haha..well at least you have a matching set.

 

A friend with 20 years of experience never uses any of them on aluminum ...his comments were " maybe now I learned my lesson.
I'm going to drive it like that. I 'll post how long it lasted.

 

opposite applies for me. if i don't use a torque wrench on aluminum.....I end up with a bucket of threads. thanks to a 3/8" ratchet, my manifolds are held on by brand new 3/8-24 grade 8 bolts and i have taps welded into some of those cheap hf sockets

 

For years I used my 50 year old Elora sockets which were great but they are old A/F and Whitworth so I bought a medium priced set from Halfords and I broke some of them so now paid out for Mannesmann sockets, absolutely brilliant, and lots of impact socket sets by Bergen.

Problem is 1/2" drive breaker bars and over enthusiatic leverage, the destroyer of sockets.

You need so many tools to go wrenching these days. Every car has different sizes, RRS = metric and A/F, D2 is similar, Pajero is all metric, Smart car is all metric but uses 12 point bolts and Torx. I've got the most comprehensive sets of tools and equipment I've ever owned and I still need more

Cheap tools are OK provided you don't 'lean' on them too hard. Professional tools are great but hurt the wallet big time.

 

I got the 1/4 , 3/8 and the 1/2 from Harbor Freight.
We used the 1/2 for the heads, no problem_we took the engine mounts off and lower the engine too have the proper space for the torqueing...no problem at all we did it by the book with the 1/2.
The one that broke those bolts was the 1/4...I don't trust it at all...
When I put back the oil pan I didn't use one at all I did by feel...
I ll keep you inform with my progress and setbacks ...
Thank you all !
P S
by the way my friend was in charge of 17 mechanics ...he was Zeus in that depot...He rarely uses a torque wrench...
Go figure

 

Thank you all !

 

de rien