Experiences with Gearwrench

[tystaco]

I am looking to upgrade my tools and have been looking at the 84 tooth Gearwrench sets, really leaning towards getting the flex head variety.

Anybody have experiences with these, either fixed or flex head? I am not a master mechanic, but I think these would be a huge improvement over my standard channel lock brand rachets.

 

[Jetboy]

IMO - I would not use a gearwrench style ratcheting box wrench without some ability to reverse the direction. There are many times where you could get into trouble by being able to either turn a bolt in or out where you trap the wrench on the bolt head and without an ability to reverse the drive you'd be stuck.

For that reason I would pass on the gearwrench and buy this style:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...kleaIW4BkTfR6sFiS59faQ8u-_NrtJbhoC2NEQAvD_BwE

I have a set of a brand I can't remember (something like kobalt or ??) like the ones in the link. They're pretty handy for a lot of uses. What I don't like is that they're short, so you don't get much leverage. And they're cheap so they have relatively large teeth on the gears and in tight spaces they're less efficient. Compared to a snap-on or similar high end tool, they're not as good. But there's a big $ difference too. I'd spend $150 on a snapon ratchet for those benefits, but not on these that I don't use as often.

good luck!

 

[mountain mike]

I have a lot of Gearwrench tools. I have a few friends who do automotive work that suggested them to me. They are not as high quality as SnapOn, or other comparable ones sold on the truck. But for me as a weekend wrencher they are great.
I have metic and sae ratchets wrenches, and then full 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 socket sets.

In short. I love them. You might also look at the 120's. All those teeth really make is easy to take off something in a tight place with not much room to work.

I don't the flex head ratchets, but they are on my X-Mas list.

 

[tystaco]

IMO - I would not use a gearwrench style ratcheting box wrench without some ability to reverse the direction. There are many times where you could get into trouble by being able to either turn a bolt in or out where you trap the wrench on the bolt head and without an ability to reverse the drive you'd be stuck.

For that reason I would pass on the gearwrench and buy this style:
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...kleaIW4BkTfR6sFiS59faQ8u-_NrtJbhoC2NEQAvD_BwE

I have a set of a brand I can't remember (something like kobalt or ??) like the ones in the link. They're pretty handy for a lot of uses. What I don't like is that they're short, so you don't get much leverage. And they're cheap so they have relatively large teeth on the gears and in tight spaces they're less efficient. Compared to a snap-on or similar high end tool, they're not as good. But there's a big $ difference too. I'd spend $150 on a snapon ratchet for those benefits, but not on these that I don't use as often.

good luck!

I appreciate the advice. I have had to torque my way out of a stuck box end wrench a couple of times in the past, so I will seek out a set of those in metric.

I am trying to hunt down new socket wrench... was looking specifically at these plus the 1/2" variety.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...6-7cc1-411f-9d12-9cc8feb6c214&pf_rd_i=desktop

Was unaware of the 120T option... the search continues!

 

[CdaleR4000si]

Gearwrench actually does have some models that will reverse. I used to have a few, lost them somewhere along the way. I would definitely like to get another set.

http://www.gearwrench.com/wrenches/ratcheting/reversible

 

[xj4play]

I have both styles. flat fixed and reversible with and without pivot head. I find myself going to the reversible fixed head the most with the flat fixed in second. the pivot head is good for really tight areas where nothing else will fit, but over time the head will loosen up.

+1 on the flat fixed getting you into trouble in certain areas and its usually an area where you end up cutting the wrench off the bolt.