Tools

[Me-109]

There's loads of fake Britool, Facom and Snap-on stuff out there, so be expecially careful if getting anything like that off fleaBay.

I've been building up Halfords Pro stuff in my toolbox(es) over the past few years and it has been pretty resilient given the two or three cars and two or three bikes it has always had to maintain (at the same time). Car stuff tends to be in much worse condition than bike fasteners and so far they've done great - not snapped, very little rounding and/or slipping. Snap-on charge and earth for their name and their warranty - you might get a free replacement, but you paid for it years ago!

I've got a set of Metrinch combi spanners that were probably the first wall-drive things on the market and I must have had them nigh on 20 years and going great. Also got a set of Kennedy double-ended ringers I've had for about 12 years and still look about new. Even better is that they were payment in kind for a job I did.

[Rob B]

Hmm, agree with lots of this but we do live on a small island. having been on a few business trips to the states, and abused the two suitcases allowances, I have bought a good pile of kit from Sears. Top quality, cheap as chips....

£0.02,

Rob

[BMWBob]

Cheapskate that I am I've built-up a reasonable set of spanners etc. from Aldi

No street cred though in showing off your Aldi's tool to your mates!

Obviously not suitable for all you regular spanner men out there however it has meant that I've got all the sizes covered which has often helped in getting me out of a spot of bother

I must admit if there is a particular item/size I use a lot I'll invest in the individual tool from a named brand.

You pays yer money and takes your choice!

[theseadog]

There's a lot to be said for some of the lesser known brands with some really good quality kit out there. I've got some unbranded stuff from my old man which is still perfect despite the fact that he bought them 60 years ago. I use them fairly regularly on the old MG's and they're stil perfect, no splayed jaws or cracked rings despite getting some abuse on some of the old seized parts on the cars. As mentioned the Halfords ( dirty theiving robing bast*rds )kit seems pretty durable for the most part, don't know who makes it for them though ?

[Jason M]

I've got a right old mixture - some Halfords (emergency 'its in pieces and I need it for work tomorrow' purchaces) and a load of Elora spanners and sockets. A bloke was selling a 'bag of old spanners' in free ads - went round and there was a lovlely set of Eloras from 7 right up to 32mm. There were 2 17s, 2 19mms a 27,29 and 2 32s in there as well - £15 I think there were, and £5 for the 3/8 socket set. I was ROBBED

BTW - My flippin Fazer was making strange crunching noises the other day at the back end - thought it was the socket carrier bearing - changed it - no difference - so I looked a bit harder today and bugger me with a cucumber if one link in the chain (the actual 'link' link) has stretched and all the others arround it are ok - so when it comes to the sprockets it doesn't sit properly and 'clacks' into place, obviously changing the chain tension dramatically as it does. How weird is that? I thought all the links would stretch the same

That just after I'd spent £150 on some new rain gear

Never mind - it's only money

Jason

[vienna]

Agree with the tip to buy in the USA. With the dollar down at the moment a good excuse to visit Sears. All my tools for the Harley came from there, but they do metric to!