About a year ago I finally managed to get myself a job in a shop and figured it was high time I got some good tools. First toolguy that came around was the Matco guy. Seemed like a goody guy (he is) with some good tools (up for debate). I ended up getting a nice ratchet, socket set and impact from him. I have blown up that ratchet three or four times and even had it replaced once when I bent it and it still acts goofy. Likes to get stuck and not ratchet. Then we have the socket set. The sockets themselves are nice but the dang swivel is a huge POS. I have blown up and bent that thing probably around 10 times. He actually had to order more since I kept breaking them. I use it daily for oil filters on GMs stupid ecocrap engines. Then lastly is my impact. It likes to stop impacting and blow air and torque lock and the gun trys to spin out of my hands. I had it rebuilt (for free) a few months ago but the other day it started the same **** again. Anyone else have these kind of experiences or did I just get a bad batch of tools?
I've also broken my 140lb torque stick twice now, forgot about that
Soak the ratchet head in ATF, then re-test for binding. I assume you're popping the snap ring out when it blows up? That's just lots of force, at a ****** angle (pulling outward with too much force on ring). That's why the matco/GW design is not the only one to have. It fits where a dual 80 doesn't but fails by puking the guts out, while dual 80 just slips. Does it normally fail doing a certain type of job? What drive size? Eventually after being blown up enough, the head of that ratchet where the snap-ring sits can become damaged.
Why use a universal on ecotec filters? A long 3/8 extension will hit just fine on the non-chevy cruze stuff. Those I just use a shorter extension and a flex head ratchet. A pinned impact style universal will hold up better. At a certain point, universals are consumables. FWIW, I too, have murdered quite a few matco universals. I switched to the impact style (where ever they'll fit) and now have zero failures. I haven't broken my SK or Willaims brand chrome universals yet, but I use them rarely now.
Wobble extensions can also eliminate universals to an extent. GW aren't all that strong (they're machined). My SKs aren't wobble plus, but I have put them through unbelievable torture, with zero failures yet. I'm talking, 1/4 inch deflection from the center line, on a 1/4 drive 18 inch extension, stepped up to 3/8 drive for leverage.
Torque stick is a consumable, and also gay.
I would get a whole new gun or rebuild. The whole "spinning in your hands" is unbelievably dangerous. It could twist your elbow or break a wrist. Not safe at all, and no okay.
Seriously, not safe. Diversify your brands a little bit, and have doubles (from more than one quality brand ideally) of high frequency failure tools. But as long as matco is holding up the warranty they promised, that's what matters. They sold you tools, expressly advertising a warranty, all the trucks do.
