Reddit reviews Stanley STMT71654 201-Piece Mechanics Tool Set
We found 8 Reddit comments about Stanley STMT71654 201-Piece Mechanics Tool Set. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Includes 1/4-Inch, 3/8-Inch and 1/2-Inch Round Head, Quick Release RatchetsStanley - Black & Decker8 combination wrenches includedIncludes 1/4-Inch, 3/8-Inch and 1/2-Inch Round Head, Quick Release RatchetsIncludes 6-point regular and deep sockets8 combination wrenches included
Not sure if you're joking with all that tech or what.
My dad picked up a small toolbox from stanley when I was pretty young. 10 years later i'm still using the same 2 ratchets (I'm looking to upgrade soon though haha) i've been a diesel tech for almost a year now. About the same price range you'll still need to upgrade from that set, but it's pretty solid.
Here's what I used when I assembled mine:
If you need any recommendations for motorized bike accessories, let me know!
EDIT: I just came back in from working on my bike, and I think something else you might find helpful is metric combination wrenches. I recommend this mechanic's tool kit, though I have some cheap Chinese TrueValue tools that work really well too.
i like this one better, it cheaper and it looks like it has more wrenches and deeper sockets but I'm no expert on tool sets. Review looks better though.
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-STMT71654-201-Piece-Mechanics-Tool/dp/B009EMKMCG/ref=sr_1_3?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1519083300&sr=1-3&keywords=mechanic+tool+set
TL;DR: If you have the $400, buy the bike. Get some good, basic tools. Read the service manual/watch YouTube carefully! Make sure you have basic bike things (lube, pump, etc)
Ok, so if $400 is an amount that doesn't seem like much to you, buy it. If $400 makes your finances tight or you feel $400 is a lot of cash, I would think twice. Below, I am going to suggest some basic, quality tools to have you maintain the basics of the bike which will add up to more than one normally anticipates. Also keep in mind title transfer fees and sales tax depending on your state. I got my bike for $400 but paid $180 more to transfer it.
I know tools are expensive because I started out with none a few years ago. I was always getting by with just a cheap set of screwdrivers and vice grips which was marring surfaces and stripping screws/bolts. At the minimum, I would have a nice set of sockets, screwdriver (with various bits), basic wrenches, allen key set, and vice grips. I use these five things on both my bikes, on my cars, and around the house almost daily. I bought [this tool set] over the winter and am so glad I did. For this bike, it is going to have almost all of what you need. It won't have a socket big enough for your axles and maybe some other stuff, but the vice grips will work well. Around 75% of the small nuts/bolts on a CB bike will need a 10mm wrench so you can never have too many of those. Almost all of the small nuts/bolts after that will take 8 or 12mm so those three are pretty key. The tool set I suggested has all of those and much more. On old bikes, you will run into nuts/bolts that aren't original and may not be metric, so the tool set I showed will cover that too. The allen keys in the set are pretty basic but are also needed. You don't need a torque wrench, caliper, or multimeter, but they are nice to have and over time you may want to pick them up when you have extra cash. Knowing the difference between hand-tight, snug, and tight will go a very long way. Lastly, I keep a coffee can full of screws, nuts, washers, or anything I find during the day. Everytime I see a little bolt or washer in the house or on the street, I pick it up and toss it in. The can is now full of little things I use to replace missing stuff all the time. It saves me the time of going to the hardware store and finding a replacement let alone the money.
Make sure you have basic bike things like lube, degreaser, grunge brush, etc. For lube and degreaser, make sure it is compatible with your chain type (like o-ring specific). A bicycle pump with a PSI gauge will keep your tires inflated fine ($20 to $40 pump, I prefer Park Tool brand or Topeak). A bit of tin foil and water gets rust out of chrome easily (YouTube it). Simple Green is a good cleaning fluid also for vehicles/everything and PB Blaster will loosen stuck/rusted stuff instead of breaking off the head trying to force it off. WD-40 is a must as well. As you want to do more on your bike like change tires, valves, or whatever, you may want to buy stuff like tire irons or feeler gauges if you can't borrow them off a friend. The specialty tools will add up fast so I prefer to borrow them as you may only use them once a year.
Before I do anything on any vehicle I buy, I make sure I have the service manual. I have a tendency to mess a lot of stuff up if I'm not looking at directions carefully. Most Honda service manuals are free online, so search on this sub or do some googling for a PDF. YouTube has recently become a great resource for DIY mechanics. For some reason, people have been stripping their bikes down and videotaping a lot of it. For my bike, there is a 23-video series from some redneck on taking the carbs apart. I watched him adjust the valves for two hours before I went ahead and did them myself in 30 mins. The manual combined with some YouTube will help you about 90% of the time. The last 10% will be trial and error and your experience with the bike over time.
I bought this Stanley set about a year ago to work on my truck, its worked out pretty well for me. While I haven't had any issues with any of the ratchets in the Stanley set, I did replace the 3/8 one with a longer wobble head Armstrong one off ebay for like $25. I bought a set of harbor freight wrenches at a swap meet they seem to hold up pretty well. I also got 2 harbor freight torque wrenches (1/2 and 3/8), and a breaker bar new from the store. All of these have set me back maybe $150.
With sears going under, you might check your local store and see if they have a deal on anything there. Mine had something like 500 piece set with tool box on clearance for like $150 about a month after I got all my stuff.
My tool buying philosophy, that I learned from a man much wiser than my self, has been "buy the cheapest version of a tool, if you break it than it is worth it to buy an expensive version. If it can't do the job at all return it." So I always buy the harbor freight tools first. So far I have only had 1 thing break and that was the cheap ratchet that came with my socket set from Stanley. I bought a fancier one Harbor freight sells for about 15 bucks and it is a champ so far, but if I break it I'm ordering a snap on.
The Stanley set I bought(and kinda regret): https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009EMKMCG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1474051431&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=stanley+tool+set&dpPl=1&dpID=4135F1HHjPL&ref=plSrch
The Harbor Freight ratchet I thus far love: http://m.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-professional-flex-head-ratchet-62321.html
The Snap on I will buy if need be: https://store.snapon.com/Dual-80-174-Technology-Compact-Head-3-8-quot--3-8-Drive-72-Tooth-Compact-Flex-Head-Ratchet-P648783.aspx
Well if you're just looking for something with a lifetime warranty, I should also mention Stanley tools. I bought my dad this set on sale for like $50 or so a few months ago because all of his tools are at my house because we are renovating. Stanley is a respected brand (owned by black and decker) and the tools seemed to be good quality and have a limited lifetime warranty. Their smaller sets are also probably worth looking at. Also, just check the shelves at your local Lowes or Home Depot because I was able to get my Kobalt set for $100 after it had been clearanced from $240.