85988 12 Piece Set Metric XL GearBox Ratcheting Wrench

These spanners are my first Gearwrench product. Gearwrench are owned by Apex tool group. These tools are made in Taiwan versus PRC and have withstood some serious abuse. I recommend them. I now use these over breaker bars due to the risk of slipping being virtually nil (apply torque with one hand and hold another over the ring end). I purchased the remaining 5 piece spanners to complete the set from Amazon US as it was significantly cheaper to import. Do not buy the full 17 piece set as this is, for reasons only Amazon understands, significantly more expensive than the 12 piece and 5 piece sets separately. The ultra polished finish is a bit overkill as it will inevitably get scratched. But they are tools and tools should be used. Before using them in anger, I cut them into some shadow foam. I highly recommended doing this to keep them to hand and organised.

I use these wrenches for the last 6 years now. I can confidently say that they are always my top pick when i do any kind of brake, suspension or steering jobs on vehicles. The extra leverage of these is a real benefit for braking loose any stubborn fasteners. These are also flat, there is no angle in them. It allows me to reach easier any fasteners without interfering with other components. I was surprised at first, i thought that the opposite would happen, nice surprise! After a full 6 years of use, i must say that the finish still looks very good. They are easy to clean with a small spray of brake cleaner and a quick wipe with a clean rag. Nothing more is needed. There was no need for me to contact Gearwrench/Apex for any warranty issues so far; the wrenches have held up to hundreds different jobs since without asking for a break! Their inner ratcheting mechanism still works fine on all of them. Would i buy this same set again? Absolutely, without any hesitations. With this set including sizes from 8-19mm, it covers most mechanical needs for a small shop. Also, use them smartly, don’t use extra leverage on them. Don’t use the ratcheting mechanism for braking stubborn fasteners loose. There is other more appropriate tools for that . Included is a picture of the 10mm gearbox wrench from the kit compared to other popular models. Canadian viewers will recognize their beloved Mastercraft wrenches as a comparaison. As you can see, it’s a good 30% longer then your standards 10mm wrenches. 10mm size is one of the most used sizes around the house and doing automotive maintenance. This picture will hopefully be helpful for comparison. Enjoy!

The Ring spanner ends are not thick and bulky nice tools

Amazing quality

It's what I wanted