Dang Snap-on tools dealers are drug dealers!

[GH85Carrera]

Hi, my name is Glen and I am a tool addict!



I have been working on only my own cars since I was 16 and got my driver's license on my 16th birthday, mostly because I am too cheap to pay someone else to do it, and I don't fully trust so many mechanics paid buy book time to get it done fast.

Anyway, recently one of the "simple" little projects was to replace the fuel filter on my 911 before my trip to Palm Springs. I whipped out my Sears 17mm "flair nut" or line wrench for the bottom connection on the filter. That bottom fitting from the car's line to the filter was just stuck. I could feel the Sears wrench starting to round off the nut, so I stopped. I had a friend that is a retired professional Porsche mechanic to help me replace the front shocks, and "while he was here" I asked him about that nut.

He used his Snap-On brand 17 line wrench, and it came apart like it was supposed to. OK, my cheap set of Sears line wrenches are just not up to the task. I needed that 17 mm Snap-on one. I had the monkey on my back!

My buddy gave me the name of a Snap-on man and he ordered me the one wrench. I went to pick it it, and he had the entire set there in front of me. He just casually mentioned it was a promotional item, and he could sell it to me at the Porsche dealer price, $325.88 out the door. That is almost $200 off the web site price. Well crap.

When I do brake line work, I know I have a few connections that are always on the verge of rounding off. These snap-on wrenches are a very tight fit, and have to be wiggled on to get them in position. So I REALLY do "need" them! What the heck, it's only money.

The old Sears line wrenches are demoted out of the drawer and into a cabinet. Welcome Snap-on to the metric drawer.



The Sears version line wrenches are still in place in the SAE drawer just below. It has taken me a lifetime to collect the tools I need to do the projects. I don't often "get" to buy more tools that I just need to have to do the project.

[fastfredracing]

https://youtu.be/nW6blinrCGc

[fastfredracing]

Snap on line wrenches are the bomb.com.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Snap on line wrenches are the bomb.com.

Hey, you are a professional have a legitimate reason to by the good tools!

I suspect you know the addiction. It is very satisfying to grab the proper tool for a project, and have it simply work, and make the project easy and save all the fighting with it.

[911 Rod]

I have always made a point of buying a tool for a job that I am saving money by doing it myself.
And I like nice shiny things.

[brp914]

And the SOBs put the sizes you need for a job on either end of a wrench, so you really need 2 sets.

[RNajarian]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Hi, my name is Glen and I am a tool addict!

One day a cheap Harbor Freight ratchet extension got mixed up with my Snap On tools. My mother in law must have thought it was OK to mix her the collection of tools with mine when she moved in.

In the process of removing a brake caliper the extension exploded and hit me in the face. Fortunately I was wearing eye protection.

There is no substitute for quality.

You are not an addict, you are safety conscious. Your family should thank you for that.

[GH85Carrera]

I was lucky when I bought my first set of sockets, and a ratchet. They are Fuller brand, made in Japan. I bought it in 1970, and they are still my primary set of sockets. The ratchet has never needed a rebuild, but the chrome is worn off completely on the sides of the head of the ratchet from decades of getting laid on the concrete floor. I did break the 14mm socket when I used it on my air impact wrench. That was my fault totally, I was too lazy to get up and get the impact sockets. Like most men my age, I have a lot of Sears Craftsman tools. Usually adequate for my needs.

[Dantilla]

The A&P/IA mechanic who works on my airplane will not hire a mechanic who has Craftsman tools.
"He's not serious about this as a profession if he doesn't use quality tools."

[herr_oberst]

Next time you and your pals are swapping lies over beers in the garage, just casually reach in there and grab one of those jewels and get yourself some ooh's and ahhs. That'll damp the sting of the price tag.

[aschen]

I have been told the website prices are inflated even beyond normal snap on crazyness, to protect their independent dealers er "buisness owners".

Dunknow if its true but makes sense

[varmint]

ive inherited a ton of craftsman tools from the 60s-70s. they were better then.

yes, snap-on is better. but good lord.

[Tobra]

Craftsman is not what it once was, Snap On still is.

[wdfifteen]

You don't need to look at the brand to know a good tool. A good wrench, screwdriver, etc feels right the minute you pick it up, a poor one just feels wrong. That's true for cooking, garden and woodworking tools as well as mechanic tools. Price doesn't always dictate quality. I've got some Mac end wrenches with beams that have rectangular cross sections with sharp corners. They're awful to use.

[pwd72s]

LOL on the Steppenwolf post by Fred. Amusing truth in music. Snap-on...keeping mechanics broke for over a Century..

My Rollaway & 2 chests are the old Craftsman 26" USA made (Waterloo tools?) Ball Bearing Griplatch models. Mostly Craftsman with a smattering of others, including snap-on.

Flare nut wrenches? Craftsman full polish "professional" in SAE...which I've found out were made by SK for Sears. 1/4" to 3/4". Never used 'em much. Metric? Decades ago, I bought a small set of Wright wrenches from Imparts, and old Panorama advertiser. Set of 3, $17.95, if memory serves. 10 to 14mm. Few have heard of Wright tools. A family owned Ohio company, everything very professional grade, comparable to the tool truck brands. No idea what today's price would be. Used them quite a bit, never a problem.

I'd have loved seeing Wright added to this test...but Glen will enjoy watching it. Seems the cost is justified in this case. Snap-on came out on top. I put this guy in the same league as project farm when it comes to testing tools.

Being a tool junkie is a terrible thing...you know you're hooked when you find yourself buying something that "might be handy", but you don't have an immediate use for. I guess there are worse vices, though.

[GH85Carrera]

I am really really happy when I was at the age of trying to figure out what I wanted to do for a living, I did NOT decide to be a professional mechanic. A good mechanic working at a good dealership can make some coin, but they have a tough job.

My friend is my "ace in the hole" for my 911 projects. He is a factory trained Porsche mechanic. He was the shop foreman at the dealership for over 20 years. Back in the days when the air cooled 911s were new, he was doing three valve adjustment and oil changes per day on 911s. He is the man that rebuilt my transmission at home in his garage as the dealership does not want to touch cars older than the 1990s. He has all the factory tools that the dealership was going to trash when they were ready to stop servicing the air cooled cars.

He is retired now, but still likes to keep active. his tool boxes are two really large tool boxes full of all good stuff.

For my last valve adjustment, I had my 911 up on the lift, oil drained out, AC compressor moved over on the fender pad of the engine cover, spark plugs out, ready for a new set, valve covers off and ready to adjust the valves. I asked for his practiced feel on the gauge and he adjusted the valves as needed. I had him tighten the valve covers as want the tiny nuts "torqued" to the right tightness and a torque wrench is impossible to use on them. He was done in no time and he was adequately compensated.

[pwd72s]

Glen...wow! Be VERY nice to your friend. Top line tools can always be bought, but his knowledge is priceless. You are fortunate indeed.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Glen...wow! Be VERY nice to your friend. Top line tools can always be bought, but his knowledge is priceless. You are fortunate indeed.

Yea, he is a real gem to have as a buddy. He sometimes complains I am too generous with compensation. I always tell him I never want him to think, screw it, Glen is a cheap skate.

He does like the fact my 911 is on a lift, and has heat and or air conditioning as needed.

[DerkPerk]

True drug dealers

(Caution Adult language)

https://youtube.com/shorts/I1ZUGPehrRo?feature=share


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pwd72s]

^ LOL! Yep...stay off those trucks. Too full of shiny things.