Hex bit socket advice

[EFR]

Gentlemen I'm looking for a little advice. I'm in need of a metric hex bit set (my daughter just bought a used BMW). I've been a Craftsman fan for years and most of my hand tools are Craftsman. I've been very happy with my craftsman tools (ratchets excepted), but I don't have a set of metric hex. Craftsman has a 42 piece set (SAE/metric/E torx) right now for $50. I have a bunch of sears gift cards sitting around, so this should be a no brainer. Problem is, I hear more bad than good about the Craftsman hex socket set. Would I be better off spending 3x as much for SK or Proto? Searching on here, even those two have warranty issues with members. In addition, I need a set of E Torx (never even heard of such a thing until I went to replace an oil filter housing gasket on her car).

I was raised buy once/cry once. I've never regretted buying a quality tool versus substandard, but in this case, there is a BIG price difference. Is the performance difference that big?

I'm looking for your advice and experience.

Thanks.

 

[scissorman]

The cheap brands tend to twist and break whereas the good ones don't seem to have any issues. I've used and even abused my SO sets without any issues so far.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I got a usa made craftsman set and have not had a problem, That set went on sale for 29.99 for the last 6 months. Just in the last 30 days have they had the 50.00 sale price. I have seen the set as low as 25.99 in the past. Good luck.

 

[nnySk]

Vim or snap on gold

 

[Kellyblues]

I probably have 8-10 full sets ranging in age and maker. The older ( 10 years ago+) USA made craftsman will hold up to general use pretty well. I have an older lesal set that I use if I need to abuse one to get a task done and have yet to really hurt one of them, had that set probably 15 years. I have various other sets that I use as sacrificial lambs if need be and most of those are the newer craftsman, they snap and twist fairly easy. The two sets I depend on and have never disappointed me in the least are the SK & Snap On gold. To me either of those two would be a wise choice if someone wants to cry once and be done with it.

I also have a older Williams set that's really great but I don't use often. They were my dad's.

 

[hautpot]

I got several bit holder sockets and use mostly PB Swiss bits. For stuff like T50 or let's say 10mm Hexagons, get dedicated sockets instead.

 

[kblazer87]

I have sets from Craftsman and snap on. I would buy the Craftsman set you are looking at if I needed some right now. Very easy to find a Sears or Kmart for replacements.

 

[BK13]

I use more Torx than hex, but from what I've here and other places, Snap On gold or German is the way to go...


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[Olafur]

Don't know, but bit sockets from Taiwan with CrV and "S2" bits hold up surprisingly well in professional environment - at least Toptul does. Pretty good value IMHO.

If memory serves the ever popular VIM is also: CrV/S2.. and many more brands...

 

[itsvegas]

craftsman are alright for lite duty use (putting ikea furniture together for example) but other then that id spend the money for a snap on set. buy once, cry once.

 

[thegilman]

As far as Etorx goes, I just got this GearWrench set for a Saab I'm working on and I think its extremely good quality for the price. Its also the most comprehensive set I could find too.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NICFBG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Bagherra]

Yeah...i'm in same boat...GF just bought a BMW X5 and i'm gonna need whatever speciality i.e. non USA tools to work on it.

Like what was said before, I never heard of E-Torx til I started looking at the brakes.
Other that E Torx, what else will I need?

Looked at that GearWrench set from Amazon...looks like a decent set for a decent price..wonder if I can find it at Advance Auto?

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I have hade good luck with Proto and Carlye (not sure what the OEM for Carlye is. The newer craftsmen is made out of warm butter. My SKs are ok but if I was buying new I would go with Snap On, but they see a lot of use

 

[JBradley500]

The Carlyle hex that I got from that ebay deal look identical to the Mac hex that my friend has. I wondered if VIM or someone was the manufacturer for both.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Another nod for VIM. Hard to beat the quality for the price. Check out the HMS26 set.

 

[Sully1978]

I use a lot of bit sockets at work on titanium and stainless hardware. I personally use Proto on ratchets and Bondhus as an impact set, never had any problems.

It's important with titanium hardware that the bits stay true or they will strip with a loose fit. Worst I've seen is Craftsman in the bit socket department with deformation and breaking fairly common. One guy has a set of the gold Snap-on and they seem to be about the best I've seen.

 

[92integra]

Been working on bmw's for a little over a year now. Sanp on is definitely the best. But they fit really snug, torx especially. Vim is definitely a really quality brand I've been using the **** out of lately and really like.

 

[aaronrkelly]

Im using both the Crafstman sockets and T handle on my BMW and Victory motorcycles.....torx and hex. Zero problems in 3 years.

I bought for much the same reason you did.....and the fact I can warranty them easily. Although I havent had to.....

 

[BottomLineReviews]

Anyone tried the Williams set for around 60$ on eBay? I am considering these very much.

 

[gungatim]

I have small set of usa craftsman from years ago, and the new 42 pc. set you see on sale for $30...there is a noticeable difference in quality as the new ones are Chinese, and difficult to warranty based on the other thread.

I also have a hodgepodge of Snap-on and Mac I've picked up over the years on ebay and flea markets. If I had to buy a set in your shoes, I would definitely bite the bullet and get snap-on. major increase in quality. loose sloppy fitting allen/torx really **** when you are working on your kids car and they need it for work the next day...regular sockets are one thing, but there is rarely a substitution in the tool box for etorx when you break one...

 

[EFR]

Thanks a lot for all your input. I'm really disappointed to see Craftsman made in China. Was always easy for me before this. Good tools, excellent warranty.

 

[Mpower5266]

For what its worth, all of my sets are craftsman or harbor freight and I have yet to break one. In fact just last night I had a 14 mm HF 1/2 drive hex on the end of a 25" breaker bar trying to change the diff fluid in my M3, it worked like a champ.

 

[MagnumForce]

I use the Craftsman variety in heavy industrial work, I have never broken one even on a 21 inch ratchet. Avoid Kobalt.

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[Dave455]

EFR - this probably isn't what you want to hear, but buy some decent ones!

Apart perhaps from torx bits (to which the same comments apply) these hex bits seem more susceptible to damage than almost any other tool! I run a BMW too, and quite often you find something like a countersunk screw with a much smaller (and shallower) hex or torx recess than the screw really warrants. Leave it in place for a few years and you can need a lot of torque to remove. I've tried the Taiwanese bits, and, whatever the brand, they all seem to twist!

I know these things seem to cost a lot for what they are, and there's every temptation to buy some cheaper ones, but whenever I have, I've regretted it and had to buy again!

I have Inch sizes by Snap On, Metric by Stahlwille, PB Swiss and KoKen. All were costly, but none have twisted! There are undoubtedly others as good, but probably similarly priced!

 

[thegroundpounder99]

I would suggest Vim, but for $30 maybe try the Craftsman. I use VIM a lot at work and they hold up well. I also have some SO and Blue Points.


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[RedneckWelder]

Snap On Gold heavy duty bits. They may be available in Williams as well, I don't know. Should be able to find a set on Ebay for not too bad of a price. Sometimes they are so tight in the fastener I have to tap them in with the hammer but that just makes the bite better.

I hate allen head fasteners with a passion...but there is no avoiding them these days.

 

[GMZ]

Ive had good luck with Wiha, can find them on amazon for a decent price.

 

[mrborohachi]

Ko-Ken for e-torx sockets. I got them from Franks tools. Com

 

[shamrock12]

I have both SK and Snap-on metric hex bit sockets. Earlier this year I needed to remove a wheel sensor on my 13 years old pickup from the rust belt. I stopped using the SK bit socket when I noticed it was starting to round off the screw head. So I switched to Snap-on gold bit socket and it removed the screw without further damage.

 

[gtg082y]

Snap On (gold) as mentioned numerous times here are very nice. A few people said they didn't like the SK's but my experience with them is pretty good on torx and hex bits. Not as solid as the Snap On, but quite good.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Cheap ones- I have HF , Lowes, Vim they are all good.

Expensive ones- Proto and sK are very good as well.

 

[mrborohachi]

Do not even bother to touch the LISLE E-TORX! The first time Oreilie's had their get a sweepstakes card to enter online. I was buying random tools from them. These sockets maybe made in the USA but they are utter ****! The smaller sizes right out of the packaging were striping studs.