# Which 4-in-1 open end ratcheting wrench?



## Mellow (Jul 14, 2018)

I see a couple sets for sale online that seem like they would come in very handy.... I like the idea of having 8 sizes on 2 tools... keeps the weight down in the toolbag.



Due to being a noob, the forum won't let me post links yet... so feel free to Google the following two I'm considering:


Channellock 841S 8-in-1 SAE 2 Piece Ratcheting Wrench Set


Husky Quad Drive SAE Ratcheting Wrench Set


I think I'm between those two.... Klein makes some but they are double (triple?) the price, and Crescent makes some with poor reviews. 



Wondering if anyone has any experience with them or anything similar?


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## Mellow (Jul 14, 2018)

And woops, I realize I said "open end" in the title, I meant box end...


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

Mellow said:


> And woops, I realize I said "open end" in the title, I meant box end...



Good because Gearwrench came out with those and they sucked bad.

Kind of partial to Gearwrench. It’s like Klein...go with the name you can trust.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

paulengr said:


> Good because Gearwrench came out with those and they sucked bad.
> 
> Kind of partial to Gearwrench. It’s like Klein...go with the name you can trust.


I've had the gear wrench double sided wrenches since they came out and never had an issue.

What have you found wrong with them?


I also have the Craftsman wrenches.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I like the idea of these but there are too many things where I can't use a ratcheting box end - a nut on threaded rod, or there's something too close to the bolt head to get a bulky box end on it. 

If you want to save weight you can always use the double ended open wrenches. They are slower but you'd always have what you need. I don't know if they make them with the new ratcheting style open end, that might be worth looking for. 

I haven't used them much, only borrowed them, but I have considered buying a Knipex Raptor to carry instead of an adjustable wrench. It seemed much much better, I should probably spend the $35 to see.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I am very opinionated on this as I went thru many different styles and types.

I don't like the straight head, I like the angled head much better. The first time you go to bolt down a tugger to the floor you will see what I means. But angled head means that it is not reversible, and that is OK.

I know the idea of having 8 different sizes in 2 wrenches seems cool, but in the real world it is probably not going to be that great for you. IMO you are much better off with standard separate ratcheting combination wrenches. Here is a set:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-S...ation-Wrench-Set-5-Piece-HRRW5PCSAE/202934583

You can also get the 10 piece, but will you need it? I used the 9/16 the most by far. I would use the 1/2 and 7/16 a lot at certain times, then I wouldn't touch them for 2 years. The 3/8 a handful of times. Maybe once in a while I'd break out the 3/4 when working on 1/2" rod/bolts, but usually the contractor would be supplying that. I certainly didn't need to carry it on my all the time.

When it comes to certain things, I am into multi-use tools. Such as the 9in1 screwdriver, it makes sense to have all of those different drivers on me since I use them everyday. But other things like these wrenches and nut drivers, etc. I think separate tools is best. 

Just my opinion.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I like the idea of these but there are too many things where I can't use a ratcheting box end - a nut on threaded rod, or there's something too close to the bolt head to get a bulky box end on it.
> 
> If you want to save weight you can always use the double ended open wrenches. They are slower but you'd always have what you need. I don't know if they make them with the new ratcheting style open end, that might be worth looking for.
> 
> I haven't used them much, only borrowed them, but I have considered buying a Knipex Raptor to carry instead of an adjustable wrench. It seemed much much better, I should probably spend the $35 to see.



Couple of Christmases ago I got Craftsman open head ratchet style wrenches. They have been relegated to a tool box drawer in the garage. 

The two times I have used them working on my truck I really wasn't impressed. They don't make me feel I'd want to use them in a high torque situation. 

I do have an old set of channellocks that have a similar jaw set to the raptor plier, they work damn well but I still rather use a real wrench and take out the squeezing pressure on the fastener most of the time. 

Since breaking a pair of non-channellock pliers and slicing my hand open and pinching a couple finger tips in the handles I'm leery of not using a real wrench when it is the best tool for the job.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> I am very opinionated on this as I went thru many different styles and types.
> 
> I don't like the straight head, I like the angled head much better. The first time you go to bolt down a tugger to the floor you will see what I means. But angled head means that it is not reversible, and that is OK.
> 
> ...



Working on new install stuff I only carried 3/8"-9/16" ratcheting box wrenches with me. 

I did have the full set in the bag I'd use for working on RTUs and machinery.

The 1" ratchet box is great for using with a manual KO punch if you aren't using your impact.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Working on new install stuff I only carried 3/8"-9/16" ratcheting box wrenches with me.
> 
> I did have the full set in the bag I'd use for working on RTUs and machinery.


I remember using the 7/16 for 1/4" hardware and rod. Also the 1/2 for strut straps there were too close together to get a nutdriver in there. 

5 of them take up 1 screwdriver pocket in any pouch or toolbag, so I don't see the need for the type that the OP is looking at.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I figure there is really no way around having a full set of combination wrenches with the ratcheting box end on the truck. For most work it's too heavy to take the whole set out and carry with you all day. Unless you're an auto mechanic. 

If I am picking out hardware, I try to stick to 1/4" and 3/8" for 95% of what I do, so many times I'll carry 7/16" and / or 9/16" wrenches plus deep socket and adapter for the impact, and that will cover 95% of what needs tightened. 

However, I usually keep an adjustable wrench on hand for the 5% that it doesn't. Carrying the full set of combination wrenches would work better on that 5% but it's not worth the weight all day, better to travel light. 

But the adjustable wrench is not really much better than a regular Channellocks / Knipex so lots of times I don't even carry that, but I am thinking the Raptor will be quite a bit better. (If not, back it goes.) 

If you find yourself doing work with a lot of different sizes it's better to make the trip to the truck off the bat and cart around the full set all day, it irks me to no end when I see someone trying to make due with an adjustable wrench and make a task take ten times as long as it should because they won't bite the bullet and go fetch the right tools for the job.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> I remember using the 7/16 for 1/4" hardware and rod. Also the 1/2 for strut straps there were too close together to get a nutdriver in there.
> 
> 5 of them take up 1 screwdriver pocket in any pouch or toolbag, so I don't see the need for the type that the OP is looking at.


I keep a set of them in my aerial bucket and they fit better than an adjustable many times.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I figure there is really no way around having a full set of combination wrenches with the ratcheting box end on the truck. For most work it's too heavy to take the whole set out and carry with you all day. Unless you're an auto mechanic.
> 
> If I am picking out hardware, I try to stick to 1/4" and 3/8" for 95% of what I do, so many times I'll carry 7/16" and / or 9/16" wrenches plus deep socket and adapter for the impact, and that will cover 95% of what needs tightened.
> 
> ...



That's why I always had bags set up for specific tasks, to avoid unnecessary tools/weight.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I have the channellock ones. Not a huge fan of them but they make good backup wrenches so you don't always have to carry a second set of combos.


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## Mellow (Jul 14, 2018)

HackWork said:


> I am very opinionated on this as I went thru many different styles and types.
> 
> I don't like the straight head, I like the angled head much better. The first time you go to bolt down a tugger to the floor you will see what I means. But angled head means that it is not reversible, and that is OK.
> 
> ...





Thank you for your post- you've made me realize I was probably looking for the wrong thing for my tool bag. Yes, we have a socket set in the truck/gang box, but this is for the tool bag  I can't imagine the set you sent me would be too much heavier than 2 of the 4-in-1's, and with more functionality to boot.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> I have the channellock ones. Not a huge fan of them but they make good backup wrenches so you don't always have to carry a second set of combos.


In my service bag I have a set of combos and a set of box ends (1/4"-13/16"):












My calibration bag I keep 3/8"-9/16":


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Mellow, your tool set is dictated by your work.

That's why every poster has his own taste.

I don't do Industrial or Service work -- just Commercial production. 

So my number one tool is a pad and paper. ( I'm off the tools. )

When I was on the tools I had many, many sub-sets... same as DVR.


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I've had the gear wrench double sided wrenches since they came out and never had an issue.
> 
> What have you found wrong with them?
> 
> ...




No issue with box ends. A few years ago Gearwrench came out with ratcheting open ended wrenches. It had a tit on the side kind of like a flare end wrench (5 sided). It worked up to maybe 25-50 foot pounds before it just spun both ways on the nut. All my ratcheting box ends are Gearwrench. One of my crew members even bought them one at a time all the way up to 1-7/8”.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

paulengr said:


> No issue with box ends. A few years ago Gearwrench came out with ratcheting open ended wrenches. It had a tit on the side kind of like a flare end wrench (5 sided). It worked up to maybe 25-50 foot pounds before it just spun both ways on the nut. All my ratcheting box ends are Gearwrench. One of my crew members even bought them one at a time all the way up to 1-7/8”.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Gotcha! 

I've never seen a decent designed open end ratcheting wrench, they are all just novel and gimmicky.


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## U Mirin? (May 19, 2015)

Get the set from autozone. I forget their branding.

The husky ones have a smaller lip and aren't as great for say strut straps. I've broken a set from them. I'm much happier with the ones from autozone. 

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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Gotcha!
> 
> I've never seen a decent designed open end ratcheting wrench, they are all just novel and gimmicky.


I think it was on here, someone said the Snap On ones were the only ratcheting open end worth using.


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## Smid (Jul 9, 2014)

I love the husky ones personally. Great for beam clamp mini setups, only need one tool to install them. I also use on strut straps when there isn’t enough room for a nut driver. The big one is good for 3/8” nuts on trapeze setups too. I don’t bother carrying a set of wrenches anymore


I’ll add I did break a big one once. 3/4 bender over it as a cheater bar so not really it’s fault. Home Depot gladly returned it though


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Smid said:


> I love the husky ones personally. Great for beam clamp mini setups, only need one tool to install them. I also use on strut straps when there isn’t enough room for a nut driver. The big one is good for 3/8” nuts on trapeze setups too. I don’t bother carrying a set of wrenches anymore
> 
> 
> I’ll add I did break a big one once. 3/4 bender over it as a cheater bar so not really it’s fault. Home Depot gladly returned it though


Good to know.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

U Mirin? said:


> Get the set from autozone. I forget their branding.
> 
> The husky ones have a smaller lip and aren't as great for say strut straps. I've broken a set from them. I'm much happier with the ones from autozone.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk



I like the size of the Gearwrench ones because of the head size compared to others:


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