Williams and Snap-On: Are They the Same?
In 2023, it’s pretty common for automotive technicians to look for cheaper versions of the same tools they can find on tool trucks like Snap-On and Matco. Recognizing that internet-based tool companys are stepping up their game and offering better tools that cost less, smart mechanics are ditching the tool truck in favor of cheaper, comparable alternatives on the internet and in stores like Home Depot and Harbor Freight.
Many technicians have even started to do their own research on tools and realized that the brand “Williams”, which makes tools for Snap-On as part of a joint venture, often has the same tools as those branded with the tool truck logo but for a boat load less money. One of these tools is the Williams ratchet. So in this post, im going to compare the ratchets branded as “Williams” versus the ones sporting a Snap-On logo.
I want to see if Williams and Snap-On ratchets are actually the same and I want to tell you too.
Williams Ratchet Versus Snap-On Ratchet
One major advantage to finding out if Snap-On and Williams are the same is you can buy the Williams tools on Amazon and the company’s website for significantly less money than you could buy versus a comparable Snap-On version from the truck. So let’s first look at a picture of the Williams 3/8 flex-head ratchet PN S-52EHFA.
Looking at the photo above, you can see that the Williams ratchet is not designed exactly the same as a Snap-On flex head ratchet. Some things that stand out to me are the shape of the head of the ratchet and a slightly different handle design versus the same style of ratchet from Snap-On. Are these slight variations important in terms of functionality though or are the internals the same as the tool truck version? Also, how much does the difference in appearance affect the real world use of the Williams 3/8 or 1/2 inch ratchet?
One important piece of how well a ratchet works and what makes it feel good in your hand is the number of teeth and also the arc angle of those teeth. It’s this area that Snap-On ratchets stand out in my opinion.
I won’t sit here and tell you that a Snap-On ratchet is junk. Or that it isn’t worth the money, because ratchets are maybe the one thing that I think Snap-On has perfected. The thing is though, there are competing tool companies that have come pretty dang close and they offer tools at a lot cheaper price.
Also– Finally a Screw Driver Set That Compares to Snap-On
How Many Teeth is the Williams Ratchet?
If we want to compare the internals of a Williams ratchet to a Snap-On ratchet, it’s important to look at how many teeth each tools gear uses and how many degrees of arc angle each one has. Here is what I was able to find as far as the number of teeth each ratchet uses.
Snap-On Dual Drive- 72 teeth with a 5 degree arc angle.
Williams S-52EHFA- 36 teeth with a 10 degree arc angle.
As you can see, the ratchet above from Williams does not have the new Snap-On drive technology. Newer versions are available though that do have the 72 tooth “Dual Drive” technology.
Similarly, this newer design of Williams 3/8 inch flex head ratchet uses a 36 tooth, 10 degree arc angle, but as you can see the design is more smooth and it looks a lot like a Snap-On ratchet.
Aside from the handle which looks slightly larger than the one Snap-On uses, this ratchet by all accounts looks just like the ones you can buy on the tool truck. The biggest difference is the Williams B52EHFB only costs around $50 compared to a couple hundred for the same style that Snap-On sells for around $200.
Does Williams Sell a Soft Grip Ratchet?
Possibly the most depressing part of this whole inquiry into Williams ratchets was the realization that the company does not make a comfort or “soft grip” ratchet that I can find. In my eyes this is a major disadvantage for the company in terms of their product availability. I love comfort grip ratchets and it was saddening to learn that Williams does not offer one.
During my research though, I did find a comfort grip ratchet that I guarantee you will make you second guess that Snap-On purchase you just made or are about to make. Surprisingly it was Gearwrench that caught my eye with the 3/8 120XP flex head comfort grip ratchet.
It wasn’t just the way the Gearwrench ratchet looked that caught my eye. It was the tooth count and arc angle that we talked about earlier. The 120XP has 60 teeth with a ridiculous 3 degree arc angle which means it swings into 120 positions. I can feel the smooth swing just thinking about it. Take a look at it.
What’s the Warranty on Willams Ratchets?
Now that we know some things about the Williams ratchets, it’s time to take a look at the warranty on these tool truck competitors. As I say in every post, the warranty is one of the most important things to know when you buy a tool. Especially on the internet.
Working in the automotive, diesel, trucking or any other heavy duty field means our tools have to be top of the line and we need to know that the company stands behind its tools and takes pride in their ability to get the job done.
Read More– Autel Versus Snap-On: Scan Tools
Williams Tool Company Warranty
When I started to look into the warranty offered by Williams specifically pertaining to hand tools, I came away a little bit confused at first. After the confusion, I was a bit disappointed to find out that the warranty on Williams hand tools is a limited lifetime warranty.
Despite only having what they call a limited warranty though, I was able to find real life scenarios claiming that Snap-On will assist in replacing or rebuilding Williams hand tools. I’ll be honest when I asked myself if Snap-On would warranty Williams ratchets, my first thought was no. It appears I was wrong.
Ratings and Reviews of Williams Ratchets?
My favorite way to really gauge how good a tool compares to its competitors is by looking at the reviews, ratings and other real life experience with the product or brand in question. In this case, it’s the Williams ratchet so I went out searching for some information- good and bad to help me figure out if Williams ratchets are actually comparable to Snap-On and other major competitors. Here’s some of what I was able to find.
On Amazon, which is actually a really good place to buy tools online, the Williams flex head that I showed you above got a 4.5 out of 5 stars with 575 global ratings. What does the number of review and the high rating tell me about the Williams ratchet?
In my experience, the fact that it has over 500 ratings tells me that the Williams ratchet sells very well on Amazon. Since most auto techs and mechanics in all fields are turning to the internet for less expensive tools, this tells me that the Williams ratchet could definitely be a good alternative to Snap-On.
It’s a different era when it comes to buying tools for mechanics. No longer are we at the mercy of tool trucks for all of the specialty tools needed to work on everything from electric cars to school buses, dump trucks and excavators.
