Universal sockets

[alan camby]

I was wanting to pick up some non impact universal sockets for home.
Lowes has the Taiwan Kobalt 3/8" drive in both metric and SAE. They also have individual sockets for easy warranty repair.
Advance Auto also stocks the 3/8 drive sets in Gearwrench brand. Did not see individual sockets in stock though.
So I am leaning Kobalt.

Now what about 1/4" drive sizes? Advance has them on their web site to order but I don't see the sets or individuals in the store. Amazon has better prices on the gearwrench compared to Advance. Lowes does not seem to sell 1/4 universal sockets.

So where does a home shop guy get 1/4" universal sockets with a usable warranty? Any B&M's stock 1/4 drive Gearwrench?

I would buy from Advance if they would stock these in the store. If I buy from Amazon, is the warranty going to be a pain to use, or non existent?

These little universals are easy to overload, so I can see needing the warranty someday.

Bonus question
If I order KD801310 sockets, for example, are they the same as 801310 sockets? I understand that KD and Gearwrench are owned by the same parent company but are they all labeled Gearwrench nowadays?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UH2QNM/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Part number on "Product description" shows KD801310

 

[92integra]

i like my gear wrench 1/4" set if that helps......................

 

[kiatech]

I don't think your gonna find a brick and mortar store to buy and warranty 1/4" universals. The closest you could probably get is ordering the craftsman's via sears.com and taking in the broken one and having them mail you the replacement.

 

[Wamsutta]

Now what about 1/4" drive sizes?

For those I wouldn't want anything but Snap-on.

 

[T45]

Advance gets parts typically overnight. But these are likely gonna be a couple of days.

 

[Ruger_556]

I don't think your gonna find a brick and mortar store to buy and warranty 1/4" universals. The closest you could probably get is ordering the craftsman's via sears.com and taking in the broken one and having them mail you the replacement.

NAPA Carlyle I don't have any but if you want in store warranty that's where I'd go...

 

[kiatech]

NAPA Carlyle I don't have any but if you want in store warranty that's where I'd go...

I have yet to see any Carlyle in the flesh....

 

[alan camby]

Advance gets parts typically overnight. But these are likely gonna be a couple of days.

Anyone know if they do a good job with Gearwrench warranty?
Am I a bad person by saving $20-$30 bucks with amazon then going to Advance to warranty them if the need ever arises?

 

[pi_guy]

I am sure you will not want to hear this.
But the snap on ones are great, have had them for 30 years.
Truly my go to socket.
I had picked up several other 1/4 sets for my in car set and they all ****, but not in a good way. Some flopped over right out of the packaging others were to big and most did not have the equal degrees of alignment with out binding.
Never out right broken a snap -on one, have warrantied a few that got loose but after 30 years you have to cut them a little slack.

 

[Biomed]

So where does a home shop guy get 1/4" universal sockets with a usable warranty?

I've got some Snap-on, Williams, SK and GearWrench in 1/4" drive, non-impact. Snap-on are the best. None were purchased locally, all purchased on the Internet. Warranty is only a phone call away but it is not like walking into a brick and mortar store.

Cannot imagine that I would ever break a 1/4" drive Snap-on universal. If I did, warranty would be no issue, a phone call would have a replacement in a couple of days.

Harry J. Epstein Co. (a Garage Journal member) sells SK and they are very easy to work with via phone or E-mail.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I don't think your gonna find a brick and mortar store to buy and warranty 1/4" universals. The closest you could probably get is ordering the craftsman's via sears.com and taking in the broken one and having them mail you the replacement.

Also keep Ace Hardware in mind... My favorite in Fosston, Mn has a Bunch of Craftsman products...

 

[skylinegtr20]

Matco USA impact universals are leaps and bounds above snappy, Mac or any other brands. I have slowly been converting over to them.

Haven't touched the chromies since purchasing. I have SO in those.. And they worked alright

 

[Skin]

Snap-Ons are really nice but they also cost a small fortune. Almost better off just buying the 3 or 4 sizes you'll need. Used sets tend to go for ~$200.

I tested/am testing the SK ones. Not really impressed. Purchased a fractional size set for some OEP stuff and a few were fall over floppy right off the rail and aren't really cleaned and plated up to my expectations on the inside. The 10mm single I bought aesthetically looks quite good but it too has become extremely floppy after only a single day working on a couple cars.

My Craftsmans have served me well, but the plating is pitting/rusting on most of them regardless of how much use they've seen and they do tend to bind before other brands. Not sure how the Chinese ones would hold up.

No experience with GW other than noticing the fact that they're dirt cheap. I think the full metric set is something like $50.

Im pondering trying out Proto (same as MAC except, very oddly, MAC has no 5 or 5.5mm while Proto does). A few years ago they went to a splined pin design and, at least aesthetically, they look great. Cost is roughly the same as SK.

Matco USA impact universals are leaps and bounds above snappy, Mac or any other brands. I have slowly been converting over to them.

Haven't touched the chromies since purchasing. I have SO in those.. And they worked alright

Impacts are "swivels", chrome are "universals" since they literally have a universal joint/block. The impacts also all stop at 30* articulation regardless of brand.

 

[Ruger_556]

Im pondering trying out Proto (same as MAC except, very oddly, MAC has no 5 or 5.5mm while Proto does). A few years ago they went to a splined pin design and, at least on the outside, they look great. Cost is roughly the same as SK.

I have a Proto 3/8 set coming next week, was on sale for 2 days last week for $75 I'll let you guys know what I think of them...

 

[warweapon762]

Ive got some random set from cosco recently and i use it strictly for carb rebuilds, it works great. But, its not a complete set and it sure doesnt have a warranty. But it may get you by till you can get a better set down the road. They were on sale for $10 this week.

 

[skylinegtr20]

oh okay thanks for clearing that up. i never use universals then . I could see a few situations they would be beneficial over a impact "swivel" but those are very few and far between.

I did use the snap on ones as previously mentioned and still have them. Broke a lot of them, but they did there job

 

[Schurkey]

I own one 1/4" universal-joint socket; 1/2" wrench size if I remember right. I needed it for a certain project fifteen years ago, and I haven't used it since. I'd sell if I thought there was some interest; I have just assumed that the rest of the world found them as useless as I have.

Far as I'm concerned, 1/4" universal-joint sockets are a waste of enthusiasm. Others might disagree.

 

[nicksnothereman]

You can get a kd joint with a bunch of other stuff (extensions) for 13 shipped on ebay. That's probably the best bet. A whole set? Meh, you can usually hoof it with extensions without an issue. Compared to swivels...I lol, but I use cheap **** anyway so what do I know.

 

[crewchief888]

For those I wouldn't want anything but Snap-on.

i dont have a complete set of 1/4" dr chrome swivels, but the ones i do have are SO.

i have a couple USA CM in smaller sizes.

all bought on an "as needed" basis

 

[bob15]

I have both a Snap On and an SK 1/4" universal socket sets, one SAE, the other metric. I have had zero issues with both sets and would recommend buying from either company.

 

[85camaro]

If I was in your shoes, I would order the Gearwrench from Amazon.

 

[sonvolt]

I have snap on, SK, and Blackhawk no issues thus far. Either brand will do fine

 

[supersteve]

Snap-Ons are really nice but they also cost a small fortune. Almost better off just buying the 3 or 4 sizes you'll need.

That is where I have been for a long time, bought 8, 10, and 12 1/4dr. universals many years ago.

Then enter my latest awesome Snappy guy who does every possible special. I have the 5.5-15mm set coming off of a convention deal, $292 instead of $475. Should be here in a few weeks. He'll take out the ones I have and give me fair trade-in value for the Mac 7 and 13 I have, should have maybe $200 to come up with.

I will say for the OP give serious consideration to the impact swivels mentioned earlier. I bought Mac 8 and 10 1/4 impact swivels a few years back but never used them. I started using them a few weeks ago and I really love them. They won't bend too far over and bind and I can really reef on them when I need to without them asploding. And I have asploded a few 10mms in my day.

 

[2oolhound]

I use them a lot on motorcycles. I bought S-O eventually in 3/8 dr. metric, sae and whitworth. Cost some money up front but years later I still have them and I'm happy about that. I still have some old sk and a few proto in my spare box. In the last 2 or 3 years I've been getting S-O 1/4 in metric and sae. They cost up front but they're quality and in 10 years I hope I'll be still using them contently. I want 1/4 impacts now.