Gearwrench tools?

[Dirtman]

costco has a 5pc set of the ratcheting wrenches for 14 bucks... SAE or metric, your choice.

I dont think there's a costco round here, I'm gonna hit up tractor supply tomorrow and see what they've got. The gearwrench ratcheting wrenches are almost $200 for each set. I dunno if I wanna dump $400 bucks on new wrenches. Still cheaper than Snap-on but eh... and to be honest I don't really "need" them so I'm thinking a cheaper set is more rational.

 

[Roert42]

On a second point, I wonder why no one has used a set of one way clutch type bearings instead of a gear in smaller ratchets.

Kobalt had a set of ratcheting wrenches like this but they discontinued them a few years ago. You can still find them on their website but nowhere has them in stock.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Kobalt had a set of ratcheting wrenches like this but they discontinued them a few years ago. You can still find them on their website but nowhere has them in stock.

Northern and Amazon have them.

 

[Roert42]

Northern and Amazon have them.

I see plenty of ratchets, but no wrenches.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I see plenty of ratchets, but no wrenches.

Sorry I thought he was talking about ratchets.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I keep a pass through socket and ratchet set in each truck. They work on a lot of stuff in a pinch.

 

[gaz]

GearWrench is SOLD, Sears bought the right to copy their ratcheting wrenches. I prefer the GearWrench sets and their flex head wratcheting wrenches are their most useful set ..)

 

[Dirtman]

Sears still exists?

Are they only in a parallel universe next to radio shack?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Yeah, paying for the right to copy somebody's product is fairly common. Sears does not own gearwrench though.

Apex Tool Group - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Roert42]

Sears still exists?

Are they only in a parallel universe next to radio shack?

There is a radio shack in Jackson hole Wyoming. I know because I bought a flip phone there.

 

[Uncle Gump]

There is a Radio Shack... well whats left of it... in Yorkville inside the ACE Hardware.

I think maybe I've just used regular combination wrenches for so many years that ratcheting wrenches just aren't what I grab.

I do have two Gearwrench wrenches. Each wrench has 4 different sizes... and they have a lever on each end to switch direction. I don't think I ever used them. I also have a small set of metric and standard Husky ratcheting wrenches. Same deal... never been used.

 

[gaz]

Sears still exists?

Are they only in a parallel universe next to radio shack?

Oh, my bust, Craftsman, though now owned by Lowes, is still synonymous to me, with Sears.

 

[Roert42]

Oh, my bust, Craftsman, though now owned by Lowes, is still synonymous to me, with Sears.

Craftsman was bought by Stanley Black & Decker company, from Sears. Craftsman is not owned by Lowe’s, just sold there, Craftsman is still sold at Sears.

“After Stanley acquired the Craftsman brand, the company “invested heavily” to rapidly expand sales, in part, through a strategic alliance it announced in May 2018 with Lowe’s to carry certain lines of the product. And in September, Stanley launched a full line of Craftsman tools, “including the introduction of over 1,200 new tools and products” to be released through an expanded network that includes Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and Amazon.com.”

 

[Dirtman]

Part of the appeal of craftsman back in the olden days was being able to walk into any sears anywhere with a pile of broken tools and getting them all instantly replaced with no questions asked. They always had an entire inventory of basically every tool craftsman made so you just picked out the replacement tools and went on your way.

Yes you can still get broken craftsman tools replaced at lowes or other places but they don't stock the entire craftsman inventory like sears did so there's almost no chance they will have the right tool to replace it with. So yea they still have the warranty but it's no where near as easy to deal with anymore. Took me 2 weeks to get a craftsman ratchet warrantied recently because no one had it in stock and no one was willing to order it since I wasn't actually buying anything. I was simply told "If it aint on the shelf you're out of luck".

That and craftsmans quality has gone in the crapper since the mid 90's. I still own a ton of craftsman tools but just see no logical reason to buy any new ones when there seems to be way better options now for the same price or less. Kobalt, Sunnex, Gearwrench, Tekton all seem to be making decent tools with good warranties. And if I gotta buy online anyway, why bother with craftsman.

 

[Shran]

Warranty on any Craftsman tools is a pain... the Lowe's in town here sometimes enforces a strict policy of only replacing things that have the exact model number that they carry. Older tool? You're SOL. Oddly though, on occasion they will just send me down the tool aisle and tell me to pick out the one I want. Ace Hardware is just as bad.

If you call Craftsman they will send out a replacement. They will also tell you that their sales agreement with Lowes and Ace requires those stores to replace your old tool with the closest thing they have in stock. I've had pretty good luck telling the store employees that and threatening to call Craftsman right there on the spot so that they can hear it... it's pretty frustrating.

Kobalt was decent but their warranty is even worse. "lifetime" but if the tool has been discontinued you are totally out of luck.