OTC tools, what's the scoop?

[Hawk231]

Any opinions? There's a fair amount of stuff on ebay. The "sticky" says that the light duty stuff is made in Taiwan. Their website doesn't mention a Taiwan manufacturing location. Is their light duty stuff any better than the cheap Chinese stuff?

Thanks...

 

[Fedwrench]

It depends on the individual OTC item as to how well it's made. Any item branded as OTC Stinger is made in Taiwan. The quality is better than China but, probably not as good as the original made in USA model. OTC tools are branded by most of the tool trucks and they also make Kent Moore and Miller specialty tools. They have been around for a long time.

 

[l_bilyk]

Yup. OTC stinger - offshore. Everything not branded stinger has been USA made that I have come across

 

[MAD]

I have recently seen several OTC (not Stinger) branded tools that were imported (Taiwan, China, and Brazil). The quality still looked very good. I would expect the quality of OTC tools to be much higher than generic H.F. tools even if they are not US made but if you want to know the country of origin for a particular OTC tool I would call OTC and inquire. I would not count on an OTC tool being US made just because it is pricy and not tagged Stinger.

 

[Merkava_4]

This ball joint press is made in USA; it says so right on it.

 

[MAD]

This ball joint press is made in USA; it says so right on it.

I would still call and check even if the web photo shows a made in USA mark.

 

[l_bilyk]

I would still call and check even if the web photo shows a made in USA mark.

I have that same ball joint press, it's made in the states unless it's falsely labelled

 

[milkovich]

It usually costs 10 times more than the harbor freight knock off and it's worth every penny.

Even the offshore stuff isn't too bad since it's industrial.

 

[Hawk231]

Cool... Thanks for the scoop guys.

 

[eschoendorff]

I swear... that BJ press looks just like my cheap China HF one....

 

[wrenchr]

Yah even I sprung for the HF ball joint press and I have used it quite often with no issue's.

 

[milkovich]

My HF "silver *******" ripoff sure looked like the real deal, rest assured, it's not. HF uses a special type of steel that guarantees one use and it's junk.

The OTC stuff will last more than one car worth.

 

[l_bilyk]

I swear... that BJ press looks just like my cheap China HF one....

Yeah mine is damn near identical to the cheap ones. Makes you wonder...

 

[milkovich]

I'd bet they use the OTC tool to make a mold for the cast parts. I've seen chinese prototypes that still had the original american foundries' logo cast in it before.