Most useful non-standard wrenches?
10-20-2015, 11:22 PM
#16
Pro
Your experience may vary but with all due respect my opinion differs.
It makes sense that lesser quality tools don't necessarily break, the biggest difference is in the tolerances of machining. Cheaper tools +/- there tolerance on the sloppy side because if it was too tight they would have instant problems (not fitting on the nut), where sloppy/big tolarance is more acceptable because they appear to work as designed but do not grip the fastener as well which leads to rounding. This also lowers the maximum torque before slippage so the wrenches may never be able to experience breaking force torque because they round the fastener first..
Like I said, its more about damaging fasteners, increasing your workload, than it is about breaking tools.. What does a $0.10 socket or even a $15 socket matter, when your working on a high dollar part? If it rounds its going to take you an extra hour or 2 to extract that bolt at $XX or $XXX an hour. How much would it cost to have that cam bolt professionally extracted if you didn't get lucky and get a good tolerance cheap tool? Worth it to spend even $10 on the tool instead of what $0.50?
When your paying a mechanic by time wouldn't you much rather him have the better tool therefore less likely to take him extra time on your $$?
A Honda may never break, but it just doesn't get you from point A to point B like a Porsche..
Then again I may be bias because I am a bit of a tool junkie/collector and I take great pride in my tools, also a massive investment (that holds its value well).
It makes sense that lesser quality tools don't necessarily break, the biggest difference is in the tolerances of machining. Cheaper tools +/- there tolerance on the sloppy side because if it was too tight they would have instant problems (not fitting on the nut), where sloppy/big tolarance is more acceptable because they appear to work as designed but do not grip the fastener as well which leads to rounding. This also lowers the maximum torque before slippage so the wrenches may never be able to experience breaking force torque because they round the fastener first..
Like I said, its more about damaging fasteners, increasing your workload, than it is about breaking tools.. What does a $0.10 socket or even a $15 socket matter, when your working on a high dollar part? If it rounds its going to take you an extra hour or 2 to extract that bolt at $XX or $XXX an hour. How much would it cost to have that cam bolt professionally extracted if you didn't get lucky and get a good tolerance cheap tool? Worth it to spend even $10 on the tool instead of what $0.50?
When your paying a mechanic by time wouldn't you much rather him have the better tool therefore less likely to take him extra time on your $$?
A Honda may never break, but it just doesn't get you from point A to point B like a Porsche..
Then again I may be bias because I am a bit of a tool junkie/collector and I take great pride in my tools, also a massive investment (that holds its value well).
10-21-2015, 01:01 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
I can also tell you - a lot of high-quality tools are also more ergonomic and fit in your hand better. Also, when it comes to ratchets, high-quality ones have more teeth (clicks per revolution) meaning it can go back and forth in a smaller swing arc - good for tight places. Also the high-quality ones have a "smoother" action.
All of this doesn't make that big a difference if you're a shade tree mechanic or weekend warrior, but, if you make a living with your tools, you notice these things.
All of this doesn't make that big a difference if you're a shade tree mechanic or weekend warrior, but, if you make a living with your tools, you notice these things.
10-21-2015, 01:28 AM
#18
Three Wheelin'
+1 it's worth spending a lot more money if it helps you avoid extra work dealing with stripped heads and things like that. I think this is especially true if you're just a DIY amateur type. You don't want to spend your time drilling out bolts etc. Pros have all the tools and skills to deal with broken fasteners at their disposal - whether it's welding on a nut, breaking out the air chisel, or blasting with an oxy torch...I can't do any of that stuff, and one trip to a shop to deal with something like that would pay for a lot of top quality tools! Sooner or later you'll damage things with even the best of tools, but it's worth the effort to minimize it. The trick is to focus on the important ones - sockets (especially bit sockets such as allen head), wrenches, flare nut wrenches etc. If you buy a cheap socket wrench in HF and it breaks, no big deal. You'd have to break an awful lot of them to make up the cost of some of the big brand names.