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discomog



Member Since: 09 May 2015
Location: Notts/Lincs Border
Posts: 2526

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
Like Swine and Small I still have my AF and Whitworth socket sets from the 1960's, all Britool and are still in use. Had to buy a metric socket set in recent years and went for Halfords.

As suggested above I think I would just buy a new ratchet and replace any worn sockets, don't see the point in buying a complete set if most of your existing ones are still serviceable. If you're not rounding off nuts or taking the skin off your knuckles then they're plenty good enough. Defender 90XS SW
Mini Countryman Cooper S
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Post #834400 31st May 2020 10:42am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3674

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
Agreed. I’ll just go for the ratchet.
Post #834407 31st May 2020 11:30am
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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 11018

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS DCPU Keswick Green
Are you sockets 6 or 12 point?

I'd consider going for a set to compliment what you have, or even a flank drive or deep set. I've generally found buying these in a set is way cheaper than buying them individually.

And get those original ones cleaned up! Wink
Post #834508 1st Jun 2020 7:02am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3674

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
12 point supercat. And funny you should say that, they are soaking in degreaser at the moment!
Post #834515 1st Jun 2020 7:42am
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discomog



Member Since: 09 May 2015
Location: Notts/Lincs Border
Posts: 2526

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
I'm in the process of renovating a 50 year old tractor - I'm sure you can imagine the state of some of the fastenings. If a hexagon socket and strongbar or an impact socket can't shift them then some heat or an angle grinder usually does the trick but there are times when it's unsafe to use heat or inaccessible for a grinder. I've thought about investing in some twist sockets to removed damaged nuts - question is does anybody use them and are they a worthwhile investment? Defender 90XS SW
Mini Countryman Cooper S
Morgan Plus 8
Post #834556 1st Jun 2020 11:29am
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Co1



Member Since: 19 Aug 2018
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3674

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Loire Blue
I’ve had mixed success with them, I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy a set. If you can weld I find it super handy to clean up the knackered bolt head a weld a good bolt to it then drive it out using the good bolt head.
Post #834559 1st Jun 2020 11:41am
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Kevantlin



Member Since: 18 Jan 2020
Location: Lancaster
Posts: 32

United Kingdom 
I really like the Teng stuff, easy tray system to build your set over the years.
Post #834563 1st Jun 2020 11:45am
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Chris86



Member Since: 15 Jul 2014
Location: South Yorks
Posts: 789

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 USW Chawton White
I have a mixture of Halfords and Clarke professional sockets, both have performed well.

Snapped the head on my Halfords 1/2in knuckle bar, they replaced it no questions asked.

I also have a 1/2in and 3/4 elora set which I bought for very little from a retired engineer- the quality of the sockets and ratchet are fantastic and have already lasted 1 working lifetime- I expect they will probably do another!

Chris
Post #834586 1st Jun 2020 1:50pm
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The Crab Botherer



Member Since: 07 May 2020
Location: WIRRAL
Posts: 56

United Kingdom 2001 Defender 90 Td5 ST Nato Green
I've got a mix of Teng and snapon blupoint neither of which have given me trouble, i still have the remains of a 60yr old gedore set which seems indestructable!
Post #834587 1st Jun 2020 1:59pm
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Bluest



Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black
I've recently bought some Facom stuff which seems nice. Not had it long though 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
Post #834589 1st Jun 2020 2:05pm
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sako243



Member Since: 08 Jul 2014
Location: Wales
Posts: 1218

Wales 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Alpine White
@Co1 - I'd take the ratchet into Halfords and see what they say. I've not had to replace a ratchet but a few friends have replaced them and breaker bars (which are specifically excluded). The breaker bars they got free after being told "try not to bend this one, we're not supposed to replace them".

I've taken stuff back and my socket set is the best part of 20 years old, the guys in the back didn't need the receipt because of the font they knew it was back in the day when everything was lifetime guarantee.

discomog wrote:
I'm in the process of renovating a 50 year old tractor - I'm sure you can imagine the state of some of the fastenings. If a hexagon socket and strongbar or an impact socket can't shift them then some heat or an angle grinder usually does the trick but there are times when it's unsafe to use heat or inaccessible for a grinder. I've thought about investing in some twist sockets to removed damaged nuts - question is does anybody use them and are they a worthwhile investment?

Are you referring to the Irwin bolt removers? I've had a mixture of success, it varies between "I'm sure it's not going to work on that nut after all there's nothing left" to works really really well. The chap who introduced them to me said the key thing is to ensure that the socket is seated really well. One good whack with a lump hammer, if you have to hit it again then you've lost it.

Mind you I've always found red lubricating stuff helps really well Whistle. Went to undo a couple of M24 bolts on something a month or so ago and after a little bit of a fight they sheared. Oh well it was being broken anyway so didn't matter, but realised half hour later that I might have made a slight oopsie in that it was tightening the nut rather than undoing it Embarassed.

Click image to enlarge
 Ed
82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6
95 Defender 110 300Tdi
Post #834598 1st Jun 2020 2:46pm
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James130



Member Since: 14 Mar 2015
Location: UK
Posts: 4

United Kingdom 
Don’t know about you but my 1988 Defender seems to be made with a clever mix of both metric and imperial fixings.
The spanners and sockets I bought handily fit both, and are made by Metrinch.
I’ve had them years and no breakages yet.
Worth a look.
I’ve also get a very old set of Halfords Professional which have also been great, and sometimes they have a really good sale on.

Cheers - James.
Post #834840 2nd Jun 2020 7:15pm
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red zepplin



Member Since: 26 Mar 2015
Location: Never far from a brew (Lancashire)
Posts: 196

1998 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Rioja Red
Clarke's and deltec for me no problems with either except the 10mm seem to grow legs Embarassed WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG
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Post #834841 2nd Jun 2020 7:18pm
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Ian80



Member Since: 06 Jun 2020
Location: cambridge
Posts: 6

United Kingdom 
halfords stuff is good. when it is on sale, or you know someone with a trade card, then you can get it at a good price
Post #835485 6th Jun 2020 1:38pm
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DG123



Member Since: 29 Aug 2015
Location: North West
Posts: 133

United Kingdom 2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey
Quote:
except the 10mm seem to grow legs
Laughing Laughing

Same here, just bought a couple more as have been pushing my luck with a 13/32AF flat drive Whistle 2012 110 XS SW Orkney Grey
2003 D2 Td5 Black [SOLD]
Post #835490 6th Jun 2020 1:51pm
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