Ratcheting Spanner Set

[Petey83]

Not your traditional wood working tool but I'm after a set of decent quality ratcheting spanner a to keep in the tool box. I don't need a full set covering every size but something to cover common sizes. Budget is circa £60-70.

So far I've narrowed it down to the Wera Joker 4 piece set or the Chocago Brand 3 piece set in the links below

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wera-050732900 ... B007HIE54A

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B002VE ... cago+brand

I'm not at all familiar with Chicago Brand although their website indicates BAE systems use them so must be half decent. Wera on the other hand account for all my hand screwdrivers so know they are quality but the set is the more expensive and has 2 less sizes as the Chicago brand ones are double ended. Both set have a lifetime warranty apparently.

Any one got experi Vegas with either set / brand or have alternative suggestions?

 

[marcros]

i have some halfords ones which i have found to be good. they dont have the open ended ratchet side though.

 

[DiscoStu]

I have the Halfords Advance ones and they are excellent. They have a lifetime guarantee (keep the receipt) but even having really swung on them they've not gone wrong. Really good kit. I don't really like Halfords but their Advance stuff is the exception to a lot of their stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Petey83]

My 3/8 socket set is halfords advance and can't fault it to be fair but the open ended ratchet of Chicago brand make them stand out a bit

 

[woodpig]

I've got one of these, the 17&19mm. It's very good.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/proxxon-metr ... s-ax806203

 

[MrTeroo]

+1 for Halfords.

I have a metric and imperial set.
They came top in a group test in Practical Classics a few years ago.

 

[otter]

Don't be tempted by the flexible head spanners that Halfords do. They're a pain in the buttocks. I've got a set and would not buy them again. They pivot under ay force and just get on your nerves. Definitely one of those items that seem like a good idea until you actually use them.

The Wera Jokers are okay, and their USP is quite useful for the very odd occasion. It's be more useful if it was on the ratchet end rather than the open end though! I've got one, with the intention of slowly getting a full set, but again, I wouldn't buy another one. The problem is that the ratchet head is straight in relation to the shaft. A slight angle is much more useful.


With the budget you mention, I'd get the Teng Tools ratchet spanners. All my work spanners are Teng and gthey've never let me down in the 10 years I've had them. Brilliant bits of kit and I wish I'd not strayed to other makes for my home set.

 

[raywrightfive]

I got a great set from flea b
Pm me and I will send a link set of 12 8-19mm
And change from a twenty pound note

 

[Petey83]

It was actually the nut holding future of the Wera Jokers I really liked the look of as thinking about the sort of scenarios I may be in (up a ladder trying to bolt the cover of an outside light etc) they seemed to make sense.

Think I need to find some bricks and mortar shops and get my hands on a few different sets and see why feels right.

 

[otter]

It was actually the nut holding future of the Wera Jokers I really liked the look of as thinking about the sort of scenarios I may be in (up a ladder trying to bolt the cover of an outside light etc) they seemed to make sense.

I agree about the principle. But IMO it should really be on the ratchet end. That would be a lot more useful.

 

[woodpig]

I've got a couple of the Jokers but they aren't my favourite spanners. Bit of an impulse buy really because they looked a bit different. :?

 

[Petey83]

i am tempted by the Jokers as i have said due to the nut holding feature but i will be looking at the Halfords kit, Teng set and probably a Facom set

 

[Ali]

Sorry not familiar with the other brands but the Wera Joker is an excellent tool. If you don't believe me then I recommend just buying one of the spanners and seeing the quality.

That is what I did, I had an incredibly difficult nut to release and I tried various brand spanners to remove them without success. The Wera Joker is a very hard metal so up to any task.

I've since bought a couple of sets of the Zyklop which I find brilliant too, pricey for sure though. I keep my wera's for my own use and others have said I use Halfords professional sets if anyone else needs to borrow/use them. I found their metal to be really good too, but second to the Wera.

 

[woodpig]

I bought a small Bahco socket set that's very good. I think they are now part of the Snap-on group.

This set does 12 sizes.

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand-to ... stBid=tztx

 

[Petey83]

I bought a small Bahco socket set that's very good. I think they are now part of the Snap-on group.

yea believe they are although they are now made in Argentina as opposed to Sweden i think

 

[Grawschbags]

Another +1 for the Halfords Advanced stuff. Hasn't failed me yet.

Graeme

 

[sundaytrucker]

Don't be tempted by the flexible head spanners that Halfords do. They're a pain in the buttocks. I've got a set and would not buy them again. They pivot under ay force and just get on your nerves. Definitely one of those items that seem like a good idea until you actually use them.

I love my Halfords flex head ratchet spanners, they were used every day for six years and never let me down.

 

[undergroundhunter]

As a professional car technician I use my tools everyday and I do give them some grief. I have both Snap on ratchet spanners and Halfords advanced and both are great. Obviously the Snap On ones are way out of your budget but I can highly recommend the Halfords ones, I went for the flex head as they are great for awkward places, I have swung off them (19 stone hung off a 13mm spanner) and never had one slip, and as has been said they are lifetime warranty (I have taken full advantage of their warranty and they didn't ever ask for proof of purchase).
EDIT: I also have a draper expert 10mm flex head ratchet spanner and this seems to be made in the dame factory as the Halfords ones and is of equal quality.

Matt

 

[mbartlett99]

Facom every time in their nice secure little plastic holder thing never broken one and we give them dogs abuse.

 

[Petey83]

well despite not seeing much love for them i went for a set of Wera Jokers - splashed out and got the full set of 10! Was close between them and the Facom set but the nut holding feature on the Wera's just nicked it as the sort of jobs i envisage make this feature well worth having. When the pocket recovers as i did indulge in a few other new hand tools at the same time, i may get a set of the Halfords flappy heads as despite some saying these are not the best Halfords have to offer i was impressed by them when i went in store (once i had finally found someone to actually serve me albeit reluctantly on their part)

in regards to the jokers - they seem really well made although i suspect the satin finish will get dirty and never be quite as clean again! Rachet mechanism is nice and smooth and the design of the open end makes the return nice and tight for confined spaces. they also come in a nice codura type fabric tool roll which is the sort of thing that always makes me smile although i would have messed my trousers if they came in a systainer!!!! The roll fits nicely in my new Facom covered tool tote so all in all i am a happy bunny!