SEMA 2024

[Fedwrench]

Hey, just a couple of quick observations from opening day SEMA 2024. First, harbor freight swears they didn't get a cease & desist order from snap on and that the new 3 position long nose slip joint pliers are coming spring 2025 they were on display & looked good.
Next, the new ICON ratchets look pretty sweet but, won't be out until mid 2025. Armstrong type locking head on some versions, improved soft grip handle design & material.floating pawl similar shape to dual 80 without the spring in the middle. 7 teeth engaged one direction, six teeth engaged other direction. 80 tooth. Yes they have a bunch of new ratchets in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 drive size too include a real long 1/2 drive locking flex head ratchet with comfort grip. They also have a huge 3/4 ratchet. I don't need any ratchets but, would get a few.
Lastly, VIM tools joins Olsa tools in offering a clone of the SK made LP90 SK3/8 drive flex head ratchet. US made with that ugly pot metal Grey direction switch. Looks pretty good with the VIM logo on it's head. KoonsTrucking should release a you tube video soon or it might be out now. Sorry, no pics yet.

 

[Steel_Rain]

Next, the new ICON ratchets look pretty sweet but, won't be out until mid 2025.

Do the new ratchets appear to be made by Apex like Gearwrench / Quinn?

 

[Blt2Lst]

Some pics of the eye candy models working the booths would help..

 

[Fedwrench]

No. Screw retained gear covers.

 

[terrific]

Lastly, VIM tools joins Olsa tools in offering a clone of the SK made LP90 SK3/8 drive flex head ratchet. US made with that ugly pot metal Grey direction switch. Looks pretty good with the VIM logo on it's head. KoonsTrucking should release a you tube video soon or it might be out now.

Ask them who manufactures that ratchet!

 

[Fedwrench]

Some pics of the eye candy models working the booths would help..

Sadly, booth babes and swag seem in short supply this year.

 

[Callelle]

Do the new ratchets appear to be made by Apex like Gearwrench / Quinn?

God I hope not.

 

[milky2k]

I hope someone share pics from Harbor Freight’s booth at SEMA this week. I can’t wait to see what they will be selling in 2026.

 

[M635_Guy]

First, harbor freight swears they didn't get a cease & desist order from snap on

I doubt they'd say if they did, but a letter doesn't have any more power than any other letter if what's standing behind it is the goods. As I've said before, I seriously doubt something would get as far as public view at SEMA without their legal team feeling they were on solid ground.

But whatever. I got tired of waiting and got a pair of the SO (along with the LN46ACF which should have been their target IMHO).

 

[3baygarage]

Cool news about Vim. Pretty funny since their last US ratchet was what, 100 years ago?

 

[65k10]

There are some photos of the ratchet table on Harbor Freight's Sema 2024 photo album. They don't show much in the way of fine details, but I like seeing the variety of models and the display that gives us an idea of how the mechanism works.

Harbor Freight SEMA 2024 Photo Album

View SEMA videos on our landing page: CLICK HERE

go.harborfreight.com

 

[GeoBruin]

There are some photos of the ratchet table on Harbor Freight's Sema 2024 photo album. They don't show much in the way of fine details, but I like seeing the variety of models and the display that gives us an idea of how the mechanism works.

Harbor Freight SEMA 2024 Photo Album

View SEMA videos on our landing page: CLICK HERE

go.harborfreight.com

Oh, dang! Predator powerstations? Maybe that's why they only ever carried the smallest Jackery. They knew they were bringing out something of their own.

 

[mikey03]

Surprised SEMA isn’t being reported on in the news today. Is there anything more important than new tools?

 

[Qualitytools]

Whatever happened to the Knipex knock off of the spring clamp locking plier from last year’s show. It never hit the stores. Any update on those?

 

[Andres26tnt]

Did the dual 80 Pat run out? Those new ratchets are basically updated dual 80 with a 2 piece pawl ala koken .

Nice design for sure, hopefully will have in of the issues the previous one had.

I'm assuming they are having legal issues with the other tools that never came out. I can see many companies layers come knocking on HF door .

 

[M635_Guy]

A screenshot of the updated Icon mechanism

 

[KnurledNut]

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7434053748135038238

 

[j3rf]

Interesting. I see Icon are adopting the Tekton/Capri Tools extra long 3/8 drive ratchets without a flex head. For whatever reason the Taiwan manufacturers can't figure out how to make a flex head extra long ratchet. The one 3/8 drive extra long flex head seems to be only 15" or so.

 

[Callelle]

Interesting. I see Icon are adopting the Tekton/Capri Tools extra long 3/8 drive ratchets without a flex head. For whatever reason the Taiwan manufacturers can't figure out how to make a flex head extra long ratchet. The one 3/8 drive extra long flex head seems to be only 15" or so.

Capri has responded to me a few times on the book of faces. They have locking flex heads coming "by the end of the year"

 

[kbeefy]

I haven't been to SEMA since 2019. The new products area was always my first stop.

Hope you have a good time.

 

[Steve_P]

Interesting. I see Icon are adopting the Tekton/Capri Tools extra long 3/8 drive ratchets without a flex head. For whatever reason the Taiwan manufacturers can't figure out how to make a flex head extra long ratchet. The one 3/8 drive extra long flex head seems to be only 15" or so.

It's all about warranty rates vs the price, not that Taiwan can't figure out how to make a flex head XL ratchet. The Icon 1/2 flex head looked like ~24", which I'd consider long. Yes, I know tool trucks make longer, but they're charging 3X more than others and the warranty is part of this price.

 

[Steve_P]

The new icon lineup looks impressive as far as selection- definitely coming after Gearwrench in that regard. I'm looking forward to seeing a test of them by PF

 

[j3rf]

It's all about warranty rates vs the price, not that Taiwan can't figure out how to make a flex head XL ratchet. The Icon 1/2 flex head looked like ~24", which I'd consider long. Yes, I know tool trucks make longer, but they're charging 3X more than others and the warranty is part of this price.

Yeah I figured it was about both of those concerns. I know Mac and Snap On both have 26" long 1/2 drive flex head ratchets, but Matco has a 28" and a 34" long!!! Don't think I've found a need for one that long so the Icon ones should be just fine.

 

[dnschmidt]

Sadly, booth babes and swag seem in short supply this year.

Damn right about that. If you could pilfer a mini snickers bar out of a bowl you were ahead of the game this year. AND, WHERE THE HELL WERE THE HOTTIES!!

 

[dnschmidt]

Whatever happened to the Knipex knock off of the spring clamp locking plier from last year’s show. It never hit the stores. Any update on those?

Yea, I looked them over and it seemed to me that the little rotating jaws looked too small for any radiator hose sized clamp. They are only about 1/4" in diameter. I told the HF pliers guy that he had to make them bigger.

 

[Qualitytools]

Yea, I looked them over and it seemed to me that the little rotating jaws looked too small for any radiator hose sized clamp. They are only about 1/4" in diameter. I told the HF pliers guy that he had to make them bigger.

So are they in the stores? I didn’t try hard to find them in the stores but whenever I am in a HF store I look for them.

 

[dnschmidt]

So are they in the stores? I didn’t try hard to find them in the stores but whenever I am in a HF store I look for them.

Don't think so.

 

[Steve_P]

So are they in the stores? I didn’t try hard to find them in the stores but whenever I am in a HF store I look for them.

Not unless they just hit the stores in the last few days. I'm not really in the market for Icon pliers, but they've been taking forever to get these new models to the shelves. And people here criticize Knipex for only releasing a few new models a year- that they design from scratch.

 

[scooby074]

So Gearwrench is getting into the scan tool game. Im assuming its just a reskin of Launch. Interesting they are offering lifetime updates on the cell phone based scan tools and 3 yrs on the tablet. IIRC 3 yrs of free updates is a new record?

Wiha also getting into the loaded toolbox game. Wonder the pricepoint?

 

[M635_Guy]

So Gearwrench is getting into the scan tool game. Im assuming its just a reskin of Launch. Interesting they are offering lifetime updates on the cell phone based scan tools and 3 yrs on the tablet. IIRC 3 yrs of free updates is a new record?

Wiha also getting into the loaded toolbox game. Wonder the pricepoint?

I haven't seen one that's 3 years, and while it's nice, the "rule-breaking" spiel isn't showing up in that video. Breaking rules would be writing a simpler, easier front-end/user interface that isn't just skinning the underlying software.

Hate the click-bait thumbnail there. Aside from knowing it isn't "stolen", he doesn't address it at all in his video. I'm pretty close to writing him off for good...

 

[shoggoth80]

That locking long 3/8 Icon looks pretty good. I'd be game for that. I don't need another ratchet, but a locking flex is something I'm lacking in my box. A long 1/2 would be a nice addition too.

Those stubbies definitely have a Snap-on look to them. I've got the FK100, so not in the market for one, but if I didn't it would be tempting.

 

[dnschmidt]

Some pics of the eye candy models working the booths would help..

There was none. Ah, for the good old days

 

[Fedwrench]

A couple of additions to my thread.

I asked the SK Peeps and The VIM peeps about Vim's new made in the USA 3/8 drive flex head ratchet that looks like an SK LP90 series flex head in VIM Trim. The SK Peeps gave me a deer in the headlight response and didn't know what I was talking about. However, an older gentleman at the VIM Booth, said AJ Manufacturing made the ratchet. The plot thickens.

If you bebopped down to the tire epicenter on the South Hall First Floor, there were lots of booth babes hawking wheels and a few tires.

Pictured below are probably my favorite pieces of SWAG this year. First in a little SK box, is a made in the USA 3/8 drive six point 10 mm socket. The inner box reads : Hello, again is it me you've been looking for?

Below that is a pair of Knipex 8603125 Pliers Wrench. these are a limited 20224 SEMA edition complete with Flames on both sides, SEMA 2024 on the upper jaw and 119/150 on the back side. In previous years, Knipex did daily giveaways for each day of the show. This year they only did two giveaways. A t shirt on Tuesday and the pliers wrench today. Peeps started lining up at 10 for an 11 o'clock giveaway. Knipex moved the giveaway time up to 1030 because, the crowd was pretty intense. I wonder what they gave the peeps when they ran out of the 150 pairs of plier wrenches. Hats off to Knipex for a truly unique piece of SWAG.
Lastly over at AAPEX, Autel had a couple of large bins (one on each floor) full of free code readers. Autel probably passed out thousands of them. When the bin was empty, a couple of dudes would wheel out several boxes and dump them into the bin and repeat.

 

[dnschmidt]

Did the dual 80 Pat run out? Those new ratchets are basically updated dual 80 with a 2 piece pawl ala koken .

Nice design for sure, hopefully will have in of the issues the previous one had.

I'm assuming they are having legal issues with the other tools that never came out. I can see many companies layers come knocking on HF door .

With the amount of money Eric has he'll get better lawyers than they have.

 

[LexusLover]

I saw a video where the demonstrator said the talon grip slip joint knock offs were hitting shelves in January at $19.99

Also did anyone see a price on that electric diagnostic testing kit? With the prices I saw on the other diag equipment I’m guessing it’s gonna be pricey. It was $699.99 for the TPMs tool, $199.99 for the boroscope and $349.99 for the thermal cam. Am I alone in thinking that’s pricey? considering what you can get on Amazon for way way less I think it’s a bit rich.

 

[FigN⋅m]

I saw a video where the demonstrator said the talon grip slip joint knock offs were hitting shelves in January at $19.99

I guarantee it will go for at least $21.99 to avoid the X% off $20 coupons...

 

[mikey03]

Pictured below are probably my favorite pieces of SWAG this year. First in a little SK box, is a made in the USA 3/8 drive six point 10 mm socket. The inner box reads : Hello, again is it me you've been looking for?

that’s funny is it made by snap on for SK because didn’t SK move all there manufacturing to china?

 

[KnurledNut]

I asked the SK Peeps and The VIM peeps about Vim's new made in the USA 3/8 drive flex head ratchet that looks like an SK LP90 series flex head in VIM Trim. The SK Peeps gave me a deer in the headlight response and didn't know what I was talking about. However, an older gentleman at the VIM Booth, said AJ Manufacturing made the ratchet. The plot thickens.

Was Olsa at SEMA? Could have mentioned their USA Pro Series ratchets to make it even more uncomfortable.

 

[Andres26tnt]

Lol don't understand some companies, clearly the LP90 is being license by other brands and being manufactured by AJ. There is zero reason on why they won't acknowledge it. AJ is probably also making them for SK.

 

[Fedwrench]

Was Olsa at SEMA? Could have mentioned their USA Pro Series ratchets to make it even more uncomfortable.

Olsa wasn't at SEMA I did ask the gentleman at VIM about Olsa's LP90 like ratchet and he replied that AJ Manufacturing makes the ratchet head and Olsa sources the ratchet handle elsewhere.