Gearwrench question

[lugnut71]

I just had my 13mm flex head warrantied, and cannot believe the new one! the open end is like twice as thick, wider, and the box end is huge! compared to the old one. Reminds me of those thick box end ones that Blackhawk sold yrs ago. Disappointed!

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I just had my 13mm flex head warrantied, and cannot believe the new one! the open end is like twice as thick, wider, and the box end is huge! compared to the old one. Reminds me of those thick box end ones that Blackhawk sold yrs ago. Disappointed!

Did you mail it in to Gearwrench, or did you exchange it at Sears?

 

[lugnut71]

I actually don't remember where I bought these, its been yrs ago, but carquest did the warranty.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Taiwan vs China

 

[lugnut71]

I can believe that, so I take it nothing can be done, unless I was to find older tiawan ones?

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I can believe that, so I take it nothing can be done, unless I was to find older tiawan ones?

The "consumer grade" Gearwrench in most of the chain stores is Chinese (Like the 5 piece flex sets that are always on holiday sales at Sears), but Taiwan is still available. It can just be a toss up depending on who you buy/warranty through.

Hoping with Gearwrench moving more towards being a professional brand lately, they'll just drop the China junk that's sold through the chain stores. It brings the quality of the brand down.

 

[chkustom]

So gearwrench has a differnent line for the chain stores, ie sears and advance auto. So where can you get the higher quality ones? Gearwrench directly then?

 

[mudflap]

I was not aware Gearwrench had a 2 tier quality set up....Kind of like the Dewalt, and John Deere sold at Lowes is their "homeowner " grade......?

 

[mudflap]

Gun manufacturers do this too..The Mossberg shotgun you buy at walmart is made to walmart specs, to keep it at a certain price point...Not the same quality as the ones sold in gun shops....

 

[mudflap]

So gearwrench has a differnent line for the chain stores, ie sears and advance auto. So where can you get the higher quality ones? Gearwrench directly then?

I'm curious about this too....No wonder my 3/8 roto head was such a pc of ****..I bought it at a Sears store that was going belly up in January, It was a 2 piece set with the 1/4 in. The 1st time the selector popped off, i warrantied it, the 2nd time i just tossed it in the junk bucket at work...Maybe if i send it directly to gearwrench...they will send me a REAL one.....

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I was not aware Gearwrench had a 2 tier quality set up....Kind of like the Dewalt, and John Deere sold at Lowes is their "homeowner " grade......?

As far as I know, they don't officially label it as such. Most of their products are still Taiwan, but some styles of ratcheting wrenches they sell have Chinese versions available as well. There hasn't been any actual change in the Taiwan manufactured wrenches (as far as I've seen or heard), just Chinese variants available (which I've only seen at Sears, but that's the only B&M seller we have locally).

So gearwrench has a differnent line for the chain stores, ie sears and advance auto. So where can you get the higher quality ones? Gearwrench directly then?

Trident Supply is very active here, has great communication and good discounts and deals available. I've yet to order from them, but have heard nothing but good on GJ. You should be able to ask the COO of anything you're ordering.
http://www.trident-supply.com/Default.asp
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204783

Everything I've bought from GW directly has been Taiwan (obstruction wrenches, open end wrenches, flex stubby wrenches, etc), Amazon also has not let me down (ratchets, chrome sockets, and impact sockets), Tooltopia had a great deal on ratchets recently, and the wobble extensions I bought through Advance Auto were also Taiwan.

I may be wrong, but I think the only China stuff they sell is clones of wrench sets, and a few 'gimmick' tools (pass through sets, spline wrenches - but even some of those might be Taiwan). I own a LOT of Gearwrench, and have only once come up unlucky with the COO (and that was a flex wrench set from Sears, which I returned).

 

[mudflap]

They sell alot of cheap gearwrench stuff at the local Menards. Next time im there i will look at COO. I bet it's the china junk..

 

[ihateminimumwage]

They sell alot of cheap gearwrench stuff at the local Menards. Next time im there i will look at COO. I bet it's the china junk..

More than likely.

I'm really hoping they drop the China versions of tools (maybe after Sears finally croaks), now that they're trying to enter the tool truck market.
http://www.gearwrench.com/gearwrench_tool_trucks

 

[stage20]

I've got some doe wrenches nd a good bit of ratchet wrenches. You can for sure tell by finish which is taiwan and china. Recently got some curved ratchet wrenchhes that are taiwan and they are very nice quality, probably better than my straight taiwan wrenches.

 

[nicksnothereman]

More than likely.

I'm really hoping they drop the China versions of tools (maybe after Sears finally croaks), now that they're trying to enter the tool truck market.
http://www.gearwrench.com/gearwrench_tool_trucks

Probably the other way around. It'll be an apex stuff truck and most of apex is chinese unless it's armstrong. That's probably why they killed kd, already had armstrong. I've lost track of all the companies they own.

The reason being that most of the taiwanese gearwrench was rebranded (as far as I know) whereas apex has production facilities in china so it'd be cheaper for them to have it made there rather than pay a taiwanese manufacturer to make their stuff.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Probably the other way around. It'll be an apex stuff truck and most of apex is chinese unless it's armstrong. That's probably why they killed kd, already had armstrong. I've lost track of all the companies they own.

KD was bought and everything they sold has now been re-branded as Gearwrench or Matco. Everything I've seen (or bought) from that line has still been Taiwan

The reason being that most of the taiwanese gearwrench was rebranded (as far as I know) whereas apex has production facilities in china so it'd be cheaper for them to have it made there rather than pay a taiwanese manufacturer to make their stuff.

The Taiwan line of Gearwrench is their own production. Ratchets, sockets, extensions, ratcheting wrenches are all made in house. The impact sockets are re-branded and sold under Matco's ADV line. Same as the USA made GW torque wrenches, which are also sold by Matco and recently Husky.