Double sided ratchet spanners

[idw]

So after being relatively impressed with a set of Kincrome ratchet spanners a mate of mine had, I set out to buy the set and stumbled across a cheap Bunnings Craftright set for at the time $25. Long story short I bought the Bunnings set on the idea that if they weren't reasonably good quality they could just be thrown in the spare wheel well with a few other bits n pieces for emergencies. So after a year of pretty heavy use, here's my findings

Pro's

• 4 in 1 double sides and reversible
• Surprisingly good quality, of course not the best but by no means crap.
• Comes in a pouch which the kincrome didn't at the time
• 19,18,17,16 , 15,14,13,12 10,9,8,6 in 3 spanners.

Con's

• Only wide enough on each ring to fit a half nut
• Reversible mech does make them weaker than a non reversible geared spanner.
• Each side is offset for each of the two sizes, vs's kincromes being tapered a little. both could be a pro and a con, the tapered head i found can make getting tight nuts off the spanner difficult, the bunnings set only being a half nut deep on the smaller sizes and about 75% of a full nut means there isn't much bite on tight nuts.
• Put all this together and the heads on both brands are rather big to fit in tight spats

Overall 7/10 overall if i had to put a number against it. I don't use them for anything that's overly tight or suborn, for that i grab my sidcrome spanners or a socket since I'm not sure the racket mech is strong enough. That said I do use them to tighten up the hub bolts with no problems.


If you can get a set on special I'd highly recommend it if your looking for something compact with a few different sizes to compliment a set of ring spanners you've already got. If you can't find them on special, try ad get the kincrome set on special or ask for a discount most tool shops will offer a small discount. The craftright bunnings set retail for $40 and the kincrome for $75, The better quality and warranty that comes with the kincrome set is easily worth the extra. But to compliment the good set of spanners I've already got and for the $25 bucks i paid they are a great piece of kit.



If your looking for a new a set of spanners or your first set I'd go for something of a higher quality to begin with. If that means your budget only allows for a kincrome/sidcrome type set that doesn't ratchet then that's were I'd go, if it does a full set of trade quality open ended and ratchet ring spanners that aren't reversible would be were I'd go.

 

[Ratbag]

^ Good review, Id.

I concur with your advice about quality vs price.
It only took about a day at the ripe old age of around 15 y.o. for me to realise that the sweetness of low price never makes up for the bitterness of low quality ...

Ever since I was around 18 y.o. and started buying my own tools, I have always bought the best. I still have them all, nearly 50 years later, and they have all done plenty of work. They are all in better condition than I am, by a long chalk! I have never broken a spanner ever (Sidchrome with the lifetime warranty ... ).

The spring loaded ball bearing lock in a 12" socket drive extension bar broke around 3 years after I bought it when I was about 20 y.o.

I took it into a Repco shop about 35 years later and they exchanged it for a new one without the slightest hesitation! Pretty good, if you ask me.