Tools - Socket Sets

**Phoenix** · 29th June 2006, 09:06 AM

I'm finally going to bite the bullet and get a socket set, but what to get?

A local place has a sidchrome 40 piece set for abotu the sampe price as this website.
http://www.justtools.com.au/prod445.htm

However as stanley and sidchrome both seem to be mare in the same place, and owned by proto, why not get the stanley equivelant for less ?

http://www.justtools.com.au/prod281.htm

My heart says get teh sidchrome, but my head says is the stanley gear as good for the same price?

Any thoughts on which is better ? I'm looking at a reasonable set in a 1/2 inch drive.

**PhilipA** · 29th June 2006, 09:23 AM

I reckon Kingchrome is great and a lot cheaper.
Once bought an allen socket from them to remove the head bolts on a Cordia Turbo. Broke it by putting a 1 metre pipe on it, and they replaced it under warranty.
Some of the Chinese stuff looks great now. Eurotools is one, but it is relatively expensive.

The reason Sidchrome went broke was that they were so expensive. I think Stanley, Sidchrome are now made in Taiwan, I think its a short odds bet in the same factory as Kingchrome.
Regards Philip A

**Redback** · 29th June 2006, 09:31 AM

I bought the Stanley combo socket and spanner set to keep in the Disco, great set i reckon, i think you'll find that Sidchrome are made in China now anyway.

Baz.

**UncleHo** · 29th June 2006, 11:03 AM

G'day Phoenix

The best value for money would be, Kingchrome,K.C. or Sidchrome, the first 2 were originally Kingchrome, then the partners splitup, one took the trade name, the other went K.C.tools, both have the tools made in same factory to same specs. newer Sidchrome are not quite as good quality as the old stuff,but still good, go hunting around Swaps/Markets/garage sales for older Sidchrome,Dufor,Cresent(USA)Stahl-Whylie, Daniel Forge, or any German,Swedish made tools

The same goes for types of tools I.E. Sockets,Ring-Open Ended,Double Ended Ring, in SAE/UNF, BSW(Whitworth) BSF(British Standard Fine) the Whitworth/BSF are Landrover Front End, G'box, as otherwise you will round-off the Hexes, most other bolts/nuts on Aust Military Landies are SAE

I have not gone into Metric sizes as your main idea is working on your Landies, but you night find a few in the Series 3

Metricifation of the Aust Motor began in 1972-75 era

That will give you some idea about what you might need, BUT hunting around for the English sizes S/Hand is the go

Incisor and I usually take a shopping list of tools when we go to a Swap Meet, Just ask Ericpic what we were like at Toowoomba Swap

**matbor** · 29th June 2006, 12:38 PM

I went Sidchrome, because my old man had a Sidchrome ratchet that was 20-30 years old and stopped working, so I took it down to Just Tools (South Melbourne one) and showed them and they replaced it on the spot with a brand new one, no questions asked !!

After all that I brought $600-700 of Sidchrome stuff a couple of months later, haven't had a problem with it !!

What are the warranties on all the brands ?

Phoenix, that looks like the one of the sets I borught

Matt.

**langy** · 29th June 2006, 04:39 PM

Here's somthing to consider: Metrinch.
I originally bought a 3/8 drive set because my LWB SIII had worn imperial and some metric nuts/bolts. Since then I've got myself a medium 1/2 drive set, and they has done well on series, classic rr and now my disco. (Even up to diff pinion nut). A similar price to kinchrome, I suppose you save because it's two sets in one (metric/imperial). A no questions asked lifetime warranty ( I took a 20 year old rachet back, no probs, gave me a new one in 5 mins). Distributed by tridon, big auto accessories company

website http://www.tridon.com.au/html/22060.cfm

langy

**amtravic1** · 29th June 2006, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by langy

Here's somthing to consider: Metrinch.

langy

I would totally agree with metrinch. I have had a set of their spanners and sockets for around 20 years and the quality is equal to any other quality brand. They very usefull for removing items damaged by other spanners.
I have found Proto - now own Sidchrome to be very good but hard to find. Most of my mechanical tools are Stahwillie though.

**rangieman** · 29th June 2006, 05:25 PM

well heres one for you i have a sidchrome set have had it , should i say about 18 years and to add to this i was missing a 17 mm socket

reason i was missing this socket is we put it in the crank of a 70 hp mercury out board which are common for stripping the drive spline in the crank

so this socket has been in this motor for about 10 years and the motor has been rebuilt since , the socket is still driving that boat

so my sidchrome set would be australian made being as old as it is
i wouldnt buy any thing else .

so does any one want me to will my set to them when the time comes

**matt39788** · 29th June 2006, 05:40 PM

I reckon for your money you can't go past JBS branded socket set for $250 i got a 72 piece metric/AF set which i have used for the last 4 years and as a Underground mobile plant fitter, these tools don't get treated very well at all. Exposed to alot of salt and dirt they seem to work all the time when i need them and cheaper than Sidchrome and kinchrome. Well that's just my 5 cents worth anyway, now the choice is up to you.

Matt

**JDNSW** · 29th June 2006, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by UncleHo

G'day Phoenix

(snip)

The same goes for types of tools I.E. Sockets,Ring-Open Ended,Double Ended Ring, in SAE/UNF, BSW(Whitworth) BSF(British Standard Fine) the Whitworth/BSF are Landrover Front End, G'box, as otherwise you will round-off the Hexes, most other bolts/nuts on Aust Military Landies are SAE

I have not gone into Metric sizes as your main idea is working on your Landies, but you night find a few in the Series 3

Metricifation of the Aust Motor began in 1972-75 era

That will give you some idea about what you might need, BUT hunting around for the English sizes S/Hand is the go

Incisor and I usually take a shopping list of tools when we go to a Swap Meet, Just ask Ericpic what we were like at Toowoomba Swap

Series 1 Landrover was all Whitworth/BSF (Spanners are the same with different numbers on them, usually both Whitworth & BSF sizes - the sizes refer to the bolt diameter not the nut size), and the change to UNF (spanner sizes same as the American AF, with the size specifying the width of the nuts or bolt heads) began during S2 production and continued throughout Series 2a and 3 production, gradually getting more UNF and less BSF, although I think they tended to retain Whitworth for coarse threads, with even the last S3 having some BSF, for example, the drive flange bolts on the hubs. Metrification started before change to Unified threads was complete, with probably the first being the wheel studs right at the end of S2a production, but with no extensive use of metric sizes until the five bearing engine was introduced in late S3 production. The 110 has a mixture of metric and Unified threads - as far as I know there is no BSF or Whitworth, but I wouldn't swear to it! The current Defender is mostly metric, but I suspect there is still a few of Unified threads about, and of course it may have assemblies from earlier models fitted that use these or even BSF/Whitworth.

My spanners are a mixture - ones I inherited from my father, sets I have bought over the years (Whitworth, AF and Metric) in a variety of brands, and odd spanners and sockets picked up from clearing sales, swap meets, markets etc. One source I have found very good is opportunity shops on the outskirts of the major cities - I have picked up very good quality spanners there very cheaply on occasion. Keep your eyes open, and know or keep a list of what you are lacking.
John

Thread: Tools - Socket Sets

Thread Tools

Tools - Socket Sets

Tools-Socket Sets

You have a Series landie?

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions