Any ratchet can break. I have never broken a Snapon but I have broken a lot of craftsman. I have the Craftsman Pro seriess ratchets and I have had to return 2 already. Yes IMO Evo and HF are the same thing. There is a good chance you could find the exact same Evo tool if you looked hard enough at HF.

The great thing about Sears is they are everywhere but if you have a HF near you all their tools have the same warranty as Craftsman.

Like I said China prices on China tools and sell them when your ready to upgrade.
Display

It kinda makes me not wanna get the evo or the harbor stuff because people said harbor was crap that would mean that evolve Is crap then.

Im kinda deciding between these sets I like the evolve because It comes with more tools It Is also twenty dollars cheaper but people are saying that the evolve tools are as crappy as harbor Idk what to get.

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more




Then.

Unless myou are professional mechanic depending on your tools for a living, you don't need to spend a lot of money for tools just to tinker with your car. If a tool breaks, just get another, it won't break the bank. If you are afraid of breaking sockets, get a cheap set of impact sockets. They are ugly, but even the cheapest ones are tough enough to stand up to a breaker bar.

Just because they are impact doesn't its stronger it just means that if it breaks on a impact gun it break in lol peice and cut your face up. You can't complain about breaking tools if you want cheap. A decent hand wrench cost $120 from snapon and the sockets are bout $15-$25 each so the choice is yours.

Next time you look at impact sockets look at wall thickness. Even on the cheap tools the walls are much thicker therefore even in cheap tools they are stronger. For a socket to be called an "impact socket" there is a ASE spec for strength that needs to be met. With none China made sockets, standard socket and impact sockets are not made from the same material. Since the China made sockets are made from 1010/20 grade the only differents is the wall thickness.

The down side to the thicker wall is there are many places they will not fit.

Between the last two links you posted I would get the Craftsman. As stated before start looking for used on craigs list. Older Craftsman stuff is very good tools (70's back). I have an old 1/2 craftsman standard ratchet and a Pro series 1/2". Based on feel I think the old ratchet is a better tool.

What to look for in a socket set:
The ratchet. Feel the rotating of ratching head. You want it to feel tight. If you put a deepwell socket on it and move it around there should be some play between the socket and the ratch but not a lot between ratchet head and the ratchet body. Second would be the angle between clicks or how many click for 360 degs. More is better. Sucks when you in a tight place and you can only get one click on the ratchet. If you have time you should go around and feel some tools so you get an idea.

Sockets: Sometimes 12 point sockets are handy to have but 95% of the time you want a 6 point socket. Since looking at China made stuff I won't go into corner reliefs but if there was some way you can check the fit of say a half inch bolt head from one set to the other the tighter fit would be the better.

Woot! Post 4000

Ok again I have that same evolv set. As well as just about every craftsman hand tool that they make not to mention there's a harbor freight about ten min away from me there hand tools are absolute garbage just about every one of them broke on me. I personly have and use the evolv set for most of the small jobs on my cars. It's way better quality then hf and like I said before I would also get a few longer extensions with it. And I hate to say it craftsman turned to crap after kmart bought them out I'm glad most of mine are prior that and there exchange policy has declined a little bit too you use to go in with a broken tool and they would just pull another one off the shelf for you now you get a used rebuilt tool out if bins they keep behind the counter. You will not be disappointed with the evolv as a first set and when you do get a better set do what I do and leave it in the trunk for emergancy

I will get the evolve one then and It should have the right socket sizes needed for working on a car right or are there other sizes that are not Included In the set that I should buy then.

There's going to be a few odd ball sizes that are going to be missing. Plus the real deep sockets but I wouldnt worry about those untill you need them. Make sure you get the correct spark plug socket as well. I'm not sure if your kit comes with one or not.

Well I dont wanna buy a fifty dollar kit to find out that It has one usefull socket the links for the evolve kit are above If ya wanna look then.

Northern Tools is another one like Harbor Freight where you can get decent cheap tools.

I will buy the evolve set probably If someone can confirm that the sockets It comes with will be usefull and not only one size out of the whole set I will need but If someone could look at the link back a page and confirm that It will have a maJority of the sockets I will want for working on a car that would be nice.

Dude we already told you what your gonna need if you really want to buy everything you will always need then save a couple thousand dollars because mechanics usually have well over 500 sockets in their box.

I know you said what I should get but Im not smart with this stuff thats why I am asking ya guys to tell me If the evolve set will have the tools I need for normal basic repairs or If It Is leaving out a few of the normal used sockets then.

Yes is the answer to your question. That Evolve set from Sears will get you started. It has pretty much all of the sockets and wrenches you will need to do basic maintenance and repairs to your car.

You will also need a set of screwdrivers, and few sets of pliers and a couple hammers to round out your collection.

Down the road, you can add some adjustable wrenches, locking pliers and good box to store everything in.

Take care of your tools, keep them clean and dry, and wipe them down with a light coating of machine oil every once in a while and they will last a lifetime.

Need Tools
 

HARBOR FREIGHT

I first went there with my husband cause I couldnt understand his fascination with the place.

1) Dont go without going online to www.couponcabin.com or come other site
and print a coupon, usually 25% off.

2) I was amazed and didnt want to leave, almost like a crafts store for me I
loved it.

3) I just got home from there myself I offered to go for my husband cause
there were a couple things I wanted to look at myself.

4) They literally have EVERYTHING you could ever need

Thats cool I will ask for the evolve set for my birthday but they might not have It In stock until oct 20th so I might buy It sometime next week to make sure I get It because It seems like a nice set with the wreches sockets etc then.

All mine are Craftsman. Never had any problems with any of them.

I think I might order this tool set and Im thinking It should have the basic sockets needed for working on cars snowmobiles etc I think Its pretty decent price for what It comes with would ya guys agree then.

I broke two craftsman sockets and an extension today disassembling a weathered motor but I've also broken snapon sockets just not as many.

I kinda like this looks of the evolve set and am considering ordering It but Is there any other sets like this that ya guys know of for around the same price range because I was only really shown one link to look at are there better sets or tools etc out there that I could find online for the same price. I dont know much about tools or the quality. But Is there a better set about the same pieces and price range. Or Is this one of the better starter ones out there for the price. I Just wouldnt want to buy this set to find out that there Is better ones out there with the same or more tools for the same price. I dont really know what to look for or where to look online and I know there are other tool sets are there any other ones ya could reccomend because I dont want to choose from one set then find out there Is better I Just wasnt sure where to look then.

Get the evolve set , I have had craftman tools for over 30 years and they are perfect for the job. You well have them for the rest of your life and if you break a piece, just go to sears and they well give you a new one. Hard to get better than that. Now go get the set, your not gone yet :icon_lol:

Im not done yet with what lol and I was Just seeing If ya guys thought It was a nice set for the cost and If It will have most the common sockets used on cars snowmobiles mowers etc or If It kinda Is missing alot of common sockets but It seems like ya guys are saying It will get the normal Jobs done and has most the sockets that are common so I will pick this set up. Then.

You might try looking on Ebay for some ratcheting wrenches. They are fairly reasonable in price and the Gearwrench brand is pretty good quality. They are also sold by Sears. Get a metric set 10mm to 19mm will cover most uses.

Don

I would If I used a ebay account but I will look online for other tools then.

How do you know Sears will even carry evolv next year? Their cheap tool where Companion. They dropped that line in 2007. Next will be whatever company that can under bid Evolv.

OP: Do yourself a favor just do a tool search on google for "Evolv reviews"

I didnt see anything to bad about It Is there a thing I should be looking for then.

You mean other then this?

I found this:
I liked Evolv until I broke the socket wrench! The no receipt- no exchange policy Sears has for these tools is "Baloney". I WILL NEVER BUY THESE OR SHOP AT SEARS AGAIN!!! Do not buy these- they are not like Craftsman! You must have your receipt to exchange them! (and keep your receipt in a place you can find it for life!!???) I'm a mechanic, not a seceratary. I've now got $150 of Evolv tools that I'm afraid to use in case they break! Buy Kobalt from Lowes for a no-hassle, no-questions asked lifetime warranty. Christmas is coming- buyer beware!!! Again- the warranty on Evolv is only valid with a receipt!!!
BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I searched reviews like you said but didnt get that bad of reviews and I wont be able to test the tools as ya suggested because they dont have these In stock at my store says the website thats why I was thinking of Just buying them and figuring they would be fine since they are craftsman also I cant afford a hundred fifty bucks set with the same piece tools.

Snap on ftw. Just find your local truck, exchange broken tool, and go about your business.

I know we have heard from all the tool experts on how much better the Evolv tools are compaired to HF. I maintain that Evolv tools and HF tools are the same high volume crappy china made tools and if your going to buy crappy china tools your best bet is to pay the lowest price.

Check these two links out and tell me those ratchets are not made on the exact same line in the same factory.

1/2" Extendable Ratchet

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more


I am sure if you watch the HF one they will put in on sale for 12.99 and you can use a 20% off coupon on top of that.

Yep they look the same but I figured the evolv set would be better then hf because I heard they break alot craftsman should be better I would think about tools. Then.

People just dont understand not every company has a China plant. Infact most do not. Running a US owned factory in China is a PIA and if you screw up you US managers can go to jail. Most companies that use China put stuff out for bid. Lowest price gets the work. In this situation the factory is making its own design and selling it with different handles to different companies. This is a very common paractice.

You buy a dewalt cutoff wheel are home depot and it will cost you a $1.19 ea. You can buy a pack of 30 at HF for 7.99. The last pack I bought 5 of the 30 disks had Dewalt Lables on them.

ok again i have that evolv set picked it up when i was in a jam. i then placed a 3/4 socket on it and put it on a lug then sood on the handle of the rachet to break the lug loose. so what in trying to say is its of way better quality then hf in witch i have busted tools under normal use and no evelv can not even compair to a nice set of snap on tools. my point was for the money its deff worth getting the evolv set over some hf tools. i now keep the evolv set in the trunk of my car incase of anything. i also have a 2 car garage filled with craftsmen tools and some snap on as well. gorn you posted someones review he states in his review that he is a mechanic these tools are deff not professional grade tools and i dont know one professional mechanic that would even consider buying these tools for such heavy use. point of the story the set is perfect for a kid just looking to do a little wrenching on his car.

All China tools are made from the same cheap steel. The steel cannot be sold in the USA because it does not consistently meet any standard. There is not a huge demand for un- certified steel here. Proof? Look at the Large HF tool box. Look at its weight. Even as a Manufacturing Engineer working for a large company I cannot buy Raw steel of any size or shape for what they charge for their tool box. When I bought my box it was less than 1$ per lb. At that time the cheapest steel I could buy in the US was $1.31/lb. Since we know all the tools are made with the same steel the only variable in the manufacturing is process control, this is where China tends to fail, inconstant quality. The fact that you had an evolv tool that was good is not surprising. When all the manufacturing tooling is new and everything works right they get a decent tool. But with all manufacturing your quality rating is based on the worst case not the best case. I read one guy that complained his Evolv ratchet lasted for 3 uses.
I am not saying HF is Better the Evolv I am saying they are the same tools made in the same factory by the same people. The fact you got a good tool is moot. I am sure you are going to find more people that had bad experiences with HF tools because they have been selling them, not for 4 years but for 2 decades. China is getting better at what they do since the Evolv name is newer it may seem like they are better but the HF improved also. You might as well be telling me that a GMC ½ ton pickup is better than a Chevy ½ ton truck.

ok gorn i agree with you but im just telling someone my personal opinion. witch is i have a hf ten min from my house and have used many of there hand tools. as well as some power tools and none of them have been what i would consider quality in the least bit. just about every hand tool broke on me with just normal use. i had 2 broken fingers to prove it. i also picked up one of there cordless impact guns that lasted about 2 months and cought fire again normal use only used it for lug nuts. when i took it back cause i had a protection plan they told me they did not have it any more because it looked to much like another gun being sold. and tryed to give me somthing that had less then half the torq and told me its that one or your pretty much SOL. while i only have had one set of evolv and yes it could very well just be the luck of the draw with them. but thats with any thing (more so with the cheaper china suff) even a gmc half ton vs a chevy half ton witch by the way are just about the same lol. i have not one good thing to say about hf because not one thing has ever lasted.

Its kinda making me not want to buy the evolv set but at the same time I dont have alot of money to get a hundred fifty dollar craftsman set. But If the tools are crap I guess I will end up buying another set of a decent tool anyway. Idk. Its kinda a hard decision. Idk where to look for decent craftsman tools for cheap. Idk what tools are worth so Im not sure If I am getting a deal or what lol. Then.

That may very well be Gorn, but the Evolv tools at Sears are covered by the same replacement guarantee as their other Craftsman tools.
Are the "same" tools at H.F. covered by the same replacement guarantee as what Sears offers?

I guess I will probably get the set but look for maybe a cheap craftsman one a little before hand to see If anything looks like a nice amount.

I didn't think they were? I thought just the Craftsman brand had the replacement warranty????