Description
GEARWRENCH mechanics tools have all been designed with the professional user in mind to increase productivity, access, and strength. The sockets, ratchets, and drive tool accessories are made from premium alloy steel and feature a full polish chrome finish that resists rust and corrosion. Large, hard-stamped markings allow for easy identification and can be easily recognized as SAE (double line) or metric (knurled line). Additionally, the off-corner loading design puts force on the flats of fasteners for improved durability and reduced fastener rounding. They are a must have for every tool box.
Daniel C. –
Excellent quality tools, first class presentationIt’s easy to see why GearWrench tools are held in high regard. The details and the machining on these tools are first rate, and the chrome is amazing. The set includes 1/4”, 3/8” and 1/2” drive tools in both SAE and metric sizes. The 1/4” sockets are 6 point, as is usual, and those of us in the rust belt will appreciate the 3/8” sockets are 6 point as well. The 1/2” are 12 point. I’m pleased with the completeness of the sockets. Often metric sets will skip some sizes, but here you’ll find full coverage from 4mm to 30mm. There’s a full set of drive adapters, allowing hybrid use of 1/4” to 3/8” to 1/2” drive tools and accessories. There’s even universal joints for all three drives.But beyond the obvious quality and completeness of the set is the tool control foam and the layout of the tools. The black topped foam is imprinted with white marking clearly identifying each tool. The spacing and the layout is excellent – the progression is logical and the density is right. There isn’t wasted space. The visual effect of the black foam with the GearWrench gold cutouts, and the sea of flawless chrome is spectacular.The first attached picture shows the three GW ratchets each with the 1970’s classic Craftsman RHFT (round head fine tooth) on the left and the current snappy on the right. The thin head of the GW in all three sizes stands out. Second picture are all 19mm sockets, 3/8” on the left and 1/2” on the right, and has the similar layout of 70’s Craftsman on the left and current snappy on the right of the GW product. You can clearly see the imprint marking depth and the excellent quality of the chrome.Dislikes: It’s hard to find anything to complain about with these tools. The look and feel is 100% quality. The tools are indented with the size markings which is so much easier to read than the laser etched markings that some manufacturers use. I do think the marking on the sockets could be a bit deeper.I can’t think how to quantify relative backdrag between the three manufacturers. By feel the 1/2” is the one that clearly has more backdrag than its high end competitor. The 3/8” and 1/2” ratchets both feel (and sound) dry. I do not know if it would be possible to open these up and apply some lubricant, but it might be helpful.The 1/4” breaker bar, or ‘Flex Handle’ as GW calls it, is one tool I would have omitted. Beside not seeming particularly useful, it also has a very floppy drive lug. It pivots on a screw so I tried tightening it, which took a lot of torque, but only succeeded in making it a bit less floppy at the extremes. It is still loose throughout the range of motion. My 70’s vintage 1/4” Craftsman breaker bar has a ball and spring in the handle that rides into a detent on the drive lug and gives it just the right amount of resistance.Finally, I’d have made three different choices in socket sizes. The SAE 1/2” sockets start at 3/8” whereas the metrics start with 19mm, I’d trade the 3/8” and 7/16” for metric 17mm and 18mm. And the biggest socket in the set, an impressive (and maybe not the most useful?) 1 1/2”, I think 32mm would be a better choice.You’ll never regret owning these tools. Gearwrench quality and lifetime warranty seem like the 2020’s version of Craftsman from the 1970’s. Excellent quality, broad availability, and no hassle warranty are the obvious parallels. The tool control foam not only simplifies finding the right socket, but it will prevent individual tools from walking off as long as you pay attention. You are assured of getting many decades of service from this set.
EzPzy –
GearWrench 83 Pc Set (it’s really 86pc btw) Initial Impressions & a Full Parts List/Breakdown.GearWrench makes some really good tools and this 83 piece SAE/Metric set (FWIW By my count it’s really 86 pieces, or 87 if you count the foam tray, but I digress) is a prime example of that.- The gold cutouts in the black topped 20-1/4″x13-1/2″x1-1/4″ foam tray keep everything organized and at the ready and most importantly anything missing really stands out.- Each tool is accompanied by a white-letter print description that saves time spent guessing which one is the one you need.- The bare min drawer depth needed is 2-1/8″ and if you’re really pushing it for drawer space the 13-1/2″ dimension of the foam tray could pretty easily have an inch cut off to 12-1/2″ if you’re willing to part with the GearWrench logo.The trio of 90-tooth ratchets are pretty sweet and have surprisingly little backdrag which is important especially when you get in really tight spaces. Having a ratchet with the tiny 4° backswing 90 teeth affords is pretty much useless if a ratchet has so much backdrag that you have to keep one hand on the socket to keep it from turning back and forth with the ratchet instead of, well, ratcheting. If you just look at the asking price of just the 3-piece ratchet set you’ll begin to understand the value of this set.As usual, this initial review are my first impressions and while I’m currently very happy with it so far, I’ll be using it a lot and if any piece of this set disappoints me in any way I’ll be sure to edit this review accordingly.This Gearwrench 83 (or 86) PC set (86529), MFG in Taiwan, includes the following in a Black & Gold Foam tray:-3 Pc ratchet set 90 tooth (81206T)– 1/2″ Dr 90 tooth ratchet 11″L (81304T)– 3/8″ Dr 90 tooth ratchet 8-1/4″L (81211T)– 1/4″ Dr 90 tooth ratchet 5″L (81011T)-1/4″ Dr flex handle 5-1/4″L [mini breaker bar] (81013)-3 Pc Universal Joint Set– 1/4″ Dr (80100)– 3/8″ Dr (80549)– 1/2″ Dr (80600D)-4 Pc 1/4″, 3/8″ & 1/2″ Dr adapter set (81217)– 1/4F x 3/8M (81127)– 3/8F x 1/4M (81277)– 3/8F x 1/2M (81278)– 1/2F x 3/8M (81354)-6 Pc extension set– 1/4″ Dr 3″L (81113D), — 3/8″ Dr 3″L (81241)– 1/4″ Dr 6″L (81116), — 3/8″ Dr 6″L (81242)– 1/2″ Dr 5″L (81341), — 1/2″ Dr 10″L (81342)-11 Pc SAE 1/4″ Dr 6-point socket set– 5/32″ (80104D), 3/16″ (80105), 7/32″ (80106),– 1/4″ (80107), 9/32″ (80108), 5/16″ (80109),– 11/32″ (80110), 3/8″ (80111), 7/16″ (80112),– 1/2″ (80113D), 9/16″ (80114D)-7 Pc SAE 3/8″ Dr 6 point socket set– 3/8″ (80352), 7/16″ (80353), 1/2″ (80354),– 9/16″ (80355), 5/8″ (80356), 11/16″ (80357),– 3/4″ (80358)-16 Pc SAE 1/2″ Dr 12-point socket set– 3/8″ (80689), — 7/16″ (80760),– 1/2″ (80761), — 9/16″ (80762),– 5/8″ (80763), — 11/16″ (80764),– 3/4″ (80765), — 13/16″ (80766),– 7/8″ (80767), — 15/16″ (80768),– 1″ (80769), — 1-1/16″ (80770),– 1-1/8″ (80771), — 1-3/16″ (80793),– 1-1/4″ (80771), — 1-1/2″ (80680)-13 Pc Metric 1/4″ Dr 6-point socket set– 4MM (80125), 5MM (80126), 5.5MM (80127)– 6MM (80128), 7MM (80129), 8MM (80130)– 9MM (80131D), 10MM (80132), 11MM (80133)– 12MM (80134), 13MM (80135D), 14MM (80136)– 15MM (80137)-10 Pc Metric 3/8″ Dr 6-point socket set– 10MM (80378), 11MM (80379), 12MM (80380)– 13MM (80381), 14MM (80382), 15MM (80383)– 16MM (80384), 17MM (80385), 18MM (80386)– 19MM (80387)-12 Pc Metric 1/2″dr 12-point socket set– 19MM (80754), — 20MM (80755D), — 21MM (80756),– 22MM (80757), — 23MM (80758), — 24MM (80759),– 25MM (80811), — 26MM (80681), — 27MM (80812),– 28MM (80682), — 29MM (80683), — 30MM (80813)