I got a set of Gearwrench SAE and metric S and Halfmoon wrenches a while ago, so for Christmas I decided to fill out my collection with reversible combination wrenches (half off at Sears!).

I kind of had a thought while I was looking at them, sooo purrtty in their puurrttyy little plastic cases, that the case and the wrench don't say USA anywhere on them. I always assumed, due to their reputation, following and price, that they were American made, but nope, they're all made in China. At least the ones I have.

The other thing I noticed was the "we replace tools only at our discretion" disclaimer next to their "guaranteed for life" icon.

But by now I'm too committed to buying them than to fill out my assortment with anything else...

So, was I wrong in buying Gearwrenches instead of the Snap-On or whoever elses' equivalent?

Begle1's Sig:

A custom-made electro-digital-hydraulic water injection system with a 1990 D-250 wrapped around it that on a good day might break 15 seconds in the quarter.

gear wrenches are way way better than crapsman ratcheting wrenches because you have to turn the crapsman 1/4 turn to get it to click , it completely negates the entire purpose of using a ratcheting wrench from my experience

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2002 Cummins , Super B Turbo , ATS Intake Manifold , ATS Exhaust Manifold , Suncoast Triple Disk Torque Converter , Suncoast ProLoc Valve Body , 5.0 KDL , Diamond Eye 4" Turbo Back Exhaust , Quadzilla Adrenaline w/ Pulse Monitor , KORE Pace Suspention , Schied VP44 , EEP 150HP Injectors , 150 Air Dog

i use mine all day everyday..out national tool dealer has always took em back when they lock up...i make my livin with em and i love em

dieselbeef's Sig:

silver 02 ram 2500 4x4 quad cab shrtbed. auto, drag comp,smarty,super b, 130 inj, airaid, bd intake horn, crt trans, ranchands, 35's on beadlocks, single 5''stack,

I use them at work and they last quite a while. I just throw them away and buy new ones when they break. Or my company buys new ones. It's just a pain to go to Sears to warrant them and they never have one of the size i need replaced.

scottsjeeprolet's Sig:

1999 Dodge DRW EXcab, 4X4, S&B Intake (thanks Holland Court Diesel), Dual exhaust, , Adrenaline w/Pulse AirDog 100. BD valve body, TCI TC, Isspro new Dodge white gauges. DDII's, SP Diesel Trans controller .
MD DTR Chapter #33 President

Great wrenches

I got some good wrenches but 99% of mine are mac tools or matco

coyropin's Sig:

01 3500 dodge 24 v cummins, GD Stage 5 150 hp injectors, GD turbo stage 3, 16cfm exhaust 14cfm intake, AFE intake, Edge 5 stage chip, DD 12 button south bend clutch,#2 vp44 pump fass fuel ddp, dual 5 in exhaust stacks flat bed

i have had good luck with them. just dont torque to hard on the smaller ones

94dizzyram's Sig:

2001 cummins 24 valve quad cab auto. fass fuel 150,K&N Intake and filter, 4" MBRP exaust, edge ez, GS Gauges egt,boost,tranny,b+w gooseneck,little boom in the back, TC lockout switch, desilencer ringed. future mods- lots to do

i have used the crap out of them and havent had a problem with them at all. i use them more than i use my snap on wrenches

biged681985's Sig:

99 12v

bombs: 12v, 175 p-7100 pump, 4k gsk, SDX 5x.014, S&B intake, 4 inch exhaust to a 7 inch black stack, goerends TC and VB, o-ringed block, airdog 150, 60lb valve springs, backwoods bumper.

future bombs: full billet trans, larger turbo, bigger injectors, DVs

i love mine mostly use my snappy wrenches

sidekick's Sig:

2006 Ram 2500 6" Fabtech lift, 35" Toyo Open Country M/T tires,
18" Xtreme Alloy 6001 wheels, S&B cold air intake and air horn,
Magna Flow 5" turbo back exhaust, Mads Electronics Smarty, Edge Juice w/Attitude,
Devils Own Water Meth, BD Super B Special Turbo, BD Boost Fooler, Trans and Converter by GOEREND , Home made traction bars

Snap on and Matco. Wrenches. I have one gear wrench 9/16. it always reverses itself in any direction when using it. But i like the ergonomics of the wrench, i use it when my open ended snap=on wrench won't work. The snap=on's open end flexes to much.

wt_offroad's Sig:

CamShaft1999 Doge 2500 QC SB, Edge Comp, AFE Stage2, 4" Down pipe, 5" Custom Exh, 90hp Inj, Worked VP44, 6" lift, 35x12.50x18 Toyo MT, 18" Wheels, UTE LTD Bull Bar, KC Daylighters, GlowShift Gauges, EGT-BOOST-TRANS TEMP, Air Dog 150, Runs great. IN NEED OF STUDS......

I wait until they go on sale and pick sets up when they are 50-60% off. I usually get them for $40 or less. Thats less than $5 a wrench. Even if they are made China they are still decent quality - especially for the weekend mechanic. It might be a different story if you are a mechanic, working flatrate and making your living with your tools - but for most of us, that just not the case.

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98 12V quad cab 4X4 AND 2001 24V quad cab 4X4

I use MAC's for work and they are great, ive put some good torque to em and they aint broke yet (knock on wood)

stkdram55's Sig:

Just an Inline 6 Cylinder

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The GearWrench brand is owned by the Danaher Group, who is also the parent company of Matco Tools, Armstrong Tools, and a host of others.

GearWrenches are made offshore--usually Taiwan-along with many of Matco's tools--and some are from China.

The GearWrench ratchet drive is different from the Matco branded ratchet wrenches. The Matco ones are slightly stronger, but are also made offshore in Taiwan.

Craftsman offers two types of ratchet wrenches. The old-style coarse tooth "junk" design, and a professional series fine tooth style that rivals the Matco and Snap-On units for strength, erognomics, and usefulness. IMHO they are better than GearWrenches.

I own ratchet wrenches made by Snap-On, Matco, GearWrench, and Craftsman. I haven't used my GearWrenches in years (literally). I use my Snap-On and Matco wrenches every day for work, and the Craftsman Professional line are in the car trailer for use @ the track.

Snap-On makes varying degrees of quality in their ratchet wrenches as well--I use the fine tooth Flank Drive Plus combination ratchet wrenches. They are fine tools, as are my Matco ratchet wrenches.

The only thing that bugs me about Matco is they will put their brand on a tool not made by them. Danaher owns a huge assortment of brands so 'technically' it's the same company, but I get pissed off when something off the Matco truck is $80 and the same tool in K-D brand at the local hardware store is $35. Snap-On uses the Snappy brand on tools made in-house....all rebranded tools are badged Blue-Point. But, Snap-On owns a bunch of companies now as well, so it's not always that simple.

Tools are a PITA.....

Hope this helps,

Dan-

Doesn't Danaher make Craftsman and Kobalt as well?

With just about every tool company you haven't mentioned being owned by Stanley?

Stanley Works owns MAC, Proto, and Blackhawk, among others...

Craftsman is a low-bid company with tools made by nearly everyone, all over the world...rumors are their U.S.-made tools are produced by Stanley, Danaher, among others. They got in hot water @ one point about their "made in USA" slogan...guess it should have said "put together in USA" or something....

Kobalt...Rumor has it the U.S.-made tools are produced in a foundry owned by Snap-On, but to different quality standards. Many of their tools are rebrands of other companies. (Klein, Sheffield, K-D, etc).

Husky is the same way as Kobalt & Craftsman, although back in the day Husky was a brand unto itself.

There are many many many more.....