Wrench rails - any Snap-on Equivalents?

[ssdave]

Okay, I'm getting a bit impatient. I bought snap on wrench rails in October for my KRA box. They are great. No complaints. Good Price. Work Perfectly. Fit just right. Hold wrenches without problems. Only problem is they're sold out at Snap-on, I've had more on order for 3 months. The ones I'm ordering look like this, and here's a picture of one holding up to 32mm wrenches in my toolbox.

So, I tried to find some equivalents today. Almost bought the Ernst ones:

About 1/2 the Snap-on price, look somewhat the same until you look close. They're taller (about 2") and hold the small wrenches up high. The feedback I got in an earlier thread is that they're too tall and unstable because of the height and how thin they are. When I look closely at the picture, I see that they won't work as well. They also won't work as well in shallow drawers.

Anybody know if there's an exact match for the Snap-on ones available somewhere? I can wait until the Snap-on ones come in, but being impatient and wanting instant gratification, I'd like to get them NOW.

Here's the link to the previous thread I posted showing the rails:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341180

 

[M6erfan]

Yeah, I've had those wrench rails in my SO website cart for 7 weeks, still says not available....Frustrating

 

[Fedwrench]

Sorry, there is no direct substitute for the snap on kra15a wrench rails. However, MAC used to sell some that were pretty close.

 

[1950mercury]

Ernst

 

[senlow]

KRA15A is the bomb. There is no substitute that I've found.

 

[gdocktor3]

Got my small rails a few weeks ago and the large rails just came yesterday! I've waited since October. Nothing compares to the SO rails. I've tried a lot of other brands like Ernst, Craftsman, Tekton, etc. .


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[WhiffySpark]

I'm pretty sure I paid $20 for the snap on rails

 

[a52-830]

while not at all identical, i have some of these ernst racks:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ZJ0ONE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

that seem to work well.

i ordered both the small and large wrench racks directly from snapon, and got one quickly, while the other was backordered. the ernst ones are the ones i have bough recently that i like. the snapon ones work great, the others have various issues.

 

[B_Lafayet]

is it the low profile Ernst that you are referring to.

http://www.ernstmfg.com/store/p/78-6050-30-Tool-No-Slip-Low-Profile-Wrench-Rails-Red.aspx

The low profile Ernst do not seem to tilt the wrenches upwards anywhere near as well as the Snap On.

 

[white 450]

KRA15A is the bomb. There is no substitute that I've found.

Truth. I've got Ernst standard and low profile thrown in a box somewhere because they were replaced with the 15a's. Definitely no substitute. Just wait it out for them.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I use both sizes of the SO rails...they are the shiz for this task, IMO. I have a few other brands that I have tried here and there, but the SO's are the best fit in the box. The other brands are tossed in an odds and ends drawer.

 

[ssdave]

Well, you guys are just reinforcing what I found out for myself. These racks work, where others just kind of work. That's why I ordered a bunch more after i got the first two.

I'll wait.

 

[Moto77]

The snap on rails are by far the superior wrench rail. I had the Ernst rails for a few years and the just kept falling over when ever I moved my box. The snap on are customizable, just cut do length and they don't fall over when the tool box moves.

 

[Fedwrench]

The KRA15A snap on wrench rail is just something no one else can make worth a ****. I'm mean hard can it be to make a decent wrench rail?

The height of the rail, the notch angle, double sided tape, easily trimmed to fit most drawers, it is truly a winner-winner chicken dinner!!!

Why it can't be successfully cloned is beyond me...

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Equivalent ?:

https://mobiledistributorsupply.com...ols-22218-35-wrench-organizing-rails-oem.html

 

[ryan20021982]

Equivalent ?:

https://mobiledistributorsupply.com...ols-22218-35-wrench-organizing-rails-oem.html

Those do look very close and here they are in green for cheaper and shows in stock

https://www.weselltools.com/22216-oemtools-22216-35-wrench-organizing-rail-2-piece-oem.html

 

[mikegt4]

The KRA15A snap on wrench rail is just something no one else can make worth a ****. I'm mean hard can it be to make a decent wrench rail?

The height of the rail, the notch angle, double sided tape, easily trimmed to fit most drawers, it is truly a winner-winner chicken dinner!!!

Why it can't be successfully cloned is beyond me...

It isn't that they can't be cloned, it's that they can't be cloned legally. SO probably has all those little features patented to prevent others from duplicating them (at least for the life of the patent). I retired from a career in R&D in a highly competitive consumer goods industry and had to work around patented design features everyday.

 

[DadsTools]

Looks like a likely candidate to be cloned right here in the shop.

 

[mdog892001]

i used free 12ga copper wire


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[a52-830]

Those do look very close and here they are in green for cheaper and shows in stock

https://www.weselltools.com/22216-oemtools-22216-35-wrench-organizing-rail-2-piece-oem.html

lime green? there is a reason they are cheaper and still in stock

 

[a52-830]

It isn't that they can't be cloned, it's that they can't be cloned legally. SO probably has all those little features patented to prevent others from duplicating them (at least for the life of the patent). I retired from a career in R&D in a highly competitive consumer goods industry and had to work around patented design features everyday.

my memory about this stuff is foggy, but if they really have patented features, dont at least some of the patents need to be listed on them somewhere?

i dont even recall the snap-on name or logo on mine . . . . .

 

[paranoid56]

Those do look very close and here they are in green for cheaper and shows in stock

https://www.weselltools.com/22216-oemtools-22216-35-wrench-organizing-rail-2-piece-oem.html

Thanks, bought

 

[Mohawk Dave]

Those do look very close and here they are in green for cheaper and shows in stock

https://www.weselltools.com/22216-oemtools-22216-35-wrench-organizing-rail-2-piece-oem.html

Make sure you cross reference the part number on their actual website. The very last picture of the green ones shows the Ernst Style where are all the other pictures show the Snap-on Style. I'm on my phone right now and it's too hard to try to cross-reference stuff.

That being said I too have tried all the different wrench racks and you cannot beat snap on. Especially in a Lista cabinet.

 

[jjkrjh]

I picked these up at Lowe's. They work well and spaced for bigger wrenchs at one end.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Slot-Wrench-Rail/50296525

 

[ihateminimumwage]

LXCam just picked up the green OEM sets, they do look like a direct clone of the Snap-on rails.

I'll concur with everyone else, the Snappy rails set the standard for plastic wrench rails. I haven't used mine since becoming mobile, though.

 

[ryan20021982]

lime green? there is a reason they are cheaper and still in stock

You apparently don't know lime green is the most popular tool color right now?

 

[Snaparxon]

I have the 4 sets of OEM rails in black and they are identical to the red Snap on ones I've used for 15 years. I wish OEM would make the larger racks like Snap on has to hold wrenches bigger than 1-1/16"

 

[a52-830]

You apparently don't know lime green is the most popular tool color right now?

oh, i can imagine. in a few years, they will be all over CL, like the blue ones, and the black ones, and the camo ones . . . . . . . . but they won't be the "in" color anymore . . . . while red soldiers on . . . . .

it would be interesting to see what the color breakout is from snap-on right now . . . .

 

[Snaparxon]

oh, i can imagine. in a few years, they will be all over CL, like the blue ones, and the black ones, and the camo ones . . . . . . . . but they won't be the "in" color anymore . . . . while red soldiers on . . . . .

it would be interesting to see what the color breakout is from snap-on right now . . . .

For me, the new color Snap on has come out with is teal. The ratchets and screwdrivers look pretty sharp.

 

[LXCam]

Hey guys I did a litttle blurb about the green rails today.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387681

In short, I'd suggest not wasting your money if you plan on racking anything larger than a 3/4" or 19mm wrench. After that size you'll need to double space them to fit.

 

[1320]

I have some of the OEM Tools black rails and they appear to be more or less identical to some 30 year old Snap On KRA15s that I have also.

 

[Firej]

I got my set from Lowe's. Think it was like $10 or $15. they came with the double side tape and have suited me well for about 4 years. They are a little bit taller than the so. I have a full sets of gw that still close low enough in my drawer. I did get earnst for my stubby sets and they are much better. But for less than$20 I don't mind the Lowe's set.