Matco ADV Impact Sockets = no longer Sunex?

[The Critic]

For the record, I am not advocating for one option over the other. However, folks keep saying that Matco ADV impact sockets are just relabeled Sunex. I don't think that is true - look at the Matco ADV 10mm vs. the Sunex 10mm....they do not look the same. I wonder if the Matco ADV line is now being supplied by someone else.

Matco ADV:


Sunex:

Sunex 310MD Sunex Tools Impact Sockets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Sunex Tools Impact Sockets with qualifying orders of $125. Shop Sockets and Drive Bits at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[drtyler]

Matco looks like Gearwrench.

 

[bartman2468]

Matco looks like Gearwrench.

The sticker on the Matco ADV says “made to Matco specifications in China”. I see old posts people saying Matco ADV made in Taiwan. If that was the case it’s not anymore…

 

[woody 73]

I thought the Vontier Corporation made the boxes in the USA, a few ratchets are made in the USA and the rest are coming from Mainland China, have things changed since then?

 

[drtyler]

The sticker on the Matco ADV says “made to Matco specifications in China”. I see old posts people saying Matco ADV made in Taiwan. If that was the case it’s not anymore…

The ebay and amazon listings for the 3/8 deep impact Gearwrench sets and the 10mm individual show China as the COO. I realize they may not be correct though.

 

[AJHD]

It might vary depending on the socket drive size, 6point vs 12point, whatever else.
But the Matco socket sets I've recently purchased in the past few months were all made in Taiwan.

I was just on the Matco truck and looked at several of the sets, all I see are Taiwan. Not sure if my dealer has "old stock" or what the deal is.

Matco changes vendors often, but I know the OEM for a lot of their stuff is Apex. Same company who owns Gearwrench and several other companies (and also OEM tools for companies like Home Depot). Apex has moved a lot of their production to China from Taiwan. I don't like buying Apex/Gearwrench because I don't know which version of the tool I'm going to get or where it's made.

14 PIECE 1/4" DRIVE METRIC 6 POINT ADV IMPACT SOCKET SET SAPM146V | Matco Tools

www.matcotools.com

12 PIECE 1/4" DRIVE METRIC 6 POINT ADV MID-LENGTH IMPACT SOCKET SET SAIPM126V | Matco Tools

www.matcotools.com

11 PIECE 1/2" 1/4" AND 3/8" DRIVE ADV INVERTED TORX® SOCKET SET SABCX11V | Matco Tools

www.matcotools.com

 

[Wamsutta]

I'm wondering why the OP narrowed it down to just Matco and Sunex.

 

[908Jim]

The ebay and amazon listings for the 3/8 deep impact Gearwrench sets and the 10mm individual show China as the COO. I realize they may not be correct though.

I do wonder if some companies refer to Taiwan as "China" for political/regulatory reasons. Tons of Gearwrench stuff on Amazon is listed as being made in China but the reviews (recent and old) all say Taiwan.

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

For the record, I am not advocating for one option over the other. However, folks keep saying that Matco ADV impact sockets are just relabeled Sunex. I don't think that is true - look at the Matco ADV 10mm vs. the Sunex 10mm....they do not look the same. I wonder if the Matco ADV line is now being supplied by someone else.

Matco ADV:


Sunex:

Sunex 310MD Sunex Tools Impact Sockets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Sunex Tools Impact Sockets with qualifying orders of $125. Shop Sockets and Drive Bits at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Sunex sockets are now made in China so matco is still sourcing from Sunex. My matco dealer says

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

I thought the Vontier Corporation made the boxes in the USA, a few ratchets are made in the USA and the rest are coming from Mainland China, have things changed since then?

Originally the ADV was made in Taiwan and outsourced to Sunex but now Sunex has outsourced impact socket production to China now. Their modern impact sockets look like this now

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

I do wonder if some companies refer to Taiwan as "China" for political/regulatory reasons. Tons of Gearwrench stuff on Amazon is listed as being made in China but the reviews (recent and old) all say Taiwan.

Taiwan and China are usually specified. Sunex has now moved all of their impact sockets to China to be manufactured there

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

I'm wondering why the OP narrowed in down to just Matco and Sunex.

Cornwell blue power is also Sunex

 

[AJHD]

Originally the ADV was made in Taiwan and outsourced to Sunex but now Sunex has outsourced impact socket production to China now. Their modern impact sockets look like this now

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that "another one bites the dust" if Sunex has gone over to China.
That picture looks nothing like Sunex sockets have traditionally looked. They look more like every other made in China rebrand on Amazon.
I've also noticed their prices on Amazon have generally go up significantly and there are better/cheaper options.

The only Sunex socket I still own a 32mm for axle nuts, but Sunex "used to" make outstanding impact sockets.
I wonder if their quality has or will change.

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

I'm wondering why the OP narrowed in down to just Matco and Sunex.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that "another one bites the dust" if Sunex has gone over to China.
That picture looks nothing like Sunex sockets have traditionally looked. They look more like every other made in China rebrand on Amazon.
I've also noticed their prices on Amazon have generally go up significantly and there are better/cheaper options.

The only Sunex socket I still own a 32mm for axle nuts, but Sunex "used to" make outstanding impact sockets.
I wonder if their quality has or will change.

Yep this is what their new stock looks like. If you get the red case it’s old stock but from now on they are manufactured in mainland China but Matco is still using Sunex even though they are in China now. Kinda sad because I love Sunex for the price point but I don’t want to support China so I will be moving to grey pneumatic for sockets now because they are still Taiwanese and aren’t moving anytime soon. Crazy how getting cheap sockets through Taiwan will turn into even cheaper from China

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that "another one bites the dust" if Sunex has gone over to China.
That picture looks nothing like Sunex sockets have traditionally looked. They look more like every other made in China rebrand on Amazon.
I've also noticed their prices on Amazon have generally go up significantly and there are better/cheaper options.

The only Sunex socket I still own a 32mm for axle nuts, but Sunex "used to" make outstanding impact sockets.
I wonder if their quality has or will change.

I’ve spoken to Sunex and they said the quality will remain identical (unlikely) but now the markings are easier to identify and now the drive end is chamfered so I guess that’s something

 

[Jtels85]

One of the YouTube tool reviewers (the guy who looks like Grimace, can't remember his name) made a video not long ago disproving that Matco ADV'S were Sunex. Similar, but not the same.

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

One of the YouTube tool reviewers (the guy who looks like Grimace, can't remember his name) made a video not long ago disproving that Matco ADV'S were Sunex. Similar, but not the same.

Yes CP the tool addict said that but he’s wrong. I’m a diesel mechanic and my Matco tool dealers has told me on numerous occasions that Matcos ADV is manufactured by Sunex. The only difference is the Broach and the chamfered drive ends but that’s what Matco specifically requests when sockets are produced.

 

[Jtels85]

Yes CP the tool addict said that but he’s wrong. I’m a diesel mechanic and my Matco tool dealers has told me on numerous occasions that Matcos ADV is manufactured by Sunex. The only difference is the Broach and the chamfered drive ends but that’s what Matco specifically requests when sockets are produced.

Thank you for clarifying. I usually tend to take those YouTube personalities with a grain of salt, but didn't this time.

 

[Callelle]

Everything CP says has to be taken with a grain of salt, a big one. He claims to not be bought by sponsors, but very clearly is. The hypocrisy when he bashes Harbor Freight, but will push ChiCom Amazon products with affiliate links hard. Or when he'll Hype DeWalt while bashing Milwaukee when they test better on TTC, but if Milwaukee does better, he just stammers on how power isn't everything. He blocks anyone who disagrees with him, but "welcomes" people to disagree.

Sorry to rant, it just gets my blood pressure up when people cite them as sources and they really aren't reliable.

 

[Etchase]

Sunex doesn’t manufacture anything, do they? If so, anyone know what the address of their factory is?

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Yes CP the tool addict said that but he’s wrong. I’m a diesel mechanic and my Matco tool dealers has told me on numerous occasions that Matcos ADV is manufactured by Sunex. The only difference is the Broach and the chamfered drive ends but that’s what Matco specifically requests when sockets are produced.

I have no horse in this race - that said stating the sockets "are sunex" is a bit of a murky statement.

Obviously if sunex makes them, then they're inherently a "sunex socket". However if they product being produced isn't the same as the Sunex branded products for sale, I can also see saying "they're not sunex sockets" because they aren't interchangeable with the sunex sockets available for sale.

Made by the parent/company Sunex, and the same as Sunex sockets, are really two different things. So if person 1 says they're sunex sockets because sunex co makes the for Matco, but person 2 says they're not sunex sockets since they're not the same as any sunex branded sockets - I think both could be correct statements.

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

Yeah i get that i should be more specific when talking about this. Sunex produces matco ADV sockets but aren’t Sunex sockets themselves. Matco doesn’t make any tools besides their tool boxes so it makes sense that they have many manufacturers. Astro pneumatic makes their flex head air impact wrench and their hyper step drill bits

 

[rudy_da_berry59]

Everything CP says has to be taken with a grain of salt, a big one. He claims to not be bought by sponsors, but very clearly is. The hypocrisy when he bashes Harbor Freight, but will push ChiCom Amazon products with affiliate links hard. Or when he'll Hype DeWalt while bashing Milwaukee when they test better on TTC, but if Milwaukee does better, he just stammers on how power isn't everything. He blocks anyone who disagrees with him, but "welcomes" people to disagree.

Sorry to rant, it just gets my blood pressure up when people cite them as sources and they really aren't reliable.

The only people I watch for un bias reviews are project farm and torque test channels. Both amazing channels

 

[M635_Guy]

The only people I watch for un bias reviews are project farm and torque test channels. Both amazing channels

The guy at "Tools Tested" is pretty good too. Good info, zero hype.