Ratcheting Wrenches

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Kern Co. California
Hello, I have been wanting a set for a while and am close to prying open the wallet and getting one... Unless I can find an amazing deal on a full set, probably metric first. What do you recommend? I am curious about the ICON brand from HF but at the $150 price tag, I feel I could get a set of barely used professional brand (SnapOn/Mac/Matco). Thanks for the insight.
 
Used but not abused Snap on. Yes start with metric unless you mostly own or work on old stuff that uses SAE.

Edit: There are some Euro brands but they cost more than a set of used Snap on. Snap on makes one of the best of this type of tool and well worth the money.
 
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I have the cheaper set from HF. They work fine. Didn't know their ICON brand was that expensive. That's a lot of scratch for an HF tool.
 
Gearwrench. I have the regular open ended ones with the ratcheting on one side and the long zero offset box wrenches. Those are nice but they scratch easily.
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
Your not going to find a used snap on or mac set here for $150. Imo the taiwan made ones are slightly better than the chinese ones.


Ebay is getting expensive but once in a while you find a gem or two but you need to move fast, I go to garage closing sales a few times a year and sometimes get some good buys. I wouldn't pay $150 for Taiwan wrenches from HF.
 
GearWrench brand has been working good for me about three years now. Check the prices on Amazon.

My set does not have the flip switch...just flip the wrench over. If there is enough room to swing a wrench, I would rather use a 72 tooth ratchet wrench than a ratchet and socket.

If you have the money, flex head ratcheting wrenches would be my choice, but any good quality flex head is going to be expensive.
 
Gearwrench are the worst. Any other brand will work better. The HF value brand is magnitudes better. Never tried their ICON's but you can rest assured they are better than Gearwrench. Every single Gearwrench and their free lifetime guaranteed replacement I own have failed. Locked in gear by what any other wrench would be considered normal use.
 
Originally Posted by dawgn86
Try Tekton. Made in America


Nope, their ratcheting wrenches are made in Taiwan per their website.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
Gearwrench are the worst. Any other brand will work better. The HF value brand is magnitudes better. Never tried their ICON's but you can rest assured they are better than Gearwrench. Every single Gearwrench and their free lifetime guaranteed replacement I own have failed. Locked in gear by what any other wrench would be considered normal use.

I've had good luck with mine. Their new 90 tooth offerings look interesting.
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
Gearwrench are the worst. Any other brand will work better. The HF value brand is magnitudes better. Never tried their ICON's but you can rest assured they are better than Gearwrench. Every single Gearwrench and their free lifetime guaranteed replacement I own have failed. Locked in gear by what any other wrench would be considered normal use.


I bought mine before the switch over to the China made. My GearWrench set was made in Taiwan. Anyway, my wrenches have been working good...no failures yet but I don't use them every day either.
 
I think there is currently a 20% off Icon tools coupon floating around the web now that puts them around the $128 mark. The Icons are much longer then my other brands and have 90 tooth action (as do the Carlyles) and are reversible. The Dewalts are a great value if you can find them and are super easy to warranty if needed.
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Originally Posted by drtyler
Originally Posted by dawgn86
Try Tekton. Made in America


Nope, their ratcheting wrenches are made in Taiwan per their website.


Right!

Quote
At this time, less than 10 percent of our tools are made in China, 15 percent in the United States, and about 75 percent in Taiwan
 
I used to think Gearwrench were good but lately I've been reading a lot more negative reviews. I wanted to buy a set of their XP120 - looks like a good deal but not sure about the quality.
 
Any advise on reversible or flex head?

I have reversible and regular (flip over to reverse) Gearwrench and I only use the reversible (keep a 15mm regular in the truck for the kids' bike axle nuts though.)
 
I've got sae and metric flex head gearwrench sets and I'm happy with them myself. When i was shopping I found them to be cheapest at Advance auto with the 30% off coup, but that may have changed.
 
I've been hesitant to use my ratcheting wrenches to break bolts instead believing that using a 6 point socket has less chance of slipping and rounding off.

Is that something that I should not be worrying about with a ratcheting wrench? I've not used them really enough to know how they perform in real world use.
 
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