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gearwrench or craftsman ratcheting wrenchs

S

spikyhair87

NAXJA Forum User
Location
IL
Both seem to be the same price around here and they both have a lifetime warranty...

Which would you get....

(i have a gift card for sears... please keep it to either of these..)

the craftsman have the better no shipping no ?'s asked replacement but the ratcheting box end seems to be very very sloppy and needs about 15 degrees to "click" (leaning towards craftsman because that is the tool brand i look for when i look for quality but it doesn't seem like they are quality...)


the gearwrench wrenchs need to have about 5 degrees (says on the package) and seem to have a better finish and much tighter ratcheting box end...


oo and im very much a U.S.A. guy :us::patriot:
 
66% of naxja say crapsman are getting worse.
almost 6% are smart asses.
and 28% like crapsman.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1020541

That being said I still buy crap because I'm not rich and have limited options.

I have a few gearwrench tools but no ratchets and I've never had a problem with them.
 
see that albandit... thanks! i guess im really leaning towards them (craftsman

) because of the ease of replacement if need be...

but i dont like the sloopy ratcheting effect it has.... im looking to buy something that is better quality and will last but still have the warrenty if i happen to break it.... i guess the need for quality over rides my u.S.a requirement... sad to say... i dont know i guess im really flip floppy about it...

quality (seems like gearwrench has upper edge) non usa with lifetime warranty or

USA not a great quality but better warranty....

umm... lol

keep the responses coming!
 
Also I think the admin messed with the poll results.







Way more then 6% of NAXJA are smart asses. :D
 
I just got a full set of both the SAE and Metric GearWrenches for Christmas. I got the full polish, flex head, non-reversible ones. Haven't had a chance to use them much, but I did a lot of research prior to buying them and found that in general most of the folks on both the tool and wrenching forums prefer the GearWrench over the Craftsman. Mind you this is just for this one particular tool category. I'm still a Craftsman guy and had a tough time getting used to the idea of buying a different brand.

As for the price, if you were looking at Sears and they seemed to be the same, you were probably not comparing similar wrenches. There are a lot of variations out there and you need to make sure you're comparing apples to apples. Make sure there are the same number of wrenches in the set, look at full polish vs. not, flex head vs. rigid, reversible vs. not, standard length vs. stubby vs. curved, etc. I found the GearWrenches to be quite a bit less expensive, especially when you wait for them to go on sale (which they do often).
 
fyrfytr1717 said:
I just got a full set of both the SAE and Metric GearWrenches for Christmas. I got the full polish, flex head, non-reversible ones. Haven't had a chance to use them much, but I did a lot of research prior to buying them and found that in general most of the folks on both the tool and wrenching forums prefer the GearWrench over the Craftsman. Mind you this is just for this one particular tool category. I'm still a Craftsman guy and had a tough time getting used to the idea of buying a different brand.

As for the price, if you were looking at Sears and they seemed to be the same, you were probably not comparing similar wrenches. There are a lot of variations out there and you need to make sure you're comparing apples to apples. Make sure there are the same number of wrenches in the set, look at full polish vs. not, flex head vs. rigid, reversible vs. not, standard length vs. stubby vs. curved, etc. I found the GearWrenches to be quite a bit less expensive, especially when you wait for them to go on sale (which they do often).
Click to expand...

Thanks! i think it will be hard buying NON usa/craftsman tools for something that is Taiwan/better quality... as far as the warranty goes i haven't broken any wrenches yet(craftsman)... so i dont expect there to be an issue with shipping it out(gear wrench) if need be (as i have a "full" set of craftsman regular combo wrenches as well and could use these if need be and i also have a few extra compainon wrenchs to back up my craftsman ones/use for doubles if needed....

Thanks for the info....
 
I love my wannabe Snap-On "Husky" brand Home Depot ratcheting wrenches....and my Harbor Freight socket sets/ratchets. They supplement my 10yo Craftsman mechanic set nicely.
 
fyrfytr1717 said:
I just got a full set of both the SAE and Metric GearWrenches for Christmas. I got the full polish, flex head, non-reversible ones.
Click to expand...
I have those and love using them. The biggest complaint I have about them is that the steel on the regular open-head part of the wrench is kind of soft and will pinch and fold under pressure. Sometimes the head likes to fold over instead of turning too, but that is my using them wrongly (too much upward pressure). I wouldn't trade them for anything though, they are awesome to have around.
 
I needed a 9/16 stubby ratchet wrench for my tacse, and ended up buying an sae set of stubbys from gearwrench because they were on sale for 40$ compared to the regular 70$. I like them.
 
I like the idea of the locking flexhead craftsman has. If it breaks just walk into sears and get a new one. I ended up buying the Gearwrench ones because of cost realle. But they arent too bad. I dont think ill be using them much, just for those pain in the rear nuts to get to.
 
ehall said:
spiky, that's a higher quality steel than gearwrench uses, but the heads don't flex which will limit their utility
Click to expand...

Thanks...

Im not really looking for the flex head or reversable style....

Im really looking at the "straight non-flexable" style...


How/why can you tell its a better quality steel....
 
does anyone have any experience with the sloppy ratcheting effect from craftsman??

this is the main/only reason i dont have them in my tool box right now...

why wouldn't the craftsman wrenchs be a bit tighter and more "precise feeling" like 5 degree motion instead of maybe 15 degrees as it is now...
 
I don't have a problem with my crapsman ratchets. Though they do get sloppy overtime.
 
if you decide to get the flex head make SURE it is lockable I got a set, cheap that didn't lock and I HATE them

Craftsman has a new set out and they ratchet like gearwrench and the open side does too it has a little spring loaded spring they seem to be cool but ill wait till they come on sale

After i found them online they are now $20 off so $60 not really too bad as long as they hold up.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914756000P?vName=Tools&cName=Wrenches,Ratchets&Sockets&sName=Open-End%20Wrenches&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...renches&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
 
t-frady said:
if you decide to get the flex head make SURE it is lockable I got a set, cheap that didn't lock and I HATE them

Craftsman has a new set out and they ratchet like gearwrench and the open side does too it has a little spring loaded spring they seem to be cool but ill wait till they come on sale

After i found them online they are now $20 off so $60 not really too bad as long as they hold up.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...renches&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...renches&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a
Click to expand...

cool didn't know these are around... thanks!

"throw another wrench into the mix" lol
 
i'll throw another vote in for the Gear Wrenches, I love how tight the mechanism is, you barely have to move it to get it to ratchet. It makes working in tight spaces alot easier. They have held up to alot of abuse as well... hell I even dropped one in the desert and didnt find it until 4 months later when we went back out there, I just happened to put a tent stake in the ground right next to it and found it. I shot some lithium spray grease in the mechanism and it still works like brand new. I've been extremely impressed with them :thumbup:
 
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