this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2026
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Load Bearing Wisdom

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[–] __hetz@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Picked up the 3/8" long flex-head from hazard fraught, before the G2 ratchets came out, earlier this year. It was the most used tool when I had to replace my water pump that went out (did the timing belt, thermostat and a lot of other stuff while I was at it). I never did more than oil changes, spark plugs, brakes and such for myself prior to that. Since I used it so much and it worked so well, while working on something new to me, I've got fondness for it.

For sockets it'd be easy to pick my impacts, because ugga duggas are a measurement of both torque and joy. I'll actually say it's my Stanley black chrome set I picked up on sale from a wally world around a decade ago (if not longer). The set has 3/8" and 3/4" drive but it skips, doesn't go particularly large or small, the included ratchets feel too small in my hands and lack leverage. Still it had every size I needed for the job. I've used it over the years on our mowers, cars, cranking down lags into wood posts and beams or concrete anchors... they've never been abused but I'm still amazed none have ever slipped, cracked or rounded from all the use they've seen.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Thanks. Which HFT brand do you have? No more Stanley at Wally World, sadly. I wonder if current Stanley is even as good as Stanley from 10 years ago.

[–] __hetz@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 days ago

I went with Icon for the flex head, and again for a swivel ratchet because I found it great for spinning out spark plugs. If space is tight I still use the Stanley ratchets just because they're the smallest ones I've got. Adapters and extensions are a mix of Pittsburgh, Icon and some Neiko stuff from Scamazon.

I mostly deal with Harbor Freight since there's one in town less than ten minutes from me. I haven't had to warranty anything (most of my mechanic's tools were purchased this year) but it's nice knowing just about everything is lifetime and I won't have to wait on a tool truck or drive twenty miles or more when that time comes. Also the sales. Excepting what I needed at the moment to fix my truck, I've made it a point to try only buying stuff on sale.

Can't speak for the new black chrome sets. Some have more in them; one I saw had essentially the same socket sets as mine in addition to some combo wrenches, hex keys and whatnot. Don't know if they're as good. Plenty good enough for a kid fixing up bikes, learning to wrench on mowers, etc I would imagine.

[–] Twinklebreeze@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Torque Test Channel has some good resources on value.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] blarghly@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I just got a set off marketplace and they do the job. So if you don't have any, that is what I'd do. If you really get into mechanical work and want to spend the $$$, then I would ask a mechanic for their opinion and get that. Then you'll have a nice set and a shitty set, and the shitty set then becomes very useful for when you need to smash something with a hammer or put a torch on it, etc.

If you already do a lot of mechanical work and are looking to upgrade, then this is not the answer you are looking for

[–] hereiamagain@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

Yeah I agree, start cheap and move up.

Though I bought a whole husky kit before I knew better. The quality is.. fine.

I just got my first big impact, and so I bought a set of impact sockets, but I got the harbor freight special. I figure if I destroy those, then I must be doing enough work to justify better ones, and I'll upgrade

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 0 points 5 days ago

My wife. She ratchet as fuck, and I love her socket.

That's there to get a snort from her if she comes across this :)

Legit, my grandmother and grandfather got me a damn good craftsman set back before craftsman turned to shit. That was in the early nineties, and shit is still shiny and everything works perfectly.

Except that damn 10mm, which has been replaced a dozen times.