TEKTON 15010 Complete Fail

[wild cowboy]

There is also the fact that most of my 3/8 is 12 point and the 1/2 is six point.
I was pulling brake caliper bolts on Monday, I had my 10mm 1/2 drive out for that as per usual, and nothing broke.

here is a trick to avoid over-torqueing 10mm bolts and snapping it off, which is very easy to do with a long handle 3/8" ratchet or a 1/2" ratchet!

first of all, you should really be using a torque wrench, but if one is not available, here is what you can do in a pinch:

place your thumb on the head of the ratchet while tightening the bolt, this will limit the amount of torque you can apply, even if you are some kind of popeye strong man!

 

[nicksnothereman]

Kobalt Taiwan fail. Same ratchet head.

What did you use it on?

This is the spark plug ratchet right? That's a good ratchet in my opinion. Maybe this stuff is durable to me because of how I work, I don't know but I've never had these issues with taiwanese made stuff. Maybe you should impose a torque limit on the import 3/8 stuff or just buy 1/2 and use a reducer if you trust your 3/8" sockets.

 

[theamcaddict]

What did you use it on?

This is the spark plug ratchet right? That's a good ratchet in my opinion. Maybe this stuff is durable to me because of how I work, I don't know but I've never had these issues with taiwanese made stuff. Maybe you should impose a torque limit on the import 3/8 stuff or just buy 1/2 and use a reducer if you trust your 3/8" sockets.

Tightening a new leaf spring shackle bolt. Ratchet mechanism still worked afterwards. Sometimes you just have quality issues I guess.

Craftsman China chrome flaking off when new.

Gearwrench 85616 chrome falling off after one belt tensioner replacement.

Ez red flex ratchet elbow manufacturing defect. Pivot screw placed too high. The head wouldn't hold in place due to the spring having to over extend. Tough to explain.

Gearwrench 85614 locking switch fell out after moderate use.

I have other examples. The only thing I have to say it that in the case of the locking flex head wrenches the craftsman USA versions have held up much better.

 

[wild cowboy]

The only failures I have seen in Taiwan made tools:

● ratchets (due to breaking with it, rather than the correct tool: a breaker bar)
● ratcheting wrenches (due to breaking with it, rather than the correct tool: a box end)
● drive adapters such as 1/2 to 3/8 etc. (those are a tool that shouldn't even really be used)

 

[shampoop]

You betcha! I lied actually, my 10mm 1/2 socket is about worn out. Life in the land of rust.

Damn, must be using some extremely inferior tools! 10mm 1/2" drive is just plain stupid, no other way to put it. You're using a stubby 1/2" drive on those 10mm bolts Even a useless standard length 1/2" drive ratchet is overkill for anything 10mm.

Bare minimum for 1/2" drive is 17mm for the really tough stuff. Do you use "standard length" aka worthless ratchets? No air tools either? For automotive work standard length ratchets over 1/4" drive are just plane useless.

 

[threewood]

3/8 drive on suspension components? I'm not surprised it broke. 1/2" is what you should have been using. Replacing the struts in my 03 Pathfinder, I had a 1/2" breaker bar with cheater pipe and I thought it was going to rapidly disassemble itself until the bolt let loose with a nice bang. An impact would have been better but my old, small compressor just didn't have the umph.

Right tool for the job and all that. Techton should warranty it.

 

[bczygan]

The problem with these XL's is that they aren't meant as breaker bar replacements but end up as them some times. With that kind of length it's easy for the leverage to get out of hand.

Send me an email and I'll have a replacement out your way.

Dave

[email protected]

Damned good customer service!

Bill

 

[ttpete]

you figured wrong, should have taken physics in school instead of standing out behind the gym smokin weed!

if a bolt is torqued at 90 ft-lbs, depending on the condition of the threads and other factors, it could easily take 400 or more ft-lbs. to break that same bolt!

A lot of those suspension bolts are made with locking compound already applied to the threads, and it takes a lot more torque to get them moving than was used to tighten them.

 

[onarant]

Been using some Tekton tools for a while now and no problems. Maybe it was just a bad one that got by quality control.

 

[DBendr]

If the engineering world were perfect there would be no quick release in 3/8 over 11 inches or so long, in 1/4 over 7 or so and even 1/2 over 15 or so.
The gadgetry inside the anvil removes a considerable % of the anvil itself and builds in a bit of weakness(whatever that % of "missing metal" is.
I assure you if I put the force on my 17" EZ 3/8 that I have on my Matco 15" that anvil will let go. The EZ mechanism itself will take it, no problem. Not the QR anvil.
Same with the EZ 1/4 @ 11 inches. That anvil will let go if I pull like I do on my TLL72 or Matco 88. No doubt about it. I've pulled those two so hard I've turned my head...waiting.LOL They both bend back but they flex plenty. Make a man drink !

I've expected the QR's to snap many a time. I'm sure they will and soon enough due to stress time and again. No biggie. The kits are in the bottom drawer. 5 minutes and we're back.