Socket set choice advice.....[and Peugeot frustration]

[Vortex7]

Yup I ordered a pair of nuts and dustcaps this morning.

Previous owner receipts gave no indication of brake linings being changed in the recent past. I read about the brake lining problem so resolved to take a look, only to be stymied by the lack of a suitable socket on a Sunday afternoon.

Whilst it's 25 years since I've fannied about with cars with any seriousness...I feel it's incumbent on me to understand how this 106 works. I'm strangely enthusiastic about putting the old ramps and axle stands to good use.

[Tabby]

2 or 3 of mine have. The first half inch failure I dont remember what part it was, too long ago The 2nd was apx 32mm hub nuts on a van The 3rd was a timing belt pulley that required very high torque, and of course was much tighter to undo than to torque up 3/4" drive isnt exactly first socket set material, but on 32mm nuts it's what I'd use. A 3/4 set isnt particularly expensive.

NT

[Cicero]

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Enjoy it!

One thing to check when reassembling is to set both self adjusters to the same length. If they're set at different lengths you can get a hard to trace problem with the handbrake binding on one wheel. In theory the self adjusters should balance things out when you press the brake pedal repeatedly but it can fail to complete the process if there is any substantial difference in the initial length of the adjusters. Just my recent experience on my 306.

Cic.

[Mark]

Not in my experience. Everything I bought from them in the past few years failed prematurely. The last straw was a set of bicycle pedals which lasted less than two weeks. At first they refused to replace them. Halfords has earned their place on my blacklist and I will /never/ shop there again.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have a 2 ft long 1/2 drive breaker bar I've put my full weight on and bounced on it. So say getting on for 400 ft.lb torque. And never broken a socket. Of course if you apply a large sideways load like by using an extension between the socket and bar, anything can happen. The highest torque I've come across on a car is about 250 lb.ft. Any good quality 1/2in drive won't be worried about this.

Despite having worked on many many different cars DIY wise I've never found the need for 3/4 drive. But do use common sense with all my tools.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've yet to come across any ratchet type drum self adjuster that works perfectly. Or at least for long.

[The Natural Philosopher]

But your ribs will be. :-)

Me neither. Worst ever was IIRC layshaft nut on a maxi. 135 lb feet.

bit of scaffolding over the torque wrench need for that one. Still 1/2".

Totally agree with everything you say (here, today, anyway :-))

[The Natural Philosopher]

seconded.

standard practice to free them up and lube them every time you changed pads, if not more often.

[Cicero]

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Very true, but we're stuck with them. They tend to work well enough when newly cleaned and lubricated. With a bit of luck both sides will stop working about the same time so preventing any imbalance.

Cic.

[Cicero]

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Agreed, and Peugeot seem to specialise in making such minor jobs more difficult than necessary.

Cic.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Almost never.

Round most places, you find far more corrosion on the near sides of cars, as puddles ad shingle and salt tend to occupy road edges more than road centres.

water pressure driven salty grit is excellent at chipping off paint and galvanisation and starting rapid rusting.

[Cicero]

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It depends to a great extent on where you drive; rural roads tend to have kerb side puddles whereas urban roads are generally quite clear and well drained. Brake drums and their backplates are in theory at least supposed to be fairly water resistant.

Of course if you regularly drive through fords (wet type, not rusty type) you're not going to have pristine brakes. Regular servicing is the answer for people who value their lives - the rest have an MOT.

Cic.

[Bob Eager]

Years ago, that's exactly what happened with the local Rover dealership (she was doing this independently, and ended up with a Fiat; good salesman, crap car - as she eventually agreed!). The Rover guy didn't know what hit him...

[Mark]

VW beetle or 924/944  rear hub bolt. ?

[Tinkerer]

Like you, I got my first half inch drive set at 16 and am still using them. However, I am obviously older than you because when I got mine this new fangled metric stuff hadn't made it across the channel. My set is combined AF and Whitworth and it is surprising how often I find, even today, that I have to use one of the Whitworth sockets. The set is still as good as when purchased and is made by Gedore. I succumbed to metric many years later and have a quarter inch drive set that is AF/Metric.

[John MacLeod]

Well, that sorts that out and you won't be disappointed with Britool

Make sure you buy a big breaker bar, though.

As has been pointed out, there is an exception and it's their tools from the "Halfords Professional" range. With seven sons, most of them into rebuilding LandRovers, there are quite a number of complete socket sets, quite apart from hundreds of odd sockets and spanners. Many different makes. Without any doubt, the best sets are the two "Halfords Professional" socket sets. Everyone here who's commended them is in agreement that most of what Halfords sell is rubbish. It just so happens that the quality of their "professional" range is very good.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Indeed. I've also found their batteries ok. And lots of the other stuff they sell - it happens they have a convenient (for me) store with car park, so if I want a particular brand of anything they sell why would I waste petrol going further to possibly save a few pennies?

The OP's comment reminded me of Mr Firth and Lidl olive oil. Rubbishing a company because one product in their range was in his opinion poor or whatever.

[Tinkerer]

I don't entirely agree about the batteries. Quality wise they are fine but I have just been looking for a replacement battery for my Honda CRV and Halfords were £95 unfitted whereas the Honda main dealer (traditionally the expensive route) only want £80 to supply and fit. Having said that, I will probably do what I did with our Peugeot and get a Bosch from Costco for around £65.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Never said they were the very best value. But again can be more convenient than an alternative. I do have a Halfords trade card, though, which makes most of this sort of thing more competitive.

[Vortex7]

To be clear my prejudice is based on my general belief that the MAJORITY of the things HALFORDS sell represent bad value.

I described this earlier as irrational. Actually I guess that is completely rational.

100 metres from my local Halfords is an independent tool shop. I'd far rather give them my money.