Very Disappointed With Flotool Strap Wrench.

[George7941]

The strap did not grip objects well, in spite of having serrations. My Canadian Tire Blue Boa strap wrench provides much better grip in spite of the smooth surfaced strap. I think the rubber compound is too hard on the Flotool strap.

Yesterday I was using the Flotool on an oil filter and the strap broke. I was not applying much force.

I only bought the Flotool because I expected it to be of decent quality, coming from Hopkins, an American company. Needless to say I am very disappointed with Hopkins.

 

[JC1]

Where did you buy it and what did it cost?

Time for a call to customer service.

 

[das_peikko]

In stark contrast to what you're showing, get a K-D SwivOil wrench with the swivel joint.
Excellent quality and easy to use. They come in four sizes.

 

[Trav]

Your right, that's absolute rubbish and not worth the gasoline to light it on fire.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: das_peikko
In stark contrast to what you're showing, get a K-D SwivOil wrench with the swivel joint.
Excellent quality and easy to use. They come in four sizes.

Spend money on a quality tool and you’ll never need to replace it.

 

[qdeezie]

For what it's worth, they have very good customer service. I bought two drain pans and the caps broke on both of them and they sent two updated caps free of charge. I believe I may have emailed them through their website. I don't remember since it's been at least 3 years.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: das_peikko
In stark contrast to what you're showing, get a K-D SwivOil wrench with the swivel joint.
Excellent quality and easy to use. They come in four sizes.

I have had two of these (in different sizes) for the last 30ish years. Both still work flawlessly.

 

[mx5miata]

harbor freight strap wrench

this is the style filter pliers i use.

 

[George7941]

I bought it at Walmart
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/universal-rubber-strap-wrench/6000162308619
Just before I posted on Bitog, I posted my review of this strap wrench on Walmart.ca. You can read my review in the link posted above. I will be contacting Flotool and I expect they will send me a replacement. It is one thing when a tool works well but is flimsy in construction and you expect it to not last or when a tool is sturdily built but does not function well. But this wrench is an unfortunate combination of both, so a replacement is not of much use to me.

I have swivelling metal banded filter wrenches (not KD) and I have the serrated jaw channellocks. This strap wrench was just a backup tool, to be used when I don't have the appropriate filter wrench handy.

For the last nineteen years I have been using my cheap Canadian Tire Blue Boa strap wrench on this filter (LF3970/ Cummins 5.9) and it has always taken this filter off with ease. Yesterday I did not have it with me, so I used the Flotool. The channellocks are too small for this filter and this filter is best accessed with a tool that can be taken opened up and wrapped around the filter, so that is why I have been using a strap wrench.

This is the good Canadian Tire strap wrenh
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-2-pack-boa-constrictor-strap-wrench-0588335p.html

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: George7941
I bought it at Walmart
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/universal-rubber-strap-wrench/6000162308619
Just before I posted on Bitog, I posted my review of this strap wrench on Walmart.ca. You can read my review in the link posted above. I will be contacting Flotool and I expect they will send me a replacement. It is one thing when a tool works well but is flimsy in construction and you expect it to not last or when a tool is sturdily built but does not function well. But this wrench is an unfortunate combination of both, so a replacement is not of much use to me.

I have swivelling metal banded filter wrenches (not KD) and I have the serrated jaw channellocks. This strap wrench was just a backup tool, to be used when I don't have the appropriate filter wrench handy.

For the last nineteen years I have been using my cheap Canadian Tire Blue Boa strap wrench on this filter (LF3970/ Cummins 5.9) and it has always taken this filter off with ease. Yesterday I did not have it with me, so I used the Flotool. The channellocks are too small for this filter and this filter is best accessed with a tool that can be taken opened up and wrapped around the filter, so that is why I have been using a strap wrench.

This is the good Canadian Tire strap wrenh
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-2-pack-boa-constrictor-strap-wrench-0588335p.html


The only thing about those CT strap wrenches is the strap doesn't go through a slot, spnit can wiggle out. Trying to remove an oil filter and that strap is coming out of the handle is a major PITA.

I have a pair similar to the HF strap wrenches. Works well for me.

 

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted By: mx5miata
harbor freight strap wrench

this is the style filter pliers i use.




I basically use this same channel lock tap and the FACOM wrench which ratchets.

The facom/usag wrench wont work for everything but its now my go to first choice.

UD

 

[CT8]

I looks like a professional quality tool!

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted By: George7941
I only bought the Flotool because I expected it to be of decent quality, coming from Hopkins, an American company. Needless to say I am very disappointed with Hopkins.

Flotool may be an American company but they still (have to) market much of the same low-cost tools in order to compete. That tool probably works fine 98% of the time for people and there will be bad ones .... and maybe you got one of them. Those strap wrenches go for about $5 in the US.

 

[George7941]

Originally Posted By: JC1

The only thing about those CT strap wrenches is the strap doesn't go through a slot, spnit can wiggle out. Trying to remove an oil filter and that strap is coming out of the handle is a major PITA.

I have a pair similar to the HF strap wrenches. Works well for me.


Like I posted I have used the same C Tire strap wrench for nineteen years and it has always worked well for me.

For securing the strap what I do is fold over the excess strap coming out of the end of the handle against the handle and grip the handle and the extra strap length together tightly. This prevents the strap from slipping and loosening its grip on the filter. This tight grip also prevents the strap from dropping out of its groove in the handle, which I think is what you are referring to.