Robert_in_NY
Super Member
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2001
- Messages
- 8,552
- Location
- Silver Creek, NY
- Tractor
- Case-IH Farmall 45A, Kubota M8540 Narrow, New Holland TN 65, Bobcat 331, Ford 1920, 1952 John Deere M, Allis Chalmers B, Bombardier Traxter XT, Massey Harris 81RC and a John Deere 3300 combine, Cub Cadet GT1554
canoetrpr said:Those are all very useful responses.
I have a decent set 1/2" drive set that works for almost all applications with my tractor. It is a Mastercraft - similar to Craftsman price/quality from the Canadian Tire chain of stores here. I have both Metric and SAE for most socket sizes.
I've purchased decent larger 1/2" sockets for use with my tractor - upto 1.25". Probably should have bought metric given I have a Japanese tractor, but bought SAE. I will probably add a set of metric so that I have the larger sockets in both.
Most of my money is in good quality 1/2" stuff. Just bought a torque wrench 1/2" drive also.
Every so often, I do run into a need for a 3/4 drive. I find this to particularly be the case with implements rather than the tractor. Two recent examples are:
- I bought a 3PT hay spear and transported in my van with the main spear off. Once I got it home I had to put the spear on and the bolt way WAY bigger than my 1.25" 1/2" drive socket. Had to borrow my neighbours 3/4 set.
- I'd like to replace the lift pins on my landscape rake with ones slightly longer or add a washer or two to widen them as I find that the rake is 25" wide and the rest of my implements are 26 to 27". Again, my largerst 1/2" socket or crescent wrench won't fit.
I just hate the hassle of having to borrow stuff and so I figured I'd bite the bullet and purchase a cheaper Harbor Freight style (locally available at Princess Auto) 3/4" drive set for those few occasions where I do need it.
Have you checked your implements to see if most of them are SAE or Metric? If money was of no concern (wouldn't that be nice), I would get one set of each. But for implements like you are talking I think SAE would be more useful. At least most of my implements are SAE. Another thing you should consider is a bigger crescent wrench. I have two 12" wide mouth Crescents in each of my tractors just for those cases where I need to tighten a large bolt for some reason or another. I also carry a 10" in there just in case I need something a little smaller. My 1920 had a couple 8" wrenches because everything is so close together on that tractor I don't have the room for big wrenches if I need to repair something in the field.
Anyway, if most of your implements are SAE buy the SAE set and large crescent for those odd Metric jobs. If your implements are Metric go with that set and the crescent (make that two large crescents as you can never have enough of them
Anytime I am working in the field I have a standard set of tools in my truck in case of a break down. I bought a kit from Home Depot that had a ton of tools in it. It was one of their Husky sets with 300 some odd tools. It gave me all the 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" sockets in SAE and Metric that I will ever need. Allen wrenches in SAE and Metric as well as a ton of screw drivers (the screw drivers are not very good but when you twist one Home Depot gives you a new one). They also give you the common sized SAE and Metric box wrenches but they were not enough so I bought a set of SAE and a set of Metric box wrenches that give me a lot of sizes for almost any job. I also bought a 3 drawer tool box that you can carry. It carries all the sockets and various tools that came with the set from Home Depot (I also added some wrenches, vice grips, 3lb hammer and pliers to the tool box). The box wrench sets came in their own canvas case you roll out to open. These tools will fix just about anything. Out in the field and I have been adding tools as something comes up where I need something I don't have with my mobile tool kit. Of course the tool box weighs over 100 pounds
The 3/4" socket set we have weighs almost as much as my main tool box I take to the field. I figure if I ever need the sockets in that kit then I might as well bring the equipment to the shop as something bad happened.