MAC RBRT wrenches….Are they ****?
- Thread starter impactims
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Pretty sure those are grip edge bits in Mac sockets. These are different, as in not a grip edge product.
Those wrenches have the Facom design now shared by lots of SBD brands. They seem to be well liked. I've been tempted by some of the Craftsman deals but the craftsman sets have quite a few skips.
I'm sure you'll enjoy them.
mreisner
Well-known member
I have that same setup, very happy with them.
Do you have the 6pt or 12pt box ends?
Mine are 6.
I figure I have enough 12pt wrenches and the GRIPPY 6pt is something I don’t have. So, these wrenches give me an open end that is unique and a box end that is unique, as in no other wrench I personally own is like it.
So I figured they are a win-win. A worthy addition.
mreisner
Well-known member
Most of the ones I have are the six point, but I also got the basic 12 point rbrt Precision torque wrenches also I think they're 9 to 19 or something like that. Very happy with them also but yes it's amazing how grippy those six points ends are.
Same, over here in Europe I think I paid about 80€ with shipping for the USAG 8-19 set. Would be really hard to beat that for the moneyI have the identical (except for name stampings) USAG 285X version...
Just 8-19 though. I like them quite a bit.
The other ones that come really close though are the Wrightgrip 2.0's
Wish I could order larger sizes through them too (Mac does not sell here anyway).Ohio Andy
Well-known member
Craftsman overdrive are on sale right now... The 11 pc sets are $50.
I prefer my wright tools wrenches, but I really like my Craftsman overdrive and the case they come in. And the Craftsman are 6 pt if that matters.
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Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I find the geometry on the MAX RBRT, USAG 285, & Precision Torque series boxed ends to be a bit unusual. It's probably just me but, I don't care for the absence of a slight bend where the wrench beam meets the boxed end. It forms a perfect spot for your thumb. On the RBRT/Precision torque series there's no bend by the boxed end. It's a straight beam that forms the top portion of the boxed end itself. takes a little getting used to (at least for me). I think the Precision Torque & RBRT versions are great wrenches. I like the rounded beam edges, the fullers in the beams and the angled open ends. I never imagined a Taiwan made wrench would as pricy off the MAC truck so, it's best to seek out other versions, sources, or a sale. 
YesIHaveAHammer
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An interesting detail I noticed on my Facom 441 OGV Grip:
Notice that the open end is oriented differently on the 440 vs. 441 relative to the angle direction of the ring end. I believe this is to complement the limited positions available on the 6pt ring end for use around obstacles, specifically in the loosening direction. It does seem to work out that way in practice.
Hannahranga
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I've got some of the sidcrome flavoured ones, they're the 467's so ratchet 12 points.
They've been pretty good from what limited use I give them, I really like that sidcrome does in a spanner roll
They've been pretty good from what limited use I give them, I really like that sidcrome does in a spanner roll
YesIHaveAHammer
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Not many people going for the sockets, more for the wrenches?
Wrench-Polisher
Well-known member
Ok so I have capri wave drive wrenches which are pretty darn aggressive and work well on rusty hardware.
My old craftsman wrenches are not impressive.
Will these facom/rbrt wrenches split the difference?
My old craftsman wrenches are not impressive.
Will these facom/rbrt wrenches split the difference?
Wamsutta
Well-known member
That's something I would never buy. I like a nice simple wrench that's easy to maneuver. Don't need any gimmicks on my wrench.
By the way, the Snap-on midget combination wrenches are fantastic for working underneath the kitchen sink.
By the way, the Snap-on midget combination wrenches are fantastic for working underneath the kitchen sink.
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dnschmidt
Well-known member
Just a note: Many of Facom's wrenches are made by Rotar Machinery in Taiwan. AKA TOPTUL
woody 73
Well-known member
I bought a set of the usag 285x and I like them.no problems with them so far.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I thought about buying a set, but am more likely to buy some Proto short reversible ratcheting wrenches. I have a standard sizes set and like them.
Facom has a “precision torque” style wrench, but not a RBRT style wrench, as far as I know. The only way to get RBRT is to get MAC or USAG, and if you go with USAG, you will be very limited in wrench size availability.
Then there is the craftsman overdrive. Not the same as RBRT, but similar. Supposedly not as good and limited size availability as well. The USAG is exactly the same as MAC RBRT, just less sizes. So, keep that in mind.
With nothing in SAE.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
One reason my main set is wright tools
Same here…Wrights in the SAE drawer and Protos in the Metric. I actually kinda like the Proto ASDs just a hair more than the Wrights.
Ohio Andy
Well-known member
I have a large set of proto reversible ratcheting in both SAE and metric. We are almost twinsies
They sell all styles through Facom. Facom 440 are their standard wrenches. Facom 440XL are "precision torque" style. Facom 441XL are RBRT style. They all have the same satin finish Facom is known for.
The problem are just certain sizes which I think are only sold through Mac. I'm not sure why they do that. Common sizes are sold though Facom.
The MAC version is nice, if the MAC truck doing a deal on them they worth having .
Assume TE WEI INDUSTRIAL CO still oem for these (it won't be Rotar as they don't even forge their own brand), Proper nice forging and finishing with great design concepts and all at fairly sensible cost .
Assume TE WEI INDUSTRIAL CO still oem for these (it won't be Rotar as they don't even forge their own brand), Proper nice forging and finishing with great design concepts and all at fairly sensible cost .
Fear not, you can get the craftsman overdrive in SAE for a good price. They are too tight-fitting and 6-pointed to be a daily driver for me, but when you need them they can be very helpful.
Was wrenching w a friend and he rounded the brass bleeder out real good on a wheel cylinder. I thought we were cooked but I hammered on the box end of the overdrive wrench and it got it out. (Reinserted here for the picture)
Interesting. If I understand your post, you’re saying Rotar d.b.a. TOPTUL doesn’t forge their own tools, only finishes them?
@dnschmidt any comment?
Tools from the old world
So why make a stupidly strong open end and then sell your spanner in a short pattern when in mose cases, in everyday use, there is no physical way to make use of all the strength? Facom seems that always made short wrenches, the 40 series is even shorter than newer 440 series.
www.garagejournal.com
Rotar was using it's convections/knowledge of Taichung tool manufacturers to get tools made, some of it toptul design, some of it odm offerings, wrenches for example like the extra long combo sets with tight tolerance broaching/jaws was TE WEI design/forging, products like the toptul go-thru screwdrivers seem be very much Toptul design in handle and blade choices & a product that may have more in house production too .
I would assume Toptul expanded & does some in house manufacture but can't see them having space expand to a full forging production, hardly any manufacturer on Taiwan does all in house when you got the required specialist factories close by in the industrial areas .
Sharing production capabilities to complete a product is very much the way it all works in Taiwan .
I would assume Toptul does some in house manufacture/assembly/packing but doubts on what forging if any they have in house .
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Farmall450
Well-known member
So far I've been impressed w/ the Craftsman overdrive version. The rack is the best part!
dnschmidt
Well-known member
No, they do make most of them from scratch for both their TOPTUL brand and others such as Facom. However, the biggest business of Rotar Machinery is vibratory polishers. That's why the finish of their tools (what they call their satin chrome finish) is unique. That stated the fact that all Taiwan manufacturers outsource to each other as mentioned by Mr. B. is true. For example many of TOPTUL's digital torque wrenches are made by Eclatorq and all of their ratchets are from William Tool.Tools from the old world
So why make a stupidly strong open end and then sell your spanner in a short pattern when in mose cases, in everyday use, there is no physical way to make use of all the strength? Facom seems that always made short wrenches, the 40 series is even shorter than newer 440 series.
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mreisner
Well-known member
That's what I started out with but needed the bigger ones so Mac had a pretty good deal and I bought a set of them and sold the 285x set for allmost as much as I paid for it. They also had the deal at the time where if you bought the rbrt set they threw in they set of flex head ratcheting wrenches in the holder. The list on them was almost as much as the rbrt wrenches. Originally I was going to sell them to make it a zero-sum gain transaction but the more I look at them I convinced myself to at least open the plastic on them check them out and boil am I glad I did, they are a fantastic wrench, fit the hand really nice, not too big not too small and I was hooked. I like them so much I ended up buying the SAE set also. I guess they were a gateway drug!
NHtoolguy
Well-known member
I just purchased the 11 piece metric set on sale for just under $50 at Lowe's. I had been watching the prices every time I visited the store, ready to pull the trigger when they dropped. For once, patience has paid off!
Farmall450
Well-known member
Wow, I don't exactly recall, but that seems cheaper than they were last fall.
mreisner
Well-known member
If the rack is best part, better than the tools themselves, then the tools must not be all that impressive. How can a wrench rack matter much?
mreisner
Well-known member
They don't rattle or fall out and it folds to save space. Awesome for grabbing for out of shop work. USAG sells them seperate too. They really are that good.