Hex and socket sets – alternatives to Park SBS-1.2

[Samuel D]

I’ve read that Park Tool bits are either not especially good or overpriced for what they are. And yet the SBS-1.2 set is a pretty useful-looking collection of bits for my purposes.

Is there a better way to acquire approximately those bits? I own a 1/4" square-drive torque wrench, a 3/8" square-drive torque wrench, a couple of 3/8" drive tools (e.g. Park BBT-19.2), a couple of 1/2" drive tools, and at present no drivers that aren’t torque wrenches. I will have to get a ratchet or T-bar driver or similar too, and the SBS-1.2 doesn’t include such a tool. I’d like to be able to drive the bits from both torque wrenches, which means I’ll need an adaptor of some sort.

This is mainly for bicycles, but I could also put the sockets to use for changing disc brakes on cars and other odd jobs like that. Therefore a complete socket set would probably not go to waste over the next couple of decades. On the other hand, I don’t want to spend hundreds on this just for possible future use. Hence the appeal of the SBS-1.2.

[reohn2]

I'd go to a tool mechant and ask what they have available.
Allen and torx bits are readily available in various lengths which have 1/4inch hexagonal shaft,a 1/4inch drive to 1/4 inch socket works well for slotting them into IME.
Add to them the socket sizes you need and Bob's yer uncle
The BB tool can be bought seperately.

EDITED for clarity

[hamster]

I agree, a decent set of Allen keys is £20 maximum, plus 10mm and 8mm combination spanners and a Torx for brake discs. Add in a small torque wrench for £30 and job's a good 'un.

[thelawnet]

Would this not suit?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-SL25-Soc ... B000Y8XCA8

[PH]

That linked Park set looks a reasonable price to me, in line with other well known but not professional quality sets, don't know about the quality but I doubt it's poor. I like my Bacho kit, though my usage isn't high enough to have tested it's limits, has a decent reputation and price per item is comparable to the Park set. Similar but not identical to this one
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/socket-s ... lsrc=aw.ds

[thelawnet]

Seems to be coming up at a ludicrous price (£90)

Should be around £30
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-S330-Soc ... B0001JZRYY

[slowster]

Because you already have some 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" tools plus torque wrenches, and given your comments about likely/potential future usage options and flexibility, you seem to be now at a point where you have make a choice between buying a comprehensive socket set with ratchet handles etc. or just buying individual tools that fill a specific need or gap in your current range of tools. The disadvantage of the large set is the high upfront cost, the fact that you might never have any need for some of the tools, and that some of them might duplicate what you already have, but this is often offset by the sheer value for money of the sets and the knowledge that you have got all the possible sizes (so even if you never use them all, when you find you need a particular size, you've got it already).

I think in the UK the Halfords Advanced range (which has I think a lifetime guarantee on the non-ratchet items) is well regarded and considered good value for money when on offer (Halfords routinely discounts the sets and its tool chests, and you should never buy them when at full price). The 200 piece socket set is currently £160 instead of its £370 RRP. I don't know whether Halfords would ship to Paris.

The Bahco sets are very nice, but probably more expensive than the Halfords equivalents, although they may be easier to buy and ship to Paris (in my experience you can generally see which Amazon country offers the lowest price, e.g. Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de etc., and buy from them and still get it shipped to your country in Europe). The S106 set is very nice, although it is only 1/4" and 1/2".

The small 1/4" Bahco set thelawnet linked to is very good value for money (and if you are prepared to wait and watch might even come down a £1 or two on Amazon.co.uk from the current £18.73 price). For pure bike use I like the Topeak Ratchet Rocket ratchet, because bits can be inserted in the end and the handle used like a screwdriver/spinner (for home use, you could simply buy a 1/4" spinner handle to complement the Bahco set). The main downside with that Bahco set for bike use is the limited number of hex bits supplied, and I would consider getting something like this set of Wera bits to complement it.

Edit - Actually that Wera set only contains 4mm, 5mm and 6mm hex bits, so is not really suited for bike use. I'm surprised that Wera do not offer a similar set with a wide range of hex bits. They do offer such a set with torx bits, so it's frustrating that they don't offer something similar with lots of hex bits.

[thelawnet]

The Halfords pricing is a bit of a trick - that set has been as low as £127.50, though also sold at various higher prices.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Cars and motors incl M/cycles probably need a 1/2 range of tools but cycles you can get by on 1/4 & 3/82 drive, exception would be "Freewheel" removal and BB removal tools, they should be 1/2" drive mandatory, a 4" vice mounted to a bench if you still use "Freewheels".

Lidl has mini and larger tool kits 1/4 - 3/8 - 1/2 inch even.
The lidl stuff Powerfix is made by etc, "GS" as long as its says GS on the box its as good as you will ever need unless you are a trader and full time mechanic on bikes and up.

When I started on motors I walked to the shop and bought the tool I needed so I never owned a tool kit just tools in a box.

Even though I worked on motorcycles full time and do all my own car mechanics, some tools will get used once in your life, a full tool kit of sockets up to say 32 mm from 4 mm there will be many "B-a-s-t-a-r-d" sized sockets less so today with more specialized motor stuff albeit but half the kit will never see a nut!

I would buy tools when needed, the top brand names will give a lifetime guarantee even if you bought them decades ago.
I wore out two ratchet handles over ten years but they were used six days a week over that time, bought refurbish kits and still have them after 35 years, before the internet etc with all our contacts and knowledge today.
Some neat tool boxes and your done.

You can of course buy any bit and any bit to drive convertor on their own but mini tool kits are a somewhat convenient way to buy at several pounds.

I used to buy tools every day as a job for MOD projects for manufacture of parts, I would buy anything to try it out.
Even something like silverline spanners bought online and every car accessory shop are quality enough for diy bikes, considering also that bike stuff does not see or need high torque use.
If you buy mini sockets 4-13 mm try to use hex not bi-hex 12 point on the smaller sizes for quality of work, bi-hex will easily round of tight nuts etc, even at sizes of 17 mm and above where tolerance of clearance for AF is bigger (+1mm) softer materials round the nut off easily at high torque.

Cheaper non big brand name ratchet handles tend to have larger heads and thus do not make good motor mechanics tools through lack of throw, they get round this with multi splines on the ratchet of course, partly.........

A last word on insert bits, buy more than one of each size, they are by design easy to round off the head of bolts even by accident in experienced hands.
I find that quality of these bits varys and so have plenty spares, spline bits are many sizes and a kit might not have the correct spine sizes.

[alexnharvey]

I also wanted a set of sockets that I could use on my car as well as my bike. I opted for laser 6 point sockets with 3/8 drive ratchet (set 3496) for most use and a 1/2 inch breaker bar for use with bike tools that have this drive and some odd 1/2 sockets I have bought or inherited. I also bought a 24mm socket which fits some BB and cassette tools I have.

I intended to buy an Allen key socket set but after some thought decided I'd be more likely to use my existing L keys or often a basic park multitool which sees a lot of bike use. I did add a torx bit set for my car A 1/4 inch bit socket and bit set would be handy instead. I have a L shape 1/4 bit driver that I use instead.

I keep looking at other tools idly but now save my money for ones I actually need when I need them, eg 36mm oil filter socket, a flexible extension for access in a tight spot when removing an exhaust and a special O2 sensor removal socket.

[Samuel D]

Thanks for your comments, all. Plenty to consider.

I agree, a decent set of Allen keys is £20 maximum, plus 10mm and 8mm combination spanners and a Torx for brake discs. Add in a small torque wrench for £30 and job's a good 'un.

I already have a good set of L-shaped Allen keys and a set of Draper Expert combination spanners (the spanners since I was a teenager and they’re still in good condition). I also have torque wrenches, as I mentioned in the original post.

I want to be able to use my torque wrenches on a wider range of fittings. I also need a driver, I guess 3/8" with an adaptor for smaller 1/4" bits. Alexnharvey reminded me that I have a 1/2" square-drive bar a bit like this for car wheels.

The various toolkits mentioned above start to look good value when you consider that the Park SBS-1.2 has no ratchet or even a T-bar.

Would this not suit?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-SL25-Soc ... B000Y8XCA8

Probably not because it has only two Allen key bits and the driver wouldn’t be strong enough to remove bottom brackets, for example. The slightly more expensive Bahco S330 looks pretty good, though. It also has a 16 mm spark plug socket that I could use once in a blue moon. And a 14 mm socket for my car’s sump plug.

Because you already have some 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" tools plus torque wrenches, and given your comments about likely/potential future usage options and flexibility, you seem to be now at a point where you have make a choice between buying a comprehensive socket set with ratchet handles etc. or just buying individual tools that fill a specific need or gap in your current range of tools.

So it seems. I think I also need to decide on 3/8" versus 1/2" drive for the bigger stuff.

The 200 piece socket set is currently £160 instead of its £370 RRP. I don't know whether Halfords would ship to Paris.

Too expensive because it is so comprehensive and has stuff, like spanners, that I already have. Looks good, though.

The Bahco sets are very nice, but probably more expensive than the Halfords equivalents, although they may be easier to buy and ship to Paris (in my experience you can generally see which Amazon country offers the lowest price, e.g. Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de etc., and buy from them and still get it shipped to your country in Europe).

I use the various European Amazons in the same way. Which leads me to socket sets by Sealey Premier. Are they about equivalent to Halfords Advanced and Bahco? They come in a nice metal box.

Cars and motors incl M/cycles probably need a 1/2 range of tools but cycles you can get by on 1/4 & 3/82 drive, exception would be "Freewheel" removal and BB removal tools, they should be 1/2" drive mandatory, a 4" vice mounted to a bench if you still use "Freewheels".

So what is the advantage of 3/8" over 1/2"? Let’s say I might want to work on small motorcycles in the future (as I did in the past, usually badly, on a Honda CG). Would 1/2" be a safer bet in the long run?

Interesting about LIDL’s Powerfix tools being GS. Unfortunately the LIDL shops in Paris don’t tend to have tools.

If you buy mini sockets 4-13 mm try to use hex not bi-hex 12 point on the smaller sizes for quality of work, bi-hex will easily round of tight nuts etc, even at sizes of 17 mm and above where tolerance of clearance for AF is bigger (+1mm) softer materials round the nut off easily at high torque.

AF = ? What are 12-point sockets useful for?

[epa611]

Look at the Wera Zyklop belts and decide which ones you need, then buy from Amazon Germany [emoji6]

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my STF-L09 using hovercraft full of eels.

[keyboardmonkey]

I meant to buy the LiDL 1/4” drive socket set with a 270 degree swivel head ratchet, but they had all gone when I returned to the shop. Hey ho.

I have the discontinued Park Tool SBS-1 and the equally discontinued TW-5, which is a 1/4” drive torque wrench that came with a 3/8” adaptor.

Here’s what I supplemented my toolbox with. Some may be of interest to you...

Bits and bobs

Tekton 3/8” drive swivel head ratchet.

Premier 3/8” drive *shoulderless* extra long hex bit set.

VESSEL 1/4” drive Flat Plate Ratchet Screwdriver Set.

Expert Stanley* E030704 1/4-inch Hex Bit Socket Drive Set.

I don’t know if you want or need any of these, but I’m happy with the quality of this little lot for bike use at least.

*the packaging doesn’t mention Stanley, instead reading “Expert by Facom”.

[slowster]

The 200 piece socket set is currently £160 instead of its £370 RRP. I don't know whether Halfords would ship to Paris.

Too expensive because it is so comprehensive and has stuff, like spanners, that I already have. Looks good, though.

Just in case you hadn't realised, the spanners in that set are ratcheting. I've only got a couple of them in small sizes, but I think they are a useful complement to ordinary spanners and sockets. If you buy a set you are probably inevitably going to get some tools included which you already have. I would focus more on the quality/suitability of the set, than choosing one based primarily on it containing as few as possible of the tools you've already got.

Which leads me to socket sets by Sealey Premier. Are they about equivalent to Halfords Advanced and Bahco? They come in a nice metal box.

I cannot comment on Sealy Premier. I think the Bahco sockets are reckoned to be better than Halfords Advanced because they have a matt finish (easier to grip/less likely to slip out of oily fingers, ditto Bahco's rubber covered ratchet handles), and are 6 point 'wall drive' rather than 12 point (i.e. less likely to round off the corners of nuts and bolts, like Snap On's 'Flank Drive').

I think I also need to decide on 3/8" versus 1/2" drive for the bigger stuff.

For bike use, Park and others seem to tend to use 3/8", which I suppose you would have covered by the addition of a 3/8" breaker bar to go with your 3/8" torque wrench.

[alexnharvey]

Sealey premier are flank/wall drive too.

I think nearly all modern sockets and spanners use wall drive designs. Even the £1.55 15mm combo spanner from silverline that I bought placing to cut it down carrying to use on track nuts has curved 12pt lobes on the ring end that catch the nut back from the corners. Of course, they might not all be as well designed and implemented as each other.