Snap On KRL drawer glide reliability

[danny_barkley]

I have a KRL roller with top box.

I am not a Pro wrench, just a guy with a Pro box. I play a Pro Wrench in my dreams though, so I got that goin' for me...

These gliders seem to lock up and their bearings get their nutz in an uproar kinda often.

I just ordered 3 more gliders to replace the ones that are basically sticking terribly.

Have they improved this design at all? Or will this something I'll be doing into my old age?

Ohhh, I just looked in the mirror, my old age has arrived, thus my irritation with Snap On's gliders and their high failure rate.

 

[bimmer630]

They are lifetime warranty. I hope you didn’t pay for them

 

[plinker]

If they were sticking a good cleaning may fix that.

Except for detents wearing out I never had a problem with their slides failing and my boxes were/are overloaded to some degree.

 

[danny_barkley]

They are lifetime warranty. I hope you didn’t pay for them

Nah, they just sent them to me

If they were sticking a good cleaning may fix that.

Except for detents wearing out I never had a problem with their slides failing and my boxes were/are overloaded to some degree.

I've tried that in the past and it has not been successful. They fail on lightly loaded drawers also. Right now I have two shallow small drawers need replacing. Once they get real stuck and you force them, I think they are done.

How do you guys clean and lube them?

 

[plinker]

Must be bent/warped then.

For cleaning, What I have done is removed the slide from the box and drawer, then used either brake cleaner or a parts washer to clean them up. Then re-lube with a light grease like Super lube. Some scrubbing may be required to get crud build up off.

 

[NFH2740]

They are lifetime warranty. I hope you didn’t pay for them

Only for the original owner. Some get lucky or lie, but free slides are not a guarantee.

 

[Wamsutta]

Only for the original owner. Some get lucky or lie, but free slides are not a guarantee.

What if you're the original owner but have no receipt because your dealer wanted to sell you the box off the books for cash?

 

[txvwnut]

There is a soft detent on the full extension end of the main glide body. If it has deteriorated the bearing case for the secondary glide might’ve gotten stuck on the tab the held the detent. I just went through this on one my boxes. Took it all apart and bent the edge of the bearing slider so it wouldn’t catch the tab for the detent.

The glides on these boxes roll better when loaded heavily than they do with a light load.

 

[dopod]

Remove the slides and clean them in parts washer or solvent of your choice. Use nylon brush to get all of the crud out, then compressed air to get all of the cleaning solvent out.

As far as what to lube them with, well there are differing opinions on that. A wet lube can attract debris. I tried a teflon based dry lube on mine, but they were too squeaky. Drove me nuts every time I opened a drawer. Ended up using this stuff:

Sprays on like a light weight oil, but then sets up into a light grease. Easy to apply to slides while they are installed in the box. Seems to be pretty similar to what comes on the brand new slides. This method has worked for me on a couple dozen slides with great success. If you were in a super dusty shop you might want to try some of the dry lube.

 

[Mohawk Dave]

I've never owned a KRL or EPIQ etc, but, I know on my Lista, Vidmars, Equiptos, Lyons, etc they definitely open and close better with more weight in the drawer.

I understand the slides are 100% different design compared to Snap-on but do the snap on slides act the same way? Just curious if nothing else....

 

[dopod]

I've never owned a KRL or EPIQ etc, but, I know on my Lista, Vidmars, Equiptos, Lyons, etc they definitely open and close better with more weight in the drawer.

I understand the slides are 100% different design compared to Snap-on but do the snap on slides act the same way? Just curious if nothing else....

They do roll better with a bit of weight on them, but not a huge difference. My lightly loaded drawers open and close smoothly.

 

[Bellaireroad]

I’ve got three KRLs and never had a problem...the slides have memory though.
If you don’t routinely open them all the way they will seemingly stick, a little more force will open them all the way and they will reset.
I keep mine lubed with graphite about once a year if I remember to do it...and I take the grinding outside[emoji1303]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[bobcatdan]

My box is about 15 years old and never had a single problem with the slides.

 

[AngryBeaver]

they have dirt and dust in the slides. take the slides out and clean them. then use a non hardening lube on them. anything with a grease like substance will harden over time and attract dust and dirt and make them stick. I have 4 KRL boxes and none have issues after normal maintenance

 

[seber]

I use nothing but paraffin wax on slides. Rub it into friction slides and melt it into bearings. It is a one time fix. No grease or oil means no dirt sticking to it.

 

[Skin]

Only for the original owner. Some get lucky or lie, but free slides are not a guarantee.

Only if they ask. I've never had them ask for anything other than a shipping address.

 

[danny_barkley]

Only if they ask. I've never had them ask for anything other than a shipping address.

They asked me when I called about the slides to replace.

 

[danny_barkley]

I use nothing but paraffin wax on slides. Rub it into friction slides and melt it into bearings. It is a one time fix. No grease or oil means no dirt sticking to it.

So you de-grease and the apply the paraffin?

 

[AngryBeaver]

you have to clean and degrease them before applying anything. if you chose not to take them out and clean them out, you can try multiple doses of Kroil to help break up the hardened grease and grime thats in there

 

[seber]

you have to clean and degrease them before applying anything. if you chose not to take them out and clean them out, you can try multiple doses of Kroil to help break up the hardened grease and grime thats in there

What he said.

 

[Schurkey]

There is a soft detent on the full extension end of the main glide body. If it has deteriorated the bearing case for the secondary glide might’ve gotten stuck on the tab the held the detent. I just went through this on one my boxes. Took it all apart and bent the edge of the bearing slider so it wouldn’t catch the tab for the detent.

I had a KR1000 with no end of slide and detent problems. I've still got some KR slides, although I think I lost a bag full of plastic detents and clips and stuff in a garage fire. The KRL slides seem much better, but not as nice as I expect them to be.

The glides on these boxes roll better when loaded heavily than they do with a light load.

Yes. Mass-loading makes a difference in the "feel" of the drawers, especially on my KR1000.

I’ve got three KRLs and never had a problem...the slides have memory though.
If you don’t routinely open them all the way they will seemingly stick, a little more force will open them all the way and they will reset.
I keep mine lubed with graphite about once a year if I remember to do it...and I take the grinding outside

"Memory"...interesting concept. I've experienced that, I guess. Never thought it had to do with not pulling the drawer out 100% each time. Mine hang-up on the last half-inch. Once brutalized "fully open" they're OK for awhile. I hate the brutalizing to get the drawer fully open.



I guess I'm overdue for slide cleaning and lube. Great. Another project.

 

[NFH2740]

They asked me when I called about the slides to replace.

Nearly any time I inquire I am asked if I am the original owner and/or why I want a particular part.

In ONE case, I received replacement sockets no questions asked.

 

[Skin]

They asked me when I called about the slides to replace.

Do you have a purchase history or warranty history with them? Not sure why the discrepancy otherwise other than they know I spend money with them. Ironically something like box hardware I'm perfectly willing and ready to pay since its just general age/wear. I'm thrilled enough any time a company cares enough to support products 20, 30, 40 years later.

 

[AngryBeaver]

Do you have a purchase history or warranty history with them? Not sure why the discrepancy otherwise other than they know I spend money with them. Ironically something like box hardware I'm perfectly willing and ready to pay since its just general age/wear. I'm thrilled enough any time a company cares enough to support products 20, 30, 40 years later.

when you buy a box, your name and box go into their database for warranty. there is too many people buying used boxes and warranting the slides. everything snap on sells is lifetime warranty no questions asked except the boxes. that lifetime warranty only applies to the original purchaser.

I could not get slides warrantied though customer service on a box I bought second hand (old snap on taco box). tried playing it off as it was my uncles that passed away. didn't work... my dealer, however, did warranty them

 

[Skin]

that lifetime warranty only applies to the original purchaser.

Actually that stipulation applies to everything they sell.

 

[danny_barkley]

Do you have a purchase history or warranty history with them? Not sure why the discrepancy otherwise other than they know I spend money with them. Ironically something like box hardware I'm perfectly willing and ready to pay since its just general age/wear. I'm thrilled enough any time a company cares enough to support products 20, 30, 40 years later.

I do, for quite some time. Just not a lot of tools.