032484
Active member
I have them and have served me well. For tools I rarely use I usually buy them at HF and use the money on the good tools I use often.
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HF torx bits
- Thread starter PoorOwner
- Start date
Jeep Monkey RTR
Well-known member
sberry
Banned
I believe the testimony that a lot of the cheap ones work. I bet all but a handful of real pricey ones (even some of those possibly) come down 2 or 3 lines in the world. I am a professional, I don't use them on an assembly line but I am impressed with the bottom tier stuff. Lost a set, broke a set, one set was given to me, a real cheap tin box, probably 5$ at a flea but those suckers were good. One was import from an Ace about 15$.
I pass that stuff in those markets but since China has grown the quality has really shot up. I been down the Lisle road, but the last set was 15$ at Walmart and still good. I got maybe 75$ in it all,,, lost and broke and still work. The first set would have lasted just fine, there is a slight amount of gamble but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, if you are asking this question I can assume some need, do not wait to fulfill it with a 200$ 10 pc set, spend 15 and if there is a snowballs chance in hell you need anything better than that buy it again.
This is an age old question and I still find it difficult to understand. Its about like a Hrley rider scared to get on a commercial airplane. The risk of buying cheap is so small, it would be one thing if you had to rationalize 200$,,, then were not happy od couldn't earn it back on the investment but any argument that suggests a high degree of risk with a Walmart tool is a statistical losing bet.
One thing about them, they will sell some cheap **** but they also have buyers looking for value and world competition to shop from. 2 shops in China, 30 cents difference on price for a socket set that sells for 20$ with lifetime warranty or a nicer finish,,, which one you going to take?
Think Walmart and Stanly want to be a 24 hr return center for every hillbilly with a long breaker bar? Same with those bits. I am not easy to impress, I would have walked right on by,, and have at a flea or fussed over the Lisles,,, but chances are the metal involved is so small,,, can you imagine quality tracking all these itty bitty fukkers world wide,,, way easier to have a pallet of good and a pallet of premium, same with a screw driver, same tip with any number of handles and when they run out of good handles can put the same tip in a *************. Adjustable wrenches have really hit this, same blank plucked off the line
You can find out if you really need the 200$ set down the road, if you got none buy the cheap stuff. Same with a fukkin screwdriver. A person needs about a dozen quality tools but most guys cant wreck a cheap linemans plier in a hurry. 440 channelpock, a couple 10R vise grips, a couple 11r, toss in a 6, a hi leverage diagonal. A good stripper is worth it. A couple good nut drivers to fit ones profession.
I pass that stuff in those markets but since China has grown the quality has really shot up. I been down the Lisle road, but the last set was 15$ at Walmart and still good. I got maybe 75$ in it all,,, lost and broke and still work. The first set would have lasted just fine, there is a slight amount of gamble but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, if you are asking this question I can assume some need, do not wait to fulfill it with a 200$ 10 pc set, spend 15 and if there is a snowballs chance in hell you need anything better than that buy it again.
This is an age old question and I still find it difficult to understand. Its about like a Hrley rider scared to get on a commercial airplane. The risk of buying cheap is so small, it would be one thing if you had to rationalize 200$,,, then were not happy od couldn't earn it back on the investment but any argument that suggests a high degree of risk with a Walmart tool is a statistical losing bet.
One thing about them, they will sell some cheap **** but they also have buyers looking for value and world competition to shop from. 2 shops in China, 30 cents difference on price for a socket set that sells for 20$ with lifetime warranty or a nicer finish,,, which one you going to take?
Think Walmart and Stanly want to be a 24 hr return center for every hillbilly with a long breaker bar? Same with those bits. I am not easy to impress, I would have walked right on by,, and have at a flea or fussed over the Lisles,,, but chances are the metal involved is so small,,, can you imagine quality tracking all these itty bitty fukkers world wide,,, way easier to have a pallet of good and a pallet of premium, same with a screw driver, same tip with any number of handles and when they run out of good handles can put the same tip in a *************. Adjustable wrenches have really hit this, same blank plucked off the line
You can find out if you really need the 200$ set down the road, if you got none buy the cheap stuff. Same with a fukkin screwdriver. A person needs about a dozen quality tools but most guys cant wreck a cheap linemans plier in a hurry. 440 channelpock, a couple 10R vise grips, a couple 11r, toss in a 6, a hi leverage diagonal. A good stripper is worth it. A couple good nut drivers to fit ones profession.
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DiscoBerry
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2010
- Messages
- 84
they worked ok at first but under any moderate torque they will twist or break but i used them daily in a auto shop i replaced them with snap on and never looked back but I hear gearwrench is also good i have some of there sockets and ratchet all of which are awesome
jredmond1107
Active member
- Joined
- May 7, 2012
- Messages
- 43
ive been eyeing them- is there a gearwrench equivalent to Matco SBS48SE? That's the one I really want but isn't Silver Eagle their rebadge line?
Swap meet guy locally sells 90% truck brand tools, best in the bed of his truck, good in tubs on tables, and engraved or Craftsman stuff on tarps on the ground. In the pickup bed he has a box of broken Snapon, almost all are Torx bit sockets.
Hazet or Stahlwille is the way to go, or HF, both work fine for me.
Lisle way too many bad reviews.
Hazet or Stahlwille is the way to go, or HF, both work fine for me.
Lisle way too many bad reviews.
nicksnothereman
Well-known member
I have a set of HF torx that aren't bad, but I much prefer my VIM set. But for the price of HF you can't beat it.
Yeah the vim single piece are real nice. Not that pricey but if you don't use torx all the time kind of a waste of money. I've got a mix of different stuff, most of them perform the same. Okay with minimal torque. They're pretty cheap individually too, around 3 bucks a socket for t30 from husky; I just bought a back up for personal use (my spark plug cover has t30 fasteners) for an ampro socket (no clue where I got that one).
If you (feel you) need heavy duty stuff look for 'impact' grade star drive (torx) stuff or generally ONE piece sockets. That's the way to go with specialty bits including hex. Allen (the holders of the torx patent) makes them, I bought a couple from cripe pretty cheap (but 1/4"). There are plenty of other manufacturers; most should perform well under moderate stress. Don't know if hf has them though they have sets for well under 20 bucks on ebay.
Actually, I use them and gearwrench, they're OK
which would you prefer? I'm torn between these two and the Husky 11 piece set...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-...TXBS11PCSR/203559459?quantity=1&str_nbr=4280#
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Coach James
Well-known member
OP, I read that some companies call them star bits to avoid having to pay to use the Torx trademarked name.
Coach
Coach
My first set was craftsman. I was constantly breaking/warrantying them (very brittle). They would break with ratchet use; I didn't dare use them with an impact. I bought a used set of snap on and might have broken 2 in more than a dozen years (my snappy guy made them up no problem). I've used the snap on's with ratchet and impact. Those are my only 2 brand experiences with torx drivers.
TangoFoxTrot
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
- Messages
- 1,961
Another vote against the Lisle "Made in America" torx set. It snapped in half the first time I used it. They sent me a new one free of charge, but the whole reason I paid a premium was so I wouldn't have issues.
DanarchyCustoms
Well-known member
They Lisle's are <s>pretty much</s> garbage. I have more broken ones than anything out of that small set. Torx bits (to me) seem disposable, thats why instead of buying an expensive set of SK, I'm going to buy HF because the store is close and an easy and simple return policy.
Two dollar steak
Active member
I've been using that set for going on four years now, everyday, many times a day, mostly on Ford 6.0 injectors and most of them are pretty dad gummed tight and I haven't had the first issue with them. Good buy at a good price, but I don't care if they came from China if they work.......
bwringer
Well-known member
The sets the OP linked (chromed socket with black bit) are OK but not great.
However, HF's "Pittsburgh Pro" one-piece sets are fantastic (made in Taiwan, not China).
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-12-in-drive-internal-impact-star-socket-set-67896.html
I've beaten the hell out of the hex and "star" versions with impacts, and never had a problem with the sockets. (However, the cheesy undersized fasteners Ford uses are another rant for another day...)
If you're striving for some sort of toolbox purity award, check the "Masterforce" sets at Menards -- most of their socket products are made in the US of A. I don't know how good they are or whether the Torx sockets are US made.
However, HF's "Pittsburgh Pro" one-piece sets are fantastic (made in Taiwan, not China).
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-12-in-drive-internal-impact-star-socket-set-67896.html
I've beaten the hell out of the hex and "star" versions with impacts, and never had a problem with the sockets. (However, the cheesy undersized fasteners Ford uses are another rant for another day...)
If you're striving for some sort of toolbox purity award, check the "Masterforce" sets at Menards -- most of their socket products are made in the US of A. I don't know how good they are or whether the Torx sockets are US made.
The person who posted about using "star" as the name to avoid paying royalty is exactly right. The companies who use the trademark have to pay about 4% royalty. The nice thing about the trademarked bits is that they need to meet minimum torsional specs that are published by Acument who controls the license (they used to be Camcar for people who are interested).
There are good and bad bits made everywhere- I really like the Apex insert bits, but you need a bit holder to use them. the Wera and Whiha bits are good too.
There are good and bad bits made everywhere- I really like the Apex insert bits, but you need a bit holder to use them. the Wera and Whiha bits are good too.
Hpozzuoli
Well-known member
Not sure how the splines on those will hold up. I use my snap on ones a ton and they are getting a little worn and rounded. I suppose for non heavy use they will do the job. I also have a set of torq bits from snap on I use in my impact driver and none have broke yet.
bart1
Well-known member
I have a wiha set. Pretty cheap at about $30 and I think as good as about anything else.
Wakefield
Well-known member
Do some of the brands only have regular Torx and not Torx Plus?
Are some of the troublesome fasteners in automobiles really Torx Plus?
Are some of the troublesome fasteners in automobiles really Torx Plus?
I've got hf a set of great neck and some other off brand. All have done better than the lisle. I don't think its where they are made. My dad had an old set from whenever moons ago when things were supposed to be built right. Twisted them off. Bought a new set 10 years ago...twisted a few off. Bought a few vermont americans to complete the kit and they are great
warweapon762
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2013
- Messages
- 323
I use these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-14-drive-star-bit-set-68015.html#.Uxk67_ldX0U
and these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piec...mpact-star-socket-set-67896.html#.Uxk7jPldX0U
They also used to carry a 3/8 drive set as well that I have.
These have stood up to YEARS of abuse, but I attribute this to the fact they are impact grade. Yes you will have to drop a bit more money on these but in my opinion they pay for themselves.
Friend of mine had a lisle kit we were using on a Jeep Cherokee one time and they got mauled after a couple of sticky fasteners WITHOUT an impact gun.
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-14-drive-star-bit-set-68015.html#.Uxk67_ldX0U
and these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piec...mpact-star-socket-set-67896.html#.Uxk7jPldX0U
They also used to carry a 3/8 drive set as well that I have.
These have stood up to YEARS of abuse, but I attribute this to the fact they are impact grade. Yes you will have to drop a bit more money on these but in my opinion they pay for themselves.
Friend of mine had a lisle kit we were using on a Jeep Cherokee one time and they got mauled after a couple of sticky fasteners WITHOUT an impact gun.
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