Wrench question opinion??

[Audiophilefred]

Hey guys new here, little about myself i recently just started my own small business. I work on a few companies fleet vehicles and needed some opinions on some wrenches. I recently purchased the new Ingersoll Rand sae combination wrench set and needed a metric set just can’t decide on what to buy. Looking at something high quality? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[lardy1]

What's your budget? How big of a set? Preference of COO?

There are near endless options.

 

[greg13]

If you can, see how they fee in your hand. Not all wrenches feel the same, look at the edges, that is what will be digging into your hand when you really reef on a bolt. It may sound like a small thing but believe me it DOES make a difference.

 

[_Riddle]

A lot of people on this forum really like the offerings from Wright. I'm very happy with mine I just wish they were offered in long pattern.

 

[sberry]

Buy some wrenches. Buy them today. If you have to pull lunch money out of the pocket and pay a box store to get some in your hand. Buy some while you are deciding what expensive ones to get. A set of economical wrenches pay for themselves in an event.
I was pushing for a trucking company,,, it used to piss the owner right off but I just charged **** up to his company. I bought a new Milton inflater,,, his truck is at my place and I am checking the air. He sees me put on new gage,,, says,,, whos is it? Yours or mine. I told him,,,, a say after we have 2 problems, Its yours till I find one of these tires at 50# and then its mine.
He bought it,,, I used it for free till I found 1 200$ problem at best, including downtime 300,,, maybe more.

 

[sberry]

You are starting a company7,,, buy on rin and the extras become different, become spares or find out they can tolerate constant use. Journeyman mechyanics normally don't always have the best but sufficient and adequate along with plenty.
If I am out in a field or convenience is a problem can do a lot of the bolt work with a simple combo wrench but my collection of 13 doesn't have a premium in it so to say but 10 wrenches, maybe a dozen, 4 or 5 common combo of various brands a couple dbe, couple off sets I found or collected that are just right. The ones I outright bought singles are usually combo, a long or standard even for couple 3 bucks when I need an extra for a chore.
If you run short in a day grab an extra and add it. People know I want they give on occasion, been gifted old tool boxes and bought some 1$ flea and its not too painful to add another wrench.
Do it any other way and it becomes a gut wrenching decision you got to seek financial advice for. Sales, super sales, when you find yourself lacking hit the HF for some screwdrivers,,, some day, some other time discuss all the virtues.
I aint scared to add for a couple few bucks. The auto parts store has taps, when the customer is paying the bill I include a bit I need or can use and I got 4 or 5 3x8 taps and if I had something critical may buy a new one if a project popped up.
A lot of friends and neighbors, all this I often send right to the store, they get my discount if the counter wants to give it to them and I don't mark up parts so they may get charged a tube for a single use. Fleet the same way, every once in a while there is a economy discount impact socket I am routinely using for then tacked on to the bill. No one even notices 2, 4 or 8$ added to substantial parts bills and fleet understands its cheaper for them to buy me a tool then do work for them without.

 

[mrjaw14]

Long pattern: Get Snap On XL Flank Drive+
Regular length: Wright Grip 2.0 or Snap On Flank Drive+

Wright gives you more sizes for the money than a Snap On set, but even the standard length snap on wrenches are longer than the wright wrenches.

 

[parks31]

Snapon is running a promo for their flank drive plus long pattern in March. Buy a metric set get an SAE set free for 640 plus tax. I realize you already bought an SAE set.

 

[unslow1]

The nuts and bolts won't really care. Personally I wouldn't want to be spending a lot on a start up small business. I'd just get something to be functional and upgrade later if I chose to once everything was going well.

 

[Audiophilefred]

Thanks for the great advice . Hmm well I want something that Last and not break on me because most of the time I’m working in the middle of nowhere which makes me have to depend on my tools to get the job done the first time. Budget 2-400$

 

[MJK]

Assuming we are just talking about a standard combination wrench set, how much I spent would be directly proportional to how much I intended to use them. Personally, I would be looking at

Cheap - Icon, Tekton
Mid - Proto, SK SuperKrome, Facom 440s/USAG/Gedore from Amazon.de
High - Snap on or a premium ratcheting wrench

My answer would not be the same for flare/line wrenches or double box ends.

 

[sberry]

I cant break the economy wrenches, doubt you will either.

 

[Audiophilefred]

Thanks guys made my decision easier

 

[Professional Tool User]

There are a number of factors to consider. These include your budget, COO, ease of warranty, and whether or not you need it right away. For SAE, I would have just waited for a set of used Proto wrenches to show up on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for next to nothing. As for metric wrenches, I'd go with a used set of Proto wrenches as well. SK and Wright wrenches tend to be on the shorter side of things. If you don't care about COO, Dewalt wrenches are cheap and fairly well made.

 

[cherrybomb]

I would buy Proto and never look back.When you go cheap,and get disgusted for what ever reason with your purchase,you now have lost confidence in the tool.They aren't worth much,hard to get much on resale.Now the upgrade cost is new price plus what you paid for first set.I a firm believer in studying the sitiuation. Buying the correct tool,once is normally a better deal.The Proto tools have been around for a long time,working hard and always very dependable.When back in the day,I was young,I was in your shoes.I bought only looking at price.Now there are so many features I study,before buying. I pay a bit more for Proto quality,but the wrenching is so much more productive and enjoyable. Just my 2 cents,this old fart has been around the block.

 

[Wamsutta]

Knowing what I know now and having bought several different brands of wrenches, I'd buy all Cornwell. They are the fastest and most comfortable wrench to turn. (In my opinion)

 

[four.cycle]

Hello Audiophilefred and welcome to the site!

How far is "Hill Country, Texas" from Oklahoma City?

If it's not too far a drive, check out Meridian Tool there and see if you can find a deal on a US-made set of metric combos.

Primo quality US made stuff: Proto, Wright, Williams, S-K. All excellent stuff.

"Tekton" gets rave reviews here from the guys who use it. I only own a couple pieces of "Tekton" and it looks like decent quality stuff. I cannot state that definitively because I haven't had opportunity to abuse the **** out of any of it yet.

 

[richfinn]

I cant break the economy wrenches, doubt you will either.

I've broken a few sockets (usually on a breaker bar)

I cant recall ever actually breaking a wrench in 35 years

I've bent a few on purpose to get at an awkward fastener and chopped a few up to make special tools

I have some nice quality wrenches but I dont carry them in my van, I just use the cheap ones the company supplies, never an issue!!!

 

[relicrecoveryspecialist]

Thanks for the great advice . Hmm well I want something that Last and not break on me because most of the time I’m working in the middle of nowhere which makes me have to depend on my tools to get the job done the first time. Budget 2-400$

Most economy style wrenches are great. I’ve got a set from the Mac guy that’s their off brand, and are flexible end ratchet wrenches. $50 for metric and standard up to I believe 7/8 or 15/16


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[visionguru]

What is the maximum size you need?
It's unlikely to break a wrench with your bare hands, no matter how cheap the wrenches are.

I'd get Snap On if money is no object. Or just get something decent, and skip all the middle of the road brands.

I went to Home Depot the other day. This Milwaukee set feels decent:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...hanics-Tool-Set-15-Piece-48-22-9515/303010166

 

[sberry]

Ya, broke Sears sockets, most right out of the box. Never the wrenches and we beat them like rented mules.

 

[goforbroke]

I'm surprised by so many recommendations of none-ratcheting wrenches.
I barely even use my regular combination wrenches anymore, 9 times out of 10 I use my ratcheting wrenches for everything. It's usually all automotive though.

 

[M6erfan]

LIke others mentioned, breaking a wrench is hard to do. The issues with cheap/**** wrenches is soft steel and poor tolerances. Look for ergonomics that suit you. Facom 440 (or the Tone variants), Tekton, S-o, KTC (Kyoto Tool Co Japan), Williams, Proto, Stahlwille, Gedore. All offer excellent wrenches at varying price points.

 

[MJK]

You know, there are a lot of good points here. I use ratcheting a lot too. I have never had a cheap wrench break. I have had cheap open ends spread and round fasteners.

If somehow lost all my metric wrenches and I got $400 to replace them
These Facom 440s are excellent for about $130 delivered and they cover all the sizes I would ever use.
I'd add in a cheap set of offset reversible ratcheting wrenches for my commonly used sizes These look ok for $40.. I'd spend the balance on a nice set of line wrenches or double box ends.

Snap on RXFMS606B line wrenches - I paid $190 new on eBay.
Snap on XBM605A Double box ends - I paid $165 new on eBay and then bought a XSM67 and XSM89 separately.

I use/like the double box ends more, but if could only have one I'd probably keep the line wrenches.

 

[nelstomlinson]

If you're going to be using these out in the field, get ones you won't be too upset about losing.

If a cheap wrench is a piece of **** that rounds bolts, you'll notice right away. Toss it, and try something else.

Today, most cheap tools aren't like that. Williams Taiwan stuff should be OK, shouldn't be a budget buster. Horrible Fright's better offerings are dirt cheap and have a good rep, if you're OK with Mainland China ****.

 

[relicrecoveryspecialist]

Get some blue point ratchet wrenches like mine, come I’m metric, and standard, depending on where you look $30-40 per set, they go from 3/8- to 7/8, and metric the same but in metric. They don’t have the latch to hit reverse or forward instead they have arrows showing direction in which to turn, have a warranty, and even on the 7/16 I’ve used a cheeter pipe, and never rounded off corners or broke them, they have a flexible rear and, for tight spaces, and has a carding case, and fold up amazingly for tight areas.


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[16again]

Get some blue point ratchet wrenches like mine, come I’m metric, and standard, depending on where you look $30-40 per set, they go from 3/8- to 7/8, and metric the same but in metric. They don’t have the latch to hit reverse or forward instead they have arrows showing direction in which to turn, have a warranty, and even on the 7/16 I’ve used a cheeter pipe, and never rounded off corners or broke them, they have a flexible rear and, for tight spaces, and has a carding case, and fold up amazingly for tight areas.


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Link to the wrenches you have please.


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[relicrecoveryspecialist]

I’ll look them up. Give me a few. I’ve had them several years, and the prices haven’t gone up much if any at all. Give me a second and I can actually take a pic of what they come in, and look like, and then find a price. I’ve put cheater pipes on even the smallest, and never smoked the gears in the end or rounded off the bolt heads from then open end part. I’ve broken bolts with them, vs breaking one of the wrenches


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[relicrecoveryspecialist]

Link to the wrenches you have please.


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Expert is Mac’s cheaper, but looks identical to their brand wrenches. Look on EBay, I couldn’t find on Amazon, or ask a local Mac tool truck. They usually are cheaper than online. I got these for $50, and my standard set for $50. I worked on every piece of a Maxforce International motor, and every Cummins that was made, even the old 12v, and marine motors. I’m sending pics of the old Cummins engine in the truck, and the new one in plastic. I used at least 4 of the smaller wrenches and what I didn’t have in my set I had in my toolbox for the larger fittings like the copper hose connections.

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[16again]

Thank you.


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[relicrecoveryspecialist]

Thank you.


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You’re welcome. I like them because there is no switch to switch from forward or reverse, another part to replace if it breaks. Those break relatively easily because when you put some major torque on it, it’s the only thing keeping it locked in place.


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[Audiophilefred]

Man didn’t realize this thread was still going . Love this forum already . I ended up finding some snap on soexm710 10-19 mm and sk x frame metric and sae all for a really good price on Craigslist near me . I almost felt bad for buying them for so cheap