Allen tools - quality or junk?

[sammerdog]

Start doing a quicky brake job on the Jetta this weekend. Need a 7mm Hex bit socket.

Run up to Menards and grab an Allen brand. Two slots over on the board they had a 1/2 to 3/8 reducer. Always needed one, so I thought I'd grab that too. $5, made in the USA. Must be okay, right?

Anyways - get home & the 7mm gets my calipers on & off without a hitch.

I throw the adapter on my 1/2" CM ratchet to start snugging up lug nuts. Damn thing brakes after 11 nuts (bolts actually). Notice I said "snugging". As in starting the bolt, lowering the jack until the tire just contacts the ground and giving each bolt a little jolt to bring the wheel up against the hub.

Think this was a fluke? Should I exchange it or get my moola back and buy a C-Man next time I'm out at Sears?

 

[sk farmer]

not much point. as far as i know the come off the same line and are the same quality. so how hard were you jumping on it?

 

[billymade]

Allen is another part of the Danaher Borg.... if you want pro grade get a better tool! On the other hand; if you are wailing on them; 1/2 to 3/8 adapters are failure prone, get a impact pro grade one or get the right socket so you don't have to use a adapter. Sounds like you could use to upgrade to some better quality tools!

 

[Crash913]

I never assume that an item is good quality just because it was made in the USA. Companies cutting costs by using lower quality materials and less QA is when you see problems and that can happen here in the states.

I check with the search engine here before I buy

If Menard's warrants their tools like Sears, I would exchange it...

 

[sberry]

Trade it in, see if it happens again, not much to lose. **** happens, got some expensive tools that had issues, got some real "junk" that seems to last forever. Its a hard part to make, likley a fluke.

 

[Zrexxer]

Why were you using a 3/8" drive socket on lug nuts anyway?

 

[chevelle67]

Zrexxer beat me to it. Wondering the same ting tho.

 

[Ign]

I really like their ball end hex keys. Never used anything else from them.

 

[paramedic]

allen is alot like craftsman its excellent quality for the price you pay. i dont have any problems with there stuff in fact i like it, but it is no truck brand

 

[wreckerboy]

The probable reason the OP needed Allen keys is to tighten his lug nuts is either because he's got some sort of fancy "tuner" lug nuts with an Allen drive, or given that it is a Jetta, he may have some screw in wheel studs installed and he was snugging those up. Jettas are like several other German cars in that they have wheel bolts, not nuts and studs.

 

[sammerdog]

Why were you using a 3/8" drive socket on lug nuts anyway?

I'm weak on 1/2" sockets, and do not have the correct metric socket for my lug in 1/2". While in Menard's, I had a set of their metric 1/2" sockets in hand for $20, but couldn't remember if I needed 17mm or 18 mm for the lugs. The set didn't have a 18mm in it, so I passed and grabbed the adapter.

Usually I use the car's lug wrench to tighten (and I did this time), but thought I'd use the adapter to get the bolts started and initially snugged.

 

[sammerdog]

The probable reason the OP needed Allen keys is to tighten his lug nuts is either because he's got some sort of fancy "tuner" lug nuts with an Allen drive, or given that it is a Jetta, he may have some screw in wheel studs installed and he was snugging those up. Jettas are like several other German cars in that they have wheel bolts, not nuts and studs.

^^^^^^ Pretty much. Odd ball insert for the screw-in lug studs, allen key for the calliper pins.

 

[Zrexxer]

I'm weak on 1/2" sockets, and do not have the correct metric socket for my lug in 1/2".

So what size did it turn out to be? I'll check my extras and see if I have one.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Should be 17mm.

 

[Stick Figure]

On the original topic, just return it and go get the craftsman impact version. Of course its always better to have the right socket, but when you don't at least the impact version will allow you to finish the job.

 

[Corvette Cave]

The probable reason the OP needed Allen keys is to tighten his lug nuts is either because he's got some sort of fancy "tuner" lug nuts with an Allen drive, or given that it is a Jetta, he may have some screw in wheel studs installed and he was snugging those up. Jettas are like several other German cars in that they have wheel bolts, not nuts and studs.

In this case I think Allen is a brand name not the type of wrench.

 

[caper150]

Doubt Menards will give you your money back, just store credit so you might as well just exchange it and see if it happens again or just cut your lossesand get what you need to do the job.

 

[MattT]

Trade it in, see if it happens again, not much to lose. **** happens, got some expensive tools that had issues, got some real "junk" that seems to last forever. Its a hard part to make, likley a fluke.

I agree. If it broke that easy it's most likely a bad one that slipped thru' QC. I wouldn't write Allen off because of it.

 

[tonydanzah]

When i was back in Michigan for a visit, I went tool shopping. I was in a store and owner told me he visited the Allen plant. They are the oem for craftsman. So I surprised to see the adapter break that easily. Must have been a bad one.

 

[arkangel06]

Allen tools seem like ok quality to me I dont have many of them but the tools I do have work well.

 

[Old Donn]

I never assume that an item is good quality just because it was made in the USA. Companies cutting costs by using lower quality materials and less QA is when you see problems and that can happen here in the states.
...

What Crash said. Caliper bolts on my GMC require a Torx T55. Had a Made in USA Lisle that snapped like a pretzel during removal. Made in Taiwan GearWrench T55 got it done. Prefer made here, but in this case, the off shore piece did the job.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

Why are you using a adaptor?
Use 1/2 drive for wheels!

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

What Crash said. Caliper bolts on my GMC require a Torx T55. Had a Made in USA Lisle that snapped like a pretzel during removal. Made in Taiwan GearWrench T55 got it done. Prefer made here, but in this case, the off shore piece did the job.

lisle torx are little weak........

 

[sberry]

I agree about the Lisle torx, I had a set of Tiawan I bought in a crisis from Ace hwd that worked super. Paid like 14$ for them.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I agree about the Lisle torx, I had a set of Tiawan I bought in a crisis from Ace hwd that worked super. Paid like 14$ for them.

those.... yep I have set from Ace, good.. Mine are made in taiwan.

 

[matthew]

I believe the torque spec on those lugs is only 88 ft-lbs, a 3/8" drive should easily handle it. Probably just a dud socket, exchange it.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I'm weak on 1/2" sockets, and do not have the correct metric socket for my lug in 1/2". While in Menard's, I had a set of their metric 1/2" sockets in hand for $20, but couldn't remember if I needed 17mm or 18 mm for the lugs. The set didn't have a 18mm in it, so I passed and grabbed the adapter.

Usually I use the car's lug wrench to tighten (and I did this time), but thought I'd use the adapter to get the bolts started and initially snugged.

How just buy a 1/2 drive 17mm deep socket for that purpose?

I believe the torque spec on those lugs is only 88 ft-lbs, a 3/8" drive should easily handle it. Probably just a dud socket, exchange it.

Above 65 ft-lbs, its 1/2 drive........
If it torque to 88 ft-lbs then use 1/2 drive...
Wheel lugs are 1/2 drive work.....

 

[PowderKeg]

I'll chime in too that it sounds more like a dud/flawed adapter - IMHO exchange it and buy the correct size 1/2" socket as well.

 

[Scout Driver]

My Allen tools have been very good for me. Same story for my Dad with his. They are probably not as high as quality as the truck brands, but they are a high quality tool for not a lot of money. We have never broken any of ours. I did ask someone at Menard's about the warranty. They told me that if a tool gets broken or damaged that they will exchange it right in the store.

My 2 cents on reducers........I try to avoid using them. Usually I can find a tool suited to the job without resorting to a reducer. Yes, sometimes it's unavoidable though. On that note, I will say that I have broken a couple of reducers (not Allen). I'm generally pretty easy on tools, but I sheared them off just like sammerdog's picture. Something tells me its just the nature of their design to be prone to shearing like this (no matter who makes them). To sum it up, take it back to Menard's and ask for a replacement.

Scott

 

[BigK600]

I have some Allen stuff. Good quality that is equal to Craftsman. They're Made by they same company that make Craftman (Danaher). Most of the Allen and Craftsman stuff is the same just some cosmetic differences.

 

[matthew]

Above 65 ft-lbs, its 1/2 drive........
If it torque to 88 ft-lbs then use 1/2 drive...
Wheel lugs are 1/2 drive work.....

3/8" drive torque wrenches commonly go up to 100 ft.lb., and he was only snugging up the bolts, not torquing them when it broke. Shouldn't have failed at that torque, even if it was getting into 1/2" territory.

 

[reptilezs]

nope not a fluke. had a coworker break a 5mm hex bit off too a week a go. we work on bicycles for a living