XXL 0deg DBE wrenches - Gearwrench?

[Hakeem]

I am eyeing a set of those long zero deg double box end wrenches where you break the fastener loose with the fixed end and flip it around to zip it off with the ratchet end. I was goofing around with them at my friends and I really got a kick out of cranking on the long handles.

Anyways, who is putting out the better mid range set of these? My friend had older gearwrench but I’ve heard that the current offerings are not as good ever since Apex bought them and moved operations to China .. on the other hand, seems like Gearwrench stuff still performs well in the YouTube reviews—for whatever that’s worth—so are these claims of decreased quality overblown?

Looks like the other mid range option is Icon which I’m fine with. I like the icon stuff I have, I’d just lean Gearwrench because of lower cost and greater size range. Plus I don’t really expect to warranty these given the fixed end is right there, so that’s one less advantage for Icon.

Anyone have any experiences with these types of wrenches recently? Any recent experiences with Gearwrench stuff, positive or negative?

 

[Oldsmobile]

A few years ago, I bought the Gearwrench SAE & metric sets. I think they were a two-for-one deal. I like them fine for my home use. One wrench that I used quite hard (15, I think) on a job now has a slightly noticeable bend, and that's a little disappointing. But these are nice to have if you have the money and space.

 

[bonneyman]

I like the break/flip/spin idea but have thought about the beam strength myself. I think the ends are strong enough but the length allows for alot of torque so thought it was kinda iffy.

 

[ThePostman]

I have Gearwrench 86126, the flex head version. I thought it rather silly/useless to buy the non-flex version. I work on cars for a living and so I use them pretty much daily. I will try to break fasteners loose with the fixed end where I can first, but sometimes the angle just doesn't allow it. I have yet to break one of the ratcheting ends. I added the 21, 22, and 24mm wrenches to the set as well. Above 19mm they are 72 tooth ratchet heads, which is still fine enough for most of my needs. Combine these with nano sockets and you have a good low profile setup for various situations. The price has definitely gone up since I bought them 4 to 5 years ago, I believe I got 86126 for around $150. Expect to pay about $50 each for the bigger sizes. I don't have to worry about fussing with warranty as I have an independent truck that's a Gearwrench distributor that comes by my shop on Mondays. I would definitely buy the set again, I would also consider the Icons with a coupon.

 

[Hakeem]

I have Gearwrench 86126, the flex head version.

Did not know this was a thing, but seems like the best version of the concept. Agreed that the double fixed end is suboptimal. Looks like this is the direction I’ll head then.

E: $260 for 10

 

[Hakeem]

A few years ago, I bought the Gearwrench SAE & metric sets. I think they were a two-for-one deal. I like them fine for my home use. One wrench that I used quite hard (15, I think) on a job now has a slightly noticeable bend, and that's a little disappointing. But these are nice to have if you have the money and space.

I like the break/flip/spin idea but have thought about the beam strength myself. I think the ends are strong enough but the length allows for alot of torque so thought it was kinda iffy.

Yes you bring up fair points regarding the beams .. I’ll have to take some care to pull within the plane of the wrench. I think the warranty for their “pro line” of tools is still decent, eg: send a photo of the broken tool and receive a replacement, but if not at least I could buy the singles online.

 

[AEAdam]

Snap on make them. I have them. Don’t trust the ratchet ends. But love the length and tiny box end.

A lot of times I reach for these not because they are long, but because nothing else will really fit (or be as convenient). In such circumstances, its rare that I can flip them and put that big *** ratchet end to work.

Recommend instead a set of 15degree DBEs. Then look for non-ratcheting 0 degrees, maybe just in a few sizes that match your vehicle. Don’t get a 12-14 if you don’t own an Asian vehicle. Buy in this priority. 8-10, 17-19, 13-15. Substitute 12-14 for the 13-15 if you have Asian cars. Note, I’ve neglected 16 for no good reason. It usually is paired with the 18. I’d say last priority but only based on my vehicles.

Other “silver bullet” tool in this family is the SO XXL fixed head ratchet. Thats my serpentine belt tool. The 1/4” drive is also nice.

 

[bonneyman]

Yes you bring up fair points regarding the beams .. I’ll have to take some care to pull within the plane of the wrench. I think the warranty for their “pro line” of tools is still decent, eg: send a photo of the broken tool and receive a replacement, but if not at least I could buy the singles online.

I don't think that they're "weak", just that the length was done for reach and access to buried bolts. I'm blown away by those extra long double ratcheting flex end box wrenches that several brands make. I don't know how they handle the torque of such a long beam - especially with a flex end! But somehow they do.

 

[Steve_P]

I don't think that they're "weak", just that the length was done for reach and access to buried bolts. I'm blown away by those extra long double ratcheting flex end box wrenches that several brands make. I don't know how they handle the torque of such a long beam - especially with a flex end! But somehow they do.

Someone tested the Icons to failure on Youtube and the values were shocking IMO. Basically, unless you had a pipe on them, you couldn't break the mechanism unless maybe you weighed 600 lbs; I certainly couldn't.

 

[ThePostman]

My first go to are universal impacts say for brakes. Sometimes, you have obstructions such as where the strut connects to the knuckle and getting that top caliper bolt is only "wrenchable" because it's too tight of clearance, because of the bottom strut bolt, that's where gw8126 comes in to break it free. Alignments.....the bigger sizes are more than worth their price in gold when it comes to making the rear end move, or holding it in place, while 30” Matco 1/2" does the other side. OP, I would ignore the 15 degree offset post, if you need the offset angle I have double wrenched the open and box ends with Wrights and Protos, no fails. You can hammer on those two brands too. I will never recommend garbage in any of my posts, and only respond to posts like this with field experience. Field experience, the 120xl ratchets are garbage, the stubby 3/8" fixed head 90t I have is good, but I reach for the Ko-ken first that's in a 1/4" head.

 

[AEAdam]

. OP, I would ignore the 15 degree offset post, if you need the offset angle I have double wrenched the open and box ends with Wrights and Protos, no fails.

Snap Ons “high performance” wrenches, and those that look like them made elsewhere, are not the same as combination wrenches. Their ends are different, thinner and deeper, exactly like the zero degree offsets the OP posted about initially. They are also longer than most normal wrenches and even long pattern snap ons, which are VERY long. I think the offsets are a little more usable than the zeros.

Double wrenching is something we have all done, but to be honest, it’s not fun. Depending on where you are, it can really ****. See below:

As to the bona fides, I love hearing from our pros. They offer great advice. I particularly love it (no sarcasm) when they tell us what we don’t need. There’s a lot of people marketing their products to us and few people countering that. Guys, please keep sharing your experiences and saving us money. But caution: pros typically have a lot of advantages we, working on our own cars, don’t have. Sometimes what works for them, doesn’t work for us. They typically have lifts, which are really game changers. They have friends with tools, training and experience, sometimes mentors, access to parts and hardware, we don’t have.

So, just my opinion. I worked for years and years without any special wrenches. Just ****** craftsman raised panels (hate them). The high performance style wrenches are awesome. I’m just not sold on the ratchets. I have ratchets combos I’m ok with. Cars are getting harder to work on. Get more tools that help with access problems.

 

[bonneyman]

Snap Ons “high performance” wrenches, and those that look like them made elsewhere, are not the same as combination wrenches. Their ends are different, thinner and deeper, exactly like the zero degree offsets the OP posted about initially. They are also longer than most normal wrenches and even long pattern snap ons, which are VERY long. I think the offsets are a little more usable than the zeros.

I have a set of old Utica aerospace wrenches that are quite similar to the Snappy Hi Perf ones. I got them for working in tight spots on HVAC. Mostly for their length - they were so long for the box size I could get at pesky buried bolts and screws. But they gripped well, too. Were great to have handy for those special needs.
Unfortunately only made in SAE (no metric), so, they basically sit on the shelf now.

 

[AEAdam]

Someone tested the Icons to failure on Youtube and the values were shocking IMO. Basically, unless you had a pipe on them, you couldn't break the mechanism unless maybe you weighed 600 lbs; I certainly couldn't.

Agree. But just to be an annoying engineer, failure of the tool isn’t the measure of its utility. Its ability to fit where it needs to fit and successfully remove hardware is.

The Icon wrenches and sockets are okay tools. They are a little on the soft side and a little sloppy fitting. Both of which increase their propensity to slip or round hardware.

What I like about Icon is they copied Snap on so their sizes shapes and offerings are nice. If you aren’t pushing them to their limits, and understanding their limits are the bolts they are working on, not their ultimate strength, I think they can be recommended.

 

[j3rf]

I use the Gearwrench 85988 XL Double Box Ratcheting Wrench set professionally and have never had an issue out of them. The length is amazing and then being able to swap around and have the ratcheting end is great. I even bought a 22mm and 24mm for alignment uses. These and the Kabo (Carlyle branded) double box end spline drive ratcheting wrenches are my go to sets.

 

[ThePostman]

Snap Ons “high performance” wrenches, and those that look like them made elsewhere, are not the same as combination wrenches. Their ends are different, thinner and deeper, exactly like the zero degree offsets the OP posted about initially. They are also longer than most normal wrenches and even long pattern snap ons, which are VERY long. I think the offsets are a little more usable than the zeros.

Double wrenching is something we have all done, but to be honest, it’s not fun. Depending on where you are, it can really ****. See below:

As to the bona fides, I love hearing from our pros. They offer great advice. I particularly love it (no sarcasm) when they tell us what we don’t need. There’s a lot of people marketing their products to us and few people countering that. Guys, please keep sharing your experiences and saving us money. But caution: pros typically have a lot of advantages we, working on our own cars, don’t have. Sometimes what works for them, doesn’t work for us. They typically have lifts, which are really game changers. They have friends with tools, training and experience, sometimes mentors, access to parts and hardware, we don’t have.

So, just my opinion. I worked for years and years without any special wrenches. Just ****** craftsman raised panels (hate them). The high performance style wrenches are awesome. I’m just not sold on the ratchets. I have ratchets combos I’m ok with. Cars are getting harder to work on. Get more tools that help with access problems.

I'll give on one thing you mentioned, lifts are a game changer, but, I still have done and still do plenty of driveway/parking lot side jobs, the latest being brakes on my dad's Tundra, an axle seal on my wife's Tc, and just now, the camshaft sensor on my old Civic, brought the Ko-ken 10mm home, should have brought the "regular" size 10mm home with one of my "stubby" extensions, and really should have brought home the magnetic 10mm. Would have saved a lot of praying I don't drop something. I started out with those same ****** raised panel Cmans, that came in the 200 piece "mechanic's set", made in USA, and never looked back once I started buying "real tools". I thought my dad had tools when I was a kid, by my teenage years, I realized he didn't have squat. Easy birthday presents for years gifting tools, plus he has a two car garage for when the weather *****.
I was not trying to be ****** saying ignore the 15 degree post, but OP was mentioning zero degree plus ratcheting, and after almost 5 years gw86126 is a real winner.