Flex reversible ratcheting wrench set or regular reversible ratcheting wrench set?

[Steen27]

Cost not being an issue (because I want to know which is better or used more or longer lasting NOT which is cheaper in price)

Would you get a regular reversible ratcheting combination wrench set or a flexible end reversible ratcheting combination wrench set? Why?

Brand is not so important as most all brands make both types these days...

Thanks in advance for everyone's feedback, opinions and suggestions.

 

[Pug}{maN]

I USE BOTH MINE, BUT IF I WAS TO JUST BUY ONE KIND, IT BE THE flexible end , CUZ WHEN YOU NEED IT YOU NEED IT....

 

[Ritter4.0]

This has nothing to do with durability. I have Duralast regular reversible ratchet wrenches $50 for a 7pc set Made in Taiwan. I saw Lowe's has the Gearwrench version on sale for $40 8ish pc set Made in China. The box end on the Gearwrenches are tighter, but have a larger profile. The Duralast are a little looser on the box end, but have a smaller profile.

 

[saturdaymechanic]

Like someone else said, when you need the flex head nothing works better.

I love my GW flex wrenches.

 

[knocker]

I bought the standard ratcheting wrenches and i still find myself needing and wanting the flex heads, I vote flex all the way

 

[griff99]

I had the Craftsman raised panel non-reversible ratcheting wrenches, then I bought the Gearwrench flex-heads, the Crafstman's just sit there now, I very rarely use them. I just picked up a couple of individual ones to fill gaps in my set at Lowe's while they are on clearance. Some of the smaller ones aren't much of a savings ($1-$2 off) but some of the larger wrenches are $5+ off. I picked up an 8mm, 9mm, 16mm and a 5/16" for about $27.

 

[csargents1546]

Definaltey the flex head

 

[Hammer1963]

Matco Flex head Spline Drive wrenches SRFM52P is the part number for the smaller sizes. They come in both Metric and SAE. Check them out.

I just picked up a set of Cornwell http://www.cornwelltools.com/webcat...RW12MDFS-%2d-12-Pc.Met-Double-Flex-Rat.Wr.Set and they go on sale May 1st. My dealer was nice enough to let me purchase them today for $219.99 thats $100.00 off

 

[williaty]

I have to say both, sadly. When you don't need the flex, it'll eventually piss you off when you have to try to get it onto a bolt head you can't quite reach and the damned flex keeps pushing over rather than seating onto the bolt. On the other hand when you need the flex, you need the flex.

So buy both.

Matco Flex head Spline Drive wrenches SRFM52P is the part number for the smaller sizes. They come in both Metric and SAE. Check them out.

Those are awesome wrenches. I wish I could find a similar product from an industrial tool supplier so I didn't get raped by the tool truck tax.

 

[Original Man]

What about the flex wrenches that lock?

 

[williaty]

What about the flex wrenches that lock?

I've only ever gotten to use cheap ones. They were rattly enough even when locked that they annoyed me. Plus, you've got the extra lever and ridges to get hung up on ****.

 

[bchee]

Would you get a regular reversible ratcheting combination wrench set or a flexible end reversible ratcheting combination wrench set?

 

[wornoutoldman]

X Beam Xtra long Flex (by gearwrench) 60-100 bucks for a 9 piece set metric or sae.

 

[rocklobster]

Flex head all the way. I dont see the need for a reversible flex head because you just flip the wrench over.

You need a reversible box end for an offset wrench.

 

[BQuicksilver]

Locking flex so you have the best of both worlds. Lock it straight when you don't need the flex. I love my Gearwrench locking flex XL kit.

Yeah, get locking not reversible units. Reversing does nothing for you (just flip the wrench). The locking isn't perfect, but it does help significantly when you want to get some torque on a fastener. You don't spend all of your time trying to keep it from flexing away from the bolt. Think of a fastener on the bottom of something that you're approaching from above. Gravity isn't your friend there unless you can lock the flex head.

 

[dede2897234]

If you want to compare apples to apples keep in mind there are not many options for wrenches with BOTH flex AND reversible.
It looks like the responses so far haven't addressed this.
There's only 2 makers that I can recall off the top of my head:
Williams/Bluepoint
Kabo/EZRed/SK

I think Monte, superautobacs, or dede know of other Japanese or German makers.

As "bchee" mentioned above, Kabo makes flexible, reversible ratcheting wrenches for EZ Red, SK (no longer manufactured), Matco, Mac (Mac Edge), Blue-point, Crescent, KTC (Japanese brand), TONE (Japanese brand), Pedros, and Ega-Master.

Please click on this link to view post numbers 2644 and 2655 from "superautobacs" about this topic: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1010108&highlight=ktc+kabo#post1010108.


Dave

 

[williaty]

Reversing does nothing for you (just flip the wrench).

Your inherent presumption is that the wrench can be removed from the fastener. It is possible to work the wrench into a position where it cannot be removed from the fastener without reversing it. There's a great example of a guy doing this with the exhaust manifold for his water ski here on GJ.

 

[Old Donn]

Got both, reversibles get used 2-3x more than the flex-heads.

 

[BQuicksilver]

Your inherent presumption is that the wrench can be removed from the fastener. It is possible to work the wrench into a position where it cannot be removed from the fastener without reversing it. There's a great example of a guy doing this with the exhaust manifold for his water ski here on GJ.

You can't think of other ways to remove a wrench outside of reversing it? lol

Either way, locking is a more useful feature than reversing.

 

[scott37300]

You can't think of other ways to remove a wrench outside of reversing it? lol

Either way, locking is a more useful feature than reversing.

It happens, when you back the bolt out to far up against something and the only way to get the wrench out is to reverse it.

 

[Layspeed]

The most used wrenches in my box are my metric Gearwrench flex heads.

 

[williaty]

You can't think of other ways to remove a wrench outside of reversing it? lol

Either way, locking is a more useful feature than reversing.

It happens, when you back the bolt out to far up against something and the only way to get the wrench out is to reverse it.

The moment you "back it into a corner", you'll think that reversing feature is a lot more useful than any flex. Everyone thinks they'd never do something dumb like get a wrench trapped. Until it happens. I haven't done it. Yet. Which is why I buy reversible wrenches. So at 3am the night before a race, when I finally do something dumb, I can just flip a lever and get out of trouble.