Good flex socket set?

[PC PaiN]

Looking to add some flex sockets to my collection and I'm thinking about going with Craftsman 34298 Craftsman 18 pc. Standard and Metric Flex Socket Set, 6 pt., 1/4 in. Drive

Good set or is there a better option out there?

 

[Wamsutta]

The Craftsman flex sockets don't flex far enough without binding. Snap-on flex sockets are painfully expensive, but they will flex further and give you more angle to work with before binding. You almost have to have a Snap-on flex socket at 90 degrees before it will bind. Having a flex socket that doesn't flex far enough defeats the whole purpose of having a flex socket in the first place.

 

[92integra]

i got gear wrench in 1/4" drive all good exept the 10mm leaves something to be desired its too tall on the socket side. gear wrench would be a cheaper option than that set you posted.

 

[PC PaiN]

The Craftsman flex sockets don't flex far enough without binding. Snap-on flex sockets are painfully expensive, but they will flex further and give you more angle to work with before binding. You almost have to have a Snap-on flex socket at 90 degrees before it will bind. Having a flex socket that doesn't flex far enough defeats the whole purpose of having a flex socket in the first place.

I looked at snap on and almost stroked at the $500 price tag on the set I was looking at.

I have the full set. It's a good set. But good for you, it depends on the use. If you need a set for day-to-day professional use that could be a different story.


Craftsman 42 pc. Flex Socket Set, 6 and 12 pt., 1/4 and 3/8 in. Dr.
$262.99
Craftsman Club Price $215.99

Just home garage use. They probably won't see much action other than a few COP screws that are hard to get to. One reason I'm not real interested in dropping big money on them. A regular universal has served me well thus far but the added bulk gets irritating in certain situations.

i got gear wrench in 1/4" drive all good exept the 10mm leaves something to be desired its too tall on the socket side. gear wrench would be a cheaper option than that set you posted.

I saw the gear wrench set on amazon. Definitely priced good IMHO


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[oldldh]

Another vote for Gearwrench!!!

 

[hayhauler71]

I bought a snap on set used 7 8 10 12 13 14 15 mm used for $50.00 that was the best deal I have had on a tool truck in my 30 years

 

[Gareth68]

I just bought the two gear wrench sets when they were on sale at advance.

I bought them to fill in sizes since I have a mixed set of a couple snap on an couple mac and a couple matco.

They will serve my purpose, I think, though I have not used them yet....but as stated above the difference between them and the snappys is night and day.


Eventually, I will find the right deals and complete my truck brand mutt set.

 

[PC PaiN]

I bought a snap on set used 7 8 10 12 13 14 15 mm used for $50.00 that was the best deal I have had on a tool truck in my 30 years

I'm not sure I would be able to pull out my card fast enough if I came across that deal. I did forget about asking the truck guy for any used sets. I'll have to remember to do that this friday.

 

[jethro29]

the snap-on set is by far the best,but I have the gearwrench flex sockets in 1/4" metric and 3/8 metric,also have the craftsman sets in those same two sizes.and my recommendation would be the gearwrench set.they are well made,flex better and are lifetime garuanteed.

 

[Skin]

Snap-On makes the best.

Craftsman are fine, i use them at home. I wouldnt pay a whole lot of heed of claims about extreme flex angles, you'll rarely need more than 20 degrees of flex out of the joint, let alone 90. The only realistic downsides to the Cman are a cheap finish, which is YMMV but many of my Cman chrome products have small rust specs (despite being stored indoors) and the pin joints have a little slop.

Look at Proto if you want something that oozes with quality without the truck brand price. J47205 12pc metric set runs $190 at Zoro, if you wait for their 30% coupon deals then you can get that set for closer to $140.

 

[Chamkila]

I think you guys are forgetting sk. There's is second best to snap on

 

[Skin]

All the pre-Ideal SK flex sockets i've seen have been no better than Craftsman, ugly pin slop/fitment and rough broaching. I havent seen anyone post pictures of Ideal made ones however if their stock photos are indications they didnt improve much at least so far as the quality of the pinned joints are concerned.

Snap-On laser welds their pin joints and the Proto ones have a nickel plated splined pin punched into place flush with the socket wall. Both designs are superior to the Craftsman, GW, SK universals which essentially loosly hang onto the pin ends.

 

[tomshep]

Start watching classifieds and ebay if you aren't in a rush. I scored a 3/8 set of SO on ebay about a year ago for under $150. Nearly new condition.

Tom

 

[Tbirdtc]

Looking to add some flex sockets to my collection and I'm thinking about going with Craftsman 34298 Craftsman 18 pc. Standard and Metric Flex Socket Set, 6 pt., 1/4 in. Drive

Good set or is there a better option out there?

The fact is u really probably only need a few sizes
I use the **** out of my snap on 1/2 dr 18 mm doing wheel bearings on gm's
If u are on a budget buy the snappy ones as u find a need for them and buy a cheaper set
The only thing that's kinda decent about snap on is it's about the same price to buy them one at a time
The 700$ price tag on my snappy 1/2 impact swivels has paid for itself 50 times over
To me and my worn out arthritic the time savings and saving wear on my hands is worth it, if u are young please realize your hand can only turn a wrench a finite amount of times b4 they wear out start saving your hands now

 

[spacedoutbob]

All of mine are Snap-On both in 1/4" and 3/8" drive Metric and Standard, I know I'm crazy, but I bought every size they offered in 6 point, I also have a number of them in 12 point.

Bob

 

[Wamsutta]

I looked at snap on and almost stroked at the $500 price tag on the set I was looking at.

Sometimes it's better to have one expensive tool that works real well instead of a whole set of tools that don't work. I'd suggest getting the size you need even if it's one socket by itself. They are far superior to anything else available.

 

[wvrailroader]

For just DIY use, the GW are great. Buy them at Advance Auto online for store pickup using one of the many coupon codes available online and they will be very reasonable. To each his own, but for no more than I use them, Snap On would be super expensive overkill.

 

[bob15]

I think the SK flex sockets are a little better than Snap On. One of my sets is 15 years old and isn't nearly as loose as the Snappys, which have electrical tape around them because they are so loose (and I bought the 1/4 dr set new).

I would either buy either the SK's, new or used; or the Snappy's used. I wouldn't even consider anything else (and I own a Mac set that is a set below the other company's sets).


bob

 

[2mJps]

Sometimes it's better to have one expensive tool that works real well instead of a whole set of tools that don't work. I'd suggest getting the size you need even if it's one socket by itself. They are far superior to anything else available.

I have a set of craftsman and realy the only one that i have used much is the 9/16 on older GM bellhouseing bolts. To me its another one of those things that i could live with out if i wasnt a tool nut.

 

[bahcoswed]

I say it again, why not check high quality european tools? Mostly made in germany are atleast snap on quality and better

 

[Skin]

German brands have a pathetic selection of flex sockets and most of them are 12pt. They cant touch American, or even Taiwan brands, in this catagory.

 

[PC PaiN]

Sometimes it's better to have one expensive tool that works real well instead of a whole set of tools that don't work. I'd suggest getting the size you need even if it's one socket by itself. They are far superior to anything else available.

I agree. I have some tools marked in the snap on catalog that I have or have tried different cheaper alternatives that I didn't like. I finally bit the bullet and bought their screwdrivers and my others have been moved to my in home box

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[BlksnshN]

I have a few of the Craftsman swivels and don't care for them at all. Very floppy and a ton of slop.

 

[K-Dog]

These Snap-Ons are by far the best and more affordable than you might think.



I have used Craftsman, the regular Snap-On swivels, and some off brand from the tool gypsy, and the Snap-on ones stand alone.