Your Thoughts on Hex Bit Socket Sets
- Thread starter toolmutt
- Start date
Finky198
Well-known member
Yes the impact ones are a great purchase for price as well as the HF chrome version looked at them today made in Taiwan cr-v sockets and S2 bits
Jarhead0408
Well-known member
Ditto. LOTS of good info in this thread. VIM is looking pretty good.
ssdave
Banned
I've got mostly proto, with a few snap-on thrown in the mix. They have worked excellently. Rusted on brake caliper assemblies have been the toughtest test, and they have held up to that.
bfm336
Well-known member
I've got the little bit longer Proto ones - love'em.
If you have a ford escape you MUST have the 9mm to do your breaks - good luck finding it locally when you have the wheel off
If you have a ford escape you MUST have the 9mm to do your breaks - good luck finding it locally when you have the wheel off
Snap on are great. I have them. Bought 20 years ago after snapping a craftsman. Look for models where the socket is designed to hold each individual size. Never buy sockets where the hex key necks down to fit the socket (craftsman). And don't buy the roll pin secured models, only press fit. Press fit are stronger, twist less.
Before spending $100+ on a set, make sure you can get replacement hex bits cheap or free (like Snap On) and that you have the means and inclination to replace these yourself. Otherwise, you should buy disposables like HF.
The keys here are:
1) you want strong, hard, crisp bit sockets. Snap On "gold" are super hi quality tool steel cad plated. These are dimensionally better than the standard black oxide because black oxide removes a tiny amount of the tool surface. Whereas cad does not.
2) Auto manufacturers use cap head screws in high torque and access restricted areas. In my experience, these are not screws to screw around with. If something goes wrong (you round the screw's Allen recess for example) the fix can be bad (like remove engine bad). My advice is to buy quality, and save your money elsewhere.
3) These tools wear and require replacement/refurbishment. Failure to do so can cause the stripping of the Allen recess, which is bad (see above). So buying Snap On or Proto or some funky euro tool that you can't easily get warrantied or replacement parts is a bad move. You MAY be better off with cheap new, rather than good worn.
4) espy is right. One set won't cut it. You really will need longs, mine are long ball ends since you can't really hang on any long Allen socket. I also have stubbies, which are helpful and super stiff. So factor in multiple sets (unfortunately).
5) substitute swivels for ball ends and we could say the exact same thing about torx bit sockets. When guys here talk about "complete socket sets" they are talking 6 and 12 pt. that's not a complete socket set in my opinion. If you want to work on cars, you need a fairly extensive set of bit sockets.
Before spending $100+ on a set, make sure you can get replacement hex bits cheap or free (like Snap On) and that you have the means and inclination to replace these yourself. Otherwise, you should buy disposables like HF.
The keys here are:
1) you want strong, hard, crisp bit sockets. Snap On "gold" are super hi quality tool steel cad plated. These are dimensionally better than the standard black oxide because black oxide removes a tiny amount of the tool surface. Whereas cad does not.
2) Auto manufacturers use cap head screws in high torque and access restricted areas. In my experience, these are not screws to screw around with. If something goes wrong (you round the screw's Allen recess for example) the fix can be bad (like remove engine bad). My advice is to buy quality, and save your money elsewhere.
3) These tools wear and require replacement/refurbishment. Failure to do so can cause the stripping of the Allen recess, which is bad (see above). So buying Snap On or Proto or some funky euro tool that you can't easily get warrantied or replacement parts is a bad move. You MAY be better off with cheap new, rather than good worn.
4) espy is right. One set won't cut it. You really will need longs, mine are long ball ends since you can't really hang on any long Allen socket. I also have stubbies, which are helpful and super stiff. So factor in multiple sets (unfortunately).
5) substitute swivels for ball ends and we could say the exact same thing about torx bit sockets. When guys here talk about "complete socket sets" they are talking 6 and 12 pt. that's not a complete socket set in my opinion. If you want to work on cars, you need a fairly extensive set of bit sockets.
Last edited:
bob15
Well-known member
I would buy neither of the two set the OP listed. The issue is the bits are stepped. It's great that some of you guys have never broken them, but I have, and unless you have spare bits, the socket is worthless until more are bought. And wright 1/8" bits are soft and can be stripped out with about 60in/lbs.
The Bondhus, Snap On's, older Proto's, Bonney all have the straight hex bit. In other words, if you break it, remove it and install a regular Allen wrench key with the "L" cut off. You don't need to buy extra bits.
I have the Wright set in SAE and do not like them and consider it a mistake purchase.
You want the straight bits that look like this:
Not stepped like this:
The Bondhus, Snap On's, older Proto's, Bonney all have the straight hex bit. In other words, if you break it, remove it and install a regular Allen wrench key with the "L" cut off. You don't need to buy extra bits.
I have the Wright set in SAE and do not like them and consider it a mistake purchase.
You want the straight bits that look like this:
Not stepped like this:
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Sunex, grey pneumatic, Lisle, Mac, gearwrench, even HF. They all work fine. The only ones I broke consistently were auto-zone brand way back in my "youth". Even they would take some abuse.
wyo george
Well-known member
I have four sets of Cornwell; both long ball end and short straight cut in SAE and Metric. I've used them for about ten years now, the metric ones have been used extensively and so far not a single breakage.
Yes, according to their website. http://www.bondhus.com/bondhus_products/tool_categories/socket_bits/hex.html
1foxracing
Well-known member
absolutelybillsmood
Well-known member
The Bonney ones are really nice if you can find the right sizes, I also have some Stanley Professional ones that have been ok.
jlipsky14
Well-known member
I would go VIM, I believe they are the oem to Mac and Corwell.
I feel they are the best sets for the money, as well as one of the best sets besides the Snap-On ones. The hex bits are one of the tools I do feel snap on actually does make better than everyone else, although I have not used all the brands.
Just a few moments before finding this thread I had ordered the VIM master hex, master torx, and 8pc spline/triple square sets.
This is the set I would go with,
http://www.tooltopia.com/vim-hms26.aspx
I feel they are the best sets for the money, as well as one of the best sets besides the Snap-On ones. The hex bits are one of the tools I do feel snap on actually does make better than everyone else, although I have not used all the brands.
Just a few moments before finding this thread I had ordered the VIM master hex, master torx, and 8pc spline/triple square sets.
This is the set I would go with,
http://www.tooltopia.com/vim-hms26.aspx
johndeereman
Well-known member
I have hf impact set's in sae/mm in 1/2'' drive and they have held up good so far after 2 years or so, i also have gearwrench 3/8 both sae and mm and the only one i twisted off was 5mm and i purchased sunex 3/8'' drive stubby impact style which have been awesome so far had them about 2 months. All of my chrome hex bits are usa craftsman but i hardly use them any more. I also just picked up some new bondhus 1/4'' for the screwgun.
