Hands-On: Husky’s 45-Piece Stubby Set
By Sean O'HaraIn Use
First, we tried out the ratcheting driver — and it made a good impression right from the start. Its small profile was easy to fit in and out of tight spots, and the ratchet action was a huge plus, helping to avoid knuckle-busting. Though we didn’t use the bit storage in the handle much, it could prove quite handy if you wanted to load up the bits and and throw the driver in a roadside emergency tool bag.
Though we didn’t expect the adjustable wrench to be that big a deal, the comfortable handle made it a shop favorite almost right away. The odd bumps in the handle allowed our testers to deliver a lot of power where needed — without ending up with the all-to-familiar “wrench hand” feeling you get from a solid metal bar. The adjustable’s short length was simply an added bonus. Like most adjustables, the head is really too large to cram into areas where space is severely limited around the bolt head, but that’s nothing new to Toolmongers.
The combo ratchet proved particularly interesting because large head — when using the 1/4” drive — negated its “stubby” benefit. A standard 1/4” socket driver head almost always fits into whatever space we were trying work in better than the stubby. The flex head was a nice feature, but when we brought extensions into play the Husky wasn’t much – if any — different than other ratchets we had around the shop.
The sockets themselves also had an annoying tendency to pop off. While the drivers all featured locking-ball studs, the sockets didn’t have matching notches cut in the walls to receive them. The result was we constantly found sockets sliding off the drives straight into the most inconvenient place possible. A grabber tool and several minutes of swearing profusely returned the sockets back into the plastic tray to stay while we finished the test with different set.
Read on to page three for our conclusions.
August 30th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
I just purchased a new-to-me Grand Wagoneer a few weeks ago, and I’m looking for a decent all-in-one toolkit to throw in the back and take on the trail with me. Do y’all have any recommendations? Most of the ones I have seen lately don’t include vice grips, which to me are a must. Thanks!
August 30th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Build your own. Buy a cheap tool bag or box, get:
-2 visegrips (#10 and #7),
-2 channellocks (#420 and #440),
-6in and 8in crescent (adjustable) wrenches,
-a GOOD basic socket set (at least 25-30 pcs., I use two $10 craftsman deepwell specials) Yeah, sorry to be a meanie, but that means NOT that bargin bin JUNK like in the entry
-several GOOD hose clamps (at least 2 that will fit your rad hose),
-at least five screwdrivers (#1and #2 Phillips, big and small blades, and a big, long, tough blade that will survive prybar usage)
-fold out hex keys in SAE, MM, and torx
-16oz. hammer, preferrably estwing
-flashlight that will stand alone w/ swivel head (spare batts. and bulb too)
-a GOOD roll of weatherproof, heat resistant duct tape
-Cell Phone Car charger
-a decent electrical solve all kit (make sure has all YOUR car fuses, elec. tape, batt. terminal cleaner, and a decent set of needlenose pliers)
Also, keep a seperate kit for just car stuff (a milkcrate here works wonders):
-jumper cables
-small hydraulic jack
-several 6in lengths of 2×4 (wheel chocks, jack spacers)
-one durable container of each (brake fluid, anitfreeze, engine oil)
-roll of shop towels
-tire iron
-your cars service (haynes or chiltons) manual
-does your fuel guage work well???? GAS CAN!!!
I know for most people these days asking them to rotate their tires is TOO much (so asking to rotate their spare is WAAAAY outta line) so every 30 days or so (when you wash your baby) make sure your spare is properly inflated, without ANY rot, and newerish
How old is your car battery? More than 4 yrs, replace it the first day temps go below freezing
Also, get AAA Premium service, you WILL wish you did, and ALWAYS keep a functioning, charged, Paid Up Cellular phone handy.
Never go out with less than 20 or more than 50 dollars in cash
Lastly, when you work on your car and you update parts, if the old one is still servicable (worn but working) keep it for a spare IN THE CAR
These guidelines are what my father handed down to me, and what I slowly but surely learned the hard way to be the best way to make life with an older car livable.
P.S. a few words on quality, BUY IT!!!!! I know that money is tight, and that if you’re forced to live with an older car, money is probably an issue, but most people learn the hard way that cheap tools (and supplies) are the most expensive on the shelf. Just think about how bad you’ll feel when a cheap tool/clamp/roll of tape fails you at 2 am 150 miles from your home.
I know, I know I’ve just specified a kit that probably cost more than some peoples cars (mine especially) but remember, this kit isn’t meant to save your car, it’s meant to save your A**
Sorry to ramble but get me started on preparedness, and all those times I was anything but haunt me terribly. Anything I forget???
August 31st, 2007 at 5:02 am
Koba that’s a great list, I’d also consider at least a set of metric wrenches, and maybe even an SAE set.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:14 am
Is this the 30th “Hands-On” or should we expect one for today? The banner said I get one each day.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:03 am
To kobas list I would add a small shovel (maybe army surplus folder?) small hatchet and a heavy rope or tow strap. Utility knife/box cutter, WD40,Electrical contact cleaner, starting fluid, waterless hand cleaner. (I use Fast Orange without pumice), ground cover-tarp, nothing like having to crawl under the car in the mud or snow, and you could throw it over the hood tent style to work in the rain. 5 minute epoxy, one of those epoxy sticks that you knead to activate, crazy glue, weather strip adhesive, bailing wire or couple of old coat hangers. zip ties.
To Berettaman
look into Crescents set
http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-CTK106-Piece-Homeowners-Storage/dp/B000FK5CZS
We need a Toolmonger Forum.
August 31st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Tooldork: Yep there is one more one the way! Watch for it to come out very shortly.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:14 am
I think Koba hit the nail on the head. I tried using a $5 special socket set to change an alternator in a parking lot a few year ago and I spent more time putting the ratchet back together than I did working on the alternator.
That said, i have never had a problem with Husky tools, but they are the cheap, typical Taiwanese/Chinese tools taht I would not want to use on a daily basis.
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:39 am
Several years ago, I also had to change an alternator away from home. It was about 15 miles from the nearest town on a Sunday. I called a buddy and asked him to bring an alternator, tools and a real jack, not the POS that came with the car. When he got there, no jack, no alternator(I thought we’d see what was wrong with it first.), and few tools. Normally an alternator isn’t that big a deal but this was a Saturn.
The alternator comes out through the passenger side wheel well and you need tappet wrenches or really good needle nose pliers to get the wires off as it has jam nuts on the connections. It took me 5 hours of working in the rain to get it changed as I only had some $5 BS no name socket set and the few tools my lunkhead friend brought. Never again. Now I carry a C-man tool bag with tools to change whatever I need to within reason. It’s got me out of many jams, plus I’ve helped other stranded folks as well. That Saturn taught me to carry more tools than I think I might need and buy GOOD stuff. Craftsman is relatively cheap insurance.
Koba is right about people changing tires. A friend of mine is a tow truck driver that does work for AAA. Last month he got a call to change a tire for a stranded motorist and expected to find a woman or old man when he got there. Instead he found a 20 something man that didn’t know how to change his own tires! How can a grown man not know hot to change a tire?
October 5th, 2007 at 4:52 am
tterte
October 13th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
“tterte”??
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I have this exact set except it has a different brand name. The ratchet is busted after it’s first use so i threw in a craftsman 3\8th ratchet into the box. The rest of the set is actually pretty well made. The adjustable wrench is large enough to grab onto my 27mm rear axle on my motorcycle and strong enough to turn it (with a cheater, hammer, your foot) although the measurement markings only go to 1inch\25mm I found it opens up to about 30mm or so, past that and the bottom jaw comes out.
The price is currently $15, for that price you should pick one up just remember to throw one of your 3/8th ratchets into the box too. A really great and cheap tool kit.