One thing about buying Snap-on tools. Got to write my check every week to SOB. [snap on bandit] He never complained as long as he got my money. Jim

"Yay or nay to Snap-On?"

Yes, they are worth the money. HOWEVER, it's also worth asking yourself if a less expensive tool brand would do the job just fine for the amount/level of work that you do. I have a lot of Snap On tools but I also have a fair number of other brands that I use a lot with no problems - including a Craftsman set my parents gave me when I was 14.

Re Craftsman/Snap on. 20 years ago I would have said that Craftsman handtools were excellent. I would not say that now. Take a look at their torque wrenches as one example. Then look at the Snap On in the same drive size. It's like looking at a plastic kids toy as opposed to the real thing. Yeah, the Craftsman only costs 40 bucks and the SO costs nearly 200 but the quality (and the accuracy/certification) is worth every cent IMHO.

I sort of look at it as the "criticality" of the the work. For my Commando, non- SO tools are fine so most of the hand tools I brought here to Mexico are either (old) craftsman or current Husky. All my Snap-On tools are on our boat in the Chesapeake Bay, where I also keep an old sports car in a storage garage. For the boat/car, which is much more critical for me, it's mostly Snap On.

Buying good ratchets does make sense. Try an experiment. Take a few ratchets of different brands and tighten a nut till you hear one click and measure how far back you have to move the handle to grab the next gear. Snap on will have fine teeth inside without a lot of slop. Also check how much you can wiggle the handle around when you're locked on a tight nut. When you are in tight places and have no room to swing the handle (ie: a Norton m/c) a good ratchet will need less room to work and could mean you can use the tool in that situation or not. I have found Hazet sockets and wrenches to be excellent in that they have thin walls and fit into tight spots while having good strength for tough work. I have never even seen a Hazet ratchet though but I'd bet they are excellent too. Bluepoint is another line of Snap-on and they are supposed to be pretty good too.

Craftsmen does make a pro line of torque wrenches too, not just the cheap one with the plastic adjuster.

One of the very best things that Snap On has is their wobble extensions - it's one of those, "why did no one else think of this" kind of things. Another "worth every penny" item.

I found a MAC clicker torque wrench for the head bolts on ebay which was good quality and a lot cheaper. Also found a 1/4" W Snap-On shorty wrench that fits the rear center cylinder nut nicely. I think I will stick with the used Snap-On stuff. If it has initials engraved (which I don't care about) it is not that expensive. Very nice feel to it!

Forget Snap-On and Norton! Get Harbor Freight and an XS650!





Personally, I use Craftsman and Norton - and can't really afford either!

For the average joe, snap-on isnt necessary. Really the only snap-on items I would buy are the socket wrenches, only because I like how smooth they ratchet. All my craftsman tools ratchet like crap. As far as open and box end wrenches and screw drivers, craftsman is just fine. We use nothing but snap on in my AFB, but they also have alittle higher bank account:)

I bought a couple of Snap-On adjustable wrenches back in the early '80's and they're still tighter with less slop than any other new adjustables I've ever used. A lot of their tools may be overkill for someone not using them day in and day out, but the quality of their adjustables means they work when most others would just round off the nut!

The snap-on 6 point sockets are real nice. They don't beat up the corners of the nuts because the socket corners are rounded. When no 12 point will not get it off, the 6 points will.

Dave
69S

They also have that "flank drive" feature. When it absolutely positively has to come off overnight, you can't beat it....

'GEARWRENCH' make a reasonable range of ratcheting spanners, lots of configurations, I prefer the offset head with the reverse switch, with the straight non reversing type you have to be carefull not to lock the spanner into a postion that you can't remove it from, because you can't wind the bolt back in if you can't flip the spanner over, don't think you will find any whitworth size and I would hate to think what they would charge you if you did..
Also the gearwrench ones are better than the ones made by them but sold under a different name.

Personally, I use Craftsman and Norton - and can't really afford either!

I like the bit about the Norton. Properly done up, these are expensive bikes. I could of been very close to that new BMW K1300 GT I've been drooling over for the money I spent and am still spending on my Norton.

I used to try and dissuade some of these guys who had just acquired a Norton that had sat in someone's back yard for ten years and think a $1000 will bring it around. I don't say a thing anymore. I guess we've all been there.

I have a fair amount of Snap-on stuff (I checked when I was in the US some time ago - the prices in the UK were about the same) which I bought when I was a full-time bike mechanic.
The guy who owned the company I was visiting had a couple of H***** D*******s in his workshop complete with HD monogrammed Snap-on Tool chests. I was *almost* jealous

I sometimes flinched at the price at the time, but I'm now enjoying the rest of my life not regretting it! A classic case of once the money's spent all you've got left is what you spent it on.

I'm with everyone else here; OTT for occasional use (on a Norton?! ), but definitely the best.

Thanks guys. I'll probably spring for the ratcheting wrench set but will watch ebay for a while. Maybe if my tax return is a good one I'll buy new since the 7-piece set I'm looking at is $239 CAD.

love all of mine, if it breaks its replaced.