Who makes Wright's socket rails?

[Wamsutta]

These pictures are from Harry Epstein. It says "MADE IN USA" on the blue rail. You guys have any idea which manufacturer in the USA could have made them for Wright?

 

[JR7]

They're the same as the Husky rails sold at Home Depot and I believe SK has green ones for select socket sets but I don't believe they actually are made in the USA. To me it looks like the "Made in USA" is part of the Wright Tool stamp to signify that Wright Tools are USA made and not the actual rail itself.

I had the same blue rail that came with my Wright sockets and liked it so I ended up going to Home Depot to get more- they're the same thing but red and not blue. I don't recall seeing any Made in USA stamp on them. Either China or Taiwan I believe but I could be wrong. No idea who actually makes them.

 

[Fedwrench]

VIM made them. They had the original design from Matco, Craftsman, SK days. they were/might still be US made.

 

[MattT]

They're the same as the Husky rails sold at Home Depot and I believe SK has green ones for select socket sets but I don't believe they actually are made in the USA. To me it looks like the "Made in USA" is part of the Wright Tool stamp to signify that Wright Tools are USA made and not the actual rail itself.

I had the same blue rail that came with my Wright sockets and liked it so I ended up going to Home Depot to get more- they're the same thing but red and not blue. I don't recall seeing any Made in USA stamp on them. Either China or Taiwan I believe but I could be wrong. No idea who actually makes them.

There are weak, poorly molded, chinese knock-offs of the VIM rails. Harbor freight carried them at one point.

 

[bob15]

There are weak, poorly molded, chinese knock-offs of the VIM rails. Harbor freight carried them at one point.

That is funny.

Mine said US made and aren't cheap, poorly molded, flimsy rails. Heck you can fill the rail with 1/2 drive sockets and turn it over and nothing will fall out, nor does it bend. And I have gotten them with both Wright and C-man on them. Have gotten them from HJE & McMaster Carr. And

Yes, I recommend them.

Matt, Have you even owned or used one before?

 

[davethorik]

My Wright 1/2 metric impacts came on these rails. I have lost a ball detent 3 times now when pulling a socket off, but found it every time. That's my only gripe.

 

[Strouty]

That is funny.

Mine said US made and aren't cheap, poorly molded, flimsy rails. Heck you can fill the rail with 1/2 drive sockets and turn it over and nothing will fall out, nor does it bend. And I have gotten them with both Wright and C-man on them. Have gotten them from HJE & McMaster Carr. And

Yes, I recommend them.

Matt, Have you even owned or used one before?

He said there are......... not they are.

 

[MattT]

That is funny.

Mine said US made and aren't cheap, poorly molded, flimsy rails. Heck you can fill the rail with 1/2 drive sockets and turn it over and nothing will fall out, nor does it bend. And I have gotten them with both Wright and C-man on them. Have gotten them from HJE & McMaster Carr. And

Yes, I recommend them.

Matt, Have you even owned or used one before?

I've got a lot of the US made VIM rails. So yeah I know they're well made and certainly not cheap. I'm scared to add up how much money I've got in them. Has to be several hundred

I've also tried the chinese knock-offs, trying to save a nickel, and they're ****.

 

[nmantas]

The gearwrench ones you get with socket sets seem pretty solid (assuming Taiwan). I've thrown some sets on the Hansens and then repurposed the rails.

 

[Bryanthegreat]

The Home Depot units are not the same. The clips and rails are different enough that they are not interchangeable. The Home Depot rails aren’t bad but the Wright I feel are a little nicer

 

[CJM8515]

I have CMan ones, fit and finish is good.

 

[kythri]

I have a bunch of the Carlyle version of the rails in the OP - red, blue and green. I think they're made in Taiwan (certainly, not made in the USA).

They're great stuff.

 

[KnurledNut]

My Wright 1/2 metric impacts came on these rails. I have lost a ball detent 3 times now when pulling a socket off, but found it every time. That's my only gripe.

I had this same thing happen with a 1/2 Wright rail. Multiple clip detents failed. On a positive note, they did send new clips free of charge when i called them.

 

[Finky198]

I use the CMs as well. I have 20+ rails and somewhere in the neighborhood 400 (346) sockets on them at this point. I’ve been using them for years now great product... out of that many pegs I’ve had about 5 bad ones...

 

[lilcraigford]

Here is a list that of I have kicking around. This information pertains to the USA-made socket rails produced by VIM Tools which are rebranded by the tool companies listed below. As mentioned already, there are socket rails available under other names (Carlyle, Husky, Gearwrench, Harbor Freight, etc) that are very similar, however these are not directly related to the VIM Tools version.

Info dump:

Armstrong
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 10" or 15"
Replacement Studs
- 16-844 (1/4" x15)
- 16-846 (3/8" x15)
- 16-848 (1/2" x15)

Craftsman
Color: Black or Grey
Length: 14"
Rails
- 9-41843 (Black, 1/4" Studs x10)
- 9-41844 (Black, 3/8" Studs x10)
- 9-41845 (Black, 1/2" Studs x10)
- 9-41829 (Grey 3 pc with studs)
- 9-41849 (Black 3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- 9-41846 (1/4" x5)
- 9-41847 (3/8" x5)
- 9-41848 (1/2" x5)

Kobalt
Color: Black
Length: 11.25"
Rails:
- 22969 (1/4" Studs x10)
- 22970 (3/8" Studs x10)
- 22971 (1/2" Studs x10)

*Note: Discontinued.

Matco
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 7.5", 10.5", 15" or 18"
Rails
- SKTRL8 (Red 7.5")
- SKTRL10 (Red 10.5")
- SKTRL15 (Red 15")
- SKTRL18 (Red 18")
- SKTRL8M (Blue 7.5")
- SKTRL10M (Blue 10.5")
- SKTRL15M (Blue 15")
- SKTRL18M (Blue 18")
Replacement Studs
- STD2518 (1/4" x25)
- STD2512 (3/8" x25)
- STD2516 (1/2" x25)

McMaster Carr
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8.25", 11.25" or 14"
Replacement Studs
- 4940A31 (1/4" x5)
- 4940A32 (3/8" x5)
- 4940A33 (1/2" x5)

SK
Color: Green

*Note: Called "Suregrip" Rails; I have only seen these included in socket sets.

VIM
Color: Red
Length: 14"
Rails
- V520 (1/4" Studs x10)
- V521 (3/8" Studs x10)
- V522 (1/2" Studs x10)
- V523 (3 pc with studs)
Replacement Studs
- V520S (1/4" x5)
- V521S (3/8" x5)
- V522S (1/2" x5)

*Note: Add "BG" to stud part numbers (ex: V520SBG) for a quantity of 100.

Wright
Color: Blue or Red
Length: 8", 10" or 13"
Replacement Studs
- W2 (1/4" x1)
- W3 (3/8" x1)
- W4 (1/2" x1)

*Note: Rail lengths are those stated by each mfg on their website.

 

[southalabama]

I've got these type rails (green) for S&K.

I have some gearwrench (red and blue).

Also have some craftsman (black).

I love the gearwrench rails.

 

[Wamsutta]

I love the gearwrench rails.

Which ones? They got the kind like Wright has with the clips running on the outside of the rail, and then they got their original kind where the clips are running inside the rails; both are in circulation now.

 

[southalabama]

I've got both types in red/blue sold as gearwrench. I prefer socket holder inside the rail. Seems sturdier to me.

 

[6PTsocket]

That is funny.

Mine said US made and aren't cheap, poorly molded, flimsy rails. Heck you can fill the rail with 1/2 drive sockets and turn it over and nothing will fall out, nor does it bend. And I have gotten them with both Wright and C-man on them. Have gotten them from HJE & McMaster Carr. And

Yes, I recommend them.

Matt, Have you even owned or used one before?

Are the Craftsman US made or like the HF, Chinese rails. At this point I find it hard to believe Sears sells the American version of what is also available from China. The HF posts broke pretty easily.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[6PTsocket]

Gearwrench appears to now be selling some of their sockets in this style rail. I have no idea where they are made. I prefer the Taiwan made rails, that Gearwrench sells, with and without sockets. The rail is a C channel with the posts having a flat base that rides inside the channel. I seems inherently stronger to me. They come in the three popular drive sizes in red for SAE, blue for metric and green for Torx, that is international.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[lilcraigford]

Are the Craftsman US made or like the HF, Chinese rails. At this point I find it hard to believe Sears sells the American version of what is also available from China. The HF posts broke pretty easily.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

The Craftsman socket rails are made in the USA by VIM Tools. I don't believe Sears has outsourced the plastic Craftsman rails yet.

 

[6PTsocket]

The Craftsman socket rails are made in the USA by VIM Tools. I don't believe Sears has outsourced the plastic Craftsman rails yet.

Right you are. I bought the HF Chinese knock offs and made the false assumotion that they were the same rails. I have had good luck with the C channel style Gearwrench rails.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[giants]

Has anyone warrantied GearWrench?

 

[Hootbro]

Has anyone warrantied GearWrench?

I have twice. Relatively painless. Called them both times and was asked what the item was, what was wrong with it and where I bought it. Had replacements within a week. If you bought it from a brick and mortar store local to you, they may ask you take it back there for replacement first.

 

[Michael5959]

I realize this is an old post but hopefully someone will still chime in. Are the Wright rail lengths in spec with their designation? By this I mean is the full length of a 10" Wright rail 10" or does that refer to the usable space, and the actual length is longer? I am looking for some rails to fit in a socket box that is about 10&1/2" long and was looking at these, but they wont work if the actual length is longer. Any assistance appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

 

[retDAC]

I realize this is an old post but hopefully someone will still chime in. Are the Wright rail lengths in spec with their designation? By this I mean is the full length of a 10" Wright rail 10" or does that refer to the usable space, and the actual length is longer? I am looking for some rails to fit in a socket box that is about 10&1/2" long and was looking at these, but they wont work if the actual length is longer. Any assistance appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

I have Armstrong (Cripe), Craftsman, and OLD Kobalt (Cripe). Current Kobalt looks alike, made in Taiwan, but studs don't swap. My OLD Kobalt measure actual ~11&1/8" OAL. Probably Wrights do also as I doubt they would make a separate mold only an inch or so shorter.
You can cut the rail; you would just have rig some kind of stop to keep the studs from working off.

 

[Tuc04]

I realize this is an old post but hopefully someone will still chime in. Are the Wright rail lengths in spec with their designation? By this I mean is the full length of a 10" Wright rail 10" or does that refer to the usable space, and the actual length is longer? I am looking for some rails to fit in a socket box that is about 10&1/2" long and was looking at these, but they wont work if the actual length is longer. Any assistance appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

I just measured the 3 sizes of Wright rails I have.
OAL = 8-3/8, 11-1/4 and 13-7/8
The retaining clip is about 5/8 from the end.

 

[Michael5959]

Thank you, this is very helpful. High high do these lift the socket up? I am looking to get some of these for my socket box which is about 1.5" tall and my tallest sockets is about 1&3/16" tall, leaving me around 5/16" clearance. Will these fit?

Thanks

 

[jeepnut24]

Are these still made? I would love to find some more..

 

[JR 42]

Epstein has Wright rails in red and blue in a few different sizes.

https://www.harryepstein.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=wright+socket+rail

Cripe has black Kobalt rails in all three drive sizes, but only 11".

http://www.ebaystores.com/cripedistributing?submit=SEARCH&_nkw=kobalt+rail&

They might still have some Gearwrench or Armstrong rails also.

ETA, they do.

http://www.ebaystores.com/cripedistributing?submit=SEARCH&_nkw=armstrong+rail&

http://www.ebaystores.com/cripedistributing?submit=SEARCH&_nkw=gearwrench+rail&

The Gearwrench is a different style than all the others- the studs sit inside the rail instead of wrapping around it.

The Carlyle rails at NAPA come in multiple sizes (and in green as well, last I checked), but are made in Taiwan.


Edited again - the google search results for "recursion" have a joke near the top, took me a minute to figure it out. Apparently it's a common joke, but I hadn't seen it before...

 

[Tuc04]

I checked a variety of 1/4”, 3/8” and 1/2” sockets in chrome and impact from multiple makers. They are in the .400 - .450” range above the bottom of the rail.

Vim also has some rails and studs on their site. Might be a worthwhile add on when ordering hot deals items.

https://cloud1.shopsite.com/donofish/product170.html

 

[jeepnut24]

Epstein has Wright rails in red and blue in a few different sizes.



Edited again - the google search results for "recursion" have a joke near the top, took me a minute to figure it out. Apparently it's a common joke, but I hadn't seen it before...

Thanks for the links! I had only been looking for the craftsman version as that is what I have now, and I tried the poor HF copies.

The joke is an old programming joke that makes me chuckle....

 

[magtl]

Thank you, this is very helpful. High high do these lift the socket up? I am looking to get some of these for my socket box which is about 1.5" tall and my tallest sockets is about 1&3/16" tall, leaving me around 5/16" clearance. Will these fit?

Thanks

The Vim Magrail TL thickness is 3/16". The rail length is the usable length.
Ron