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need a quick lesson on snap on tool boxes

gerryw

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I am in the market for a used snap on tool box, basically what is the difference between the krl and the kra's?
i am interested in a roll cab.
i am not interested in any other makes.

pro's /cons etc
thanks very much!!
Gerry
 
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Pedro-snapon

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I am in the market for a used snap on tool box, basically what is the difference between the krl and the kra's?
i am interested in a roll cab.
i am not interested in any other makes.

pro's /cons etc
thanks very much!!
Gerry

kra, pros: inexpensive, lifetime warranty on sliders and casters, nice starter box
cons: some are built in canada, can't handle the weight that a krl can.
krl, pros: weight capacity, same warranty, more drawer configurations,
cons: price?

both are great boxes... but unless you are moving into a 7022 or bigger go with the kra... you can always trade that box in for a krl
 

olds88

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KRA is the original design, not too far removed from what they were selling in the 60s. KRL is a newer design. If your starting out a KRA is fine. Personally, I'd love to get my hands on a KRA4107... nice WIDE drawers in a single bank. It's nearly the same height as my KRA2007 (1 13/16 difference, probably wheel size makes the difference, if so, bigger wheels can go on the smaller box to make them level), so side by side would make a nice dual bank box.

35766.JPG


http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=17774&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
 
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Moose-LandTran

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I looooooove my KRAs.

18072008092-1.jpg


Now have a side box too. One downside is the size, mine's a 40" and the 53" boxes don't come around so often. Also, the drawers are only 19" deep whereas KRLs (correct me if i'm wrong, Pedro.) are 24" deep. My KRAs are Heritage series, with the rounded edges. Mine's made in Canada, it's plenty sturdy and i love it. :)
 

Moose-LandTran

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Moose, did you get and install the side cab yet? Would love to see a pic with it all together!

It's on, but the box is living in the office at work since we no longer have a proper stock room, and the office is actually too small for me to get the whole box in the pic! :lol:

I'll take my camera in tomorrow and try shoot a pic of the box with the side cab. The phone camera just doesn't have a wide enough angle.
 

Moose-LandTran

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The box could roll out out into the shop, could it not?

The doorway has a 2" high lip at the bottom for some reason, when i moved the box in the office i made a 24" ramp and it still took me and another guy to get the box over the lip. If we don't get another stockroom sorted soon i'm going to take my crowbar to the lip and remove it. :)
 
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gerryw

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kra, pros: inexpensive, lifetime warranty on sliders and casters, nice starter box
cons: some are built in canada, can't handle the weight that a krl can.
krl, pros: weight capacity, same warranty, more drawer configurations,
cons: price?

both are great boxes... but unless you are moving into a 7022 or bigger go with the kra... you can always trade that box in for a krl


"con: some are built in canada"

not really a con for me :)

so they both (kra/krl) have ball bearing slides?
thanks for all the replies

Gerry
 

Deafautotech

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Indianapolis, Indiana
If you plan to use a lot of tools, get used KRL series (you would be happy with KRL series) I bought KRL1203( local craiglist) and KRl1003(requested for used KRL1003 with my Snap on guy and he found it at no problems). it is giant toolboxes that snap on made (not like KRL1004 or KRL1065 because it had double boxes mate with...)

I am very happy with KRL1203 and KRL1003 as 72 in wide X 29in deep X 45 in height. i had to double side on last center wide bottom drawer (it got chrysler ball joint kit which it can do all ball joints on chrysler, jeep, or dodge), 8 way slide kit, ball joint/ U-joint kit(mac tools), and many things inside that drawer and it handle very smooth(if single bearing slide which i would got it bent and drop out... so i prefer to keep it easy so i put double slides on it and no problems.

I did seen mac tools (too wide but short deep drawers) and matco is very nice and strong box i seen but too bulk and waste space around... so i just stick with my KRL1203 and KRL1203. both are used and paid off....
 

chad s

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for the quality and time spent making, and designing it its inexpensive

I love snap on tool boxes, and I own a KRL1003, but I cant help but think that somewhere, someone is making a very high markup on any of the boxes they sell.

The smaller KRA series are made in Canada by another company, who sells their own versions, at a much lower price. Im sure most of the manufacturing of Internationals own boxes is the same as the ones they make for Snap On. You cant tell me that a box like a KRA 4813 is really worth $2600, when other companies make equal quality boxes (like non snap on marked Internationals) for less than HALF of the cost.

Sure its well worth it to buy that KRA 4813 used for $800-900, but new for $2600? Thats not paying for materials and build quality, thats paying an extreme premium for a name.

The proof is in the pricing of boxes from companies like Lista, who sell an equally (or questionably better) built boxes for well less.
 

olds88

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They charge what people will pay, and it seems that people pay what they charge, go into nearly any shop, and there's Snap-on toolboxes.
 
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kwhitelaw

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They charge what people will pay, and it seems that people pay what they charge, go into nearly any shop, and there's Snap-on toolboxes.

true, but you'd be surprised what people really pay for those boxes. I just went with my friend yesterday and picked up $5K of SO lockers for an even $1000 cash. and my other installer just got a $10K retail KRL for around $6300.

still alot of coin but if you can afford it cool.
 

ossaguy

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The roller slides on the latest KRA's are way improved.I think it's when they went from 100 lbs rating,to the 125 rating.I bought a new bottom & top exactly like Moose's,and had problems on all the slides on the bottom,but none on the top.On the original slides,they came with fragile stops,that if you pulled it out too far,or too fast and it hit the stops,I'd end up with it broken.Those sliders only had just 2 balls in between a plastic body.So after almost all failed over a 2 year time,my dealer warrantied them all.The new ones have like a dozen or more balls in the body pieces,and there are no stops now that get wrecked.I learned also,that I could adjust the detent action when pushing closed,by just taking out the drawer,and gently bending the rail ends where they slide over the rubber detents.So you can "Tune" the detents to feel the same in all drawers.I like mine to flip out with just a nudge.I wish I would've sprung for the 53 in.wide,though.
I also own a 54in Blue-Point box that was made in Canada, ( KRB series )and I love it.Never any problems with that one.Those were never advertized iin any catalog,or brochure that I've ever seen.I rebadged it,updated it to the latest tubular lock,and came up with a way to install a set of KRA silver aluminum trim on the drawer pulls.I made a nice top for it also.Almost half the price as a KRL unit.Looks almost as nice now.
 

billymade

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ossaguy, you have any pics and part #'s of the Bluepoint box you are talking about? A "before/after" would be interesting to see after you put the new pieces on it. I have a Bluepoint box I am trying to get parts for (so, I can lock it) and it is made in Canada as well; I am finding out that there are current models that are similar if not the same as this old "KiQ" series I have.

frontSOtoolbox.jpg


toolboxlable.jpg


blue-point-tool-storage.gif

http://www.snapon.com/tool-storage/krb-tool-storage.asp
Turns out it is the same or very close to the Blue Point KRB1007A; I guess I could order the badges/drawer accents to update mine to the latest "look".

As for Snap-On boxes being to expensive; kinda like buying a new car versus a car that is driven off the lot or is a couple of years old! You can save a ton of dough buying used; let somebody else eat the depreciation! Especially right now with so many people needing money and leaving the wrenching biz; there are deals to be had. I think the Snap-On dealers sell the boxes to mechanics/techs because they can be bought on time and I have heard they will give full "retail" amounts for the old trade in when someone upgrades to the next box. This buying on time, makes it work for people, trade in value makes the customers come back to the dealer for the next upgrade..... aside the cost issue; Snapon makes some really nice boxes.....
 
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ossaguy

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I don't have a camera yet,but will post only the current pics when I get one.If you look on the San Diego Craigslist now,there is a picture of one for sale for $3k w/tools.I needed the deep bottom,and lower side drawer,so I like it alot.Mine has a deeper 30 inch top I made,so it matches a Pressweld steel bench,plus I can have a row of plastic-bins on the top,against the wall,and now I still have the 24 depth leftover on the top for working on.The current SO tubular lock worked,I needed to come up with a collar spacer is all.

Its not too easy to install the aluminum trim drawer pulls.The Blue-point drawers just have the slip-on rubber strips,because there is no lip on the hidden underside.You need that lip there to act like a channel for the trim to slide on,and get retained.What I did,was got a long roll of that 3M heavy,thick and rough tape that you put on steps,so you dont slip.I cut a length to fit the drawer pull,then cut it lengthwise like 1/4 inch.The sticky back on this stuff it super strong.Then using one of those soft rubber ratcheting bar clamps,starting at one end,and moving down the trim piece a little at a time,you can squeeze a little at a time all along it uniformly,closing up the gap.Then carefully pounding it on with a big soft mallet,install it.Best to have it go on real snug.If it goes on too loose,just start over,you want it tight.I used a hard piece of Teflon,in between the trim and the mallet,if you need to pound it once it's on all the way.You can catch just the lower edge to pound on if you use the teflon,or Delrin piece.I was able to do it without bending the trim OK.
For security,I added some epoxy along the under edge between the trim ledge,and drawer pull,but that may have been overkill.
Without any trim,I nicknamed it "The Fridge"
as it was so vanilla-looking. I hope yours turns out nice!
 

billymade

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The main issue for me is the getting it to the point where I can use the lock and keep my tools secure. The quality isn't super high but for $75; I probably shouldn't complain! Whoever owned it before didn't have the keys, the took the "lock bar" out of the inside of the box (they removed all the linkage and everything related to the locking portion of the box aside from the tumbler), the bar is the part that secures all the drawers when you turn the key/tumbler. Hopefully I can get the parts, we'll see! They put that dumb external bar and drilled holes in the front to install it... bummer.....
 
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Graham08

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Dec 10, 2007
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Iron Station, NC
I'm a big fan of my KRA's. I got the bottom 4107 on my student discount, and added the top and side used from my local dealer. The bottom is ball bearing slide with the finger latches under the drawer pulls...if you're not used to them it is tough to get in the box, which keeps people out of my tools without locking the box. The top and side are both older friction slide units, but are in great shape.

toolbox.jpg
 

Moose-LandTran

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Did you take the top drawer out so you can bolt it to the side handle inserts or are you just letting it hang there?

Not yet, at the moment it's only hanging on. That lip is very strong, i can sit on the side box and it holds my weight fine. I will be removing it and adding plates both inside the rollcab and the side box, it'll be held on with 8 bolts, i'm also adding another plate in the side box for the handle to attach to, with 4 bolts. I don't want to buckle or tear the sheetmetal, and i want the box to be mobile and rigid.

When i get the full-height locker for the other side i'll be doing the same there, but it'll only have a handle on the left.
 

GDA

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Dont underestimate how reasonable of a price you can get into a Snap On KRA box/set of toolboxes. Here in DFW area, I was able to get a 2 year old KRA 4114 and 4107 for $1300 this past year. Bottom 4107 boxes seem to go for about $800 or so on the local craigslist.
 

Pedro-snapon

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I love snap on tool boxes, and I own a KRL1003, but I cant help but think that somewhere, someone is making a very high markup on any of the boxes they sell.

The smaller KRA series are made in Canada by another company, who sells their own versions, at a much lower price. Im sure most of the manufacturing of Internationals own boxes is the same as the ones they make for Snap On. You cant tell me that a box like a KRA 4813 is really worth $2600, when other companies make equal quality boxes (like non snap on marked Internationals) for less than HALF of the cost.

Sure its well worth it to buy that KRA 4813 used for $800-900, but new for $2600? Thats not paying for materials and build quality, thats paying an extreme premium for a name.

The proof is in the pricing of boxes from companies like Lista, who sell an equally (or questionably better) built boxes for well less.

I own a krl1023 myself that i bought for 9k about 3years ago. the build quality that went into that box vs what i've seen from mac, matco, cornwell, or any other box for that matter is huge. Will all the other boxes mentioned i found that they are heavier, bigger with smaller draws, and the sliders tend to be too small for the box.

granted the kra is still more money than the average box, but equivalent speaking the other tool trucks sell equivalent sized boxes for around the same price ... hell even craftsman sells them around the same price.

I've heard that the same boxes can be purchased elsewhere, i've yet to see it... had a customer buy one, i ordered in the snap-on kra that he supposedly bought and under close inspection his draws were smaller, more flimsy, the sliders were the same, locking mechanism was different, casters were the same, paint coverage was the same, the body was similar, with the exception of weld counts the snap-on still had more.... so iduno ...

our mark up on kra boxes are tiny, and after talking to the guys who build them for us in canada our cost is not too much more than what it costs to make. KRA boxes are only there to increase the choices we give to the consumer, and to compete a little better with the cheaper boxes in the market.
 

billymade

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Who makes the the KRA and the Bluepoint 7000 and my KiQ series boxes; if you are able to tell us, would be interesting to know!
 

olds88

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Got a pic today. The pic ***** because our office is pretty small. I had to shoot the pic from behind the desk.

You keep your tools in the office???

Also, in Europe, do VWs have stupid problems like the Mexican built ones in the US, like hoses that rot prematurely and fasteners that feel like they're made of butter when you tighten them down?... and plastic that gets unusually brittle after a few years???

BTW... nice box setup, that's what I'd love to have!

And, what kind of car is that in the background, the silver one, whatever it is, we don't have it in the US, I don't think.
 
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