Snap on tools

[lund]

We all work in different worlds what is right for one world may not be the best for anothers. Most truck tools seem to be targeted to the automotive world. Tight clearances seem to be what they are designed for at the cost of some strength. We use some of them in the main shops where we do the pickups and cars along with everything else farm related and clearance is an issue.

For the bulk of the farm work we mainly stick with industrial brand tools. Wright has been a mainstay in the shops and service vehicles along with some Proto and Williams for as long as I can remember. On the large stuff that has been outside and the BIG air wrenches just go blah the large cheater bar is he choice before trying the torch. It has to survive a different type of abuse auto tools may not survive. That Wright tootsie roll grip just seems designed to fit into our cheater bars.

The OP is regularly breaking 1/4 and 3/8 drive ratchets. That to me implies he is using small stuff on far too big fasteners ... maybe with extra leverage. If he is breaking that much, he probably should be using impact and going up in drive size when using hand tools. I am not a snap on fan. But I am pretty sure all their stuff will meet reasonable torque standards so he must be regularly going well beyond that. It is best to use the right tool for the job. If you are using too small a size, the flex will also make it harder to break loose. He may find the work gets easier and safer using larger tools. I have never worked on farm stuff, but hopefully they are not so cramped as modern car engines to need small tools.

 

[mreisner]

I farm, and I have equipment anywhere from 60 years or more older good stuff made in the last few years anything from quarter to 1 inch drive stuff is needed depending on which part of the equipment. I broke the occasional socket, once in awhile a wrench, and other than ratchets having poor mechanisms like the old craftsman I don't think I've ever broke any of my snap on Mac or Matco ones. Most of the times 3/8 or half inch stuff I use Sockets anywhere from old Proto and Williams To Craftsman from the 60s 70s 80s and 90s To Snap-on And Mac And even some icon and Pittsburgh for the one inch stuff. I broke a half inch SK breaker bar one time but I had a 3 ft pipe on it and my foot on it and it's a size 15 ft you can imagine how big the rest of me is. It took more than I thought it would.