# Tool strength **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [March 3, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720 "2017-03-03T16:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/1 "2017-03-03T16:42:34Z")
![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/2/2e26bbebc7f20112faa274419972c94c91952dde.jpg) ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/d/d12b29c714febd1ab7df01aa64a8bfbf1b05bfd7.jpg) which bit is stronger? going to see about 100ft/lbs torque. would hate to break it and than have to go back to store to get a replacement am pretty sure they are both made from same dia hex bar stock. and they might even have the same driver end. why would the manufacturer decide to turn down the wimpy looking one? ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/2 "2017-03-03T17:32:11Z")
The hex bar stock at the base of the lower one (Husky) looks to be a smaller diameter than on the upper one, and the upper one seems a bit better finished all over. Based on that, I’d leave the Husky in the store, but the odds are good either will work OK, unless you are using an impact tool. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/3 "2017-03-03T18:20:16Z")
husky is $2. greenstripe is $6 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/4 "2017-03-03T18:33:12Z")
Looks like each is worth the price. How many folks are going to go to 100 ft-lbs with it? Very few, I’d guess. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/5 "2017-03-03T18:49:59Z")
Are they 3/8" drive or 1/2" drive? If I was going to put that much torque on a socket (or an allen wrench attachment, or hex star attachment), I’d opt for 1/2" drive over 3/8" drive. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/6 "2017-03-03T19:09:52Z")
they are both 3/8" drive. its for the head bolts on my vue. the bolts are torqued initially and than 3 passes of degrees so the final torque is ??. but most head bolts are in the 80-110lbs range. the t55 is about the size of your pinky. I think the last bolts I did had a 10mm hex. of course my oil filter canister has a 14mm hex. only pros have that size in their toolbox ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/7 "2017-03-03T20:26:29Z")
Does your 3/8" drive torque wrench even go up to 100 ft-lbs . . . ?! Many don’t That said, I would go with the first socket . . . autozone brand, I presume? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/8 "2017-03-03T20:32:06Z")
Is the bar stock the same material for both sockets? Are there any guarantees on the sockets that involve the torque they are subjected to? ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/9 "2017-03-03T21:35:43Z")
The only socket or socket wrench I’ve ever broken were 3/8" drive tools. For a job like this one (head gasket?), I’d spring for a 1/2" drive breaker bar with at least 2’ of leverage, even if you have to use an adapter to use a 3/8" drive attachment on it. With that said, I can be pretty cheap. I’d probably buy the $2 tool. If it breaks, you’ve only lost $2. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/10 "2017-03-04T00:08:00Z")
You can’t tell by looks what kind of steel is in a tool and that is what would make a difference in strength. Having said that ,I have put much more than 100 Ft lb of torque on T-40 and T-45 bolts. It is also not true that only pros have 14 mm sockets , I have at least 3, also 16 and 18mm. None of them came in my socket sets, I attend a lot of car shows and most have flea markets. A good source for filling you sets with American made tools. The have foreign made tools too,but I am not interested in them. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 1:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/11 "2017-03-04T01:01:58Z")
I don’t think there’s any way to tell which is the strongest by looking, but my guess is the top one w/the green band is probably the better of the two. Without anything else to go on, I tend to rely on name brands rather than price or what a tool looks like, b/c a name-brand manufacturer presumably wants to retain their brand-name reputation. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 1:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/12 "2017-03-04T01:04:05Z")
> [@GeorgeSanJose](#): > > a name-brand manufacturer presumably wants to retain their brand-name reputation. With the exception of Craftsman 😆 ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/13 "2017-03-04T01:20:42Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > With the exception of Craftsman Phooey , you beat me to it DB. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/14 "2017-03-04T01:32:09Z")
Choice of Craftsman can be appropriate, depending on the situation. ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/15 "2017-03-04T01:35:24Z")
> [@GeorgeSanJose](#): > > Choice of Craftsman can be appropriate, depending on the situation. If it’s the older Craftsman tools, I would be hesitant to trust anything they’ve made in the past 5 years… ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/16 "2017-03-04T21:13:54Z")
shattered on 2nd head bolt. went down to ace and bought a beefier style. darn, $2 wasted. got the heads off at least. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/17 "2017-03-04T21:48:31Z")
Oh well, out $2. Skip that coffee shop tomorrow and you’re even. I bet I know exactly what you said when it broke. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/18 "2017-03-04T23:27:50Z")
Unfortunately, I’ve seen a LOT of my colleagues do the same thing. They use that style of socket that you used, the one that shattered. And the same thing happens to them. They then invariably have to turn to the guy working next to them, ask to borrow a socket, so that they can finish the job at hand. > [@Cavell](#): > > why would the manufacturer decide to turn down the wimpy looking one? So that the manufacturer can save money, and use the same size “base” for several different size Torx sockets, or allen sockets, or what have you. It’s easier for them, but you saw what the result is, when the socket is used in high torque applications ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/19 "2017-03-05T00:03:01Z")
OP, what is the brand name of the green-striped one? i.e the one that got the job done? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720/20 "2017-03-05T00:07:16Z")
I suspect the green striped socket is “duralast” . . . Autozone, I believe Whereas the other one, which shattered, appears to “Husky” . . . Home Depot? That’s based on the few letters I can actually see [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tool-strength/100720.md?page=2)