HF stubby wrenches

[90zcar]

I don't really need any "stubby" wrenches and can usually get by. I have a cheap wrench or two that I have cut down before but I have been thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a cheap set of stubby wrenches. I seen the harbor freight Pittsburg ones can be had for under 10 bucks. These aren't something you are going to put a lot of torque on and not use much. I'm just curious if the size tolerances on the wrenches are good and not loose.
Does anyone have these and would recommend them? There's decent short reviews on the hf site



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[rice rocket]

For the amount I use them, I'd probably get those and be happy.

I have the Craftsman made in USA ones, and they're fine, I just never use 'em and paid $60.

 

[1950mercury]

What do you have to loose For just over 8 bucks with a coupon? Even if you never use them.

 

[90zcar]

What do you have to loose For just over 8 bucks with a coupon? Even if you never use them.

8 bucks! That's what I'd lose haha

I just wanted to get a general idea. Never know if someone may come on here and say they are awful and fit very loose or something


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[Loscaldazar]

Those are sold under many different brands (usually as part of a 32 piece set). I've even seen Husky selling them. They all look and feel the same, but I bet they'd do the job easily.

 

[morgaj1]

I have the Husky version of these and have been happy with them. Like you, I only use them once in a blue moon.

 

[BMack37]

I say buy them. Don't forget your coupon, there's a free LED light, tape measure or magnetic tool tray with any purchase. Also 20% off coupon that may or may not stack with the wrench set.

 

[90zcar]

I have the Husky version of these and have been happy with them. Like you, I only use them once in a blue moon.

How long are they. Curious if they are identical and just re-badged


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[warweapon762]

These are more like the HDX model stubbies from around 3 years ago and less like the Husky brand ones in my opinion. They work really well and I've been reluctant to replace them with a more expensive brand just because I've had such good luck with them. My only complaint is I have a 10 peice set and not a 12 or 14 peice set.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I have gear wrench ratcheting ones. I use them all the time. Especially in power steering work.

 

[90zcar]

I have gear wrench ratcheting ones. I use them all the time. Especially in power steering work.

The only thing that would scare me with the stubby ratcheting ones is the box end is zero offset correct??


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[WhiffySpark]

That's what I have. I have no offset ratcheting wrenches mine are all straight.

I just used them yesterday to do rear shocks on a e350.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I just realized why I don't have any offset ones. Generally if there's room for an offset wrench I can get a socket in there. I only use wrenches when I have to due to clearance.

I see people on here with entire drawers full of 10 different types of wrenches and it makes me scratch my head. And I work in an independent shop working from cars to class 8

 

[ravenzfusion]

I have gear wrench ratcheting ones. I use them all the time. Especially in power steering work.

I have the same set. Come in handy

 

[NC-Shaun]

8 bucks! That's what I'd lose haha

I just wanted to get a general idea. Never know if someone may come on here and say they are awful and fit very loose or something


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I have had a set of cheapy popular mechanics stubbies for the last 20 years, i would be lost without them! Funny that one of the techs I work with has about 30k in brand name tools and borrows these wrenches from me. Stubbies are fine to go cheap on, they dont see much torque. buy em

 

[ChevyEFI]

I just realized why I don't have any offset ones. Generally if there's room for an offset wrench I can get a socket in there. I only use wrenches when I have to due to clearance.

I see people on here with entire drawers full of 10 different types of wrenches and it makes me scratch my head. And I work in an independent shop working from cars to class 8

We get used to things.
I drove a car in high school that was small. And got used to the simultaneous duck & enter the car maneuver.
I didn't have a flex handle ratchet for decades. Other people swear by them. With the right extensions or a roto ratchet, all things are possible; that's what I was used to.
People make use of the wrong tool all the time. I too, lack stubby wrenches, but I bet I'd make of them if I had them.
I will guess you have pretty good dexterity. I think I do.

 

[92integra]

get em, they work well. i would recommend you the northern tool stubbies but they stopped selling them

 

[Bagherra]

I'd like to get a set of these...not sure of when or where i'd use them though....

 

[popparoach]

get em, they work well. i would recommend you the northern tool stubbies but they stopped selling them

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&ipp=24&Ntt=stubby+wrench+set
still sell them and they are nice to have when you need them.

 

[90zcar]

Hopefully I get some time during this holiday weekend and shoot over to HF n grab a set


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[Kirbot]

I have the Husky set, but... They really don't look anything like the ones from harborfreight. (And the HF set is made in India I believe)
I only have the Huskies because they were on sale even cheaper than harborfreight.

But, I certainly don't see how you would go wrong.
I rarely use them, but they do come in handy now and then. They certainly never see much torque.

 

[cliftonbros89]

I have a craftsman USA set. Metric and SAE. I do use them. Not all the time, but they are handy to have around. The USA made set it nice. I'm hoping since I don't use them often I won't have to worry about getting them warrantied for China made ****. But as far as they go they are nice and do work well. I personally use them for working on old JD tractors now and then. Occasionally on newer tractor hydraulic lines when I don't have a crowfoot set handy.

 

[shoggoth80]

I've got Matco stubbies now. I did have common metric size Kobalts before that. When you need a stubby to reach something, nothing else will do. You'll be glad to have some.

Also... inexpensive. Seriously...how much torque do you expect to be ABLE to put on stubbies? Buy and don't worry.

 

[90zcar]

I've got Matco stubbies now. I did have common metric size Kobalts before that. When you need a stubby to reach something, nothing else will do. You'll be glad to have some.

Also... inexpensive. Seriously...how much torque do you expect to be ABLE to put on stubbies? Buy and don't worry.

Why did u get rid of the kobalts?


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[sberry]

The drive over will cost more than the wrench.

 

[sberry]

I just realized why I don't have any offset ones. Generally if there's room for an offset wrench I can get a socket in there. I only use wrenches when I have to due to clearance.

I see people on here with entire drawers full of 10 different types of wrenches and it makes me scratch my head. And I work in an independent shop working from cars to class 8

I am with Whiffy here. I work on it all too and 99.5% of it is with a common socket or combination wrench. I have a handful of other stuff I use as "problem solvers" on occasion and most of the time it is removal, by the time I get it apart have figured out how to use a conventional tool to install and or do it again.
Did this on a pump the other day, first time I had half a dozen wrenches out, when I readjust the belt a few days later took a single combination.
Don't actually own a set of stubs, don't plan on getting them.

 

[morgaj1]

How long are they. Curious if they are identical and just re-badged


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The 3/4" wrench is 5 1/2", tip to tip.

 

[90zcar]

SBERRY.....I agree with you 100%. Sometimes on here I see people's wrench drawers and it seems they have 1000s of wrenches. Sets of every length wrench, each degree offset, s shaped, moon shaped and the list goes on.
I usually get by with what I have. I may have something once a year where a certain wrench would have made it faster but for the money the set costs/space taken up......it's just not worth it

I just figured the stubbys were cheap enough so why not


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[90zcar]

Ran over to HF this morning and got em

The tolerances on the open end seem dead on with my regular fd+ snap on wrenches


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[OutsideMachinist]

Hf wrenches are junk. They work in some cases sometimes you need better quality.I use their jumbo wrenches. It is what it is they just aren't up to par with good quality ones. Personally for stubby wrenches I would get slightly better quality ones, or do what I do and buy a decent set of combination wrenches and cut them on a chop saw.

HF wrenches are noticeably weaker/flimsier have a lot of flex in them a quality wrench doesn't. I still use the jumbo ones as well as the jumbo sockets on occassion. Usually I will use them to back up an impact or soemthing similar. In any case they wont put up with a lot of torque especially if you need to use the open end.

Stubby wrenches not needing to see a lot of torque is a common sense people have. Depends entirely on what you are doing. That is not the case for me. Depends on your situation.

 

[iScream]

Stubby wrenches not needing to see a lot of torque is a common sense people have. Depends entirely on what you are doing. That is not the case for me. Depends on your situation.

It's a basic physics thing. Unless you are using something to gain more leverage on the stubby wrench, it isn't possible for it to see as much torque as a longer wrench.

-Chris

 

[BMack37]

It's a basic physics thing. Unless you are using something to gain more leverage on the stubby wrench, it isn't possible for it to see as much torque as a longer wrench.

-Chris

Just because you can't get as much torque on a stubby than a longer wrench doesn't mean you can't over-torque the stubby wrench past it's breaking point...it's just less likely. I'd imagine nearly everyone that buys a stubby wrench set would never come close to over torquing them.

 

[iScream]

Just because you can't get as much torque on a stubby than a longer wrench doesn't mean you can't over-torque the stubby wrench past it's breaking point...it's just less likely. I'd imagine nearly everyone that buys a stubby wrench set would never come close to over torquing them.

Nobody has said that you can't break stubby wrenches. The point people generally make about them is that a stubby can be weaker than a longer wrench and still stand up to the same amount of force being applied by the same hand.

I don't think it's so much about breaking the wrench anyway. Since a stubby has less leverage it isn't as likely to deform and slip.

Chris

 

[BMack37]

Nobody has said that you can't break stubby wrenches. The point people generally make about them is that a stubby can be weaker than a longer wrench and still stand up to the same amount of force being applied by the same hand.

I don't think it's so much about breaking the wrench anyway. Since a stubby has less leverage it isn't as likely to deform and slip.

Chris

What I was getting at was that I don't think either of you two(OutsideMachinist is the other) were wrong in your assessments. It appeared(though, might not be the case) that you were telling OutsideMachinist that he was wrong in thinking he didn't have to worry about breaking HF stubby wrenches.

 

[shoggoth80]

90zCar... I still have the Kobalts. They're just not in my main box. In a reserve bag as junkyard tools. The Matcos ratchet, the Kobalts do not. The Matcos are nicer overall, and once I crack something loose... if the clearance is tight enough that I am using a stubby... I'm very happy to have a ratcheting mechanism on my side.

Sorry to trail off topic.

 

[Bagherra]

Those who have the stubby wrenches, regular or ratcheting?

 

[thegroundpounder99]

Those who have the stubby wrenches, regular or ratcheting?

I'd go with the ratcheting if you only want one set. Usually I find you only use the open end but if I use the box end I use my ratcheting ones.


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[popparoach]

I have these Blackhawks and really like them.

 

[chris142]

Made in china or india? The china ones seem to be a better product if that's possible

 

[shoggoth80]

Those Blackhawks look nice!