Armstrong Ratchet

[gunner3773]

I was wanting to buy long handled Toptul ratchets in 1/2" and 3/8". Unfortunately, Mike was out of stock and it appears he would be so for about two months. Too long to wait so, after reading a few posts about Armstrong ratchets, I started looking into them. Discovered that they are a real high quality ratchet. I started looking at Ebay and found a new Armstrong 12-973(1/2 long handle) for $39.95 and shipping. Thought I would take a chance and buy it. All I have to say is HOLY ****. I read that they were a high quality ratchet, but until I got that thing I never realized to what degree of quality they truly are made. I then bought a 12-992 (1/2" standard handle) for $24.95 plus shipping. Good grief those were cheap!

Needless to say, I am currently hunting for the long locking flex handle ratchets in 3/8" and 1/4". I'll buy the gearless Toptul ratchets from Mike, but I am sold on Armstrong for the moment. They look to be built tougher than my 35 year old Craftsman(when Craftsman built quality tools) ratchet.

 

[arkangel06]

Armstrong makes nice ratchets! congrads on your new tools

 

[BWright]

I've got 11-992, 11-994, 12-992, and 12-994 and all I can say is they are awesome ratchets and priced right for USA made ratchets. You won't be disappointed. Nice buys!

 

[tonydanzah]

same quality as a matco ratchet

 

[quattrojon]

I've got 11-992, 11-994, 12-992, and 12-994 and all I can say is they are awesome ratchets and priced right for USA made ratchets. You won't be disappointed. Nice buys!

The Armstrong 11-992 and 11-994 are by far my best selling ratchets. The quality is up there with the leading brands. I personally like the ergonomic handles and the shallow depth on the ratchet head.

 

[TRTOOLSUPPLY]

The list price on those:

12-973...$88.76

12-992...$102.16


I think you got a pretty good deal!

 

[t100]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ARMS...Z280451188072QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

I used mine with a 3 foot cheater bar on the U-bolts on my bud's truck, got at least of 300+ ftlbs of torque, never any doubt it would hold and we were not disappointed. it has the beefiest head I've ever seen. heavy as heck, too.

 

[dustin19]

i paid 4bucks for mine at a garage sale best 4 bucks ever spent

 

[BWright]

i paid 4bucks for mine at a garage sale best 4 bucks ever spent

Haha yea I'd say so.

 

[dustin19]

Haha yea I'd say so.

i like the industrial finish i been waiting to find the 1/2 version mines the 3/8

 

[Snap50]

Received an new 11-992 , Maxx 3/8 ratchet today for $25 delivered; Ebay score.
That is a thing of beauty; not sure whether to put it in the tool chest or on the mantle!
Need sunglasses with that chrome finish.

 

[back2class]

So sad. I had a bunch of nice and some new Armstrong ratchets and I had trouble getting $10 each for them. 40 year old craptastic rusty snap-ons I can sell all day long for $25-35.

 

[Pukeballs]

Yeah Im diggin the Armstrongs too. Got a couple from ebay the past couple of weeks, and I got to say they sure are solid. Also been piecing together the eliminator ratchets and socket sets too.

 

[woody 73]

They are very nice tools glad that you like them!

 

[arkangel06]

i paid 4bucks for mine at a garage sale best 4 bucks ever spent

You luckey ******

Whats up with the finnish on that ratchet?

 

[Merkava_4]

You luckey ******

Whats up with the finnish on that ratchet?

That's their new copper tone tropical line up.

 

[autoace]

i paid 4bucks for mine at a garage sale best 4 bucks ever spent

I like that finish, I get tired of bright chrome. Do they still make that finish?

 

[arkangel06]

That's their new copper tone tropical line up.

I wish it was all copper like that, its pretty cool looking.

 

[autoace]

That's their new copper tone tropical line up.

I like it!

 

[Mickey O]

I really like Armstrong tools, seems like they are more readily available at great price than they used to be. My Armstrong ratchet:

 

[BWright]

I like that finish, I get tired of bright chrome. Do they still make that finish?

Yep that is their industrial finish.

 

[BWright]

Yeah Im diggin the Armstrongs too. Got a couple from ebay the past couple of weeks, and I got to say they sure are solid. Also been piecing together the eliminator ratchets and socket sets too.

Haha so you are the one that has been outbidding me.

 

[atlinwi202]

Do any of you know the source for single armstrong eliminator sockets, socket adapters, and stuff like that? open stock?

Any help is appereciated

 

[Pukeballs]

Haha so you are the one that has been outbidding me.

Lol! Yeah probably. Got all 3 drive sizes in sae now + the hex bit drivers in mm and sae.

 

[Pukeballs]

Do any of you know the source for single armstrong eliminator sockets, socket adapters, and stuff like that? open stock?

Any help is appereciated

Theres quite a few guys on ebay that sell the eliminator stuff. Maybe if you shoot a few of them an email and ask them to keep an eye out for the sizes you need, you could get them that way.

Other then ebay, I dont know of anyone still selling the eliminator stuff online. Good luck.

 

[quattrojon]

Do any of you know the source for single armstrong eliminator sockets, socket adapters, and stuff like that? open stock?

Any help is appereciated

Is there anything specific that you are looking for?

 

[quattrojon]

Do any of you know the source for single armstrong eliminator sockets, socket adapters, and stuff like that? open stock?

Any help is appereciated

My supplier has a couple of Eliminator ratchets in 3/8 drive, and also the adapters that allow the use of standard sockets. Sadly they don't have any sockets left.

 

[Mickey O]

Do any of you know the source for single armstrong eliminator sockets, socket adapters, and stuff like that? open stock?

Any help is appereciated

Discontinued and hard to come by and those sets aren't worth a **** without extension, keep your eye on eBay and pick up another set with what you need when you find a cheap set, maybe flea markets, I bought a set through craig's list.

What I'm wondering is, and maybe quattrojon would know; 1.) is what they do for warranty items, they are lifetime warranty? 2.) I believe Danaher still makes a through-hole ratchet system either in KD or GearWrench, if they do are those exchangeable with the Armstrong? If so that would be a good source for miscellaneous sockets, extensions, etc.

 

[Rnz520]

Who makes Kobalts new rachets, I saw them at Lowes and they say Made in the USA and feel MUCH better than the older ones they had maybe a year ago.
I am curious because they kinda look like Armstrongs.

 

[supertooljunkie]

Same people who make Craftsman, Armstrong, Matco, and Kobalt. Danaher Tools.

 

[Mickey O]

Who makes Kobalts new rachets, I saw them at Lowes and they say Made in the USA and feel MUCH better than the older ones they had maybe a year ago.
I am curious because they kinda look like Armstrongs.

Very interesting, obviously its a Danaher, appears to be a hybrid, half Craftsman, half Armstrong, I'll have to take a look at them.

Also very interesting is they have a Kolbalt through-hole ratchet system, but it has a different drive system than the Armstrong, hex not spline, too bad a locking head flex ratchet would be nice provided it's USA made.

 

[Mickey O]

Wow, Lowes has all types of USA made tools again, woo hoo!

For those looking for another brand of USA made ratcheting wrenches

Kobalt 7-Piece Locking Flex Head Metric Wrench Set $94.96
7-Piece Locking Flex Head Metric Wrench Set

* Locking flex head feature for reaching off-angle fasteners
* Extreme Gear technology provides greater strength
* Made in USA with lifetime "hassle-free" guarantee
* Full polished chrome finish for easy clean-up

Kobalt 3/8" Drive Flex Head Ratchet $28.48

* Made in USA
* Lifetime "hassle-free" guarantee
* Flex Head for increased access
* Quick on/off feature

 

[Fedwrench]

Also very interesting is they have a Kolbalt through-hole ratchet system, but it has a different drive system than the Armstrong, hex not spline, too bad a locking head flex ratchet would be nice provided it's USA made.

Wow, Lowes has all types of USA made tools again, woo hoo!For those looking for another brand of USA made ratcheting wrenches

Don't get excited. the pass through ratchet set is a rebadged copy of the Gearwrench Vortex drive version with a different handle on the ratchet. It's made in Taiwan.
Those full polished ratcheting wrenches **** in my opinion as they only have 36 teeth for a 12 degree swing compared to other models with 72-90 teeth.
The Kobalt (Danaher) hybrid ratchet you referred to, is probably more Craftsman than anything else. It has the Danaher universal 36 tooth ratcheting action which, isn't great and the finish is on par with Craftsman and far below Armstrong in my opinion.
Lowes has been hawking these tools for at least two years now, and the 3/8 flex head has the older style handle from when Danaher started making Kobalt tools more than a few years ago.

 

[Mickey O]

Don't get excited. the pass through ratchet set is a rebadged copy of the Gearwrench Vortex drive version with a different handle on the ratchet. It's made in Taiwan.
Those full polished ratcheting wrenches **** in my opinion as they only have 36 teeth for a 12 degree swing compared to other models with 72-90 teeth.
The Kobalt (Danaher) hybrid ratchet you referred to, is probably more Craftsman than anything else. It has the Danaher universal 36 tooth ratcheting action which, isn't great and the finish is on par with Craftsman and far below Armstrong in my opinion.
Lowes has been hawking these tools for at least two years now, and the 3/8 flex head has the older style handle from when Danaher started making Kobalt tools more than a few years ago.

That's too bad but I already have the Armstrong's anyhow, I'll be taking a look at their ratcheting wrenches and ratchets (maybe they have some other ones), maybe a Matco/Armstrong internal swap?

 

[Monte]

The box end of the Kobalt ratcheting wrenches look like Craftsman and Armstrong

 

[Rnz520]

Yea I was pretty happy to notice they said USA on them too, I might actually buy some new ones because the older stuff was not good.

 

[quattrojon]

Discontinued and hard to come by and those sets aren't worth a **** without extension, keep your eye on eBay and pick up another set with what you need when you find a cheap set, maybe flea markets, I bought a set through craig's list.

What I'm wondering is, and maybe quattrojon would know; 1.) is what they do for warranty items, they are lifetime warranty? 2.) I believe Danaher still makes a through-hole ratchet system either in KD or GearWrench, if they do are those exchangeable with the Armstrong? If so that would be a good source for miscellaneous sockets, extensions, etc.

1.) I would hope that Armstrong had the forsight to hold on to some stock for warranty purposes. Perhaps Steve from Armstrong will chime in.

2.) Sadly they aren't compatible with the Gearwrench version.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

how are these ratchets holding up and how do they compare to the craftsman premium ratchets?

 

[chris6278]

The armstrong locking flexheads, put matco 88 tooth kits in all mine, are by far my favorite ratchets. I have the craftsman premiums an they are nice too but i like the armstrongs alot better. Id take them both over dual 80s but thats just my personal opinion

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have a 3/8 locking flex head and I love it. do you have a link to the matco 88 tooth kits?

I have dual 80s at work company provided. they are nice but not my favorite ratchet.