kams1973
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Has anybody tried to warranty Snap on tools rusted to the point they are no longer usable?
Snap on warranty
- Thread starter kams1973
- Start date
mrshaun
Well-known member
Most guys know not to try and warranty it. I have only had a couple of guys try in `10yrs
mudflap
Well-known member
Like others have said, try mailing it in, worth a shot.
JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN
Well-known member
I had a 3" Snap on extension that I used in my boat, it got so rusted that the detent ball was solid, I figured I would try and get it warrantied. Ended up walking off the truck with a brand new knurled 4". This was when our shop had just gotten a new S/O guy, his rep had given me a look and let it slide
znowaczyk
Banned
And everybody wonders why dealers choose not to warranty some items. Abuse of the system, that is why. Same with every other brand people ***** about the warranty. People trying to warranty tools they didn't buy and are broke, not due to workmanship, but due to abuse. If you left it out in the rain and it got rusty, your problem. Buy a new one.
JAKE-THE-TOOL-MAN
Well-known member
I agree, I couldn't get the release ball to move so I tried at the warranty and was ready to purchase a new one if denied
geeze we had a pritty good wind storm there for a minute...
anyway, i think warrentying rust tools all comes down to the type of guy your dealer is. if i took my current dealer a rusty tool he would trade it out in an instant. the MAC dealer i used to have wouldn't even have looked at it. so i would at least try, worst he can say is NO.
My Snap On dealer told me this, In fact my Snap On dealer has broken tools for me so they could be warrantied. A rusted tool is not covered under the Snap On warranty.
If the chrome starts to come off that would be under Warranty. Your dealer may eat it and replace a rusted tool but he will not get a warranty credit for the tool. The dealer will more than likely replace a rusted tool for a customer and then break the tool himself. If I break the tool before I give it to him I save him time. My Snap On dealer has a huge draw full of broken tools and parts of tools that has been sitting for over 20 years. He will somtimes get a part I need from this draw. I have a blow gun that is over 20 years old that needed a spring. He reached in that draw and gave me a spring from another blow gun That he was using for parts. Sometimes if the Snap On Dealer is making over $60,000 at a dealer ship he will replace a $20.00 extension no questions asked. My Snap On Dealer has 4 stops that take up 3.5 to 4 hours of his day. My Snap On Dealer will also give me a ratchet repair kit no questions asked so I can repair my own ratchet.
Last edited:
G_P
Well-known member
Flaking chrome is a manufacturing defect.
Having a tool get so rusty it is no longer usable is neglect. plain and simple.
Having a tool get so rusty it is no longer usable is neglect. plain and simple.
Lt CHEG
Well-known member
Have you tried to clean the tool up at all? I had some pretty rusty tools that I had forgotten about that ended up in some flooding in my basement. It took some time, but I cleaned them up with the wire brush on my bench grinder and while they won't pass for new, they're now functional. I'd imagine that you'd have a better chance of getting a warranty replacement if the tool wasn't rusted solid, even if you do break it before trying to replace it. I'm not talking about just surface rust either, I had an adjustable wrench for example that the jaws wouldn't open on because it was so rusted. 10 minutes with the wire wheel and a little WD40 and it works terrific now. Honestly, it was an old Craftsman, so I could warranty it if I wanted to, but it works terrific, just like new now and is probably even better than the newer ones so why warranty it now? I'd say, in good conscience that you need to at least clean it up before warrantying it even if you do break it first.
billymade
Well-known member
You could always try this.... http://www.evapo-rust.com/ This stuff is incredible! 
A blemish in chrome is a manufacturer defect. Rust, is almost always the result of abuse, neglect, or exceptionally harsh environments which would corrode anything.
Chris Adams
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,117
I live in a very benign environment as far as rust is concerned. Now, heat and cold...
Anyway, I've had tools, including Snap-On start to rust with no particular reason. Brand new, twenty wrenches in a row, and one that was never used started rusting. Odd size, just never used it. Rust. Surface rust, but a local Snap-On guy swapped it out. That was 18 months ago. New one has not started to rust, neither have the others.
Not an attack on Snap-On by any means. I've had raised panel Craftsman do that, as well as Husky sockets. US made, by the way.
I have one SK short 1/2 wrench, it has a very light patina of rust, not enough to matter, but you can see it.
On import tools, same thing. Just one or two sockets from a couple dozen with rust.
I could see it if it was something you used on a battery, or left in the weather, but most the time it's been one that has never or seldom used.
I think on some chroming the finish is just more porous or sometimes not plated 'just so'.
I've opened tool boxes full of tools (I buy collections sometimes) and I find one wrench or socket in a set corroded out of proportion to the others very often.
Not all rust is abuse.
Toolhorder
Well-known member
What happens if you were to warranty it, does SO debit you back on it?
I'm just curious because my SO guy takes any and everything from me and knows I get them from the fleas or estate sales sometimes. Takes them with a smile and never gives me a problem. He only told me once he would like it more if I just turn in a little at a time not like 50 pieces at once.
In my defense I buy 5-6K a year from him (just bought a Solus Ultra couple weeks ago on top of the 5-6K this year) and I usually buy from him what is missing from a used set. For instance a couple months ago I bought a box of tools (most Cornwell) and inside was a set of 3/8" 12 point universal set in SAE. These were probably 70's era and all loose beyond useful. I asked him about them and he said not a problem. He replaced about 6-7 and I bought the remaining missing ones to fill the set. Those sockets are not cheap either maybe $30-40 each.
Bulldawgtools
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2011
- Messages
- 65
I have never had a problem in regards to taking care of my customers rusty tools and of course once I threw it in the warranty box I was 100% confident I would get my money back for taking care of my guys.
mrshaun
Well-known member
I have had a couple of items kicked back before. Mainly ratchets. If the guts are full of rust they put down that it is field repairable. It has only happened a couple of times now.
Toolhorder
Well-known member
Yeah my dealer must do okay he's never complaining. He says even in this economy he's doing good. I was a little surprised.