Does Snap-On make any bad tools?

[Tim37]

why don't you like them? I have 2 sets and they work great.

They are just bad they are too soft the end mushrooms (the roll pin end) and the bend too easy. Quality wise they are the same as drasco. I have tried several brands and Mayhew is the winner with proto a close second Snap on looses to everyone because of the price

 

[espyking83]

Screwguns **** goat ****.


Other than that, I wouldnt label any of them 'bad', but overrated/overpriced? Virtually everything. Quality is usually always there but usually never worth it, outside of the convenience, anyways.

 

[nes999]

My problem isn't the tools but the drivers. I can't seem to get one to stop where I work. He has to pass us to get to the business at the end of the street. I end up buying from the website. Eh, I guess its good for the matco guy.

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[bcradio]

That's matco. Matco/Mayhew bend like a pretzel compared to snapon

This guy is hilarious... every time I read a comment from you I realize how clueless you are.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

A lot of these complaints are pretty subjective Snap On wrenches feel great in my hands, but I don't hold them in the middle, I hold them on the ends. I like the flex in the handle because it helps me get a feel for how tight something is. I'm pretty sure the flex is part of the design. If a tool is too stiff, it's hard to judge when you're torqueing something too hard, or when it's about to give way.
The comment about the pry bars is laughable. I would say Snap On has the sturdiest pry bars on the market.
Their air tools are pretty great. I'm not sure why anyone would say they aren't acceptably strong. The FAR7200 is nearly as powerful as an impact.

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[rodsnratfinks]

Are they supposed to? Combination Pliers with a cutter are difficult to make touch at two points and still cut/grip well.

This. Look at several other brands and you'll see the same thing.

 

[AmateurMechanic]

Are they supposed to? Combination Pliers with a cutter are difficult to make touch at two points and still cut/grip well.

This. Look at several other brands and you'll see the same thing.

Sometimes the lengths that people will go to in order to defend Snap-On is ridiculous. I don't think anyone is trying to say that Snap-On isn't great in general. But to try to claim that combination pliers aren't supposed to have matching tips is just beyond me...

My USA Channellocks have a cutter and the tips have no issues matching up perfectly.

Picture posted earlier in this thread:

$15 USA Channellocks:

 

[WhiffySpark]

This guy is hilarious... every time I read a comment from you I realize how clueless you are.

I own them both. Do you?

 

[rodsnratfinks]

Sometimes the lengths that people will go to in order to defend Snap-On is ridiculous. I don't think anyone is trying to say that Snap-On isn't great in general. But to try to claim that combination pliers aren't supposed to have matching tips is just beyond me...

My USA Channellocks have a cutter and the tips have no issues matching up perfectly.

Picture posted earlier in this thread:

$15 USA Channellocks:

I'm not trying to defend them, I'm just saying they are probably designed that way. Check out these Kleins:

Another pair:

Another pair:

A pair of side cutters:

 

[zakmartin]

I wasn't super-impressed with the $60 4-piece 9-inch pick set I bought from Snap-On. The finish on the picks was way worse than the $10 Craftsman set I bought. I do like the thick green grips though

 

[DodgeMech]

The stuff they rebrand and charge extra for that you could have bought from the original company. The things they actually manufacture are top notch and if not the best then in the discussion. Whether its worth it to you or necessary is another discussion.

so i guess you don't like matco tools at all then, right? since everything in their catalog is rebrand

Everything SO rebranded from HF are excellent. Everything else are ****. I just bought an SO MG325 for $110. If I knew SO pneumatic tools are not that good as some claimed, I would have gone with an IR.

mg325 is prolly the best 3/8 gun on the market, the mg725 ***** though, get the ir instead on that

Screwguns **** goat ****.


Other than that, I wouldnt label any of them 'bad', but overrated/overpriced? Virtually everything. Quality is usually always there but usually never worth it, outside of the convenience, anyways.

you tried the new screwgun/baby 3/8 impact they came out with this year? they are way better than the older stuff that used the 7.2 battery

I wasn't super-impressed with the $60 4-piece 9-inch pick set I bought from Snap-On. The finish on the picks was way worse than the $10 Craftsman set I bought. I do like the thick green grips though

honestly, i prefer my 2 dollar set of hf small pics to my 60 dollar snap off set

anyway, as far as stuff i don't like, pretty much any of their 18 volt tools, go either milwaukee or dewalt on that, and i'm sure there's more, but really not much more

 

[Skin]

Their Cordless tools are pretty awful depending on the tool itself. Certain models are prone to breakage, made of foreign parts but assembled here just so they could say "USA", cost an exorbitant amount, worst warranty they could offer.

Talon Grip and Power Edge. Terrible "modifications" to tools that worked. Few guys on here swear by them but, oh look Power Edge has been discontinued- permanently. Not sure if Talon Grip is still around.

Locking flex ratchets are a pretty moronic design as well sticking a switch out like that. The switch never likes to stay in neutral so the ratchet really cant be used as a flex only like other brands. Switch also use to be plastic.

Wobble Plus. Pull the socket out, it wobbles, go to put it on a fastener and happen to rotate so the socket is straight on, it can push and lock straight. Infuriating design that has worked fantastic as a cash grab.

Round head toothless ratchets. Priced crazy and flopped big time. I didn't see that coming.

Impact swivels. Lost the collar, got longer, in some cases substantially so. For a tight access tool this was not a good change.

MG325/725. Good power when new, huge, overpriced, terrible balance, made of...magnesium? They peel their paint like no tomorrow and are prone to locking up after some use is put on them requiring a jolt every so often. Like many products, they just had to reinvent the wheel and ultimately didn't improve anything but introduced a new set of problems.

Flank Drive + is about the only thing and that was taken from Williams when they bought them and reinvented. If it wasn't patented all of the companies would be doing it and I would not own Snap-On wrenches.

FD+ is original to Snap-On, Williams didn't have modified open ends until after being acquired by Snap-On. And the FD+ patent has since expired.

SK X-Frame, Matco 90 tooth ratcheting wrenches, Carlyle, just to name a few use a copied design with teeth and a cut-out. Wright Grip (teeth only) has been around for years as has the cut-out only (Armstrong, Matco basic combos, Gearwrench).

 

[bsaint]

I own them both. Do you?

I have to agree with you Whiffy. I own both and my Meyhew Dominator flexs a lot more than my old Mac or SO bars.

I've never been impressed with any thing from them that cuts wire. From wire strippers to dikes to precision wire cutters, they all seem dull.

 

[FbodyMIKE]

Do not ever buy there cordless impacts. Had mine fixed twice. buddy of mine had the same problems in his gun. It was a half inch 20 volt I believe...maybe 21? I don't know there latest model. It's been a year since I traded it in. Sad thing was I didn't use it nearly enough to break. Twice. It was dropped maybe 2 or 3 times but still. These problems occured way after and my buddy in the shop had the same problem. Must be a design flaw. And that gun was 700 bucks. Got half back. The bearing went bad and made awful noise. Then, the trigger lit the light but no spin either direction. The bearing was my friends problem too. He traded before me after I told him I had it warrentied once for the same thing. I mean nobody is perfect the gun was great(when it worked) lol

 

[K-Dog]

Their flip-flops are lame.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

Wobble Plus. Pull the socket out, it wobbles, go to put it on a fastener and happen to rotate so the socket is straight on, it can push and lock straight. Infuriating design that has worked fantastic as a cash grab.

Impact swivels. Lost the collar, got longer, in some cases substantially so. For a tight access tool this was not a good change.

Huh. I really like Wobble Plus. The head tech at my first shop had them and I used them every chance I got. I like them much more than a regular wobble head. I plan on getting some whenever I can find them cheap.

As for the swivels, I'm confused, what is it that is preferable about design of the Matco to the SO? I have both, but the Snap On are old logo. The most used sizes are a little loose at the ring, but they've never come apart and have probably thousands of hours on them. I've never broken one.

My biggest issue with Snap-on has been their quality control. It has been unimpressive to say the least. I only have a few Snap-on items in my tool collection and they are all hard line tool items. A couple dual 80 ratchets, SAE and metric flank drive plus wrenches, metric long zero offset double box wrenches, several different specialty pliers, SAE flare nut crowfoot wrenches, and a few other items I found at garage sales. The F80 ratchet I purchased required an immediate rebuild kit because the original detent ball stuck so far out of the square drive I could barely get a socket off the ratchet even with pliers. I had to change out two of the flank drive plus wrenches because the box end broaching was way off center causing the metal to be much too thin along one edge. The zero offset double box wrench set I recently purchased had incomplete broaching so 4-5 of the 12 points on the box end were almost non-existent on one wrench.

I'm not saying you aren't telling the truth, but I seen, owned, and used a ton of Snap On hand tools, I've never really seen quality control issues on any of it, and I'm the kind of person who examines every item on the shelf for defects before putting something in my cart at the grocery store. Just saying.



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[iScream]

For what it's worth when my Knipex combo pliers are closed they have just the slightest bit of light visible between the jaws while the cutter blades are touching. It's pretty obvious they are intentionally machined that way.

 

[abvw]

For what it's worth when my Knipex combo pliers are closed they have just the slightest bit of light visible between the jaws while the cutter blades are touching. It's pretty obvious they are intentionally machined that way.

That looks like a 196NCF, designed specifically to work as a cotter pin puller, not Snap-on's fault he bought the wrong tool to pull hair.

The 96CF needle nose pliers are the best I've used, nothing even come close to its gripping performance. I've pulled countless nails and screws off tires (those that are flush to the treads which even dykes can't pull) and it has never failed me. The Channellock needle nose I had had so much flex I bent the tips and now it's become my torch/heat pliers.

I have dulled 3 pairs of Channellock dykes from zipties and cotter pins. I have about 10 pairs of Channellock (prior to getting truck service) and none of them look remotely close to blue anymore. Never again.

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[Finky198]

The stuff they rebrand and charge extra for that you could have bought from the original company. The things they actually manufacture are top notch and if not the best then in the discussion. Whether its worth it to you or necessary is another discussion.

I would totally agree but i personal keep it to mainly hand tools from snap on Air tools, Electric / tools and specialty items can be had from other brands

But I really like my snappy ratchets, screwdriver's, prybar's, pliers, extensions, wrenches and picks

 

[abvw]

I realize that there are probably lots of people that haven't had the issues I have had, but that doesn't change my experience with them. Maybe it's because I don't buy my tools off of a truck so I don't have a driver that would notice and edit out problem tools before selling them. My purchases were from online Williams authorized dealers, unopened brand new Ebay purchases, and items from the Snap-on website.

I do keep an eye out for tool deals on Ebay and I have seen other Snap-on wrenches with off-center broaching on the box ends. The problem does seem to be more common on the newer stuff, I don't remember seeing it on older scripted Snap-on wrenches.

I fixed the creaky screwdrivers by pulling the handles and adding some epoxy. I fixed the Williams snap-on clone ratchet by snipping the spring, cleaning up a few internal areas of rough machining, and adding better lube. I tried peening the detent ball a little bit on the F80 ratchet to solve the socket release problem but the metal was too hard and it would just crack and chip off instead of deforming to hold the ball more deeply in the square drive. It has a new rebuild kit in it now so I don't think I still have the bad part to show you.

One tool that I do have is the zero offset double box wrench with the incomplete broaching. It was purchased brand new, but since I didn't buy it from a driver or from their website they wouldn't warranty the manufactuer defect. I had to buy a new one and the bad one is still sitting around here somewhere. I will see if I can find it and post a picture of the issue.

Dealers don't go through their inventory with a fine toothed comb either, but from my experience they never had a problem exchanging the defects and I've never gotten a defective replacement.

One or two defects is not a QC problem, a whole batch of defects is another story.


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[AmateurMechanic]

That looks like a 196NCF, designed specifically to work as a cotter pin puller, not Snap-on's fault he bought the wrong tool to pull hair.

The one posted before still looks defective, however. See this picture of a properly made 196NCF:

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

I've personally never bought a Snap On tool that I was disappointed with. On the other hand, I had a set of snap ring pliers from Proto that were utter **** by design. I love Proto and couldn't believe they would put their name on such **** as they were a re-brand. I would have a hard time believing Snap On would slap their name on **** tools that are marketed to the professional.......Costco and PepBoys stuff is a whole different story.

 

[Hiball]

The one posted before still looks defective, however. See this picture of a properly made 196NCF:

Lol.. This place makes me laugh.

Amateur Mechanic, How do you know which ones are defective or "properly made"? Hell.. You where comparing them to a $15 dollar set of needle nose pliers earlier. Sometimes it's better to listen and learn, versus bust thru the door throwing accusations Out there about people and there motives for there postings.

 

[Murphy4570]

Really, you think even better than cp and atlas?

CP is nothing special, though they are US made. Their air hammers are adequate and durable. I've never used an Atlas Copco air hammer, only 3/4 impacts. Their stuff is high quality but VERY expensive and proprietary as hell. I have an older (circa 2003) Atlas 3/4 impact that is broken and in the scrap pile for want of parts. No longer available and obsolete model. Zero service information and zero parts available online. My company does not have a service contract with them, so we don't have any support outside of regular consumer channels. They are based out of the Netherlands I think. Industrial presence only in the USA.

Keep in mind I am talking about .401 shank air hammers, not .498 shank rivet guns. The latter is in a whole different category.

 

[iScream]

The one posted before still looks defective, however. See this picture of a properly made 196NCF:

Is it just my eyes or is only part of the cutting edge touching in that bottom right pic? If so I certainly wouldn't call them properly made.

 

[Hiball]

Is it just my eyes or is only part of the cutting edge touching in that bottom right pic? If so I certainly wouldn't call them properly made.

The best part is if your simply Google 196ncf, scroll thru the images you will find a half dozen pictures or better of these pliers and they all have a gap at the tips when closed, including the overhead pic from the place he boosted the above pics from. (Note the background) I suppose if your going to be handling paper thin items, you shouldn't buy pliers designed to pull pins/cotter keys.

 

[Alamedasam]

The drill bits are trash!

 

[Skin]

I have to agree with you Whiffy. I own both and my Meyhew Dominator flexs a lot more than my old Mac or SO bars.

Snap-On uses thicker shanks than Mayhew on a lot of sizes, not really a fair comparison. They also cost 2-3x as much. Mayhew has made MAC pry bars for ages so that doesn't even make sense.

As for the swivels, I'm confused, what is it that is preferable about design of the Matco to the SO? I have both, but the Snap On are old logo. The most used sizes are a little loose at the ring, but they've never come apart and have probably thousands of hours on them. I've never broken one.

The new style laser welded Snap-Ons grow substantially in height from around 16mm and up which is where my criticism is aimed. When they were using collars they were shorter. The Matco/Armstrong ones remain pretty standard through-out. The latter are also a fair bit thinner compared to any impact that still uses a collar retention system for the pin. Other than that they work basically the same. Supposedly the pinless design gives better torque transfer, and that makes sense given the larger surface contact compared to a pin, but im not sure how much that actually is.

The drill bits are trash!

A lot are rebranded Irwin and are okay, nothing special. They also rebrand Triumph Twist HSS "ThunderBits" which are very good for basic metal drilling. I believe Snap-On treats them as a consumable though so there really isn't any incentive to buy them off the truck vs going to the source.

 

[Skin]

QC issues happen to every single company. Its mass produced so its impossible to fault human eyes for not catching that out of however many thousands are produced in a daily batch. My only question is why you PAID to get a new one when a simple phone call would of yielded a new one for free and they probably would of let you keep the defective one too.

 

[Skin]

I did call them. They told me that they wouldn't replace it even though it was brand new and a manufacturer defect, because I didn't buy it from their website or a tool truck and have a purchase order number on record.

Then call again or send an email with a photo and fib when they ask if you're the original purchaser.

I agree to a point on honoring their original purchaser warranty but I would of lied merely due to the fact that its a blatant manufacturing defect and not from abuse, age, or use.

 

[nti06]

I haven't had any issues out of Snap-on hand tools. However if your the original purchaser of a roll cab and the paint begins to bubble from it rusting underneath, good luck getting anyone at Snap-on to acknowledge your existence. I've been getting the run around from those a-holes for almost a month now.

 

[shoggoth80]

Does Snappy make bad tools? I don't think so. They make pretty good tools, at a premium.
I do enjoy my Snappy roto ratchets, but that can be said of others brands in my tool kit as well. They tend to make tough stuff, for the stuff that they do make. The stuff that they rebrand? Meh... go seek the OEMs, unless you are going to rely on truck warranty.

 

[AA/FC]

This may be the wrong thread for this but I'm going to post it here anyway. Lol.

Long story but I broke two Chinese 1/2 drive extensions today before finally getting the job done with a Snap On extension. I was using a breaker bar trying to remove seized lug studs on a VW. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying SO extensions are the greatest ever made, but they sure proved themselves today.

 

[abvw]

I haven't had any issues out of Snap-on hand tools. However if your the original purchaser of a roll cab and the paint begins to bubble from it rusting underneath, good luck getting anyone at Snap-on to acknowledge your existence. I've been getting the run around from those a-holes for almost a month now.

Rusting from underneath is not guaranteed against defects due to the caustic nature of the shop floor cleaners. That is why they sell covers so water don't collect in the corners.

That was heavily specified to me before I bought my KRA2422. Both of my dealers have told me the same thing.

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[bsaint]

Snap-On uses thicker shanks than Mayhew on a lot of sizes, not really a fair comparison. They also cost 2-3x as much. Mayhew has made MAC pry bars for ages so that doesn't even make sense.






The new style laser welded Snap-Ons grow substantially in height from around 16mm and up which is where my criticism is aimed. When they were using collars they were shorter. The Matco/Armstrong ones remain pretty standard through-out. The latter are also a fair bit thinner compared to any impact that still uses a collar retention system for the pin. Other than that they work basically the same. Supposedly the pinless design gives better torque transfer, and that makes sense given the larger surface contact compared to a pin, but im not sure how much that actually is.



A lot are rebranded Irwin and are okay, nothing special. They also rebrand Triumph Twist HSS "ThunderBits" which are very good for basic metal drilling. I believe Snap-On treats them as a consumable though so there really isn't any incentive to buy them off the truck vs going to the source.

I don't know what to tell you. Mac could call out a different spec for the bars Mayhew makes for them than what Mayhew themselves use. If you come to my shop and pull on my 36" Mac and my 36" Mayhew you will notice a difference.

 

[03protege]

Flank Drive + is about the only thing and that was taken from Williams when they bought them and reinvented. If it wasn't patented all of the companies would be doing it and I would not own Snap-On wrenches. QUOTE]

I thought many companies use this "technology" now they just call it a different name?

 

[exmaxima1]

Not exactly Snap On, but I've never been able to get their Bluepoint brake fluid sucker to work for me. Not enough vacuum to do anything.

 

[warmpancakes]

Rusting from underneath is not guaranteed against defects due to the caustic nature of the shop floor cleaners. That is why they sell covers so water don't collect in the corners.

That was heavily specified to me before I bought my KRA2422. Both of my dealers have told me the same thing.

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correct But if the paint is peeling snap on will warranty it, Just helped a buddy get a box warrantied paint was flaking all along the bottom, no visible rust there, snap on issued him a 6700 credit towards a new box

 

[90zcar]

I haven't had any issues out of Snap-on hand tools. However if your the original purchaser of a roll cab and the paint begins to bubble from it rusting underneath, good luck getting anyone at Snap-on to acknowledge your existence. I've been getting the run around from those a-holes for almost a month now.

Spend about 30 dollars and get yourself a can of gloss black POR15.....thoroughly coat all of your rust areas and that should take care of that.


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[d.mcfarland]

Long story but I broke two Chinese 1/2 drive extensions today before finally getting the job done with a Snap On extension. I was using a breaker bar trying to remove seized lug studs on a VW. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying SO extensions are the greatest ever made, but they sure proved themselves today.

I think it proves to use quality first and forget about buying stuff that is iffy from the start.


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