GRIP wrench/HF vice torture test

[nissan_crawler]

I had a stuck fitting in a pressure regulator at work the other day... put the fitting in the vice and had a 1 3/8" GRIP service wrench on the regulator, with a 2' cheater pipe.

We had one guy with a 3' prybar stuck in the back of the vice to keep it from spinning, one guy holding my toolbox from turning, and two of us on the 2' cheater pipe.

Things were creaking, snapping, and popping, and everybody had veins popping out. In the end, we rounded off the 1 3/8" regulator, nothing moved. The wrench spread a bit, but went back to normal once pressure was off.

We tried to get a guy with a set of Bonney, and one guy with a set of Martin wrenches to try it, but they weren't willing.

I was damn impressed for a $50 wrench set. I've always questioned the quality of them, not anymore.

I was slightly amazed the vice jaws didn't give out on that thing.

http://www.toolking.com/products/3190175.aspx?googlebase=90175

 

[mkdive]

Good write up, thanks for sharing.

 

[Frank Elson]

so did you get it apart eventually? ...and, if so, how ?

 

[bchee]

I'm surprised nobody got hurt.

What is a service wrench anyway? Is the head thinner like a tappet wrench? Is the handle shaped like that for a cheater bar?

 

[nissan_crawler]

so did you get it apart eventually? ...and, if so, how ?

Nope. It wasn't coming apart, peeled the metal right off the regulator with the wrench. The customer got to buy a new $2500 regulator and 2 $300 fittings.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I'm surprised nobody got hurt.

What is a service wrench anyway? Is the head thinner like a tappet wrench? Is the handle shaped like that for a cheater bar?

We were purposely 180* apart so nobody got wapped. *Most* service wrenches have a thinner head, these are thicker, which can be good/bad. I thought being thick would outweigh the disadvantages.

They're *supposed* to be for low-torque applications. That doesn't always happen, though.

I was impressed considering it was almost 1/4 the price of any other set, and took that force I'm 240 lbs, he's 180 or so, and both of us were braced and pushing.

 

[eschoendorff]

We were purposely 180* apart so nobody got wapped. *Most* service wrenches have a thinner head, these are thicker, which can be good/bad. I thought being thick would outweigh the disadvantages.

They're *supposed* to be for low-torque applications. That doesn't always happen, though.

I was impressed considering it was almost 1/4 the price of any other set, and took that force I'm 240 lbs, he's 180 or so, and both of us were braced and pushing.

Kinda dismisses the idea that all those China tools are junk, huh???

Finally, some actual evidence!

 

[KenS]

It wasn't a left-hand thread, was it?

 

[nissan_crawler]

Give me a little credit.

AN fittings don't have left hand thread. The only left hand thread I've ever seen on a plane is on the coffee pot spigot and turnbuckles/bungees. Yes, I'm serious.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I will say I had to sand the chrome on the inside of a few of the wrenches to get them to fit. That could easily have been the fittings fault, not the wrench, though.

Still for $50 vs/ $200, that's fine.

 

[Coach James]

Give me a little credit.

Coach

 

[Stanger]

Hey nissan, remember our discussion in the toptul thread about testing tool yield? This was the exact type of situation where you're glad the tool has a high yield strength and that it would deform instead of break. Sure, tools aren't *supposed* to reach their yield strength, but as you experienced today with the spreading of the jaws, we can approach, and in certain cases, pass that point. Thanks for the unbiased review.

 

[chammyman]

I remember doing a regulator for the brakes on a scania truck, the other peasants at the work all had a go at undoing the unions on it.

Then I got the job as I was the always go to guy when everyone else couldn't do it.

I tried this and that even got ring spanners (not mine) chopped a section out so I could get ring end over the line. Not budging.

I eventually got a chisel and hammered the regulator body apart where the unions went in. That way the fittings were saved.

 

[jtrace]

Nissan,thank you for the review I have a use for these and was conteplating getting them but was nervous. Not that I have had bad luck with Harbor Freight but for the price I was wondering if I was buying junk.....

Thanks again
John

 

[nissan_crawler]

Those aren't HF, they're GRIP brand. HF may have some made by them, I don't know. I bought mine online. For the quality, the price is hard to beat.

I sure wouldn't have blamed the wrench if it snapped into pieces. We were being complete idiots and knew it. We were pretty much doing it to see what let loose first. I have to say I was surprised at the outcome, we were all betting on the wrench going.