Upgrade Your Garage with This Family Handyman Approved DeWalt Socket Wrench Set
Like many of the kids in my neighborhood, I spent my pre-teen years disassembling and reassembling whatever I could get my hands on. Discarded, broken down lawnmowers left on the curb and my growing horde of bicycles were my usual targets.
But now and again, one of us would come across a trashed sewing machine or garden tiller and drag it back to the center of our garage floors to see what we could make of it.
Around that time, my grandfather, who I more or less lived with for a couple of years, gave me a cheap 24-piece tool set to try and hone my mechanical interests.
The small plastic black case was like a surgeon’s kit to me and my friends, full of shiny chrome ratchet handles, a bunch of sockets and a pair of screwdrivers. We would fly home after school on our BMX bikes and grab it to disassemble every rusted and discarded machine-like victim we found thereafter.
I still own that socket set to this day, though the cheap plastic case crumbled years ago. For me, that was a coming-of-age gift, much like my first Swiss Army knife or BB gun, one I’ll hold onto forever for the memories entwined in it.
Recently I was in the market for a decent sized socket set, one I could easily lug to and from friends’ garages and weekend cabin trips. I did some research and decided to snag the DeWalt 84-piece Mechanics Tool Set. When it arrived a few days later, I was eager to test it out.
What is the DeWalt 84-piece Mechanics Tool Set?
The DeWalt 84-piece Mechanics Tool Set features a single, 7-1/2-in. long, 72-tooth ratchet with a 3/8-inch drive head, ideal for high torque wrenching in tight spaces. The accompanying 63 six-point sockets range from 5/32-in. all the way up to 13/16-in., and 4mm to 21mm in metric. The set also includes a handful of extension bars, adapters, spark plug sockets and a specialty screwdriver with bits.
The entire chrome plated tool set comes in a molded 10-in. x 14-in. heavy-duty plastic storage case. Every piece looks and feels sturdy and strong. The set as a whole is compact and easy to carry, weighing less than ten pounds.
How We Tested It
With the break-in period coming to an end on my months-old enduro motorcycle, the manufacturer suggested changing the oil and doing a valve adjustment. I also planned to do a quick once-over, lubing or tightening components that may have rattled loose over this phase. What better time to try out this DeWalt Mechanics Tool set?
I also had a pushmower and a chainsaw that could use an oil change and maybe new spark plugs, too. It was time to get into the garage and get my hands dirty!
Performance Review
I started with the oil and spark plug changes on the chainsaw and mower. I was glad the set included 5/8-inch and 13/16-inch spark plug sockets as the mower and saw each had a different plug sizes.
This DeWalt set is fantastic! The six-point sockets fit firm and tight on the heads of the bolts and plugs, and the 72-tooth rachet was much better in tight spaces than the old rachet from my childhood. It took a little muscle to break loose the drain plug on the mower, but the DeWalt socket and wrench did their job and held firm without disfiguring the decades-old bolt.
On to the motorcycle. I began with the oil change and valve adjustment, with the case wide open on my workbench so I could choose what I needed as I worked through the maintenance.
I used most everything, from 4mm sockets to the #3 Phillips bit in the screwdriver. I took took off the seat, gas tank, chain and engine covers to access the parts I needed, then reversed the process to get everything back together and running.
After almost three hours, with all the machines closed up and running well, there was nothing bad I could say about the DeWalt 84-piece Mechanics Tool Set. If there were one change I’d make — and this is minor — I’d add a socket release button on the back of the ratchet’s head to assist with switching sockets with sweaty or oily hands. That’s it.
This DeWalt 84-piece mechanics retails for less than $70. You’d be hard pressed to find a set this size and quality for less, especially if you factor in the DeWalt’s “Guaranteed Tough” lifetime warranty. I trust this set will be durable and reliable for years to come. Who knows — maybe I’ll pass it on to a tinkering grandson of mine many years down the line!
Why You Should Buy This
If you’re in the market for quality, durable and compact tool set, check out this DeWalt 84-piece mechanics tool set. It’s full of great features like a 72-tooth ratchet, strong six-point sockets and durable storage case. Plus, with DeWalt’s full lifetime warranty, you can be confident it’ll last forever.
Where to Buy
The DeWalt 84-piece Mechanics Tool Set is available at Amazon and The Home Depot.
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