Socket organization for wrecking yard

Hey there everyone, I was wondering how people organize their sockets and wrenches for the wrecking yard. The foam the sockets came in is too big for me to take the Wrecking yard. I picked up some socket holders but the metal it was too flimsy and they bent so I through them out. Is there a simple and easy way that they can all be organized in an easy to find way and compact so they won't fall out or anything like that.? Ideas for wrenches would be good too. I just want to be able to have a very small toolbox with everything organized. Thank you.

Spicshaft said:

Hey there everyone, I was wondering how people organize their sockets and wrenches for the wrecking yard. The foam the sockets came in is too big for me to take the Wrecking yard. I picked up some socket holders but the metal it was too flimsy and they bent so I through them out. Is there a simple and easy way that they can all be organized in an easy to find way and compact so they won't fall out or anything like that.? Ideas for wrenches would be good too. I just want to be able to have a very small toolbox with everything organized. Thank you.

A noble quest that I look forward to seeing answers to. *I* toss everything I think I might need into a zippered bag and then hunt and hunt and hunt for what I need. 

Wrenches are an easier solution than the sockets.  A wrench roll will work:

This is a great idea, but I usually just do what Spearfishin described: toss them in a zip up bag and just hunt, hunt, hunt

I have a set of plastic rails with detent bbs that I got from Sears many, many moons ago.   They're similiar to these from Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/tool-storage/tool-organizers/socket-trays-rails/38-in-magnetic-socket-rail-70021.html

They work great, sockets won't fall off of them even when tossed in the bag as a set.   I don't know if the HF ones work as well, but I'll soon find out, I've been meaning to pick up a few 1/4 rails as I only have them for 3/8, and my 1/4s metal ones are wearing out..

Wrench wrolls are the bomb. If you don't have them, you need them. Easy to carry, easy to use, clearly show if you're missing a tool. I keep my wrenches in them full time and hang them on the wall with the grommets. Easy access. When I need to pack for a track day, I just pull the roll off the wall and roll it up.

I have some of the HF socket rails. They work well. Mine aren't magnetic. One cool thing about the ones I have is that they come in two colors. I use grey for metric and black for SAE. Also, you can transfer the posts from one to another so you can have one rail with multiple sizes of sockets. 

Right now my wrenches go in a tool roll and that gets put into my amazon basics tool back pack which is actually really well built (at least the one I got, don't see it listed at the moment). Also in the backpack are my pliers, screwdrivers, hammer, punches and any other things I need including some power tools (it's a big bag).

For sockets I just carry a blow molded plastic case set that I have, try to get one that someone put some thought into as there are many large sets that just duplicate (triplicate) tools and that's just extra space/weight (I'm talking sockets, I don't need a 1/4",3/8" and 1/2" drive shallow 15mm, give me one and the adapters to use it on the ratchet I need). The set I have for example has a 1/4" drive screwdriver handle but that doubles as a 1/4" extension, good idea.

Having said all that, I'm ready for a change. I'd like to put together a tool box with maybe two to three drawers for everything. I'd put together the sockets, torx bits, allen bits etc. that I actually use and stop carrying around a bunch of useless (to me) SAE tools. Basically something that can handle 90% of what I do that can travel to the track, the u-pull yard or even just outside the garage when I'm working on something. Haven't started on it yet but it's on my mind.

I have threaded a shoe string through my sockets and tied it together.  It's not particularly fancy, and you have to go through a little extra work each time you try to get a socket, but it makes them pretty hard to lose in the bag.

Cargo shorts. :) 

I got a blow molded craftsman set for christmas in 2007. It is the main set that lives on my service cart at home. It's got enough room to add a breaker bar, hammer, pliers, scubadivers, etc. It's a heavy kit, but the blow molded case is still holding up and it's not terrible to carry around.

Roll up tool carriers are something that I think every car person needs to keep in their trunk. They don't take up alot of space and you can find some really durable ones online with alot of variety.  But, if you must use sockets, you can find some roll up carriers that have zipper pockets or this one on amazon has a fitted spots for them! 

I also use the socket rails, either the plastic ones with a detent bb like wonko posted or just higher quality metal ones. Neither one seems to have a problem losing sockets in the backpack and its SO NICE to have the sockets organized when you're laying in the dirt trying to pull that turbo that's buried up under the exhaust. Not that I have done that.

Back in the day, SK and Proto made these awesome trays with a strap that snapped up and held the sockets in place

I wonder if there is a modern equivalent?

But for now, these Lisle magnetic holders are my go to, chuck it in a tool bag when I am on the road socket system.

buzzboy said:

I got a blow molded craftsman set for christmas in 2007. It is the main set that lives on my service cart at home. It's got enough room to add a breaker bar, hammer, pliers, scubadivers, etc. It's a heavy kit, but the blow molded case is still holding up and it's not terrible to carry around.

Even with my smallest tank and no fins on, I'm still struggling to see myself fitting in a blow molded craftsman box.