What are "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

[Junkman]

I just came across an eBay auction for wobble plus extension, and even though I know what a wobble extension is, I have no idea what the "plus" adds to the tool. Is it worth buying?
I also found auctions for the "locking" extensions, however, I have never seen one before, nor is there any explanation on the Snap On website explaining how they differ from the other extensions. Is it worth buying?

 

[franzdom]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Wobble plus is wobbly normally and when you push it in harder it goes to a straight mode, kind of hard to explain though:

Wobble Plus:

Wobble:

Locking, these you pull the knurled part away from the socket and they lock in, it's spring loaded:

 

[jim1987]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

What he said.

Locking extensions keep the socket on the extension until you're ready to take it off. Useful for when your deep down or in awkward places.

IMO wobble plus aren't worth it. They wobble when you don't want them, and lock straight when you do want them to wobble.

As a diyer I have found the use for wobble extensions yet. That's why I just got a cheapo harbor freight set.

However, I love my locking extentions. Very useful on spark plug jobs. Mine are Bosch and duralast. I like the Bosch one better because they have a small button similar to quick release on a ratchet. Easier one hand operation.

 

[franzdom]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Yes, I had wobble plus and had to sell them, I couldn't deal with it. I have the wobble regular, locking regular as well as wobble locking, they are really handy for doing things like tightening control arm nuts from the top of the engine bay, any time when things don't quite line up to the bolt or nut. I have the minimal craftsman locking extensions but they aren't my favorite for some reason.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

I got wobble plus and they aren't horrible. If I were to buy again I'd buy a regular and a wobble set. Locking extensions are worth the money though

 

[92integra]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

any one know of a 1/4 drive locking extension set, non tool truck brand>?

 

[1950mercury]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

any one know of a 1/4 drive locking extension set, non tool truck brand>?[/QUOTE

Armstrong.there was a guy selling 1/4 sets on ebay cheap, i bought a set and love them.

Sk might make them also or hf

 

[Squankum]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

any one know of a 1/4 drive locking extension set, non tool truck brand>?

SK's are not tool truck brand, but sure are priced like it. The quality is nice, though. I ordered one off amazon, but thought I was ordering three. Mid $30 range for one! ($70ish for the set of three.)

It's hard to find locking 1/4" in home DIY price range. But I eventually found them:

GearWrench 81003 3 Piece 1/4-Inch Drive Locking Extension Set
by Apex Tool Group
Link: http://amzn.com/B000NIEFF0

Ignore the picture. These are now sliding collar. They're not the goofy little plastic button. These are much like the 3/8" locking extensions HF sells. I think they're all made in the same Taiwanese factory.

One difference with the 1/4" GW vs my larger 3/8 and 1/2 set (the 1/2 set is an other story) is that the set screw isn't visible, it's covered by a grippy rubbery band. You lose some knurling, but that's okay, as the plastic is grippy and thick. And the band prevents the set screw from backing out. Part knurled grip, part rubbery grip, on the sliding collar.

Years ago, I bought one 6" 3/8" Wright wobble extension from Imparts and I loved it. I find it comes in handy sometimes.

Now, the vast majority of my extension use is locking, whenever I can. Why chase sockets?

My GW 1/4's are a little stiff and difficult to use, compared to my HF 3/8's, but I suspect it's harder to get the smaller stuff right. Still beats chasing sockets.

 

[Wamsutta]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Locking extensions are OK, but be advised to stay away from wobble plus.

 

[Squankum]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

HF 3/8", left, GearWrench 1/4", right.

 

[Farmall450]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Those HFs actually look decent.

 

[92integra]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

i have been using the hf for about 8 months now and they are sweet for the money. love them. gear wrench look pretty similar and i have been wondering about them for awhile now guess ill have to just buy a set and try them out. deffinatly buy the hf set totally worth the money.

also anyone interested in wobble extensions should check out the ones from grey pnuematic they wobble way more than any other brand out there and a very nice IMHO.
but be warned they are wobble +

 

[jim1987]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Sk has tool trucks. I seen here about 3 months ago.

 

[1950mercury]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

I use locking ext. 90% of the time.

 

[92integra]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

does anyone have a size comparison on the extension shafts of the 1/4" and 3/8" drive's impact versus chrome.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Regular extension or wobble? I don't believe I've seen a wobble impact

 

[92integra]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

SuzukiGS750EZ here you go.... http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piec...impact-wobble-socket-extension-set-67066.html

 

[nicksnothereman]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

I just came across an eBay auction for wobble plus extension, and even though I know what a wobble extension is, I have no idea what the "plus" adds to the tool. Is it worth buying?
I also found auctions for the "locking" extensions, however, I have never seen one before, nor is there any explanation on the Snap On website explaining how they differ from the other extensions. Is it worth buying?

Nick rule 857: You don't know what it is you probably don't need it bro.

Nick rule 856: If it's cheap enough you don't worry about whether or not you need it.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Neat. I've only seen them in chromes.

 

[wildstyle]

I must be the only one who loves my wobble plus extensions. I've got the complete 3/8 and 1/4" drive set. I don't use normal extensions at all anymore. This is as a professional tech at a ford dealership.

 

[Gmonkee]

I've stated it in at least three other threads here but I did the same as wildstyle, all the regular extensions and U-joints are in backup stocks as W+ ride the socket set tins. For some of us they are the best answer.

 

[cheechi]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

GearWrench 81003 3 Piece 1/4-Inch Drive Locking Extension Set
by Apex Tool Group
Link: http://amzn.com/B000NIEFF0

Squankum

The reviews for that GW set say they don't lock on all sockets. Is that your experience? My thought is if a socket locks on a QR ratchet then these would have no issues with locking. Would you agree?

I have been thinking of getting the HF set off and on. Now with the GW set having the same collar design, and especially if it comes with the trays, I may go that route.

 

[pauls_workshop]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Nick rule 857: You don't know what it is you probably don't need it bro.

Nick rule 856: If it's cheap enough you don't worry about whether or not you need it.

Ha ha. Hey Nick, did you know I've had 656 "Paul's Rules of Thumb" for many years now? Here is 356 as an example: "Don't do something really stupid, TWICE!"

I would like full list of your rules if that is possible. Perhaps in its own thread. - Paul

 

[jonti48310]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

any one know of a 1/4 drive locking extension set, non tool truck brand>?

Gearwrench

 

[Wakefield]

I think I remember from Snap On material that a wobble extension is only about half as strong as a regular one. (in the same drive size?)

 

[DodgeMech]

I must be the only one who loves my wobble plus extensions. I've got the complete 3/8 and 1/4" drive set. I don't use normal extensions at all anymore. This is as a professional tech at a ford dealership.

tech at a dodge house and i too like the **** out of my wobble pluses...

 

[kelwar]

I like my wobble plus extensions too have the 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 sets and I bought 3 1/4 and 3 3/8 ones too so I could try them out before I bought the three full sets.

 

[Squankum]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Squankum

The reviews for that GW set say they don't lock on all sockets. Is that your experience? My thought is if a socket locks on a QR ratchet then these would have no issues with locking. Would you agree?

I have been thinking of getting the HF set off and on. Now with the GW set having the same collar design, and especially if it comes with the trays, I may go that route.

I saw that review. I ordered anyway, got mine, and tested them on a few of my 1/4" chrome sockets, which are all CMan. Possibly modern, but the vast majority of my CMan chrome are older. No problems.

My new 1/4" GW did not come with trays. SK set comes with a (plastic?) tray, and for $75, you get something made in America and very, very nice. But $75.

If you want 3/8", then HF has that locally, made in Taiwan, the capitalist island off the coast of Red China.

I swear, all the affordable ones are coming out of the same Taiwanese factory, and they're all pretty good, and for the price, they're shockingly good. People, if you have any in 1/2" or 3/8" size of these Taiwanese locking extensions, take out your set screws and Loctite 'em. 2mm Allen head.

Recently, while speeding a spark plug out with an air ratchet, I saw one tumble out in the beam of my headlamp. I got very lucky and found it on the floor.

The current 1/4" GW models, however, that red grippy plastic ring covers the set screw, and I bet it's goal in life was to keep the set screw from backing out.


I have a set of locking 1/2" in chrome, too. I found them on the "get this **** outta here!" display at O'Reilly's about a year ago. "GM Performance" brand. Now extinct, best I can tell.

 

[kiatech]

don't forget locking wobble.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=683015&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[Squankum]

Locking wobble? Goddamn... I was wondering... Curse you, Snap On!!

I saw this last month and got a li'l *****:

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682377&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Variable length extensions! What if you've got something where your ratchet head needs to be, and one extension is too long, and the other is...

The thought occurred to me recently, pondering a not-very-wrenchy friend of mine falling for that pass-through socket concept, and my trying to tell him, "Uh, very rarely in life do you have to spin a nut down that long a threaded rod or bolt. I'd call that a design problem. Or saw it off." So, as I pondered this recently, and as I pondered why some nutdrivers have deeper hollow shafts than others, but who cares? I realized how rarely I use deep sockets because there's soooo much exposed bolt sticking out of a fastener. Basically, we use deep sockets as our first line of extensions.

OK, I shut up now.

 

[Gmonkee]

Squankum, you hit on a key point. In the 20's to early 40's socket sets were much smaller and there was usually only one method of getting through a tough spot possible, or to use another tool if that failing.

Today we have pass through, wobbles, the old U joint, deep sockets, ratchet wrenches ( the good modern ones are killer ) and probably 5 other solutions to get at that difficult fastener. And in any case I've seen at least two would work well.

If a Metrinch pass through socket set serves the other needs of the friend he has good tools. For what I do it certainly would cover 90% of my ratchet use jobs. But I'm more than well equipped with the standard type stuff now so that is what I use.

Today its all about options and needs. Each level of tool user has to define his own solutions.

 

[Squankum]

Yeah, if you had nothing invested in 1/4, 3/8,and 1/2" drive ratchets and accessories, does it make sense? Maybe.

(Ha! I say no! You wind up investing in a blind alley, and the day came when he needed to remove a spark plug and he had no spark plug socket and...)

I think he bought these right before Gearwrench type wrenches took off. I didn't get involved with those until about two years ago, and just got a very small (5 pc) Ace hardware set, and... I instantly saw why people love those things, now I'm just paralyzed with indecision (and thrift), having sunk so much into various good regular wrenches, over the years, and lately. How big a set? Flex? Reversible? Brand? I'm ignoring it for now, esp. since I don't have empty drawers in the tool chest egging me on.

 

[Gmonkee]

Get flex type ratcheting wrenches. Hands down the most versatile type out there, I have Wurth branded flip/flex and I used them so much I wore out the wrist pin on the original 10 and 12mm to the set. I've had 0° flip type and have the quad type yet but none come close to usefulness the flex achieve.

Then I bought replacements as they owed me nothing after so much use. The new ride in the set and the old are spares, none have failed in the ratcheting part.

Wurth and thrift don't belong in the same sentence ever but there are other brands more economically priced.

I collect multi and gimmick tools. I have stuff much less useful than a Metrinch pass through socket set. Look up the Muscle Wrench. 8-19 mm all in one miracle tool that you can't hardly get onto most fasteners. Its worse than the fancy - dancy 56-in-one ratcheting dogbones, having just one of those you could toss out most of that heavy obsolete tool box filler!!!!

 

[Squankum]

Wurth and thrift don't belong in the same sentence ever ...

Ha! I don't know what continent you're on, but I'm in the US. I just went looking for a can of flat black Wurth spray paint, and at $21.50, errrrrrr.... no. But I must say, the can I bought years ago that is on its last legs? It's fantastic.

 

[unslow1]

I must be the only one who loves my wobble plus extensions. I've got the complete 3/8 and 1/4" drive set. I don't use normal extensions at all anymore. This is as a professional tech at a ford dealership.

I love mine. After picking up one from Snapon I liked it so much I bought the other lengths. All in 3/8. The only locking extensions I've found that I like are the Craftsman ones. They have a locking slide tab. Not a big collar like most do.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc...1x000001&kpid=00943345000&kispla=00943345000P

 

[Gmonkee]

I'm in Mexico.
While I worked in a diesel shop I made the Wurth salesman's house payments. Four ratchets, four wrench sets and some assorted stuff along the way. My boss put his kid through college and bought half the catalog. Hella nice stuff but oh my the prices......

Now I'm back to weekend warrior status with a cabinet decorated with some very nice tools most of the time.

 

[1950mercury]

I love mine. After picking up one from Snapon I liked it so much I bought the other lengths. All in 3/8. The only locking extensions I've found that I like are the Craftsman ones. They have a locking slide tab. Not a big collar like most do.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc...1x000001&kpid=00943345000&kispla=00943345000P

I found that the wobble plus snap on to the fixed part when you want them to wobble and the plastic lock bottons break on the crapsman ext. I have mac wobbles and armstrong,sk and so lovking ext and like them all

 

[nicksnothereman]

Re: What is "Wobble Plus" & "Locking" extensions

Ha ha. Hey Nick, did you know I've had 656 "Paul's Rules of Thumb" for many years now? Here is 356 as an example: "Don't do something really stupid, TWICE!"

I would like full list of your rules if that is possible. Perhaps in its own thread. - Paul

There are not actually 656 nick rules...I was just trying to make a backhanded point about stuff. I don't have tool rules but that "cheap enough" is probably one of my main rules with stuff. I've been there with the "I don't know what it is but I want it", now I do it the other way "I know what it is now and I need it". If I had almost 700 rules I probably wouldn't follow any of them.

For op: You don't need wobbles until you need a wobble. At that point it should almost always be impact just in case you need it to torque something with the damn thing. That can actually happen. You don't need nothing fancy though, impact is never fancy always black oxide.

 

[Adam.C]

+1 for wobble plus. I admit they have their downsides. But I find them pretty darned convenient. Of course it depends on the job. I could see having full sets of regular, wobbles, and a few lockers. But that would be just too many extensions.

One word on locking extensions- I preferred my old craftsman with the button to the new kind with the sliding sleeve. I just felt they were thinner, providing more clearance.

For that matter, I have been missing my old craftsman locking ratchets since my move to Snap On (I don't have any Snap on locking ratchets). I struggle to get some sockets off my ratchet when my hands or sockets are oily. I keep a plastic trim pry bar in my socket drawer to help.

My new lo pro snap on 3/8 sockets have these cool raised ridges that really help. Wish all my sockets had this feature.

 

[oldestof11]

+1 wobble plus. If you do any serious automotive work, a set can be worth their weight in gold and busted knuckle. I just use 2 wobbles and 2 regular extensions to take out the top 2 bolts that were holding my trans to my engine in my truck. I've also used a couple shorty wobbles to get into places previously only S wrenches went. Unlike a u-joint, they don't fall into some weird angle that's completely useless.