Gearwrench locking extensions

[JeepsAreBuilt]

Well, I bought a 1/4" drive gearwrench locking extension set during fathers day sale.. and got it in the mail today finally. Ive never used this type of tool before.. so I was testing it out in the garage. First impression - it doesn't work ! I took a socket from my new triple star set I also got, and put it on the end of the extension.. it would not hold the socket on. I thought this ***** ! JUNK ! Well.. I took some of my SK sockets and slipped on a bigger socket and it locked on the extension and held pretty strong. So it works.. I tried some smaller 1/4" drive sockets.. they dont hold. So.. what I'm figuring is that the sockets need to have enough material away inside of the drive in order for it to work. Well, I use small sockets a lot and this locking set wont work well for me with what I have. What bugs me is that this new locking extension set does not work with new gearwrench sockets.

 

[eschoendorff]

Well, I bought a 1/4" drive gearwrench locking extension set during fathers day sale.. and got it in the mail today finally. Ive never used this type of tool before.. so I was testing it out in the garage. First impression - it doesn't work ! I took a socket from my new triple star set I also got, and put it on the end of the extension.. it would not hold the socket on. I thought this ***** ! JUNK ! Well.. I took some of my SK sockets and slipped on a bigger socket and it locked on the extension and held pretty strong. So it works.. I tried some smaller 1/4" drive sockets.. they dont hold. So.. what I'm figuring is that the sockets need to have enough material away inside of the drive in order for it to work. Well, I use small sockets a lot and this locking set wont work well for me with what I have. What bugs me is that this new locking extension set does not work with new gearwrench sockets.

Do th esmaller sockets have indentations for the ball to sit in inside the square driver receiver? If not, no locking extension will hold those sockets.

 

[Stuey]

Additional info might help. It is possible that you bought products that were originally marketed as KD, which could explain the incompatibility.

Also, check the insides as E mentioned.

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

Do th esmaller sockets have indentations for the ball to sit in inside the square driver receiver? If not, no locking extension will hold those sockets.

Yes, the sockets I tried had the indentations. It looks like my bigger 1/4" sockets have a bigger indention(13mm). I am guessing that the smaller sockets just didnt get very big indentions, maybe because due to how they are manufactured.

Stuey, they were not marked KD.

 

[JayL]

. What bugs me is that this new locking extension set does not work with new gearwrench sockets.

I am alarmed by this as I purchased the 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 GW locking extensions and GearWrench sockets. I have not yet received mine so I cant give any feedbacks as yet.

 

[JeepsAreBuilt]

I am alarmed by this as I purchased the 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 GW locking extensions and GearWrench sockets. I have not yet received mine so I cant give any feedbacks as yet.

I only got the 1/4" set.. I just think that the indentations are just not good enough in the gearwrench 1/4" drive sockets I have and my other smaller sockets. I dont know if the ball needs to be bigger or the spring needs to be stronger in the locking extension. Hopefully your 3/8 and 1/2" set will be better.

 

[dps]

I recently purchased the 1/4" locking set of extensions from Gearwrench, though they came in a KD box with the same number. I just went back to double check, but they work fine on my Craftsman sockets. Tried them on the 4mm and 5/16 and a few others with no trouble.

By the way, I had an earlier post asking what the difference was between Northern Tools locking extensions, and the GW; they looked identical. I ordered and received the Northern set in 1/2 and 3/8, but they don't offer 1/4 so I that's why I have the 1/4 from GW, which cost more than the 1/2 and 3/8 put together from Northern. I can't see nor feel any difference in them, and they all work well.