For the most part, I'm happy with my various Irega made adjustable wrenches, but the Snap-On Flank Drive Plus adjustable wrenches have me curious. Namely do the teeth in the jaws offer a noticeable advantage over the usual smooth jaw design other adjustable wrenches have? Looking at this model.
shop.snapon.com
Snap-On Flank Drive Plus Adjustable Wrenches?
- Thread starter 65k10
- Start date
rsanter
Well-known member
I would be tempted to take a dremel or put one in my mill and make the teeth before I spent $173 on an adjustable wrench
But, made in USA, lifetime warranty, Buy once Cry Once, etc... Sure, it costs an arm and a leg, but it is still cheaper than having a wife.
ricleh
Well-known member
They work very well. I don't notice any slippage at all with the FD+ adjustables.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
These are the new USA made versions. The previous generation was made in Spain and was available for many years. I’m not sure if the Flank Drive Plus profile changed, but they did update the design of the wrench as a whole. I’m guessing few have had their hands on these new ones at this point.
mreisner
Well-known member
I've got one of the new ones, I've only used it half a dozen times so far but I'm very impressed with it. I work on a lot of Oddball Fasteners on older farm equipment and the grip very well and don't mar the Fastener terribly.
the Flank-drive plus feature does make a real difference with regards to slippage on a fastener but it can also damage them
I have 5 of them. The smallest one on the left is actually a replacement and it's the newer USA version. The other 4 are the older Spain version. The wide jaw on the right doesn't have the teeth on the jaws. I would like to say despite the COO, I prefer the older Spain version. The design changes are not significant, but for sure more noticeable in the larger USA made sizes, especially when compared to those from Spain.
Anyway... I can't say I've seen any noticeable difference per-say. I really only used them on hydraulic fittings. In theory, if you're using the correct tool, using it correctly and have the jaws tight on the fastener there should be no slipping with or without teeth.
Anyway... I can't say I've seen any noticeable difference per-say. I really only used them on hydraulic fittings. In theory, if you're using the correct tool, using it correctly and have the jaws tight on the fastener there should be no slipping with or without teeth.
Attachments
Wamsutta
Well-known member
The best adjustable wrench is right here.
And if you buy the Klein branded wrench you can get it with a dipped handle.
And if you buy the Klein branded wrench you can get it with a dipped handle.
Are those the same Klein adjustables at Lowes with the orange handles that are made in South Korea?
I found the COO interesting. I was expecting China, Taiwan or maybe Vietnam.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
Not even. Lowes would never have something of that quality. I bought mine at an electrical supply house.
IRIMO is made in Espania.
joel63
Well-known member
Overlooking the wrench, is there something wrong with this picture? Just wondering.Not even. Lowes would never have something of that quality. I bought mine at an electrical supply house.
IRIMO is made in Espania.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
He's got the wrench on correctly if he's turning left.Overlooking the wrench, is there something wrong with this picture? Just wondering.
Shoreline_
Well-known member
The original made in usa snappy adjustables were my favorite. My old boss had a set. I never used adjustables for automotive work so I never had a set. But I remember borrowing his for odd plumbing stuff around the shop. Super hefty. And then they switch to Spain which I could just get channellock flavored iregas. So that's what I did for home. And now seeing how much these and the non soft grip non fd+ are, there's no way. I'd rather buy the $800 snapon ratcheting wrench set.
Not even. Lowes would never have something of that quality. I bought mine at an electrical supply house.
IRIMO is made in Espania.
The red handle Kleins are Iregas not Irimos IIRC.
Last edited:
I use adjustable wrenches all the time but I could never see using anything with a coated or plastic handle for a non-automotive application. I work with fluids and all I see is the wrench trapping liquid in the handle. It's annoying enough to use an adjustable wrench in an environment that is dirty and dusty when abrasive material gets in the worm screw. I have a set of beater Diamonds for dirty work.
To the OP - NWS and Williams both makes wrenches with teeth for like $30 if you want to play around with teeth on an adjustable wrench.
Thanks everyone for the advice and experiences with these wrenches. I also did not notice that Snap-On is now making these wrenches in the US as well. I knew they did for the regular adjustable wrenches, but I had been assuming the comfort grip models were still made in Spain. My mistake for not looking at my own link better.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
The Klein I have is a dead ringer for an IRIMO. It doesn't look like an Irega.
Says in the SO listing ''Non repairable''......adjustable wrenches have always been repairable ,with a repair kit of jaw ,worm and pin .........and that on top of $349 US.........thats $500 Oz for a damn 12'' wrench ......what planet do these guys live on..........And wrench user will tell you they fail by springing the jaws ,not slipping on hex fasteners.
There has been some reports (not sure how accurate) of Bahco wrenches being a little soft in terms of steel. Might be part of the reason they've moved production to the US.
Pipe wrenches are very common in plumbing. So are chrome plated brass fasteners. The good plumbers carry a rag!
Can you still buy a US made Crescent?..........they used to be called Crescent wrenches..............I quite recently got a set (18/15/12/10/8 ) of Dowidats made in Germany off FB ........seemed unused ,certainly no damage or owner ID s.......the lot for $40 .....and the seller got them from a footpath junk cleanup.
Not "from the factory", they don't make them in the US anymore. I'm sure you can find them 2nd hand though.
mreisner
Well-known member
They don't repair it they just replace it. Before I bought mine I asked my dealer and he said they are definitely lifetime warranty.
España
Wamsutta
Well-known member
How do you get the wavy line over the n ?
My keyboard puts the wavy line next to the n instead of over it.
On Windows, hold Alt and key in 164 on the numpad. 130 gives you é, 168 gives you ¿, and there are a whole bunch more I can't remember: https://www.alt-codes.net/
A lot of mobile keyboards also let you long press the key to see additional options.
I wish they would do a wide mouth flank drive. I bought an 8" wide mouth a couple months ago and it's been awesome, I'm not sure if it's a USA or Spain. Works great as a hammer and as a wrench, I carry it daily at work and beat on it. I like it better than the proto it replaced.
Very much doubt that, ordering a different steel or heat treatment is so much cheaper than moving production, especially if existing production remains in Spain. I think Snap On just planned to make them in the US, and doubt the previous Spanish made were subpar in any way. Such rumors only started spreading after they started making them in the US, but I don't think there were any complaints while they only sold the Spanish versions.
ricleh
Well-known member
I have sets made in the US, Spain and Sweden. They are all excellent, but I think I prefer the older ones made in Sweden.
joel63
Well-known member
Nope, nothing to do with the wrench.
Out of curiosity, do you mind sharing? I'm not an HVAC guy.
KnurledNut
Well-known member
I have the 12". I believe they are based on the Irega model 77 series with some styling unique to Klein. They also come with the carton sleeve style packaging Irega uses.
neophyte
Well-known member
Torque Test Channel, if I’m not mistaken, did the video were at least on of the Spanish made Irimo produced wrenches was found to be way softer than expected.
My experience with Bahco branded, Irimo produced wrenches, was that the dynamic jaws were sometimes offset due to poor machining.
Years ago, there was at least one post about a Snap-On branded, Spanish made adjustable wrench, that also had machining issues.
Since Bahco and Itimo are both part of “Snap-On Europe” the wrenches are almost certainly made by one of the Snap-On tool facilities in Spain, and quality problems seem to be ongoing with the adjustable wrenches.
The Chinese made Crescent branded wrenches came out better than the Spanish Irimo wrenches in one of the Torque Test Channel videos as well. (Maybe the same video that found hardness issues.
Non of these issues supposedly existed back when the adjustable wrenches were made in Sweden.
As fir the older US made Crescent wrenches, the steel might have bern good, but the machining was far from tight in the later years.
Western Forge wrenches usually had pretty hood machining, as far as tightness, although I’ve never used mine for abusive torque tests.
Figures. Judging on the steel they seemed to be sourcing, it's probably an upgrade.