Need to get some basic hand tools to work on the Datsun, what brand(s) should I look at?

[B^2]

So I want to pick up some basic hand tools to work on the datsun. Nothing too crazy, some sockets and some wrenches to cover the basics. I know Snap On stuff is supposed to be some of the best but it's not really in my budget to spend that kind of money right now. What brands should I be looking at? I've got a couple ratchets from proto but I'm a fish out of water when it comes to selecting tools.

[RMS]

hit up pawn shops, thrift stores and garage sales to get the best ! what your after is old thin high quality tools. many new cheep tools are to thick around the closed end to fit some bolts like the half shaft nuts. you will be looking for pre 80s tools from snap on, craftsman, hazet, Stahlwille, king dick, grey.... just stay away from 80s 90s 00s tools with the C word on them. look for 6 and 12 pointed wrenches they dont need to match for the 510 the common sizes are 8 10 12 14 17 a small pickle fork real vice grips (should say Peterson) a couple sizes of flat heads #1, 2 and 3 Phillips feeler gauges jack and stands

[greenthumb]

Master craft Maximum series tools also very good. Like Robin says, fatness on the box end is no buena. Maximum are nice in the hand. Canadian tire has some crazy sales from time to time when they are really low priced. Good warranty too

[cartel]

hes in the usa so mastercraft doesnt work-- also the US craftsman tools havent changed much- it was Cdn sears that switched to chinese junk years ago-

until 4 or 5 years ago i "used"to go to Wa to warranty all my craftsman stuff till they closed the stores close so nearest is seattle way too far for warranty-

the USA made craftsman stuff is good quality - always like their combination wrench sets - and their easy to read sockets are WAY easier to read than my snap on ones

depends on budget - ebay for snap on sets ive bought a few there - im a tool whore i have 2 full sets of snap on-- one at work one at home- plus a mix of US craftsman and some old proto- hazet - etc for race car trailer..
i went to home depot and got a pile of husky stuff cheap for a friend its cheap and has a lifetime warranty- lowes is similar but i think the husky is nicer than kobalt. at some point lowes was looking at carrying craftsman.. harbor freight isnt very nice for hand tools..
personally id buy from whatever store is closest as you will need to warranty something eventually-
channelock makes great pliers and crescent wrenches and made in usa.. they even used to make snap on's wire crimpers .

[wagon jon]

Use anything made in the United States or Canadian built, especially old tools with better metallurgy than the newer less-quality tools. Go to estate sales, antique shops, auctions, and grandpas garage to find the goods. Even old retired mechanics tools from the military. Good stuff there!

[datzenmike]

CrappyTire... the good.... You can drop by Sunday afternoon and get a replacement for your broken one. (Mac and Snap-on you have to wait for the truck to come by Tuesday) The bad.... That $100 3 ratchet set and assorted sockets, adapters, extensions and spanners..... Half the sockets and half the spanners are SAE and you have to throw away. Get real Can Tire!

And while I'm at it do NOT buy Stanley. (also sold by CT) One of the spanners had been hit twice to form the open end and the two month old 3/8 ratchet fell off the driver's seat to the driveway and flew apart. I took it all back (except the SAE which I had thrown away) and got a refund and got the master craft ones. Not only are Stanly crap but they painted them black!!! WTF? try picking one up if it's sitting on the driveway in the sun. Unimpressed and underwhelmed.

[bertvorgon]

Just saw this thread. Back in 1968, when I got my 1958 Chevy Delray, I went to Simpson Sears Canada and bought a complete, Made in U.S.A. Craftsmen socket and wrench set. That was BIG money then.

To this day, after building, repairing and destroying many things...I still have those tools! Only failure was my 3/8" ratchet pawl broke and I got a replacement one back in the 80's and it has not missed a beat since.

[datzenmike]

I bought a breaker bar recently so I expect to have to replace my ratchets a lot less often now.

[bertvorgon]

Yah...I guess putting a 4' pipe on my ratchet was pushing the envelope......

[datzenmike]

and hitting it with a 4 pounder.

[///FiveOneOh]

all I can say is don't cheap out on your basic tools... I own 4 wrench sets.. even though they all look quality, the performance is night and day difference. Bolts the the box end on my mastercraft maximums strip out.. my Milwaukie and snap on wrenches and can break loose with the open end... Even after the MCM has rounded it off.

I highly recommend you look into the Milwaukie wrench set. It is inexpensive for what you get and extremely good quality. I picked my set up for 120 cdn and it goes from 8mm to 22mm. Like the snapon they feature an antislip open end, but also have a very strong I-beam construction. The snapon set ran over 500cdn and performs the same but has a longer reach.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-C ... /303010166


Ratchets, I use jet and MCM, and Carlyle. The MCM will be about equivilant to your craftsman maybe a little lower quality. What you are looking for Ina ratchet is lifetime warranty, good hand feel, and a short throw. You don't want to be a tight spot and find you can't swing the ratchet far enough to get it to click! I find I tend to gravitate to my Carlyle ratchets the most because of their short throw and adjust able head angle. You will want to pick up at minimum a short and an extended 3/8 drive ratchet. If you have the budget grab a 1/2 drive as well and maybe a 2/2 drive breaker bar. Look for the breaker at harbour freight. It stands up to the snip on testing and costs a fraction.


Sockets, a full set of 6 points is nice to have even if your Datsun doesn't use them all. Again for starters sets have a look at harbour freight. I believe they have an anti slip set. If you can swing it grab deep sockets to.

Hammer, grab nice ball pean, spend a couple of bucks on this one because your hammer can last you a lifetime. Cheap hammers have a habit of bouncing making them unpredictable and give a horrible hand feel.... I personally use a Fuller with the antivibration handle. A good hammer will allow you to remove ball joints, tie rod ends without doing any damage to the join.

https://www.amazon.ca/Fuller-Tool-611-8 ... B000BDHAXQ


Screw drivers, I own way to many (literally drawers full of them...) But I only use one... It was designed by a local BC man and is honestly the best screw driver I have ever owned.

https://www.rolgear.com/product/multibi ... nded-bits/

Pliers
Locking pliers are a must, go vice grip or Erwin... The other just dont have the same hold. Again I would just snag some harbour freight pliers for the rest, extended handles are a nice second set to have.

While SnapOn is kind of the "industry go to" there are plenty of other options which are just as good but cost far less. SnapOn is nice if you do it for a living because the truck comes to you... For home use... I have a bunch of busted snapons that I never see the rep... So I can't warranty them... Hardly worth it...