Do we like GearWrench?

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
07/17/2019 at 18:35 • Filed to: None

Craftsman does not hold up. My wallet does not hold up to Snap On. Any of you serious mechanics have experience with GearWrench?

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DISCUSSION (35)

Decay buys too many beaters > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 18:45

The one pictured is my main garage tool. I love it. Only complaint is that it can flex if you try and use it like a breaker bar

lone_liberal > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 18:51

I’m not a serious mechanic, but I have their pass through ratchet/socket set and ratchet ing wrenches that have been just fine but I don’t put a lot of torque on them.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 18:52

I’ve never used a ratchet , but I have used ratcheting wrenches made by them. They were perfectly fine.

diplodicus forgot his password > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 18:54

You missed out Amazon had a set of 4 of those for 78$ for prime day. 1/4",3/8",1/2" and a stubby 3/8". I haven't tried them out yet but they showed up today and they feel good.

Decay buys too many beaters > diplodicus forgot his password
07/17/2019 at 18:58

Ive had that set for years, it's great. The stubby is especially useful

atfsgeoff > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 19:24

Gear wrench is OK. Also look into Tekton.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > diplodicus forgot his password
07/17/2019 at 19:32

Good point, but I don't need any of those other three.

Brickman > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 19:34

Gearwrench is the OEM for Craftsman. IDK if it still is now that Stanley owns them.

I always use Gearwrench and their tools are high quality. I still use my Craftsman socket sets and those are great too.

Sovande > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 19:35

I have a 120xp 3/8" and 1/4" r achet. They are great and have never skipped a beat. I am hard on tools and have no complaints. I’d buy another.

diplodicus forgot his password > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 19:40

I didn't need any of them but can't have too many tools

His Stigness > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 20:20

Gearwrench is owned by the Dana her Group, which, among many brands, owns Matco. There are many Matco branded tools which start out life as Gearwrench.

I would say Gearwrench is one of the better DIY brands, but you do pay for it. But I would recommend getting their tools. For homeowner and other DIY repairs, Gearwrench really is the equivalent of Snap-On and Mac Tools. As long as you’re not using and abusing the tools every day, they will last you a very long time.

Nick Has an Exocet > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 20:52

Might just be me, but I’ve had good luck with heavily reviewed stuff from Amazon like TEKTON & E-Z RED. The $27 E-Z RED socket wrench is pretty stout and from the reviews, someone found that popping 2 screws off and greasing the gearing basically makes it perfect.

Shift24 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 21:08

Be tter question why are you using that as a breaker, when you should use a breaker bar then switch to a ratchet?

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 21:23

I have multiple sets of the gearwrenches, but I bought a 120 set from prime day and will be giveing them a go. The 84 tooth sets I have. I love. Low profile heads and they don’t require much arc to ratchet. Highly recommend them. I bought a set for home and a set for our shop and love them. They hold up well. And you can buy rebuild kits for them as well if you ever need to.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 21:24

They did run similar prices leading up to prime day as well, just keep an eye out. And the three piece set without the articulating head goes for about $60. Well worth it.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Decay buys too many beaters
07/17/2019 at 21:25

Yeah, but the length of the 1/2” wrench is great for breaking things loose. It’s a really long handle.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > His Stigness
07/17/2019 at 21:38

Gearwrench was sold off as part of apex tools in 2012

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/17/2019 at 21:49

I found them to be ok. Not as good as craftman classic, and i wasn’t impressed by their combination wrench set that had the edges rounding i felt too early

His Stigness > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
07/17/2019 at 23:18

Oh shit. I guess Matco continued to use some of their old designs then.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
07/18/2019 at 00:31

Not sure what constitutes Craftsman C lassic, but I should not be wearing our ratchets, seems to me, for the amount of wrenching I do.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
07/18/2019 at 00:32

Coolio. Thanks.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Shift24
07/18/2019 at 00:33

Not I.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Sovande
07/18/2019 at 00:35

I've worn out every Craftsman ratchet I've owned. Time to try some other brands.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/18/2019 at 00:44

I meant craftsman stuff from 20 years ago.

do you use your ratchets to break bolts?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
07/18/2019 at 01:09

Not often, but yes. I'd never thought about it before this minute.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Shift24
07/18/2019 at 07:11

1 Rat chet and a pipe is cheaper/more effective than 1 ratchet, 1 breaker bar, and a pipe.......

Shift24 > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
07/18/2019 at 11:57

Depends, my cost for a 1/2" breaker and 1/2" flex head wrench was $50. Which is cheaper than going out on a flex head capable of holding a pipe.

And idk the amount of torque you guys are using but when you break a 1/2" and have to contemplate having to go 3/4" breaker you know a ratchet ain’t gonna do shit...

That was a MATCO 1/2" (wasnt mine, opps... )

Kinja'd!!!

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Shift24
07/18/2019 at 12:05

Define “capable”. As long as a pipe slides over the handle it’s capable. How long it’s capable is another question. ;)

Your broken Matco breaker reminds me of the time we broke a Snapon 1/2" breaker, then broke a Matco 3/4" breaker, then broke 2 Crafstman 1/2" ratchets, then finally got it broke loose with a Great Neck 1/2" ratchet. We bent the handle on that Great Neck to the point it started cracking, but that bastard got it loose.

Shift24 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/18/2019 at 12:09

Then why does the craftsman not hold up? Only thing I can think of is tooth count. Or maybe the 1/2 ratchet is too small?

Which I get but don’t think gearwrench would increase tooth count that much? I actually went Husky with some of my tools. There flex heads are good with 72 c ount teeth

S ize wize for leverage, something as cheap as a h arbor freight one would work.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness
07/18/2019 at 12:17

I’ve got a half-inch breaker bar that I brought home from the Army in 1990. I don’t think it has any brand stamped on it at all. I’ve put all my weight on the end of a three-foot cheater bar and that thing has held together. In fact, I broke a 5-inch Proto extension with that breaker bar. You just never know what’s going to hold up and what isn’t.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Shift24
07/18/2019 at 12:17

The action gets loose and flaky.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/18/2019 at 13:09

When you’re doing that the pawl is taking all the force. and more teeth will mean any deformation to the pawl will be more noticeable and lower the torque strength.

Shift24 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/18/2019 at 14:34

Ah ok looking more as an upgrade. If it were me I would look at teeth count. That one extra click could mean b eing there for a 10 minutes or 2 minutes.

And I’m not a mechanic but to me its worth not sitting there one click at a time on that one bolt/nut behind up underneath at an angle. You know the “ sum bitch” bolt/nut

Ready for an adventure! > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
07/18/2019 at 16:52

I’ve had great luck with Tekton - they are inexpensive, black(scary, like an AR!) and Meijer carries them. Oh, and they have a lifetime guarantee. But I have not had to use that. Works on Jeeps, Beemers, GoKarts, Chevelles, boats, golf carts, quads, and their left-handed crescent wrench is the best! - but seriously, 5/7 would buy and will buy more... https://www.tekton.com/

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Shift24
07/18/2019 at 19:26

Yeah. I'm doing enough wrenching at this stage of my life to experiment a bit with some different brands.