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Picked up some new ICON wrenches

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cgrutt

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Curved box end 10-19mm
Deep offset box end 10-19
Ratcheting flex box end 8-19

Thought the curved box ends would be helpful reinstalling transfer case but didn't wind up using them.

Deep offsets seem to be the nicer of the lot but didn't use them yet either.

The flex box end set is pretty nice but I already bent the 12mm will only flex about 45 degrees either direction. Wasn't exactly the tools fault I got it stuck in a driveshaft knuckle and had to put a pipe on it to tighten bolt enough to get it out. I think I want to get a set that has a selector switch to prevent this from happening again but don't think they're available in flex head. Going to see if HF will warranty it only had it one day before I managed to break it lol...

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12 is bent won't flex 90 degrees anymore

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slowtwitch73

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M635_Guy

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chris142 said:
Depends on the store. Mine wants the entire set.
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The store does not get to set to policy. The corporate policy doesn't require the set.

I think it must have something to do with how they have to account for it in the point of sale system and some employees and/or supervisors don't want to mess with it. It's annoying. I've never had to warranty any of my HF tools, but I'm not putting up with that **** if I ever do.
 
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Kent_B

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@cgrutt: the only reversing flex heads I've seen are Williams. I bought a 14mm when pulling the engine on my daughter's car and it's a nice piece of kit.
 
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WWheeler

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M635_Guy said:
The store does not get to set to policy. The corporate policy doesn't require the set.

I think it must have something to do with how they have to account for it in the point of sale system and some employees and/or supervisors don't want to mess with it. It's annoying. I've never had to warranty any of my HF tools, but I'm not putting up with that **** if I ever do.
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I've been through this with the manager at the closest HF. He wouldn't even give me a minute of his time until I brought the whole set back in for a full replacement. I tried arguing with him a bit about it (because I'd seen different written here on GJ) and he wasn't having it.
 
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2ndGearRubber

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WWheeler said:
I've been through this with the manager at the closest HF. He wouldn't even give me a minute of his time until I brought the whole set back in for a full replacement. I tried arguing with him a bit about it (because I'd seen different written here on GJ) and he wasn't having it.
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Right. You can't just walk in and demand they enforce the policy, even if they're not following their own policy.

They win, you lose. They'll tell you to **** off until you bring the whole set back. BTDT about 10 years ago when I was a young oil/tire/alignment guy. What are you going to do about it? Hold a pistol to the managers head? He got the wrenches, you want the wrenches, he makes the rules no matter how silly they may be.
 
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lardy1

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mepstein said:
I stopped buying HF/Icon tools because I can’t buy singles. If I loose a 10mm from Tekton, I can have one in the mail in a day or two. To me, that’s a big deal.
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I have been adding select Doyle pliers and some of the Icon would be more than acceptable tools for me. The problem is that my memories of Harbor Freight involve really ****** tools that are as likely to fail as not. I live in a rural area and I don't buy questionable quality based on warranty when I'd have to drive 40 miles one way (plus talk to a human). For the mid range or prosumer type brands, I try to support Tekton but that's not necessarily exclusive. I learned my brand ***** lesson with SK. lol
 
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M635_Guy

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lardy1 said:
I have been adding select Doyle pliers and some of the Icon would be more than acceptable tools for me. The problem is that my memories of Harbor Freight involve really ****** tools that are as likely to fail as not. I live in a rural area and I don't buy questionable quality based on warranty when I'd have to drive 40 miles one way (plus talk to a human). For the mid range or prosumer type brands, I try to support Tekton but that's not necessarily exclusive. I learned my brand ***** lesson with SK. lol
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You can order singles, but they are clearly not trying to make a business out of it. You look up the part number on their list, and then call their parts dept (1-800-444-3353). They'll look it up for you if you don't see it on the list.

My origins with HF were definitely in the dodgy-quality days (when I never bought anything I intended to keep for any length of time), but that's really the exception more than the rule these days, at least for hand tools, which all seem to have a lifetime warranty. My Icon wrenches are definitely a step up from the Tektons they replaced - mainly in the form of tighter tolerance on the fastener (though not as tight as my Hazet set). Their Pittsburgh locking pliers are kinda sloppy (though they work fine), but the Bremens are genuinely nice, and only a few bucks more. My Hercules sliding miter saw is genuinely fantastic. Awesome build and straight and square out of the dang box. I've heard lots of people say that even their cheap angle grinders - the ones you can occasionally catch for $10 - are really solid (which is why I currently have a angle-grinder-dilemma, but that's another thread/topic).

WWheeler said:
I've been through this with the manager at the closest HF. He wouldn't even give me a minute of his time until I brought the whole set back in for a full replacement. I tried arguing with him a bit about it (because I'd seen different written here on GJ) and he wasn't having it.
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Screw that - I'd have their customer service (1-844-416-9141) on the line before leaving the store. A retail store manager is not going to push me off doing their damn job.

I talked about this with a supervisor at HF one day a while back, and he confirmed in no uncertain terms that their warranty policy did not require the whole set for something like a socket or wrench. He turned out to be a regional supervisor, so I'm feeling pretty confident in his answer. (I see him fairly regularly around the HF I go to, so I guess it is his 'home' store or something). I see partial sets selling at a discount there sometimes, and I assume that's from a warranty replacement.

If it was something like the Fuel Injection kit I got a while back, where there are a ton of various fittings and would be tough to sell as a partial kit, I'd kinda get it. In that situation, it's probably what I'd prefer actually. But for a wrench or socket? Pull one out of the pack Skippy.
 
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WWheeler

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M635_Guy said:
I see partial sets selling at a discount there sometimes, and I assume that's from a warranty replacement.
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See that's different too. There are three HFs in our surounding area and all 3 of them got rid of their discounted section with partial sets/returns/damaged items a couple years ago. They've told us they are not allowed to sell anything like that any more because of some sort of return scam. Everything they sell has to be a new item still in its unopened & undamaged box.

We didn't get a better explanation than that, but I took it as people were buying the discounted set missing piece(s), and also buying the full set, then bringing back the discounted set saying it was the full set they had a receipt for and claiming it was damaged / a piece was missing / etc, so they'd wind up with two complete sets of whatever it was, and maybe then returning one for a full refund. I don't know that's exactly what was happening, but must have been something like that. If the box is opened or damaged they will not sell it even at full price.
 
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M635_Guy

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WWheeler said:
See that's different too. There are three HFs in our surounding area and all 3 of them got rid of their discounted section with partial sets/returns/damaged items a couple years ago. They've told us they are not allowed to sell anything like that any more because of some sort of return scam. Everything they sell has to be a new item still in its unopened & undamaged box.

We didn't get a better explanation than that, but I took it as people were buying the discounted set missing piece(s), and also buying the full set, then bringing back the discounted set saying it was the full set they had a receipt for and claiming it was damaged / a piece was missing / etc, so they'd wind up with two complete sets of whatever it was, and maybe then returning one for a full refund. I don't know that's exactly what was happening, but must have been something like that. If the box is opened or damaged they will not sell it even at full price.
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The change I've seen is they hang the sets in the normal spot, wrapped in plastic, and with a purple (I think) discount sticker which identifies it as incomplete (I forget how).

It hasn't been too long since I've seen something like that.
 
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WWheeler

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M635_Guy said:
The change I've seen is they hang the sets in the normal spot, wrapped in plastic, and with a purple (I think) discount sticker which identifies it as incomplete (I forget how).

It hasn't been too long since I've seen something like that.
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That's sorta what the store near us used to do, then the other two opened and I believe they are all now managed by the same person (I've seen the same manager at all three at different times), and they quit selling anything that is damaged or incomplete. They just won't do it. I don't know what or why or where returns and such are going, but they will not sell anything like that at any of these HF stores any more. I've seen they are putting anything like that on pallets to be shipped out somewhere.
 
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cgrutt

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mooman said:
So you put a pipe on a wrench and broke it, then want to take it back to the vendor for a warranty replacement?
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I said I was going to see if they will warranty it if they do great if not no worries. It's their policy not mine. Tool shouldn't bend IMO the ratcheting mechanism and bolt held up so it wasn't an extraordinary amount of force on it. It would be nice if they sold singles (I know it was mentioned on thread that may be available with a call) but they don't (at least make it easy) or I'd happily replace it.
 
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cgrutt

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Well I went into store explained what happened to store manager she said go grab a set off the rack bring it to register and they'll exchange it for you. Ezee Pzee. Oh, I just had the bent wrench didn't need the entire set (but did have the rest of the set in my truck just in case).

So couldn't let the current 25% discount get by... bought another set LMAO.

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ianguilly

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Ive already got the gearwrench frex wrench set, but the reversible icon set is my go to wrench set, I've had them for a year plus and no complaints from daily abuse. As far as icon wrenches go I wouldn't flinch at buying more or worrying about the warranty.
 
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Mr_B

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I been using the wrm-10 long pattern reversible ratcheting combo set professionally for over 2 years now and they great tool & was silly cheap in early tool release times .
 
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cgrutt

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Broke the 13mm reversible ratcheting combination wrench today. Wasn't even putting that much pressure on it just changing an idler pulley. 2nd ICON wrench that I broke...
 
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Chipm

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mepstein said:
I stopped buying HF/Icon tools because I can’t buy singles. If I loose a 10mm from Tekton, I can have one in the mail in a day or two. To me, that’s a big deal.
Click to expand...

You can buy singles to replace lost ones on the website.
 
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strutaeng

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cgrutt said:
Broke the 13mm reversible ratcheting combination wrench today. Wasn't even putting that much pressure on it just changing an idler pulley. 2nd ICON wrench that I broke...
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I didn't read the whole thread, but was that other one warrantied?

This was a different wrench, right?

I bought some extra long flex head ratcheting wrenches (non reversing) from Amazon last year, some mickey mouse brand. And they've actually held up better than I thought. I'm sure I'll be SOL if I break one tho...🙄
 
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cgrutt

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strutaeng said:
I didn't read the whole thread, but was that other one warrantied?

This was a different wrench, right?

I bought some extra long flex head ratcheting wrenches (non reversing) from Amazon last year, some mickey mouse brand. And they've actually held up better than I thought. I'm sure I'll be SOL if I break one tho...🙄
Click to expand...
They warrantied the first one and am sure they'll warranty the one I broke today. It was a different wrench.
 
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