Sockets and spanners and other motorcycle related tools. Recommendations?

Mkjackary

Need a set of spanners and sockets for my bike, maybe some new Allen keys.
Want to get a torque wrench so I don't fuck anything up, and need a socket set, but most socket sets come with a wrench anyway.

There are some nice impact socket sets, are they worth the extra money?

I only need metric, and so I don't want to have a set of 38 sockets, half of them I don't need.

Spanners, what's good and ting?

Oh and also an adjustable wrench for the big back wheel nut, or just a socket set that will go that big, but chances are I will need an adjustable wrench anyway.

And any other tools I would need for motorbike maintenance?

Mkjackary

I know, 1st world problems and all that, but here are so many brands and types that I don't know where the line of "so cheap you are wasting money", and "over priced" are.

Amazon/ebay links are preferable 

gjonesy

I dont know anything about bikes but I tend to go to machinemart or halfords if theres a sale on There are some good deals every now and again (I got some ratcheting spanners at 50% recently) I'd only go with high end tools if I were working with them everyday - mid range are perfectly good for tinkering on a weekend (for me). I'd avoid any of the cheap stuff that tend to have the consistency of warm cheddar Oh and I'd also consider getting a breaker bar and some wobble bars for your socket set

Fatfingers

Halfords spanners and sockets are excellent and come with a lifetime guarantee. If there's any way you can get yourself a trade card, you'll save at least 30% on the marked price too.

ourmaninthenorth

Can't go wrong with Snap On, Mac,Britool, or the cheaper "Sold By Snap On" Blue Point 

Mkjackary

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000LFRYG2/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Any good?

Also my dad is head of construction at a big college, so he might be able to get me a trade discount. I'll ask him

Col_Decker

+1 for Halfords tools, certainly good enough, and RS own brand is good too if you can get the discount. My work tools are are mostly Wera and Plano, very very nice but I wouldn't buy them with my own money

ESBlonde

Make sure the sockets are proper 6 sided and not those multi ribbed style, there is far less chance of 'ringing off' a stubourn bolt/nut with decent flat sides. Impact sockets are hardened to be used with (air drive) impact wrenches whereas normal sockets might explode or crack under such intense use, impact sockets sometimes have thicker walls making them hard to get into tight spaces. The tighter tolorances on professional spanners and sockets make themselves felt on those tight and difficult nuts. If you are just assembling some furniture any spanner will do, if you are working on expensive machinery get the best you can afford. The first time your cheap wrench rounds off a bolt and you have to take it to a garage to get fixed you will have saved nothing. Adjustable spanners have there place, but I'd be tempted to get a single size socket if I'm likely to replace a wheel nut on a high speed machine more than once. Then when you have some nice desirable tools go on Utoob and see how to etch your name on them with salt water and a 12v power source.

FX_Munkee

Another vote for Halfords Pro range. Silverline (the link you posted) are not very good TBH.
and as for "Adjustable spanners have there place", yes, they do, in the Sparky's toolbox or in the bin

octatonic

Halford are good value but I favour using Teng Tools over them.
They are very solid and strong- they turn up cheap on Amazon from time to time.

Sporky

I have some Britool stuff that seems pretty solid.

Spider

Have a look on the bay of evil for some used snap-on stuff, some of it is a lot cheaper than you might think !

nick79

Fixing bikes is my trade so my tool's get used everyday, i've got a mix of Teng/Snap on/Blue point and quite a bit of the Halfords pro stuff. The Halfords stuff is actually pretty good to be honest, and they frequently have pretty good deal's on. Pick up one of the sets (ranges from about £60 to £150) and that would do you well. Impact sockets are for using with air tools, so unless you are going down that route you won't need them. For the rear wheel nut get a socket and breaker bar, again halfords do these or look on line. For a torque wrench i would look at somewhere like Machine mart, Halfords ones are quite expensive. I've got a fancy Snap on one but it gets used a lot and a cheaper one wouldnt last long, i'm guessing you wouldnt be using it too much. One thing i have found with tools is that no matter how many you will buy there will always come a point where you need more. Bit like guitars really..... As for anything else.... Paddock stands if you want to remove wheels, unless you've a main stand and just want to take out the back wheel. The list is endless really, it all depends how involved you want to get.

boogieman

Don't use adjustable spanners on anything but plumbing or flat pack furniture, they either slip off or round off the bolt heads once you put a decent amount of pressure on them. Sockets or proper spanners all the way on a car or bike. I've got some Halfords own brand stuff and it's fine. 

octatonic

boogieman said:

Don't use adjustable spanners on anything but plumbing or flat pack furniture, they either slip off or round off the bolt heads. Sockets or proper spanners all the way on a car or bike. I've got some Halfords own brand stuff and it's fine. 

+1.
I learned this the hard way.

ESBlonde

On Torque wrenches, if you are just doing occasional stuff on your own bike, look into Aldi from time to time. They sell one for something like £14 and it's half decent for occasional use. I wouldn't trust it on professional or intense work though.

Corvus

I've had a Halfords set for a couple of decades through several car & bike builds but ratchet died, the rest going strong. Impact sockets are for impact guns, normal sockets can fall to bits. For unusual sizes not in a non-monster set buy singly when needed, same for jointed ones, long reach etc etc. I've a Sealey torque wrench for low-range, cam caps mainly. Biggun from Frost, I forget the make. Adjustables are last-resort tools of the damned. Better off with a torque wrench and the right socket for anything needing much torque, your knuckles will thank you and it's nice not to mangle your nuts : )

ESBlonde

@Mkjackary if you just want to borrow a torque wrench, I'm about 1/2 hour from your stated location and could live without mine for a couple of weeks while you sorted something out.

Mkjackary

@ESBlonde that is a great offer, but I think I need to build up a decent tool kit and I will need one eventually, borrowing my dad's rusty spanners amd such has to end some time.
Thanks though!

I thought the halfords ones would be dog poo, just as maplins own brand stuff is generally naff.

I will have a look out for one of the halfords ones on gumtree or ebay.


Silver line do a torque wrench that is just over 20 quid and there are a few for about 30 too

Sporky

I would avoid anything from Silverline - most of it is made of papier mache and toffee.

shaunyshaun1234

Be careful with Halfords as they seem to do two lines of tools a) The standard Halfords tools and b) The Halfords advanced ones. these are the ones with the lifetime warranty (although I believe it doesn't cover the ratchet wrench mechanisms??) but you must keep hold of your receipt to use the warranty.