Tool Review Summary #1 -EricTheCarGuy

[@Wipsplash]

Gear Wrench with out the switch works great. I've had and used mine for many years without any problem. Shout out from SC, great videos Eric.

[@JPN850R]

The lever-less Gearwrench works great. Signet, a Canadian company, used to make them in Taiwan but switched to China. As to an OBD code scanner/reader, I recommend Actron CP9580A(CP9580AL comes with a hard case) for those who have Honda/Acura. The 9580A can access ABS & VSA modules in addition to the EEC. When you access the ABS module, it may trigger VSA warning on, but it let you recalibrate & reset VSA warning. Dealer's HDS (Honda Diagnostic System) is available through Snap-on but is a jaw-dropping $2,000.

[@wtbm123]

Maybe cause my gear wrenches are older ,but i love them when i use them . They are not my main first use wrench ,but so many times the gear wrench set has saved me time and aggravation especially on those fasteners that you can turn a wrench just enough to see it move then need to reposition the wrench or just for the long winded bolts. I would not be without them. Just can not ever break tight things loose with them or you will damage them

[@PoorManMods]

i have the gear wrenches without the switch and i freakin LOVE them

[@bburden86]

i agree i love them but mine do not have the switches either

[@GearBoxVideo]

Love the glove part at 3.00... your right hand glove is ripped open.

[@blmeflmm66]

Good summary. Just an FYI about the Dewalt stuff. Not speaking of the latest brushless designs but for the brushed tools, I read though cannot verify that the 18v nicad and 20v L-ion are the same tool with different battery. The 20V stuff is marketed in the UK as 18V. Note the 20v"max" on the logos. Both L-ion and nicad are in the 20v range when completely charged. Seems the UK may have stricter truth in advertising standards. All are free to chime in with corrections if my source(a well respected youtube tool reviewer from the UK) had bogus info. Clearly, the battery on the 20v stuff is much more compact and lighter though.

[@ridiculous7935]

Quick heads up about 18v vs 20v. The Dewalt unit you have appears to be a Ni-Cd version, which Ni-Cd's have been around forever, they do work fine, but don't hold a charge as long, and the batteries are more bulky etc. A lot of companies however have been making Li-ion packs and marking them as 18v and then recently started marking them as 20v. 20v and 18v Li-ion packs are the same voltage, its just in the marketing. For 18v they are marketing the nominal voltage, and for 20v they are marketing the max charged voltage. The reality is that these packs all contain the same number of cells, which is either 5x 18650 cells for a "slim pack" or 10x 18650 cells for an "extended runtime pack." Just a heads up.

[@01FozzyS]

Spot on with the Diamond Grip,Eric. I've been using them at work for years too. Pretty durable and last longer than other brands I've tried.

[@webslinger2011]

Bought non-reversible ring spanners, 166 pc set kincrome, and a 18V Ryobi 1/2 impact from Bunnings. Ring spanners are very handy for turning small bolts. Plus, it swivels too.

[@uncleslayton2097]

Interesting, I have the ones with the switch and I have not had that issue. Then again I don't wrench on cars for a living so they probably don't get as much use as yours do. I was actually very glad I went with the switched ones because I once backed out a bolt against a piece of metal that didn't give me enough room to remove the wrench. No problem, just flip the switch, drive it back in a little ways, then take it the rest of the way out by hand. If I didn't have the switched wrenches I would have been screwed.

[@Donnie8915]

Hello new subscriber here. I am a tire tech from kansas, working to become a mechanic soon. I just wanted to comment on the gearwrench set you reviewed here. I do have a set of gearwrench ratcheting flexheads without the switch and I love them, good for tight spots, don't have to change your grip to get another turn. Only bad thing is the flex head does wear out and loosen, but you can tighten them with a hex key.

[@Adrian_Zenz]

The blue-point flex head ratcheting wrenches are definitely worth the money, I can recommend those. The open end isn't that good, but the closed end is amazing.

[@ykmalachi]

I have both the Craftsman and Gearwrench sets..... not the type with a switch and use them a bit. I cracked the black ring on the 13mm Craftsman. No clue how. My only issue with them is that you need to use a finger tip to hold the screw/bolt from going back in on the ratchet swing. But I find that the case with most ratchets anyway. Also, I opted for the Milwaukee 1/2" M18 gun. Works great, and a 5 year warranty. Balance was nice with the big battery, but the small battery made it top heavy.

[@soulixayphalangvanh793]

the flex head gear wrench are GREAT, I have a set myself they awesome try it out Eric. On the 18V impact, try the RYOBI 1/2 impact from Home Depot they cost $120 dollars, it will take a lug nut out with no problem and they come a 3/8 convertor I have a set myself they also awesome. You would want the ONE+ Lithium-Ion battery to go a long with the impact cost about $100 and can be use on other RYOBI products too.

[@Darwinpasta]

I've got Husky ratchet wrenches (Home Depot version of the gear wrench), which have the same sort of direction switch on them. I occasionally catch the switch on something and knock it one way or the other but I've never had them switch themselves under load (and I've put more torque on these than they're probably designed for). The only problem I've found is that the edges are a little hard on your hand if you really want to lean on them.

[@eldoradony]

I have the double box end set without the flip switch. I have then for about 10 years and use them all the time. I have only broken one, I hit it with a rubber mallet to break a bolt loose because I was too lazy to get the right wrench. I am a Snap On guy but I wouldn't trade these Gearwrenches. Still a great deal for the cost.

[@bryantwilliam593]

I have the reversible metric gearwrenches and I love them! Mine had issues with the reversing right away, but it seems that they have broken in and no longer do it. I could not imagine not using them. They get into the hardest placed without issue By the way they are made by APEX tool company and I believe they have the patent on that style. So the gearwrench, allen, dewalt and many other ratcheting wrenches are identical

[@stoicmuse]

I have a smaller set of gear wrench ratcheting wrenches without the switch, a 14 snap on with the switch and a 17 mac with a switch, the snap on never seems to switch directions on me unless I bum it, the mac one sometimes switches or free wheels, the gear wrench ones function alright but as another guy in the shop found out you have to be careful you don't back the bolt off too far in a tight space when you don't have the reverse direction switch, unless you like cutting your wrench and a bolt off. that all said, I still use them (all) despite the downfalls, and they are integral to my productivity.

[@JohnzCarz]

I have the ones without the reversing lever and have never had a problem with them, but I can’t say they have completely replaced my other wrenches. When it comes to loosening something that’s rusted/seized I reach for a regular 6pt box end, I don’t think the ratcheting mechanism in these things is made to put up with that much torque. Kind of like using a breaker bar instead of a regular ratchet to break something loose. That said, I use these 90% of the time and can’t imagine doing without.

[@eisman07]

I have the Blue Point ones and they are very well made. From the sound alone I would say the Blue Point has much finer ratcheting mechanism.

[@treblarefils]

I don't think I have used a regular wrench since I got the reversible combos, They are awesome IMO. Have not noticed the issue you have described nor have I ever even heard of it maybe warranty them.

[@Warweapon2]

I have some Husky reverse ratcheting wrenches. I believe they are Apex produced and made in Taiwan. (Gearwrench has the same manufacture line through Apex). There were two noticible differences between the chinese models and the taiwan models. The chinese models have the same issue you described in the video. This problem seems to be corrected in the Taiwan built tools since alot of Apex's stuff is being produced there now. I wonder if Gearwrench is trying to shed the Chinese stuff and you got one of the bad batches?

[@FullThrottleCC]

I have the gear wrench set without the adjusting mechanism, you just flip it to go in a different direction, I think they are good for doing small easy to come off bolts, I would never push these too hard, I've seen someone break it trying to break a bolt loose, but they are convenient for easy to get off bolts that require a little more than a hand untightening

[@kdknitro]

I have the craftsman version of the ratcheting wrenches and have had them for about 3 years now, only time they reverse on me is when they get hit on something while your turning them but thats not all that often. Stay dirty Eric and yeah i wear gloves while working on stuff makes a big difference in your hands.

[@distractedbydiecasts7113]

Eric , if you need good ratcheting wrenches go to Wal-Mart and buy max steel ones , they're pretty good for cheap ones.

[@Tmjpwns]

I have a set of Caterpillar (Snap-On) gear wrenches with direction switch, they work great, never switched directions on me.

[@TheGilbertsonfamily]

I do have a set of the gearwrench wrenches that have the other ratchet design. The only one that has let me down is the 1/2 inch that was used probably more than any other wrench. Was easily exchanged for a new one. I have been happy with them but I'm just a Jeep guy and don't work on cars for a living.

[@The_Osprey]

That Dewalt can't hold a candle to the Milwaukee M18 Fuel. The battery is smaller/lighter, it's 3/8" drive, brushless motor and has 200 ft/lbs of torque. On one charge I have completed TWO tire rotations and removed a oil pan drain plug from an Audi A4 that actually took longer than any lug nut did to remove.(probably done by a quick change shop since the oil filter seemed like it was put on with an impact too...) This was after the tool sat in my trunk in temperatures as low as 0F for a couple months. After this latest rotation the battery gauge shows to still have two bars of the four left. It's Milwaukee M18 Fuel or bust.

[@fuzzy19111]

No switches on mine and they are great. only thing is on real tuff nut/bolts I use normal wrenches. Worry about striping the gears.

[@johns2975]

About the Gearwrehches, I think you just got bad ones Eric, I got one set at my work also Gearwrehches, kinda cheap stuff also but man i use them all the time. The ones whe got even got little sockets to fit into the Gearwrehch, just amazing. Get another one! Its a life saver trutst me.

[@ridiculous7935]

Oh and also the 12v Li-ion models are all 10.8v actual voltage. They have 3x 18650 Li-ion cells.

[@chriscape3136]

the only benefit of the "20" volt is that it's lithium ion instead of nicad, so the power lasts longer and is consistent until it dies, but it's only 20 volts under no load, it's still 18 volts while using it

[@LoudProudNPunk1]

I was thinking about getting the Craftsman version of these (The Gearwrench set, that is). But now I know to avoid the switchable ones, regardless of the brand.

[@russellbeery1297]

18 and 20 volt tools are exactly the same.Its a marketing ploy. That's why its called 20v max here and 18v in Europe.Thought you should know.

[@spikerbrad23]

i'v owned a few gearwrench ratchets and almost all of them change direction on there own until you use them for a week and wear them in. after that they work great.

[@badranger2004]

I have the gear wrench type that doesn't have the selector, and I've applied major amounts of torque on them and they haven't jammed or bound up yet on me

[@crashinc06]

my buddy has some gear wrenches from snap on and craftsman , we never had the issue you're having , but the craftsman has an issue if you put too much torque on them the gears would break and become free rolling lucky for that lifetime right?

[@Youngsoldier93]

Eric, guess what?!? The 1989 Skyline GTR/GTST R32 can now be imported to the states!! :D

[@perparimsmajli8380]

Hey man , can u make a video about ITB (individual throttle bodies ) and explain why are they good and how much hp can you get from them ?

[@mikefisher123]

Gear wrenches are wicked without the switch !!

[@wtbm123]

It is not so much the extra 2v but the 20v brushless has 3 speeds and more controllable.

[@ratbag359]

Thanks for the information.

[@tragichero7746]

i got a new set of gear wrenches. almost instantly lost the 16mm. so bummed.

[@ShadowsPlex]

Eric i have a conolicated cuestion that i dont know if you will be able to understand but i will try my best to explaind it, I happend to have a Honda Accord EX 1991 2 door with the sports/turbo or what ever thing botton in the gear handle and so i have the problem with the S light not turning of and the car not been able to go past 2nd gear but i found out that the problem is the TCU so so far am 80% okay with that. My real problem that i had even before this is with my check engine light see here the thing happends like this, i start the car even with or with out the S light proble and the check engine light is off, it accelerates just fine and runs ok but! When am about to go into 3rd or so and my rpms are around 3 the car seems to start to lose power and the more i press the gas sonetime the car loses more power like if it was running out of gas or something i say that but i have never run out of gas i just imagine that its something familiar, anyways and if i keep going like that for like less than a minute or so the check engine light turns on but here is the thing as soon the light turns on out of the sudden the car recovers its normal power and without pushing more or releasing the pedal the car starts to run like if it didnt had a problem at all and the check light stays on until i turn off the car and then it starts all over agian, and another way that i figure out on how to make the light to turn on without forsing it so much is by going a bit fast down hill and as soon it starts to want to feel the lose of power i release the pedal and the the push that i give it before down hill help mentain my rpms between 3 n 2 i wait for it for a few secounds downhill and just wait for the light to come on but if my rpms are not right there it wont do it, i will try to upload a video of wat exactly happends i really really want to know wats cusing this problem to my car but if it takes me some time to upload if you have an answer or suggestion i would really really appreciated, thank you for wat you do for us and for wat you have help me with in the past, that radiator bleed video came in handy thank you again and i expect and hope to hear/read from you soon

[@petrmiskerik]

Thanks for video Eric. I am with others poeple, my gear wrench without that switch are perfect. I using CZECH best mark for tools, TONA, series EXPERT. These tools are realy expensive but very reliable and good made. One aganin. Thx. For all:sorry for my crappy english :-)

[@zx8401ztv]

Get a frend to put a blob of weld close to the gearwrench switch, lock them all in one direction then you can use them :-)) Like the hard to reach extender with the internal chain and cogs, basic design so should work fine :-))

[@yatesyification]

If your not using those gear wrenches snymore can I have them?

[@ncrdisabled]

I am disabled so it make it hard to work on things. I became disabled 10 years ago I even spent 7 years on submarines never a problem. I got a set of ACE Hardware ratcheting wrenches . I got them on black friday reg price 39.00 black friday 9.99 . The are open wrench on one side a ratcheting on the other . You flip it over for 1 way and fip it over the other way. And has life time warranty.

[@NightcrawlerW]

HAHAHAHA I was watching one of your older videos and I was so confused... I was looking around and I was man why do I know this place and then I realized that I live in the same area you are in. What are the chances???

[@chrisorbics]

The ones that you flip over are better. I have the ones with the switches and once in a while have your same issue but not nearly as often.

[@rfoster2323]

gear wrench without switch for the win they work great

[@davidroddick5465]

Another informative video. Appreciate it

[@sethat8e]

I've got the closed end only set of non reversible craftsman wrenches and I have literally beat the living crap out of those things. A well built tool and also much easier to clean and lubricate than the gearwrenchs. Not having the open end however requires getting a different wrench when it's need but that hasn't been a problem. They look like these ( home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/Photos/tools/craftsman_db1415mm_42174_wrench_ratcheting_pat_2000_f_cropped_inset2.jpg ) and i believe they've been discontinued since I cant seem to find them.

[@89Interceptor]

i have the gearwrenches without the switch on it but i do find that sometimes the rachet teeth slip

[@deepsquat600]

..heck I have never had a problem with my ratcheting box wrenches from harbor freight ...try cheaper and yes ...using an ELM 123 with torque app and android phone works great //23 $$ for the reader and 5$$ for the app ..no additional fees

[@Jimmynitr]

Turn the heat on brother!

[@NN-wd2vi]

Gear wrench without the switch is your solution!

[@zeferrum]

They you get them warrantied ? Gear wrench have life time warranty.

[@daddyhale1886]

I have the other type of gear wrench and I love them matter of fact I reach for those first lol

[@moshegalimidi681]

eric is the MAN!!! :)

[@TheMechanicman30]

Any ratcheting box wrench that is offset has to have a switch mechanism to reverse to tighten or loosen. If it didn't have a switch mechanism then you could only use the positive offset side to loosen/tighten and vice versa. If the box wrench has no offset then it doesn't matter and no switch is needed. My snap on version of these do change direction unintended at times, but I don't look at it as a big deal. The time and money these things save you is well worth that minor flaw. I will say though, a guy I work with has these wrenches and absolutely hates them, as do I, for a different reason though; they are too short! You can't get enough leverage on a simple drain plug at times! Just very poor ergonomic design in my honest opinion. Ill spend the extra money on my Snap-on version of these any day.

[@stoicmuse]

One of the techs I work with has a mac set without the reverse, but the head doesn't have a set angle so you can flip it and tilt the head, he loves them

[@Seegalgalguntijak]

What are the capabilities of the Torque app with the cheap 10-20 bucks OBD2 bluetooth adapters?

[@ericthecarguy]

There's a link in the description to the Torque app. You can go there and check it out for yourself.

[@Seegalgalguntijak]

EricTheCarGuy Thank you!

[@Jayshondashop]

The ones without the switch are way way better we had both at my job and we got rid of the ones with the switch

[@CAIDMASTEROFPYRO]

18v and 20v are the same, its 18v running and 20v max like how the 12v was really more like a 10.8v

[@LouieG7777]

Anyone have any experience with the BOSTITCH BTMT72287 Pass Through Socket Set? I was about to buy a set, but not sure yet.

[@tonapaitech2429]

Use torque pro! You pay $4 and all addons are free!

[@Reynaldo0617]

Come on Erick were are the hard core engine replacement videos???

[@smilingcopycat]

A tip for free: Buy wera´s ratchet wrenches. Perfect for cars. And make a review when you tested them!. Bye from Sweden!

[@zzzdogutube]

thanks

[@contagiousFX]

Milwaukee is da shiz!

[@CommandShiftH]

here's the type of gear wrench style i have. so far no problems. not sure if they will be available in your area since the store is only in canada. reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0588852P/mastercraft-maximum-mastercraft-maximum-flexhead-gearwrench-reviews/reviews.htm

[@bigindian454]

Kool

[@king.dannyman]

5:10 with what cars does this work?

[@Skitter302]

Any car with a OBD-II computer.

[@king.dannyman]

Nice, thx

[@jesusmalagon4336]

thanks