Disapointed with Armstrong ratchets

[RCsGarage]

To OP, let us know how the warranty goes with Armstrong goes. Please post back

Got it replaced through Advance auto. Am picking the new one up this Wednesday.

Took me an hour to get it replaced after them trying to be sneaky and giving me a $40 refund instead of replacing it with the lifetime warranty??? That's another story for another day.

Both Snapons are sooo much smoother than the Armstrongs.

 

[drink]

Got it replaced through Advance auto. Am picking the new one up this Wednesday.

Took me an hour to get it replaced after them trying to be sneaky and giving me a $40 refund instead of replacing it with the lifetime warranty??? That's another story for another day.

Both Snapons are sooo much smoother than the Armstrongs.

What is the price difference between the Snap-On ratchets and the Armstrong?

 

[RCsGarage]

What is the price difference between the Snap-On ratchets and the Armstrong?

The cheapest I found a new Armstrong (11-994) for is $70. I bought a new Snapon (FX80A) for $114 shipped off of eBay, most go for $130+.



I picked up the new Armstrong ratchet today from Advance Auto. It came sealed in a Armstrong plastic bag. Returned it to Advance Friday, received the new one Wednesday. Quick turn around.

 

[T45]

What is the price difference between the Snap-On ratchets and the Armstrong?

Not very much. Armstrong is $75+20ish for a rebuild kit Snap on uses is $95 for FX80 on secondary market. No point in buying armstrong to "save money" IMHO.

Buy what style you like, what COO you support, favorite color whatever.

Most expensive tool is the one you never use and/or buy several times.

 

[drink]

Do the Snap-On ratchets have machined gear teeth like the Armstrongs do? Some say the ratchet repair kits for the Matco and GearWrench ratchets will work in the Armstrong but I do not know if they have machined gear teeth. Somebody will likely buy the Armstrong ratchet at that price shipped.

 

[drink]

Not very much. Armstrong is $75+20ish for a rebuild kit Snap on uses is $95 for FX80 on secondary market. No point in buying armstrong to "save money" IMHO.

Buy what style you like, what COO you support, favorite color whatever.

Most expensive tool is the one you never use and/or buy several times.

When my Snap-On ratchet stopped working properly they sent a repair kit and my ratchet is old as the hills. If Armstrong is out of production will APEX send a repair kit while supplies last or replace it with a GearWrench or other product? I know I can buy Armstrong repair kits if I can find them. Are all of us going to discuss and possibly watch Armstrong's website go off of the air on March 31, 2017?

 

[Loscaldazar]

Do the Snap-On ratchets have machined gear teeth like the Armstrongs do? Some say the ratchet repair kits for the Matco and GearWrench ratchets will work in the Armstrong but I do not know if they have machined gear teeth. Somebody will likely buy the Armstrong ratchet at that price shipped.

Come on, stop trolling

Everyone knows that Snap On rebuild kits are completely raw and unprocessed. They come straight out of the ground looking like they do- teeth and all!

 

[T45]

When my Snap-On ratchet stopped working properly they sent a repair kit and my ratchet is old as the hills. If Armstrong is out of production will APEX send a repair kit while supplies last or replace it with a GearWrench or other product? I know I can buy Armstrong repair kits if I can find them. Are all of us going to discuss and possibly watch Armstrong's website go off of the air on March 31, 2017?

They will prob warranty for a short while with USA, but that' gonna be hit or miss pretty soon...

Remember just a year ago it was a 12m wait for a warranty replacement...do you really think they made 5 years of spare parts?? they only been selling again for maybe a year IIRC, and then they knew the whole time they were doomed long-term....

So, if you want actual usa kits from armstrong one is playing russian roulette with warranty.

To get a spare kit, armstrong is forcing people to buy NOS kits at retail right now. They will not provide courtesy spares, some GJ members have called to ask. edit: the one other possibility is to source the AJ manufacturng kits from Matco...not sure if they sell these to joe q public like snap on tho an/or at what cost?

 

[Sugarfryz]

A lot of the techs I work with use matco ratchets daily, they have a higher failure rate than my snap ons, but I wouldn't say they have a ton of issues. Are they not the same thing as Armstrong? This thread is making them look awful.

Many of my co workers are completely content with their matco ratchets, but if you ask me they are **** compared to snap on

 

[drink]

A lot of the techs I work with use matco ratchets daily, they have a higher failure rate than my snap ons, but I wouldn't say they have a ton of issues. Are they not the same thing as Armstrong? This thread is making them look awful.

Many of my co workers are completely content with their matco ratchets, but if you ask me they are **** compared to snap on

I have heard quite a few people say they like the Armstrong ratchets. Now I am wondering if any of you have done a thread on which brands of ratchets can out last the others while under heavy use.

 

[drink]

They will prob warranty for a short while with USA, but that' gonna be hit or miss pretty soon...

Remember just a year ago it was a 12m wait for a warranty replacement...do you really think they made 5 years of spare parts?? they only been selling again for maybe a year IIRC, and then they knew the whole time they were doomed long-term....

So, if you want actual usa kits from armstrong one is playing russian roulette with warranty.

To get a spare kit, armstrong is forcing people to buy NOS kits at retail right now. They will not provide courtesy spares, some GJ members have called to ask. edit: the one other possibility is to source the AJ manufacturng kits from Matco...not sure if they sell these to joe q public like snap on tho an/or at what cost?

Yeah, I like to keep a set of Armstrong tools with matching Armstrong ratchets but I have my doubts about anything being shipped at this point. It sounds like people that want to keep there Armstrong tools going will have to pay for repair parts out of pocket. APEX seems like they are constantly ending the life of too many of their brands. Having to pay for warranty out of pocket is not a warm and fuzzy feeling.

 

[drink]

Come on, stop trolling

Everyone knows that Snap On rebuild kits are completely raw and unprocessed. They come straight out of the ground looking like they do- teeth and all!

I actually do not know if Snap-On ratchet gears are cast or fully machined. I have always heard fully machined is superior compared to cast.

 

[T45]

I actually do not know if Snap-On ratchet gears are cast or fully machined. I have always heard fully machined is superior compared to cast.

Snap-on Tools Ratchet (How it's Made)

...doesn't answer the teeth q. tho

 

[drink]

Snap-on Tools Ratchet (How it's Made)

...doesn't answer the teeth q. tho

Cool video!

 

[1990 Grand Wag]

This forum is great! Out of all the Maxx 88 ratchets that I have, only one had the auto-reverse problem. Loscaldazar's spring stretching 'fix' solved the problem. Appreciate that!

 

[gdocktor3]

You'll probably have to buy rebuild kits from 3rd parties for Armstrong ratchets in the future, if not already. My guess is they'll tell you to send in your broken ratchet which will be exchanged for a Gearwrench. I do wonder though if the internals from a Craftsman 84t would fit? I don't have a Maxx 88 or I'd try it. As T45 said, it took a year to for them to start shipping out ratchets again and I remember a month or so ago someone created a thread about finally getting their order after waiting OVER year for it.

 

[finn]

That was Matco, and the delay was due to a falling out with Apex after Apex couldn't deliver.

I received my AJ Manufacturing sourced Matco in early December, and it seems like a quality piece, at least as good as my Snapon equivalent ratchets.

Since Apex is no longer the source, and AJ is now up and running, I fail to see a future problem.

 

[mikebaker1129]

You'll probably have to buy rebuild kits from 3rd parties for Armstrong ratchets in the future, if not already. My guess is they'll tell you to send in your broken ratchet which will be exchanged for a Gearwrench. I do wonder though if the internals from a Craftsman 84t would fit? I don't have a Maxx 88 or I'd try it. As T45 said, it took a year to for them to start shipping out ratchets again and I remember a month or so ago someone created a thread about finally getting their order after waiting OVER year for it.

Yes the kit from a 84 tooth Craftsman will fit in the Armstrong.

 

[apdxyk]

Snap On is **** compared to Nepros in 1/4 department.

 

[gdocktor3]

Snap On is **** compared to Nepros in 1/4 department.

And Nepros is **** compared to everything else Snap On...

 

[Loscaldazar]

Yes the kit from a 84 tooth Craftsman will fit in the Armstrong.

I remember reading that the USA Craftsman Professional 84T ratchets were just slightly different (because they had screw on cover plate, not one held in with a snap ring, so the gear mechanism was slightly taller to fit in the deeper hole) than the gearwrench 84T and Armstrong/Matco 88T

I suppose I haven't seen the 84T low profile ratchets craftsman has out now, but I think the USA rebuild kits for the USA craftsman 84T ratchets will not work. Maybe the rebuild kits for the Taiwan 84T low profile ratchets will work though

 

[drink]

That was Matco, and the delay was due to a falling out with Apex after Apex couldn't deliver.

I received my AJ Manufacturing sourced Matco in early December, and it seems like a quality piece, at least as good as my Snapon equivalent ratchets.

Since Apex is no longer the source, and AJ is now up and running, I fail to see a future problem.

I have heard the Matco 88 ratchet repair kits will work in an Armstrong Maxx 88 ratchet. Do you know if the Matco gear teeth are machined like the Armstrong Maxx 88 ratchets?

 

[sk farmer]

I have heard the Matco 88 ratchet repair kits will work in an Armstrong Maxx 88 ratchet. Do you know if the Matco gear teeth are machined like the Armstrong Maxx 88 ratchets?

yes, i have an 88 tooth gear and pawl in a gearwrench body. they interchange perfectly in an armstrong. the 60, 84 and 88 kits will interchange between all three.

the 120's however do not interchange. they use the same gear as a 60 but with with a dual pawl. the handle is machined differently because of it.

 

[KM223]

Snap On is **** compared to Nepros in 1/4 department.

I was given a 1/4 Nepros as a gift and it's a pile of ****. Pick your friends wisely I guess. Anyway you want this craptastic POS?

 

[apdxyk]

What model number?

 

[KM223]

Gift horse brother gift horse. Does it matter??

 

[apdxyk]

It matters, since you just offered "to give" it to me. And you are close

 

[T45]

I'll test it

 

[mikebaker1129]

I remember reading that the USA Craftsman Professional 84T ratchets were just slightly different (because they had screw on cover plate, not one held in with a snap ring, so the gear mechanism was slightly taller to fit in the deeper hole) than the gearwrench 84T and Armstrong/Matco 88T

I suppose I haven't seen the 84T low profile ratchets craftsman has out now, but I think the USA rebuild kits for the USA craftsman 84T ratchets will not work. Maybe the rebuild kits for the Taiwan 84T low profile ratchets will work though

The cover plates do not interchange,but everything else does. The same goes for Matco and Gearwrench.

 

[BIG BACCHUS]

Snap On is **** compared to Nepros in 1/4 department.

Nepros isn't worth the price. Far from it, actually.

 

[RCsGarage]

Little update.

I called Armstrong and told them about my experience with Advance and the way they handled the warranty issue, not that it was in any way Armstrongs fault.

They offered to send me a rebuild kit for free. I also told them what had happen with the 1/4" and sent him the picture of the sliver of metal. He said he'll thrown in a rebuild kit for that too "just in case."

Even though they're going through a transition their customer service is top notch.

 

[SMKS]

When I had a broken Armstrong ratchet they wouldn't send me a kit and made me go to Fastenal. As I wrote earlier in the thread, the people at Fastenal had no idea what to do.

 

[RCsGarage]

When I had a broken Armstrong ratchet they wouldn't send me a kit and made me go to Fastenal. As I wrote earlier in the thread, the people at Fastenal had no idea what to do.

That *****.

I guess I just got the right CS rep on the right day.

 

[Skin]

The cover plates do not interchange,but everything else does. The same goes for Matco and Gearwrench.

Negatory. The 84T premium drive is machined a little on the back side so it sits deeper in the head to accommodate the cover plate. Its unique.

 

[RCsGarage]

Came home and these were on my door step.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Negatory. The 84T premium drive is machined a little on the back side so it sits deeper in the head to accommodate the cover plate. Its unique.

Yes it is a little different on the back side,but I have done it and it fits just fine.
Don't take my word for it,try it yourself.