"Gearwrenches" useful for much? Park Ratcheting Wrenches?

[biowrench]

So far my best use case for these is upper shock mounts where there's not much force required, depending on corrosion etc, but usually only about 20 degrees to work in and a. lot. of. threads. to. travel.

The only one I own, a 15mm, bought in the middle of a 4 shocks job lol, saved at least a tedious half hour. What else do they get used on? Guessing a decent stand-in for deep sockets where "overhead" access is a problem? Maintaining a 22-year-old GMuzu and 32-year-old Volvo 240 so metric all the way. Worth having all sizes, get the "auto" brands, or just keep buying the sizes I need as encountered? One for each car's shocks might be the end.

Anyway, the Parks. Says US-made, and about the same price as a good Taiwanese-made unit. Anyone have one around to comment on how fine the 72-tooth ratchet is or isn't? Problems? Holding up to extended use?

 

[VolvoRyan]

I prefer the flex-head GearWrench. I have them in 10-17mm. 17mm only came along to speed up 240 rear brake calipers after breaking them loose with a bar. ratcheting wrenches get used surprisingly little compared to a decent 12-pt. Mostly because the ratcheting wrenches simply do not fit in a surprising number of locations. For example: The 240 has three 13mm nuts holding the throttle body on. Ratcheting wrenches fit on none of those.... though a flex head 13mm makes intake manifold removal a doddle.

For rear 240 shocks. You'll break a ratcheting wrench. Use an impact.

-Ryan

 

[Zewnten]

Used them all the time on compact equipment, especially the stubby wrenches. Imagine I'd get even more use on a car.

 

[mike93lx]

I used mine a bunch before getting my m12 ratchet. Now, not so much

 

[Cryptic1911]

I use ratcheting wrenches whenever I can, unless I'm using a cordless ratchet of some sort, or it needs a breaker bar. I have six sets. one of each sae / metric in stubby, regular length, and also flex head

 

[02camaro86]

10, 13, 15, 18 will get used all the time for gm stuff. if you have a set you will use them alot more than you think. i have reefed on mine pretty damn hard and they work just fine still.

 

[redragoon]

I bought a set of Gearwrench flex heads and they get used as much as my 3/8" sockets depending on the job. 10mm to remove the fan nuts behind the blades comes to mind...

 

[XJSuperman]

Am I the only one who feels like we're flailing around in the dark here? Without pics this seems worthless. Gearwrench is a brand, not a style of wrench.

 

[02camaro86]

Am I the only one who feels like we're flailing around in the dark here? Without pics this seems worthless. Gearwrench is a brand, not a style of wrench.

my dad calls any ratcheting combo wrench a "gear wrench"

 

[Old Man Roger]

my dad calls any ratcheting combo wrench a "gear wrench"

Kleenex

 

[Ton ton]

I use my ratcheting wrenches for quite a variety of projects. Not necessarily gearwrench brand though.

 

[ericm]

Park mostly makes bicycle tools. They have a good reputation there. I don't know how fine the ratchet is on this, that's not often an issue when working on bicycles.

I have some Craftsman ratcheting wrenches. They're handy but I'd buy some solid combination wrenches first if you don't already have them.

Usually it makes sense to buy a set that covers the sizes you mostly use and then buy the additional ones you need outside the set for big fasteners.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

If you only use them for light duty, you are missing half the benefit.
My advice is find the metric/yankee kit on sale for $50-70

I chose the straight ones unless I need flex

 

[slowtwitch73]

If you are talking about Park Tool pretty sure they are not made in USA.

But yeah.. who's on first... wtf are we talking about here....

 

[WJD]

I own gearwrench ratchet wrenches mm and s.a.e and some duralast mm ratchet wrench. Grearwrench better ratchet wrench i believe. Only had to warranty one in years since owning them. Duralast ones well, finish is nice but they are fairly new and we will see....
Oh, use them all the time too

 

[kelpaso1]

Mine are Blue point or Napa UltraPro. Have had them for well over 25 years professionally and never had a problem EVER.

 

[kbeefy]

I bought both SAE and Metric Dogbone gearwrench brand ratchet wrenches in the late 90's. I filled the sets in with 6&7mm and 1/4".
They are still my go to wrench for most of the non-suspension tasks. (behind 3/8 and 1/4 cordless impacts).

I have also added many more ratchet wrenches over the decades...

Mountain XL reversible spline drives are one of my favorite, SAE only to 3/4 and MM up to 19mm, might try to find a couple larger ones.
Combination flex head non-reversables 21-25mm. Rarely get used, but when they do they sure are helpful.
Several sets of flex and non flex stubbies, rigid and flex. Another one that rarely gets used, but when you can they are invaluable.

I bought a set of craftsman combination ratchet wrenches, I really don't care for them. I think I only got SAE, and they almost never get touched.

 

[Schurkey]

Am I wrong? KD Tools was a long-established brand unlucky enough to be part of a giant conglomerate along with Armstrong. They started building a combo wrench where the box-end ratcheted. Called 'em a GearWrench. They became so popular that the Conglomerate dropped the KD name, made GearWrench the overall brand name in addition to the name on the ratcheting-box combo wrenches.

Now KD Tools is gone, GearWrench builds everything in Asia, and the Conglomerate itself has been sold at least once to an even-bigger conglomerate.

I've got a set of USA Craftsman-branded Gearwrenches, and a single 15mm Asian Gearwrench; and they'd be rusty if they weren't chromed. The Craftsman set was a gift from Father-In-Law; the 15mm was purchased under duress when I had car problems 1800 miles from home, and used for that job then never picked-up again. I just hate the extra bulk around the box-end.

 

[Ton ton]

I like combination type nonreversible first ratchet wrenches. Also the mountain brand reversible are pretty sweet once you get the hang of using them.

 

[kbeefy]

OG dogbones and mountain xl



SAE Dogbone and mountain XL



MM Midget flex gearwrench....


OEM Midget flex gearwrench....


Just a little bigger...