What are your thoughts on Matco wrenches?

[GoBlue]

just curious...they dont get much air time on this forum. Im talking about the current ones not the old ones. Ill give my thoughts but i want to hear your alls first.

 

[american lockpicker]

I like the older ones.

 

[filtered]

The set I have is a couple years old. They are really nice. I don't know how much they have changed since I got mine.

 

[tcsalvage]

have one set we use alot, long double box ratcheting wrench with flex end. traded my set of snappy ones like it on them because of the flex end. best thing i ever gotten off the truck besides the screwdrivers. don't care for the ratchets but the sockets hold up well and the matco 6 box was a great deal and no problems (no slide locks). i only have about 10k in there tools not including the box so they don't get as much use as the so or mac i have

 

[slayer6x6]

The combo wrenches look identical to the non ratcheting gearwrenches.

 

[shanker]

The combo wrenches look identical to the non ratcheting gearwrenches.

wow.....and I'll bet they still have truck pricing on them!


I prefer the OLD MAC or Cornwell wrenches myself, the ones where the inside of the open end comes to a point to (what I think) better fit on the fastener.

 

[GoBlue]

Ive heard that design makes the open end weaker. I cant say if thats true or not but every broken one i have seen is broken there. Also, those gearwrenches are made in china. Matcos are made in the U.S...though both by the same parent company. To say they are the same would be false.

 

[Fedwrench]

Whenever someone brings up Matco wrenches a picture of Gearwrench combination wrenches usually follow soon after. The only thing the Gearwrench shares with the current Matco combination wrench is that they're both chrome and have the Optitorque or surface drive plus open end. If you own both (I do), you can quickly tell that the weights of the wrenches are different, the beams are different, balance is different, and the steel even feels different. Oh, and when dropped on a concrete floor, the gearwrenches make a thud sound. I'm not saying the gearwrench fixed combination is bad. I'm saying that they are not an exact match for the Matco wrenches. Close but, no cigar. The subject has been covered many times here before.
Matco wrenches to me are Armstrong made fully polished combination wrenches with the modified open end (also found on some Armstrong models). They are very similiar to the older US made Craftsman professional wrenches (not the SK versions). I like mine. They have served me well for a number of years. They can be found in many lengths and a wide variety of sizes. They have a slightly thicker beam than Snap on's which I like. The boxed ends feature off corner engagement. The wrenches are US made and have great chrome finish. All tool truck prices are insane but, there are deals to be had too offset those prices. There are lots of Matco haters here for some unknown reason. Everyone should just buy and use what they prefer. I prefer Matco wrenches and their pinless impact swivel sockets but, that's another story.

 

[CamarosRus]

Fedwrench, You are far and away the most knowledgeable hand tool contributor on this web site. When you have spoken, people should take heed.

I followed your advice and bought (used) the MATCO Pro-Swing Racheting and Fixed Boxes in SAE and Metric. I did buy the Gearwrench long beam combos as I thought for a non pro
this would be fine (??) I'm now thinking I might search for MATCO long beam regular combos. Can you throw out any info/pics/#'s as to what to look for or NOT!!!

Can you say in public how it is that you have the where withall to purchase and try so many different brands of similar tools ??

Thanks for all you do at this site, I for one appreciate and respect YOU!!!!!!!!!

 

[tankboy_taylor]

Im partial to snap on or bonney combo wrenches matco seems like a solid choice for wrenches

 

[Skin]

Matco's are nice, they feel like CMan Pros to me. Essentially just a well made combo. I think they have longer versions also.

 

[turbodiesel_02]

i like the old matco wrenches they seem to fit in tighter spots,i have a set of the new ones too,they get the job done,i like my snap on flank drive's standard and metrics the best

 

[Racr350]

I have yet to use a better double box super long ratcheting or non-ratcheting wrench. Matco has the nicest XL box wrenches IMO.

My favorite being these with a ratcheting side and a standard box end to break a stubborn fastener loose before flipping it and using the ratcheting side :

 

[ptschram]

My toolbox is filled with both Snap-On and Matco stuff.

I use them every day and would have a hard time telling one from the other if I had my eyes closed.

My Matco guy goes out of his way to help me out, has a nice clean truck (with plenty of pics of barely dressed women-Woo Hoo), and is a really nice guy. One of my Snap-On guys never has anything on the truck and is less friendly, my other Snap-On guy has a cleaner truck and always has what I need, worst case the next day or so.

To a great extent, my preference comes down to the guy on the truck, not necessarily the tool. If I buy a tool that breaks, I expect it to be replaced quickly. If it doesn't work for my application, I expect them to take it back, so far, they all have done so.

 

[tcsalvage]

I have yet to use a better double box super long ratcheting or non-ratcheting wrench. Matco has the nicest XL box wrenches IMO.

My favorite being these with a ratcheting side and a standard box end to break a stubborn fastener loose before flipping it and using the ratcheting side :

thats them, better than snappys period and ive used them both.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

I don't own any of the new Matco wrenches but if they're as similar to the Armstrong as Fedwrench says they are then they must be really nice, I have a set of the new Armstrong ratcheting combos and they're top shelf tools.

 

[Racr350]

My toolbox is filled with both Snap-On and Matco stuff.

I use them every day and would have a hard time telling one from the other if I had my eyes closed.

My Matco guy goes out of his way to help me out, has a nice clean truck (with plenty of pics of barely dressed women-Woo Hoo), and is a really nice guy. One of my Snap-On guys never has anything on the truck and is less friendly, my other Snap-On guy has a cleaner truck and always has what I need, worst case the next day or so.

To a great extent, my preference comes down to the guy on the truck, not necessarily the tool. If I buy a tool that breaks, I expect it to be replaced quickly. If it doesn't work for my application, I expect them to take it back, so far, they all have done so.

TWO Snap-On Guys!? What a world... And I have to agree that service is a huge factor when it comes time to purchase something.

 

[Fedwrench]

Those extra long fixed boxed end with a flex head ratcheting boxed end wrenches that everybody loves including me, aren't actully made by Matco. They're made by a company in Taiwan called Kabo. Kabo also made the SK G Pro series of ratcheting wrenches. Kabo makes some of the neatest tools you'll never see unless you visit their booth at an AAPEX show.