¼" Ratchet drive + hex + Torx bit set recommendations

[slope]

Back in the day (late 70s) when I sojourned for a company restoring classic cars, the spannery tool kit was either Britool or Snap-On and very pleasing to use.

Today, only tinkering with bikes, I have lost patience suffering Aldi's 'Workzone' ¼" ratchet + hex + Torx bit set. The 6.19mm drive doesn't work at all well in the 6.41mm receiving sockets, the wobble is crazy.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced set that fit together as intended? Britool and Snap-on quality and finish no longer required as fiddling with bikes only happens now and then.

(I did a search first via Google for a similar topic on YACF, but surprisingly came up blank)

[Ham]

Watching with interest as I have been asking myself the same question

this is my current quality front runner, but it is a bit spendy https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-40-piece-standard-socket-set/1785870_BQ.prd

[Polar Bear]

I have found Draper to be adequate for my minor fettling.

Around £40 for such a set seems quite normal after having done a bit of googling.
 

[philip]

this is my current quality front runner, but it is a bit spendy https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-40-piece-standard-socket-set/1785870_BQ.prd

Screwfix have a slightly smaller Magnusson set on offer for less than half that price: https://www.screwfix.com/p/magnusson-1-4-drive-socket-set-25-pieces/925jj

[slope]

Watching with interest as I have been asking myself the same question

this is my current quality front runner, but it is a bit spendy https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-40-piece-standard-socket-set/1785870_BQ.prd

I wonder if B&Q would allow an in store visitor to open a box and determine if there's any grotesque wiggle?

I have found Draper to be adequate for my minor fettling.

Around £40 for such a set seems quite normal after having done a bit of googling.
 

Do your Draper bits wiggle on the drive unit of extension shaft?

[quixoticgeek]

Get wera. You won't regret it.

I also have some Bosch stuff. But I'm slowly replacing it all with wera...

J

[JonBuoy]

I don't have one but tools in the Halfords Advanced series seem to be fairly well regarded: https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-40-piece-1%2F4in-socket-set-332374.html

[rafletcher]

We use Bahco at work, no complaints.

[Jurek]

I'd be looking at Wera or Wiha sets.

[slope]

Get wera. You won't regret it.

I'd be looking at Wera or Wiha sets.

Ooh, I like the look of them



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wera-Zyklop-Ratchet-Socket-05004017001/dp/B00IMF1B4O?th=1

[Jurek]

Wera do a ratchet handle way more versatile than the one pictured there.
8000a is what you should be looking at - I have two, one at work and one at home.

[quixoticgeek]

https://www.weragereedschap.nl/gereedschapsets/1806-wera-advents-kalender-2023-4013288225054.html

Just saying...

J

[L CC]

Rarely do I agree with QG but that ^^ is what I had just captured the link for.

https://www.tooled-up.com/wera-tool-advent-calendar-2023/prod/626667/?

[Gattopardo]

Rarely do I agree with QG but that ^^ is what I had just captured the link for.

https://www.tooled-up.com/wera-tool-advent-calendar-2023/prod/626667/?

Getting more expensive and doesn't contain he good stuff.

[sg37409]

Bahco do some very nice little sets.  Cheaper than Wera though not as nice

[Gattopardo]

Watching with interest as I have been asking myself the same question

this is my current quality front runner, but it is a bit spendy https://www.diy.com/departments/magnusson-40-piece-standard-socket-set/1785870_BQ.prd

Don't rate magnusson personally.  The rachets feel low quality.

I don't have one but tools in the Halfords Advanced series seem to be fairly well regarded: https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-40-piece-1%2F4in-socket-set-332374.html

This is what I would go for, as if anything gets broken it is replaced for free.  Especially if you know someone with a halfords trade card

[Gattopardo]

Get wera. You won't regret it.

I'd be looking at Wera or Wiha sets.

Ooh, I like the look of them



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wera-Zyklop-Ratchet-Socket-05004017001/dp/B00IMF1B4O?th=1

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00I8MYMT2 from amazon germany is popular

[quixoticgeek]

The bosch set I mentioned above is this one:

https://amzn.to/3GofnwJ

It works well enough. It's nice and compact. It's not Wera quality. But it has done me the last 18 months just fine. Tho it will on doubt get less use once I've opened all the doors on my advent calendar...

J

[Zed43]

Can't argue against Wera, but Proxxon has very decent sets too (I have a 3/8 socket set and a 1/4 one)

[rogerzilla]

King Dick 

If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.

[MattH]

I love Wera and Bahco.

For socket sets, I've got a Halfords Professional, which is good.

Then from Bahco I've got these:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-SL25-Socket-Piece-Drive/dp/B000Y8XCA8
Small sockets, includes Torx, I've added a long Vessel JIS screwdriver bit that sits on top of the extender bar for use on crosspoint screws on Japanese motorbikes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000Y8TIMY
This is a tiny and incredibly useful set. I've got a couple of them, one sits in my work bag all the time, the other moves around between bikes and cars.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000Y8T42I
My go to for general maintenance fettling. The little plastic containers are surprisingly useful for keeping small parts or screws separated and organised when disassembling and reassembling stuff. That's actually one of the reasons I pick up this kit rather than one of the others, after thinking they were a space filling waste. It's small enough to carry in a pannier (mainly on the motorbike as I have little use for sockets on a bicycle), but no screwdriver bits.

[slope]

Many thanks for all the helpful replies, very much appreciated 🙏

Having agonised, comparisonized, youtubed and extensively vacillated, I've just ordered this for £67

https://www.proxxon.com/en/industrial/23280.php

The Wera 8100 was the early leader, but no screwdriver and chunky looking extensions. The Bahco and Halfords Advanced were also tempting, but was finally taken by the idea of being able to fit a T bar onto the Proxxon screwdriver handle 



Am also tempted now by a Proxxon MC15 ¼" 3-15Nm torque wrench to replace an M Part torque wrench I bought second hand, which has a difficult/annoying to determine scale readout

Any other suggestions re ¼" torque wrench tool porn?

[Gattopardo]

Go a blue spot one with a certificate for less than 20 quid.  https://whiterosetools.com/products/bluespot-torque-wrench-1-4-drive-2-24nm

Seems fine so far.