Cheapest deep 10mm spark plug sockets & 22mm sockets? (Alternatives to Halfords?)

steveo3002

Conor wrote: »

The last deep throated socket I bought from Snap On cost £7 for a 13mm and that was 15 years ago. I hate to think what they are now.

last snap on one i bought was £40 for one socket :mad:

Wig

anewman wrote: »

In the end I went for this http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=10651&langId=-1&searchTerms=7000065&go.x=0&go.y=0 a 73 piece socket set supposedly used to be £49.79, currently £19.89 as it had all the parts I needed plus some more. The cost of the bits I wanted + a 1/2" drive ratchet handle would have nearly come to this price anyway. It's not like I'll be using them very often so they should last me a while even if they are crap quality.

Just need the rain to go away now. Forecast rain for the next five days

That's a nice set for a good price. I hope the quality is there because Argos tools can be cheap and nasty - the little ball-bearing on the socket holders fall out rendering the driver nearly useless.

One thing though, the set does not contain a 10mm spark plug socket - which is what you wanted. So how are you going to use this set on your spark plug? A 10mm sparkplug is not the same as a 10mm standard socket. A 10mm spark plug is 15.8 mm across the flats which means it requires a 5/8 socket or a 16mm socket (but it won't be as good a fit as a 5/8). So you either need
a 10mm spark plug socket or
a deep socket 16mm or
a deep socket 5/8

Oh And by the way your set says spark plug sockets 16mm & 21mm - most spark plugs are either 10mm or 14mm (refers to the thread size) I suspect your set has the correct size spark plug sockets but they are labled incorectly as 16 & 21 and they are infact a 10mm & 14mm spark plug socket. So they should fit after all.

Question. You say you have a 10mm spark plug socket which does not fit? That should not be the case all spark plugs a std size any 10mm SP socket will fit all 10mm spark Plugs. As one user above said there is a bit of rubber inside good plug sockets it may be that you have not pushed it through the rubber. Try putting a spare spark plug into the socket you are using. Does it fit?

It may be that your spark plug socket is badly made and what is happening is that as you lower it onto the plug - the terminal end on the plug hits your 1/2" drive thus stopping it going any further, if this is the case what you can do is , if you can reach your spark plugs put the socket on first without the drive, then fit the drive into what is remaining of the drive slot you should have enough there to be able to turn it. If you don't have enough room left for your dive, then I suggest that what you have is not a spark plug socket. If you are attempting to fit a standard deep 10mm socket onto a 10mm spark plug, then it won't fit ever, - wrong size. You need 5/8 or 16mm. and you need to make sure they will be deep enough for a spark plug - because they are not specifically designed for spark plugs.

cheers

Wig

Conor wrote: »

Huh? They're the best value tools you'll get. Lifetime guarantee and I replaced all my Snap-On stuff I'd lost over the years for 1/10th of the price.

The user you quoted suggested motor factor tools, in preference to Halfords, and I would have to agree.

I was unaware that Halfrauds tool had a lifetime guarantee that's good, but does it only alpply to their sets or to the seperates aswell? As this OP wants a spark plug socket.

Now what exactly is going to go wrong with a socket or a spanner anyway? You (was it you?) say you replaced a couple of spanners because of a bit of corrosion?

1. What are tools corroding for anyway? Good tools made from Chrome Vanadium do not corrode.
2. Why does a little corrosion bother you? The tool will still work.

The only thing I can think of that will go wrong is that you put too much torque on a ratchet drive and you break the ratchet.

1. Don't use ratchet drives for tough jobs, unless they are tough ratchets
2. The tool was cheapo so the replacement will be a cheapo aswell.


The thing to do IMO, is buy Draper or Laser from a motor factors, cheaper than halfords and what can go wrong?

Oh and Halfrauds tool sets AFAIK always include half metric/half imperial the imperials are a total waste of time and money in the modern world.

anewman

Wig wrote: »

So how are you going to use this set on your spark plug?

Oh yes, I didn't explain this point. For some reason the 16mm spark plug socket is the same size as the 10mm one I have currently. I guess they have probably made the mistake of making it a standard 16mm deep socket and shoving a rubber insert in it. So your guess about incorrect labelling is correct. This one definitely fits my spark plugs very easily though.

iluvmylexus

Wig wrote: »

The thing to do IMO, is buy Draper or Laser from a motor factors, cheaper than halfords and what can go wrong?
.

Not all Draper tools are good quality , some are inferior rubbish manufactured in the far east.
never used laser.
apart from corrosion cheap tools are not always made to the same standards and tolerances
spanners can bend or slip slightly on bolts rounding off the corners stripping knuckles and even more seriously threads.
if you only need one socket , pay a little extra and get a good quality one