CM vs Gwrench ratcheting wrenches

[tuzzy]

I was going to order the Gearwrench ratcheting wrenches online. But hesitated and decided to go to Sears just see them in person. So I went to Sears and found they were on sale and nearly half price, only to also find the Craftsman also on sale.

I compared the two, this is what I found.

IMO the Craftsman wrenches were substantially better than the Gearwrench. What was noticeable was that the CM wrenches were longer and felt more stout, the gear mechanism was tighter and had no play where as the Gearwrench was loose. The Craftsman felt better while turning the ratchet. Although they both advertise 5 degrees gears the Craftsman teeth seem closer ( maybe this was a result of the the ratchet mechanism not having as much play) the teeth engaged crisper as well.

The difference between the finish on the two brands was that the Gearwrench chrome was much brighter. I did not prefer this. It looked cheap next to the CM finish.

Price difference was $80 vs $70 regular price Gearwrench less expensive. Sale price $60 vs $35 Gearwrench less expensive.

Is the CM $25 better? I think so.


Just my thought for those that order online without seeing the tools first hand.

 

[DMAR]

Are you talking about the Cross Force ratcheting wrenches? If so, I have a set of the US made cross force ratcheting wrenches, and really like them, good quality. I don't have the Gearwrench to compare, but they did not seem to be the same level of quality, and that's why I went with the US made CM...

If I recall correctly the Gearwrenches I looked at were made in China, not Taiwan, so that was another red flag in not going with them.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

I've got a set of older Craftsman RP ratcheting wrenches (both the normal combination version, and the double-box version) and some Taiwan Gearwrench. My impressions are actually the exact opposite - the Craftsman version is very loose and occasionally skips teeth, the finish is exceptionally dull (even for RP wrenches), and they're shorter than the Gearwrench wrenches, which are much tighter with no play, longer, and have better chrome.

May be the difference in new vs old wrenches from both companies.

 

[cbracer]

Your analysis is identical to what I found. I own both in metric. Sadly the GW offers more sizes than CM ever will. And if you need a 22mm GW is your only affordable option.

 

[Super Sport]

I have both sitting at home right now. The lack of sizes for the Cman is what steered me away. They seemed to me like the same internals, I didn't notice any differance there. The Cman look a little bit nicer, but that doesn't bother me.

The Cman came out of a 309pc set and I will be selling them and keeping the GW.

 

[powertrip]

Be specific. Craftsman made/makes 6 different styles of ratcheting wrenches. Flat, reversable, flex, cross force, stubby flex and pawl less raised panel design. They were all USA made but now they are china made. The pawl less ones and stubby flex ones were dicontinued but some may be around and the USA ones are far different from the china ones.

 

[topher_csr]

i have a metric set of CM, which i love, and a SAE set of Gearwrench. the Gwrench were on a great sale and i needed a SAE set so i picked them up. i am not impressed at all with them. i was using the 1/2 wrench and the ratching part just fell out! also i like how the CM have the switch to change directions, while you have to flip the Gwrench. just my input. i need to figure out how to get that 1/2" warrantied now.

 

[concealer404]

i have a metric set of CM, which i love, and a SAE set of Gearwrench. the Gwrench were on a great sale and i needed a SAE set so i picked them up. i am not impressed at all with them. i was using the 1/2 wrench and the ratching part just fell out! also i like how the CM have the switch to change directions, while you have to flip the Gwrench. just my input. i need to figure out how to get that 1/2" warrantied now.

***** that the ratcheting part fell out, but you're comparing two different products.

Gearwrench does make a reversible set. It's more expensive. You're comparing bottom of the barrel Gearwrench with not-bottom-of-barrel CM. If you don't like how you have to flip the Gearwrench, then don't buy that style and buy the reversibles instead.

You can warranty the Gearwrench at Sears, Advance Auto Parts, or directly through Gearwrench/Apex.

 

[twincam00]

the 0 degree off set craftsman sets skip sizes and they arent even available separately

 

[tjmonsen5]

I love my craftsman non reversibles. I use them 99% of the time over the reversibles. Not sure why, just easy to use I guess.
I dont use my gearwrenches often, maybe because I have the flex head versions. only used a handful of times, they seems to be equal quality to me compared to my cmans.

 

[soloz2]

I love my Craftsman locking flex ratcheting wrenches. I use them all the time, but I wish they had a 14mm one. Subarus use a lot of 14mm nuts/bolts and I can't get one to match my set so I'm probably going to pick up a GW one to fill the gap.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

[tuzzy]

I've got a set of older Craftsman RP ratcheting wrenches (both the normal combination version, and the double-box version) and some Taiwan Gearwrench. My impressions are actually the exact opposite - the Craftsman version is very loose and occasionally skips teeth, the finish is exceptionally dull (even for RP wrenches), and they're shorter than the Gearwrench wrenches, which are much tighter with no play, longer, and have better chrome.

May be the difference in new vs old wrenches from both companies.

The Crafstman wrenches I am talking about are not raised panel. They are fully polished.

 

[tuzzy]

Be specific. Craftsman made/makes 6 different styles of ratcheting wrenches. Flat, reversable, flex, cross force, stubby flex and pawl less raised panel design. They were all USA made but now they are china made. The pawl less ones and stubby flex ones were dicontinued but some may be around and the USA ones are far different from the china ones.

They are the standard, polished, non reversible, non flex and say USA on them and sold in every Sears store and Sears online for 79.99 for a 8 piece set. The comparable Gearwrench was 69.99 didnt pay attention to where it was made. Not that I care where its made. I have many Japanese and Taiwan made tools that are of excellent quality.

By the way I also compared the other versions of the ratcheting ratchets (reversible, flex) CM vs GW and the Craftsman version of the same exact Gearwrench ratcheting wrench was superior in everyway except for price.

 

[shoturtle]

If you need sizes, the gearwrench is the way to go. The craftsman usa made are nicer. The newer chinese ones are the same as the gearwrench ones.

 

[jetmech09]

Just wait until you get a non-reversing wrench stuck I like the c-man ones personally. I have gear wrench flex heads at work, they are okay. My buddy has a set of the craftsman (older model, locking flex head/reversible) that I like 100x better.

 

[cbracer]

Yes I was comparing CM and GW non reversible ones, as I'm sure that what the original post meant. The GW do lock up on you, I've had this happen twice now with little use. I added a bit of marvel oil. The CM have never locked up and I've had them much longer. Just wasn't happy about not having the availability of sizes.... they are nicer.