Gearwrench vs Matco Ratchets

[mountain_man]

I have been looking for a 1/4 inch flex head ratchet for some tight spots. Today I was on the matco truck (he also sells gear wrench) and asked him to price a matco one and a gearwrench one. He tells me the matco price of like 120 and then informed me that the gearwrench ones are total junk, and he is trying to get away from them. Well this got me wondering, up until a year or two ago didn't apex make the matco ratchets?

Also don't matco rebuilds fit into gear wrench ratchet bodies? I have a 120 xp 3/8ths and it has worked flawless for me. Not my most used ratchet because of length, but has gearwrench really gone that far downhill?

 

[Fedwrench]

Not all apex ratchets are created equal.

MATCO used to have many tools made by Armstrong which was an Apex brand until they killed it off.

Yes, the 60 & 84 tooth ratchets share the same internal design as the MATCO 88 tooth. I wouldn't say that Gearwrench 60 or 84 tooth ratchets are garbage. I will say that since moving some production from Taiwan to the PRC, that some quality has slipped a bit. However, many gearwrench products are still made in Taiwan so, it might be best to judge tool quality on a tool by tool basis.

 

[M6erfan]

"but has gearwrench really gone that far downhill?"

IMO, at their best GW was over hyped junk. I've never had any luck with them (locking up/reversing) and gave up on them years ago. I've handled there newer models and was never impressed. GW gets quite a bit of love around here but there are others that feel as I do.

I wouldn't get either Matco or GW if I was in the market for a 1/4" flex. I'd look to Carlyle or SK before either of those.

 

[potato]

gearwrench 84 have a tendency to switch direction when using them.put matco 88 kits in them and they are awesome.

 

[plinker]

The Matco and Gearwrench ratchets are similar, not the same in regards to the lock part of the locking flex ratchets. (GW is wider in the hinge, has finer detents for adjustment, the lever is not recessed). I would not call the Gearwrench junk by any means, They seem to be the new Craftsman in more ways then one.

I have a Gearwrench kit in a older 60tooth Matco ratchet at the moment, Works fine, but it has a once in a while habit of locking itself up in either direction. I need to look into that yet.

The Matco ratchets are the same as the Armstrong 60/88 tooth ratchets, same lock for the locking flex, ete... They are US made but there is question as to who is making them since the Armstrong line is done, and as to how long they will stay US made.

The 120XP Gearwrench ratchets use a different kit then the 60/72/84/88 tooth ratchets.

IMO the ratchets "feel" the same in regards to how they operate, the Armstrong/Matco feel better overall to me.

 

[potato]

matcos are made by A.J manufacturing in USA. http://www.ajmanufacturing.com

 

[Mr Ratchet]

plinker nailed it pretty good. I have two GW 3/8" 84T flex heads. One is a stubby and the other is the bent handle. Neither has ever given me any issues. I also have a long 3 /8" and 1/2" locking flex head from Armstrong. These are what I usually grab for first in their drive sizes. I also have a long handle Matco in 1/4" and use it quite a bit.

I too think they feel similar when using them except for the flats in the Armstrong handles.
I'd have no problems getting a GW ratchet. You could also try to find a left over Armstrong 1/4" locking flex.

 

[Rarified27]

"but has gearwrench really gone that far downhill?"

IMO, at their best GW was over hyped junk. I've never had any luck with them (locking up/reversing) and gave up on them years ago. I've handled there newer models and was never impressed. GW gets quite a bit of love around here but there are others that feel as I do.

I wouldn't get either Matco or GW if I was in the market for a 1/4" flex. I'd look to Carlyle or SK before either of those.

I owned 3 different pear head GW ratchets before I got rid of them all because they kept reversing on me. I've never had the same problem with any other ratchet.

Their roto ratchets and the one gimbal I won from them work just fine. For anything else, I'm sticking with my SK, the one Snap On I own and the older (and excellent for China made) NAPA branded ones included with some socket sets I got from Cripe.

 

[Yarpo]

My GW 1/4" 84T flexhead ratchet is one of my favorite ratchets in my tool box

Slim, feels great in my hand and the ratchet mechanism is smooth as butter with nice audible clicks, and it only cost like 20 dollars lol

 

[lbhsbz]

All I can tell you is Snap-On kits fit in Matco flex head ratchets from 20 years ago...and work better than the original Matco parts.

It's the only thing I kept that I bought off the Matco truck...been through 3 dealers, every one of 'em was a *****. It's still my favorite 1/4" ratchet

 

[WittHay]

My GW 1/4" 84T flexhead ratchet is one of my favorite ratchets in my tool box

Slim, feels great in my hand and the ratchet mechanism is smooth as butter with nice audible clicks, and it only cost like 20 dollars lol

Same here, got Snap-on, Mac and Proto ratchets in larger sizes. But I like the regular and flex GW 84 tooth 1/4 drive chrome ratchets. Cheap, slimmer than Snap-on and do the job for me

 

[potato]

All I can tell you is Snap-On kits fit in Matco flex head ratchets from 20 years ago...and work better than the original Matco parts.

It's the only thing I kept that I bought off the Matco truck...been through 3 dealers, every one of 'em was a *****. It's still my favorite 1/4" ratchet

can you please elaborate?

 

[belvedere]

My GW 1/4" 84T flexhead ratchet is one of my favorite ratchets in my tool box

Slim, feels great in my hand and the ratchet mechanism is smooth as butter with nice audible clicks, and it only cost like 20 dollars lol

Same for me - I use mine all the time!