Snap On Tools vs. ? (Vent)

[chengdave2003]

I own a few Snap-On tools. Most were given to me by my brother (a professional mechanic) for Christmas/birthday presents, etc., years ago. Some of the tools I really like (a 3/8" swivel head ratchet), the rest are good (not exceptional). A couple of weeks ago I was using a 52 ounce Snap On soft blow hammer (part number HFE52) to remove a wheel/tire that was stuck on the hub of a friends car (to do a brake job). The hammer head started coming apart in chunks to the point I was glad I was wearing safety glasses. The hammer is no longer usable.

If I remembered right, most of Snap On tools have a lifetime guarantee so I went to their web site to find out how I can get it replaced. For a residential customer you have to write a letter and send it snail mail (e-mails are not accepted).

It's been three weeks and I haven't heard anything from them (good thing it's not a tool I can't get along without). Most of my other tools are Craftsman. If the hammer had of been Craftsman, I'm sure I could have taken the store and gotten a replacement hammer. The current value of the Snap On hammer is $82.95.

Dave Young

[clutch]

Well current value isn't a correct term. Current price is. A Stanley dead blow you can find at a home improvement or hardware store will likely serve as well.

Snap-on makes pretty tools but their distribution model is very high priced.

Here is a link to terms of sale. Seems like a lot of wiggle room there.

http://www.snapon.com/legal/Terms_of_Sale.asp

Clutch

[aboard_epsilon]

there is a post on the pm forum about these hammers....some months back .maybe even a year ago.

quite a few are failing.... various different manufacturers etc ...
seems that they are made of some sort of material that degrades over time ..

and the time is like one week its OK ..the next week it falls apart ...and they fall apart.. even in the drawer...without use..

all the best.......markj

[chengdave2003]

Point taken about my terminology. I've used that hammer a lot over the last several years, and depreciation could be taken into account. I actually have another 52 ounce dead blow hammer, and it is a Stanley. It's still going strong. I looked up Stanley's replacement policy:

If any Stanley Mechanics Tool ever fails, Stanley will replace it. Tools covered by the warranty include: wrenches, sockets, ratchets and drive accessories. Tools which have been improperly used, abused or altered are not covered under policy.

Do not return the product to the store. Simply call 800-505-4648 (M-F, 8-5 EST) and Stanley will ship a replacement.

Hammers aren't mentioned in the warranty, so I'm not sure it qualifies.

But I hold to my opinion that if I had bought the item at Sears, I'd have a new replacement hammer right now....

Dave

Well current value isn't a correct term. Current price is. A Stanley dead blow you can find at a home improvement or hardware store will likely serve as well.

Snap-on makes pretty tools but their distribution model is very high priced.

Here is a link to terms of sale. Seems like a lot of wiggle room there.

http://www.snapon.com/legal/Terms_of_Sale.asp

Clutch

[Mark Hockett]

I have 4 of those hammers and they last about two years before they fall apart like yours did. I have a Snap-On dealer that comes to the shop so it is no problem to get them warrantied, until the last couple of months. Our Snap-On dealer is going out of business and doesn't come to the shop much any more. I called Snap-on and they can't tell me when I will have a weekly dealer again and they can't do anything until this one is gone. So lately I have been faxing the distribution center near Portland OR. a list of tools that I need warrantied and they mail me the tools with a call tag to send the broken ones back. I usually have the new tools within two days.

I think more Snap-On dealers are going to be going out of business with the influx of less expensive Taiwan made tools. I was on a Matco truck on Wednesday and found out that all of Matco's sockets are now made in Taiwan. Our Mac tool dealer also has Mac sockets that are made in Taiwan which are much less expensive and hold up just as well as the US made Mac sockets according to his warranty records.

[alanganes]

In the past when I have had problems with any of the few Snap-on tools I own, I just tossed it in the car, and when I saw a Snap-on truck stopped at any of the local auto repair shops i would just walk up to the truck with it. In the 4 or 5 cases when I did so, the guy gave me a replacement without hesitation, and was really quite pleasant about it. One of them told me it happens all the time.

I have not tried this in a few years, so I can't be guarantee that it still works.

-AL A.

[Peter Neill]

I've got a snap-on 1/2" ratchet, one of the smaller length ones (about 8") that I bought back in 1988. About 4 years ago the ratchet broke a tooth or two and would slip on anything when it got round to that point.

I used to see the snap-on van tool seller around our industrial estate about once a fortnight, so I left it in the car, and the next time the van came around I took it in for him to repair. He told that this was normal wear and tear and that he would have to charge me for a replacement part. I was a bit miffed, remembering the guaranteed-for-life statement, but didn't say anything at that point.
When he handed it back to me and said it would be £25 for the repair, I gave him my business card, and asked him to tell snap-on to send me an invoice for the repair, as I wanted to discuss the finer points of what constitutes 'guaranteed for life' before I paid it. Needless to say I heard nothing more about it. Perhaps a bit harsh on the van sales franchisee, but this thing cost a fair premium over other brands when I bought it.

Incidentally I still have many 'Britool' combination spanners I bought back in the late 70's, which have seen harsh industrial service both here and when I worked over in Africa for 5 years, and these have not even lost a bit of chrome in over 30 years service.

Peter

[Uncle O]

Back when I turned wrenches for a living, the Snap-on man would come by once a week.....The tools were/are pretty nice, but we got to calling him the "Strap-on" man due to the pricing of the items, because if you buy something from them, they surly are going to "give it" to you.

[tiptop]

The same thing happened to me about six months ago with a snap-on dead blow hammer. When I was using the hammer, It started cracking very badly and chunks fell off. I had not used it for quite a while, but was quite amazed at how quickly it had fallen apart, remembering how I used to use it. I had bought it about 22 years ago, when I was a diesel mechanic doing mostly gear work. After reading this, I am surprized it lasted as long as it did. I saved the steel inside part and threw the rest away, and got a replacement at a local store. Jay

[snowman]

Do they warranty their ratchets, or do I have to buy the rebuild kit?

All of my ratchets are either snap on or matco, everything else is random. most of snapon and matco are rebadged tools anyway.