Williams vs Wright Wrenches
- Thread starter liliysdad
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Chrome Vanadium Cody
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I agree with Bob Dylan, “when something ain’t Wright it’s wrong.”
Yes. Sometimes you need the thin profile of Snap-on for access. When you do not, the thick beams of the Williams feel excellent in the hand. As Fed said SuperCombos and Snap-on are completely different patterns.
BarrelRoll
Well-known member
I've been beating on a set of Williams Full Polished USA Super Combos for 3 years fixing a mill and crusher at a gold mine. My wrenches have a hard life, they get hit with a hammer and double wrenched, super wet/ corrosive environment, put on lots of questionable fasteners, and bounce around in a tool bag all over the mine. They have held up great, I haven't broken one and haven't had any issues with the chrome. I think they are super comfortable, I want to like the snapon wrenches ever time I'm on the truck though they just don't feel as nice as the Williams.
Maybe buy 1 of all the brands you are considering off Amazon
Maybe buy 1 of all the brands you are considering off Amazon
I agree with the sentiment, but advise caution with the rhetoric. Here’s why thickness can matter:
1) wrenches are made to specs. The specs are based on a system encompassing hardware, strengths of materials etc.
2) For a 16mm wrench, one nut, ASME b14.4.2.1M, is roughly 8.04-8.40mm thick. If the wright is 8.0000mm, that pencil lead could start looking kinda fat. You may wish you had a 7.5mm wrench.
I don’t think the Wright is too thick. But to say the difference is small and therefore irrelevant ( I know that’s not what was said)…anyway hopefully you get the point. Size matters!
Thin wrenches can save your ***. Given the choice between a thinner open end and a stronger, I’d probably pick thinner. I have other tools for stronger, but when I need an open end, I really need it to fit.
Tools are complicated. This shouldn’t be your only criteria. But don’t overlook it because the difference between models is small. Outer diameter is another good thing to look at.
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I've had the USA Williams Supercombos for ~10 years for home use. I really like them. They are long, and the beams are really thick, so they are comfy to use- Snap On beams are knife blades in comparison. The chrome has held up perfectly, and the finish is flawless on mine. You can't go wrong with the Williams IMO. Saying that, Wright is very well regarded here except for the shorter length.
The overwhelming majority of my mechanic’ing is on 60s and 70s American iron. Slim and svelte isn’t a huge concern as there is usually plenty of room to work.
Hopefully the Wrights will float my boat. If not, I don’t think I will lose my shirt on them.
Hopefully the Wrights will float my boat. If not, I don’t think I will lose my shirt on them.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
You will really like them, I promise. I've had mine nearly 10 years, great tools.
JerseyBoatBuilder
Well-known member
I was referring to them as Butter knife beams when I got rid of those wrenches.
Love it. I'm sure you will love them. Wright Grip have really aggressive open ends that may be perfect for that application. Only thing you'll need to watch are tie rod ends. Almost anything you encounter in the engine compartment should be socket access.
I spent some time on my brother's '69 Camaro. We had craftsman tools and resorted to splitting most nuts in the under carriage. We didn't even have an impact gun back then (80s). I rebuilt the front suspension and brakes on that (rusted POS) car. But it had lived a hard life near the Jersey Shore.
Today, with battery impacts, I think we need to put some of the extreme strength tools into perspective. All the wrenches mentioned in this thread are probably stronger than the bolt shanks are in shear.
Congrats
Snap On are beautiful wrenches by any measure, but I agree their beams are thin! Maybe more off putting in the truck when you first handle them than in practice, in my experience. Can't put my finger on exactly why. I may hold them by their ends, where all wrenches are more or less the same???
Again, first exposure was a team tool box and I was doing landing gear work, hooking up a hydraulic cart to an actuator. Once you get hydraulic oil on those shiny wrenches, I thought they were impossible to use. I was accustomed to my Craftsman Raised Panels. But those FD wrenches eventually won me over.
My currently wrenches are SO XL FD+ They are magnificent tools. In my guest box (roll cart) below, I have industrial finish FD+ which feel very different than the chrome (very nice - just a little tricky to maintain). Should have suggested these earlier. These are sometimes bargains. I think I refinished these. Once they rust, no one wants them. But a little surface rust can be treated and often times, it's pretty superficial. The business ends are usually too greasy to rust.
Wakefield
Well-known member
That wrench at the very top in the picture? (14mm - 17mm) And I think another that says "12mm"Snap On are beautiful wrenches by any measure, but I agree their beams are thin! Maybe more off putting in the truck when you first handle them than in practice, in my experience. Can't put my finger on exactly why. I may hold them by their ends, where all wrenches are more or less the same???
Again, first exposure was a team tool box and I was doing landing gear work, hooking up a hydraulic cart to an actuator. Once you get hydraulic oil on those shiny wrenches, I thought they were impossible to use. I was accustomed to my Craftsman Raised Panels. But those FD wrenches eventually won me over.
My currently wrenches are SO XL FD+ They are magnificent tools. In my guest box (roll cart) below, I have industrial finish FD+ which feel very different than the chrome (very nice - just a little tricky to maintain). Should have suggested these earlier. These are sometimes bargains. I think I refinished these. Once they rust, no one wants them. But a little surface rust can be treated and often times, it's pretty superficial. The business ends are usually too greasy to rust.
High Performance long flat wrenches?
Circle C has some Wright sets in stock according to their website, if that helps.
Ilikeike
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I just got a brand new Snap-on #SOEX01FMBR set to go along with my
Wright Grip 2.0 set that I was going to move to another box. I prefer the way the Wrights feel in my hand, beefier.
For the money the wrights are hard to beat. But I am careful working on the hot rod, the open end is aggressive.
Wright Grip 2.0 set that I was going to move to another box. I prefer the way the Wrights feel in my hand, beefier.
For the money the wrights are hard to beat. But I am careful working on the hot rod, the open end is aggressive.
That is my one concern.....we shall see!!
FYI, recently filled in large wrenches that had gone missing in my company toolbox due to past employees. Williams Taiwan line and ICON are exactly the same wrench except for stampings. Comparing two 1-1/16" wrenches, they even have exactly the same minor unique characteristics. Same amount of broaching off center in the box end, the same slight angle on the same side of the open end, the same minor mark on a part not as completely polished. I'm adding Williams Supercombo in my personal box.
Can you elaborate on not performing in the rust belt?
bcradio
Well-known member
How did you get the 10% coupon and free shipping. I'm interested in a set as well.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Wonder if he had the first gen with just the box end "flank drive"
The wright ASD on the open end has been proven in multiple test by multiple people to be equal to or superior than even snap ons.
I guess it was a "first time customer" discount. I have an extension that automatically finds and tries promo codes, and this one worked.
Try "P5PDJJ4ZY"
Snapped-off
Well-known member
They perform poorly on rusted fasteners.
They had teeth on the open end. Of course they perform well on youtube in test lab conditions. They flat out did not perform on rounded or corroded fasteners, where my FD+ wrenches did. If they worked I wouldn't have sold them.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
The Wrights have performed well everywhere I have used them, including rusty fasteners, along with my snap ons. And "years ago" would likely be before the wright 2.0
Wamsutta
Well-known member
I would have bought one Wright and one Williams to sample. Same size on each wrench.
Yes. I have full sets in my main box. Leftovers and orphans in this box.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
Wow, that's surprising. I've used my wright grip 1.0s to remove stuff snap on slipped on. I will say their box end seems to have more lead in taper than other brands like snap on, which can make heavily rotted things slip.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
I bought one single Wrightgrip wrench to try. It feels like 60-grit sandpaper when I pull the open end off a fastener. It's the Wrightgrip 1.0 Maybe the Wrightgrip 2.0 is better. I don't know. Beautiful beam configuration though. Very comfy. If they made a long pattern combination wrench with a smooth open end, that would be the bee's knees.
I bought a set of Wright wrenches and returned them. When I tested the open end on a bolt it had more play then my other wrenches. They look and feel nice though. My last set I bought were Williams, which are made by Snap On but are about half the price. And made in USA. I have way to many wrench sets - SnapOn, Milwaukee, GearWrench, Williams and Mac Tools. There is a test on wrenches on YouTube that is excellent and the Mac and GearWrench did very well in the test.
You might be waiting for awhile. I’ve been waiting 6 months for my order of metric full polish. From my research this isn’t uncommon.
It took me a few months of on and off research to finally decide on the Wrights so I’m happy to wait myself. I have a set of Tektons I’ve been using so not like I need them right away. Personally the only other choice I would consider is the proto asd but here in Canada they are ridiculous expensive(zoro doesn’t like us canucks).
Bit of a late reply, but I really like my Proto ASD wrenches. Nice shape in the hand, perfectly functional, and affordable. Default finish is a practical satin chrome but there are also oxide (what I have) and polished chrome options.
Another plus is that they are pretty easily available at lots of industrial places in the US and don't seem to go on long-term backorder like other brands. Zoro with a 20% off coupon is the best consumer deal I have seen.
www.garagejournal.com
Another plus is that they are pretty easily available at lots of industrial places in the US and don't seem to go on long-term backorder like other brands. Zoro with a 20% off coupon is the best consumer deal I have seen.
Show your new tool arrivals
Just a few things from HF. Added the glue gun to my growing 20V Bauer line of tools. Tried it our last night and it works just fine. Thick knee pad feels better under my old knees then the thinner ones I have. Haven't used the tester yet. They even had the gloves in stock. Last two times I...
www.garagejournal.com
nadogail
Well-known member
I regard them as being equally desirable. I will be glad to find them at the used tool stores i patronize
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
You probably won’t be in any better luck with Williams either. Both manufacturers seem to be really behind the ball. I waited six months for some Williams sockets and I know guys on this forum have had similar times for their Wright stuff. I’ve had stuff ship from Europe that was on backorder when I ordered it get here quicker than some Williams stuff.
Wamsutta
Well-known member
You still should've bought one to try first. The open end on my Wrightgrip 1/2 inch combination wrench is horrid.
I'm sure glad I bought just one.