What socket set to buy – OLD Bull Trailriders

This topic contains 17 replies, has 0 voices, and was last updated by katrina ratcliff 14 years, 2 months ago.

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January 11, 2011 at 2:26 am #99419

katrina ratcliff
Member

Ok I’m enjoying the motorbike riding aspect (trail & adventure stuff) but my next focus is to enjoy doing some of my own bike maintenance. Have been able to pick up the minor things (tyre/tube changes, oil, air filter, spark plug, brake fluids) but trying to get bit more adventurous. To do this you need tools. In the past I have used someone else’s so its time I start building up a toolkit.

Can I have your views on what socket set I should look at getting. The one I’m use to had at least 70 bits in it that covers spanners, sockets, screwdrivers etc. Not sure if I need something that big.

What brand should I look at and where do you buy your tools.

Happy to spend money on quality

Kat

January 11, 2011 at 2:55 am #194389

Aaron Wilde
Member

I see plenty of tool junkies in my job. They have Snap on everything and are no better for them. It all depends how much you plan on using them. Very expensive ratchets have nice light actions so you can undo those bolts that are a bit tight for the fingers and don’t bind up. I think a average costing 1/4 inch socket set is the go with single hex sockets that are nicer on weak bolts. A decent T bar set is probably just as good in most day to day activities on bikes as you can spin it in your fingers and can remove /install bolts much quicker than you would with a socket or spanner.Go to a proper trade store and have a play with the different sets you will feel the quality strait away when you compare them even if you knew nothing of them before. Have fun shopping! Sorry got a bit excited there removed some of that stuff as it was not in the brief.

January 11, 2011 at 3:31 am #194397

Michael Fittler
Member

Kat…my suggestion for doing some of your own maintenance is a 3/8″ drive socket set, maybe a Sidchrome brand or similar…available from Repco or similar store.
I agree with Aaron’s suggestion of a T-bar set too, I purchased a good set of T-bars from Ballard’s at Penrith…have a look at their website catalogue.
Apart from that you probably could do with a set of metric Allen keys and some general hand tools, i.e. various sized Phillips, Flat blade screwdrivers, pointy nosed pliers, multi-grip pliers and side cutters etc.
You can easy get carried away and spend a fortune…it depends of your capability and how much you want to spend.
There are plenty of motorcycle websites that you can Google to give you their list of tools, i.e. depends on your type of bike too…regards Mick

January 11, 2011 at 4:23 am #194400

glenn
Member

supercheap have really cool pink sets of tools Kat. make sure there sturdy ones for when you throw them they don`t break, coz you will throw them :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Boony

January 11, 2011 at 5:17 am #194403

Matt Baker
Member

I’ve bought some tools from Trash and Treasure markets, just because they are old and crappy and look well used doesn’t mean they don’t work like they should, plus you can bargain to get em cheap.

January 11, 2011 at 5:58 am #194406

Alan Heather
Member

brought some tools from repco years ago,sockets open ender ring spanners repcos own brand life time guarantee, best tools I have ever owned socket set 1/4 3/8 1/2 inch drive full set of sockets,broke a 1/2 inch drive had a meter long bar on it replaced no questions asked not cheap but good quality. p.s dont think they come in pink boony so that puts you out. :woohoo: :woohoo:

January 12, 2011 at 7:03 am #194412

Damo
Member

Definately go for the better quality brands such as KC Tools, Repco, Kinchrome, Sidchrome, etc

The more they cost the better the quality and tighter the tolerances in manufacturing, sockets, spanners etc. ie less rounded bolts, nuts

Good tools won’t ever need replacing, except for losses

January 12, 2011 at 9:06 am #194390

Nick Again
Member

After I bought my Bike, i worked out what size sockets it needed, came down to basically an 8mm, 10mm, 12mm for general work so I bought those 3x sockets in 3/8 drive and a Kinchrome ratchet to go with it. I have the wheel spanner in the bikes tool kit for front/rear wheel. a pair of tyre levers, and a couple of small screwdrivers. This method allowed me to buy decent quality on a small budget and means i didnt end up with a socket set with 7/10ths of it never to be used. things like Pliers , wire strippers, cutters etc I already had. my wife bought me an battery powered Multi tool which i find vfery useful, it came with an assortment of small socket/screwdriver fittings. makes removeal of bolts , hex heads etc somewhat easy and quicker.

January 12, 2011 at 9:18 am #194524

Damo
Member

Husky610 wrote:

Quote:

After I bought my Bike, i worked out what size sockets it needed…….. This method allowed me to buy decent quality on a small budget

Good advice

January 12, 2011 at 10:27 am #194391

katrina ratcliff
Member

Thanks guys, I knew I could depend on good quality input as to how to tackle this purchase.

I’m now going into this with a better checklist of things to consider.

Hope I get to someday buy you a round of beers as a thank you.

:silly:

January 12, 2011 at 11:09 am #194392

Scott
Member

As most have said decent quality is the way to go.

I know you only asked about sockets sets but with a couple more items you can get most jobs done…

This is my opinion only and others may differ. For working on bikes you can get away with a 1/4inch drive socket set most modern bikes are metric most sets have imperial and metric but you will find your imperial ones don’t get used much. I find sockets that have the six flats ie and internal hex are the best for using on butter soft bike bolts. This style drives of the flats of the bolt head and not the corners therefor less chance of rounding bolt heads. I also like the socket sets that have deep sockets included. 1/4 inch drive usually goes up to a 13mm socket. If you need a bigger socket you will have to go up to a 3/8 drive. If its only a couple of bigger sizes you need you could use a 3/8 to 1/4 adaptor and just buy those sockets you need. In my opinion 1/2 drive is to big in most cases for working on bikes.

A set of metric combination spanners (ring and open end) 6mm to 19mm if possible the ring end of the smaller sizes 6,8,and 10mm to be of hex variety that drives of the flats not of the corners.

A set of metric ball drive allen keys

Side cutters (great for cutting cable ties)

A couple of screwdrivers phillips heads and straight (probably easiest to buy a screwdriver set)

And any specfic tools you need for your particular bike ie axle nuts, countershaft sprocket nuts(if applicable) spoke wrench etc

January 12, 2011 at 12:54 pm #194394

Mark Drinkwalter
Member

Have a Bahco case set with ring spanners, double ended wrenches, 3/8 (or 1/2, cant remember) and 1/4 drive sockets including multiple screwdriver fittings and allen heads. Tidy case that travels well and has been a quality asset for about 3 years.

Bunnings – about $250. I think this is the link but it come from their world wide web site – http://extranet.bahco.com/CONndc.asp?Save_UID=1&wp=&GotoCat=true&cmbLanguage=01

Rudy out.

January 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm #194393

Mark Drinkwalter
Member

or here…

http://www.getprice.com.au/catin.aspx?page=2&searchterm=bahco

January 12, 2011 at 7:47 pm #194535

Aaron Wilde
Member

badbowie wrote:

Quote:

As most have said decent quality is the way to go.

I know you only asked about sockets sets but with a couple more items you can get most jobs done…

This is my opinion only and others may differ. For working on bikes you can get away with a 1/4inch drive socket set most modern bikes are metric most sets have imperial and metric but you will find your imperial ones don’t get used much. I find sockets that have the six flats ie and internal hex are the best for using on butter soft bike bolts. This style drives of the flats of the bolt head and not the corners therefor less chance of rounding bolt heads. I also like the socket sets that have deep sockets included. 1/4 inch drive usually goes up to a 13mm socket. If you need a bigger socket you will have to go up to a 3/8 drive. If its only a couple of bigger sizes you need you could use a 3/8 to 1/4 adaptor and just buy those sockets you need. In my opinion 1/2 drive is to big in most cases for working on bikes.

Yes that is exactly what I have found Scott. I mostly use 1/4 inch on the bike as I find that you develop far too much torque with the 3/8 set.Those aluminum housings are so easy to strip. I even place the ratchet in my palm so the socket or extension comes out between the index and middle finger. I don’t have bolts come undone and I rarely use locktite. Although I have a 14 mm socket for the 1/4 set (wasn’t in the repco kit)I don’t like to use it as it feels like you will stuff the ratchet. I had to use a lot of 3/8 stuff when I reassembled the wr engine because I could only find a 3/8 torque wrench. This was a bitch in one case as one of the back bolts on the cam cap could not be done up with the torque wrench as it hit the frame

January 15, 2011 at 10:08 pm #194395

James Rookyard
Member

It may depend if you want to get tools to work on other things or just the bike.

If its just your bike buy a good bumbag. Buy a multi axle nut spanner, maybe a 10mm and 12mm ratchet spanner, a t bar socket set with a small selection of sockets,chain breaker etc. Add more or less tools as you work out what you need. Also, every time you work on your bike, only use the tools out of the bumbag so you get used to using them for when you are stuck on the side of the track somewhere.
I think kincrome do bumbags with tools and so do Ballards.

In the shed you can get away with 1/4 and 1/2 drive sockets, I reckon 3/8 is in no mans land really. A good set of ratchet spanners is very handy as well as normal ring spanners. Be very wary of open enders as they have their place but can easily take the place of a shifter for the “lathe in the hand” title.
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