8 ratchet when I don’t feel like getting out the 1/4 set.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i got by with a 3/8'' ratchet and 1/2'' breaker bar for a long time with few problems.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The idea of 1/2 and 1/4 only appeals to me as i can't imagine having three sizes in both shallow and deep! Thats alot of money spent.

Thats where flea markets, pawn shops and estate sales come in handy. You save alot and build up your tool inventory at the same time.

I just about don't buy anything new any more. I have double and triple collections of virtually everything and so I look for unusual stuff at the flea, the tools that someday I "might" use.

Charles

 

[slip knot]

I cant imagine getting by without a 1/4 or 1/2 drive set. A lot of your need will depend on the type of work you plan to do. A lot can be accomplished with only a 3/8 set but it gets kinda impractical for certain situations such as under dash or suspension work. I do a lot of tractor restoration and use 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4 drives but still have a 1/4 set handy. In fact I just scored a bargain on four 1/4in rats off the GJ classifieds.

 

[aar0s]

bought a sk 1/4 off rickster and use it and an old wore out sk 3/8, i have two 1/2 inch drives but dont use them much, haven't needed them yet. I probably use the 1/4 as much as the 3/8.

 

[gkring]

You can buy a brand new set of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 ratchets sockets and various wrenches and screwdrivers in a $100 home depot set that is halfway decent. Even cheaper for Harbor Freight tools that won't hurt you. 3/8 is the must have and anything greater than about 50 pounds of torque will require 1/2 drive tools. The 1/4 inch stuff you can usually do without until the fasteners get so small that 3/8 drive sockets aren't readily available.

 

[griff99]

You could always start with a set that includes all 3 like I did, I believe mine was a 200 or so piece Craftsman set that I probably picked up when I was in my very early 20's or late teens. It has served me very well and I probably didn't pay more than $150 for it. I know they don't make my set any longer, but I have seen some really good prices if you watch the sales and stack the coupons.

I will say that for working on stuff around the house, lawnmowers, snowblower, etc. 95% of the time I reach for a 3/8" ratchet, which is why I have more 3/8" ratchets than I do of any other size. When I am working on my car, a lot of the time I grab the 3/8" but a lot of the time I need the 1/2". The 1/4" stuff I mostly use when I am pulling off a small trim panel or something like that.

So if you're strapped to the point where you can't afford a complete set on sale, I'd do exactly what you are suggesting, buy the 3/8" stuff, and then later the 1/2" and finally the 1/4".

My final point is to your comment about "I am building my tools up... and don't have the money for things i don't need." You'll never know what you don't need until you need it, when you don't have it, you will be in the middle of a job that you can't back out of and you will find yourself calling a friend for a ride to the local store, Sears/Autozone/etc. to buy what you need and you'll be swearing at yourself for not having it before you started. I only speak from experience.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

The idea of 1/2 and 1/4 only appeals to me as i can't imagine having three sizes in both shallow and deep! Thats alot of money spent.

I cant fathom not having complete sets of all three...

Matter of fact, I'm jonesing for a set of 3/4" stuff and I mainly tinker with motorcycles...

 

[littletoes]

So.....does that mean the use of 3/4"...or 1", or 2 1/2" or 3" drive is UNHEARD of???

Not everyone works on old 6 cylinder Mustangs.

 

[fordbroncodave]

a 3/16" socket on a 3/8" drive ratchet is overkill.

i say 1/4" 3/8" and 1/2" are all balanced. 3/4" and 1" are not as common but i guess it all comes down to the profession of work.

electronic repair is most likely 1/4" drive and smaller
general mechanic is all
underbody is probably mostly 1/2" drive
construction and machinery is mostly 1/2" and 3/4" drive

 

[Fedwrench]

It depends on what you're working on. Depending on the manufacturer, most 3/8 sockets run from 6-24mm or 1/4 to 1 inch. You may be able to cover all of you bases with just those sizes. However, if you a mechanic that works on whatever comes though the door, then you'll need 1/4 and 1/2 and maybe larger drive sizes too. No one says you have to get every tool all at once. Start slow buying only what you need as you need it a little at a time. Buy used to save money.
I personally use 1/4 and 3/8 more than 1/2 drive but, that's just me.

 

[nismomans13]

if you plan on working on any 1/2 ton or above trucks you will most certainly need a 1/2in setup. I would never be able to take apart my trucks suspension with out 1/2 tools.

 

[Ford12508]

3/4" and 1" are not as common

I got a 3/4" set from 3/4" to 2-1/4" for $80. It is a craftsman set, and while not being super professional, for the price I paid, with a lifetime warranty, I am not complaining. The main reason I got it was so that if I had something really stuck, I could try with this before completely destroying it with the impact.

 

[patrickw10]

If i only bought what i needed i wouldnt have nearly as many tools as i have now lol.

 

[amolaver]

per the OP's question...yes, you can do a lot with 'just' 3/8. if, by 'just' you mean, 3/8 short, deep, and swivel. you will need a 3/8 -> 1/2" adapter and a breaker bar. i also wouldn't bother buying chrome sockets. at some point, you'll be using impact wrenches, be they cordless or air, and then you'll have to start over buying sockets. just skip the chrome and buy impact sockets now.

use tooltopia/dskatools/etc and you'll find a complete 3/8 set of sockets for less than $200 (shorts+deeps+swivels in US and metric). use those vendors to buy gearwrench's 3pc hard handle ratchet set (1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 for $60). go to harbor freight and buy their 25" long 1/2" breaker bar for $6 and their swivel head 3/8 ratchet. when you bump into that first job that requires 1/2" sockets, you've already got the ratchet, so just buy the set from dska/tooltopia. let the sickness pervade your existence and you'll soon have a 72" toolbox and the right tools to service the tracks of a panzer tank and 1/300th scale model of a watt steam engine...

ahm

 

[jethro29]

the answer is simple.yes. although 3/8 is the most commonly used drive size.there are places that you can't get the 3/8 stuff into and sometimes you just need the strength and leverage that a 1/2 affords you.

 

[Hammer1963]

Of course you need them. If you ever plan on doing any serious work, be efficient, have the ability to tackle any job, then you've answered your own question. I coach some serious baseball as my stress reliever and I've had people ask me why do they make so many gloves? Can't you just use one for everything. My answer is this, why would they make them all if there wasn't a use for them/

 

[bww_mnm]

I only have 1/4" and 3/8", but I don't do car work. I haven't had the need for 1/2" on my motorcycle ... but now that I think about it, i've used vice grips where a 1/2" w/ the right sockets would have been nice. Damn, now i need to go get a 1/2" set.