GearWrench 84t ratchets - disappointing

[stovebolt6]

So last month I ordered an 84 tooth GearWrench 3/8 ratchet to try just to see what the fuss is about. I have a set of GearWrench reversible ratcheting wrenches and they are great, so I expected likewise from the ratchet.

When I got it, I put it to work immediately. 5 minutes in the things just started binding and auto reversing, becoming utterly useless. It got the point where the selector lever jammed so hard I couldn't move it at all, and the whole mechanism was seized. Didn't have my snap ring pliers with me so I thought to hell with it, that *****, so I boxed it up and sent it back to Babco Tools with an RA I got from them.

New one shows up. Exact same thing. I'm pretty frustrated at this point so I open it up, mess with the lube (no lube, a little lube, a lot of lube) and nothing changes. What's the deal? Are these just crappy ratchets? I have a cheap 72t Power Fist (Canadian equivalent to HF) ratchet that is way sturdier with a rock solid mechanism and selector lever, and I use that thing hard without any issues whatsoever. Cost me less than half of the GearWrench.

Anyone else have problems with these? I'm just going to send it back and ask for a refund.

 

[djwyman]

I was looking into the 84 tooth gearwrench ratchets a while back they seemed to get a lot of bad reviews. In contrast the xp120 ratchets seem to be the opposite they get excellent reviews I guess the 84 was flawed so they improved it with the 120 design.

 

[ricky836]

I have the 120xp and I love them compared to my craftsman. haven't really abused them much but they haven't let me down yet.

 

[CWP1616L]

GearWrench ratchets fall under the category of generic tools; A.K.A, not the real stuff.

 

[MISTERgadget]

GearWrench ratchets fall under the category of generic tools; A.K.A, not the real stuff.

I built a 1000hp, 9-second pick 'em up truck with a bunch of the **** I had cobbled together during high school - a Popular Mechanics 3/8" ratchet with a broken selector switch and a stanley round head 3/8", my "nice" ratchet was the 1/4" craftsman RP I had, and in 1/2" drive all I had was an HF breaker bar.

Seems like you sure can put things together and make power with "not the real stuff"

now I've upgraded to a full set of the GW ratchets and sockets, and innumerable other tools (I blame this website and the Hansen trays)

 

[Loscaldazar]

Plenty of complaints for the 84T ratchets. Check to make sure the pawl and gear are matched up. Many of the first production ones and some even later had them mismatched from the factory.

The 120xps are probably one of the best ratchets out there right now, including snap on, Matco, etc.

 

[TMCCuda]

GearWrench ratchets fall under the category of generic tools; A.K.A, not the real stuff.

Really......there are a shitload of positive posts on GJ about these ratchets. It's well established that the Matco 88, Craftsman Premium, Gearwrench 84 and Armstrongs are all the same design and work just fine.

 

[GoodEnough]

What about this?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002U2ODE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[abvw]

Really......there are a shitload of positive posts on GJ about these ratchets. It's well established that the Matco 88, Craftsman Premium, Gearwrench 84 and Armstrongs are all the same design and work just fine

"Just fine", but needs a lot more finesse. I have all three variants, 60T, 84T and 120XP, none of them impressed me as much as Snap On's Dual80. They all have the same back drag resistance despite the difference in tooth count. No way you can convince me the 72T or 88T is any different. They're reliable (in a sense when it breaks, warranty is easy as lots of industrial/tool suppliers stock/resell GW) and easy to maintain, but definitely not

one of the best ratchets out there right now

 

[sk farmer]

GearWrench ratchets fall under the category of generic tools; A.K.A, not the real stuff.

tank is fishing..........

i have not had an 84 in my hands (maybe they are duds) but the 60's, 60's with 88's and 120's are quality pieces.

 

[SMKS]

This seems to be more common with the GW ratchets than the USA made ratchets with basically the same mechanism. Why that is, I don't know.

It happened to me with a 60-tooth GW ratchet. Once I opened it up, lubed it and used it a little more it was fine. From my experience it only happens right out of the box and opening and using them cures it.

 

[stovebolt6]

Plenty of complaints for the 84T ratchets. Check to make sure the pawl and gear are matched up. Many of the first production ones and some even later had them mismatched from the factory.

The 120xps are probably one of the best ratchets out there right now, including snap on, Matco, etc.

I did indeed check the pawl, it says 84. I can't find anything glaringly wrong with the mechanism. It works totally fine if you just spin it with your hands, but as soon as you throw a socket on and start torquing a nut the thing just spazzes out. Really annoying.

 

[stovebolt6]

This seems to be more common with the GW ratchets than the USA made ratchets with basically the same mechanism. Why that is, I don't know.

It happened to me with a 60-tooth GW ratchet. Once I opened it up, lubed it and used it a little more it was fine. From my experience it only happens right out of the box and opening and using them cures it.

I was kind of hoping that was the case (just had to be "broken in") but if I apply even a bit of torque, it just jams right up. Impossible to use.

 

[SMKS]

Open it and see if it has a mismatched pawl.

 

[not-required]

Oh man I wish I seen this earlier, I just bought a set. We'll see this weekend when I have to remove a Cat 3406 turbo.

 

[nicksnothereman]

So last month I ordered an 84 tooth GearWrench 3/8 ratchet to try just to see what the fuss is about. I have a set of GearWrench reversible ratcheting wrenches and they are great, so I expected likewise from the ratchet.

When I got it, I put it to work immediately. 5 minutes in the things just started binding and auto reversing, becoming utterly useless. It got the point where the selector lever jammed so hard I couldn't move it at all, and the whole mechanism was seized. Didn't have my snap ring pliers with me so I thought to hell with it, that *****, so I boxed it up and sent it back to Babco Tools with an RA I got from them.

New one shows up. Exact same thing. I'm pretty frustrated at this point so I open it up, mess with the lube (no lube, a little lube, a lot of lube) and nothing changes. What's the deal? Are these just crappy ratchets? I have a cheap 72t Power Fist (Canadian equivalent to HF) ratchet that is way sturdier with a rock solid mechanism and selector lever, and I use that thing hard without any issues whatsoever. Cost me less than half of the GearWrench.

Anyone else have problems with these? I'm just going to send it back and ask for a refund.

Don't you ever say harbor freight is the same or better than gearwrench. Lot's of ******* will be ruffled.

I always say the modern pittsburgh pro ratcheting wrenches are probably made in the same taiwanese factory that the gearwrench ones used to be made in (not to mention some of the unbranded stuff). Of course I'm talking out my **** but even a broken clock is right 2 times a day. I don't know about the ratchets but assume similar deal if they were made in taiwan.

Maybe it's a design issue with the excessive teeth. Technically, even the chinese ratchets are usually okay for moderate use (I assume this one is chinese). You ain't gonna find many (if any) 84 tooth ratchets at retail for a "good" price.

With all these threads out there...people should just use what they know. If you know what you're getting you're not going to have much if any issues with any tool...even if it's harbor freight. What's the kobalt led ratchet tooth count at lowe's (I think it's 72), I recommend that one. It's cheap and a great ratchet; I'm getting another one when I drag my a*s there again. I won't say they're made in the same taiwanese factory as the old taiwan gearwrench ratchets but they might be and it wouldn't surprise me.

Taiwan=okay (good even)
China=okay with limited if none moving parts that aren't subject to high levels of torque.

(opinion...cue snarky comments)

 

[abvw]

O ring. Make sure it's seated properly.

The pawl is also directional, make sure the pins inside moves freely.

 

[Fireball027]

i have not had an 84 in my hands (maybe they are duds) but the 60's, 60's with 88's and 120's are quality pieces.

I second this.... I use my gearwrench ratchets daily in the shop. I have broke my 3/8th and my 1/4 a couple times over the years, however I have also broke my Snap on and Matco ratchets. If I break my gearwrench ratchets, my Matco dealer puts a new matco kit in.

For the price and quality, they can't be beat.

 

[voigtcjva]

I have the 120xp and I love them compared to my craftsman.

 

[stovebolt6]

Don't you ever say harbor freight is the same or better than gearwrench. Lot's of ******* will be ruffled.

I always say the modern pittsburgh pro ratcheting wrenches are probably made in the same taiwanese factory that the gearwrench ones used to be made in (not to mention some of the unbranded stuff). Of course I'm talking out my **** but even a broken clock is right 2 times a day. I don't know about the ratchets but assume similar deal if they were made in taiwan.

Maybe it's a design issue with the excessive teeth. Technically, even the chinese ratchets are usually okay for moderate use (I assume this one is chinese). You ain't gonna find many (if any) 84 tooth ratchets at retail for a "good" price.

With all these threads out there...people should just use what they know. If you know what you're getting you're not going to have much if any issues with any tool...even if it's harbor freight. What's the kobalt led ratchet tooth count at lowe's (I think it's 72), I recommend that one. It's cheap and a great ratchet; I'm getting another one when I drag my a*s there again. I won't say they're made in the same taiwanese factory as the old taiwan gearwrench ratchets but they might be and it wouldn't surprise me.

Taiwan=okay (good even)
China=okay with limited if none moving parts that aren't subject to high levels of torque.

(opinion...cue snarky comments)

It's funny, that Power Fist ratchet I mentioned I'm fairly certain has the same 72t mechanism as the Kobalt stuff. Feels almost exactly the same as my Kobalt ratchet. And as far as I'm concerned, it's way better than this GearWrench because the difference is I can use it (and hard), and it doesn't complain. The GW is just unusable period.

 

[03protege]

"Just fine", but needs a lot more finesse. I have all three variants, 60T, 84T and 120XP, none of them impressed me as much as Snap On's Dual80. They all have the same back drag resistance despite the difference in tooth count. No way you can convince me the 72T or 88T is any different. They're reliable (in a sense when it breaks, warranty is easy as lots of industrial/tool suppliers stock/resell GW) and easy to maintain, but definitely not

Seriously you are comparing Dual 80's to GW 84T which can be found for 1/10th of the price?

The dual 80's have noticeably less free spinning resistance than the Gearwrench but that is the only difference as far as I can tell.

 

[03protege]

Open it and see if it has a mismatched pawl.

This could be the issue, several members have posted this before.

Also check to make sure the spring loaded pins are moving freely, I had a ratchet that didn't work out the box and it turns out the spring loaded pin was jammed/stcuk.

 

[bobcatdan]

I don't have any gw ratchets, but I have plenty of 60 tooth matco. Do I like the ratchets, yes. Do they leave some to be dedired, yes. My biggest pet peeve is 90% of the time it takes two hands to reverse the things. All of them do it. The pawl must jam so I have to wiggle the square drive. When these came out, I saw a lot of techs return these ratchets to the matco guy bitching they were junk.

 

[toolaholic]

I know this is s older thread but I thought I'd share. I super lubed all my 84s. My 1/2 craftsman premium, a gearwrench 1/2 flex head, a gearwrench 3/8 and s gearwrench 1/4 flex head. Two of them locked up and or reversed; the gearwrench 1/2 flex head,and the gearwrench 3/8. Solved the problem w/ thicker O ring under the cover plate.

 

[the1nonlyjl]

interesting