Craftsman is launching a new line of OVERDRIVE mechanics tools, designed for auto enthusiasts and professionals facing tight and challenging work environments, as well as rusted, rounded, or over-torqued fasteners.
At launch, the Craftsman Overdrive line of mechanics tool will feature new mechanics tool sets, ratchets, and combination wrench sets.
Craftsman Overdrive ratchets, sockets, and wrenches will all have upgraded features.
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Note: Craftsman is a ToolGuyd sponsor.
Craftsman Overdrive – Introduction
Craftsman’s new Overdrive ratchets introduce 180-tooth gearing that delivers a smaller arc swing.
The arc swing is just 2°, compared to 2.5° for 144T ratchets, 3° for 120T ratchets, and 4° for 90T ratchets.
The minimal arc swing can be impactful for working in constricted spaces, and Craftsman says it will not compromise the strength or longevity of the tool.
The new sockets and wrenches are designed for improved fastener grip.
The Overdrive sockets will feature Tight Torque Gripping Technology for rounding prevention and enhanced performance when used on fasteners that are already damaged and/or rounded.
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Similar gripping technology has also been added to the 6pt box ends of the combination wrenches.
Craftsman added ridges to the wrenches’ open ends, enabling them to securely grip fasteners
that have been rounded up to 50%, and the sockets and wrench box ends can grip damaged hex fasteners that have been rounded up to 70%.
Craftsman Overdrive mechanics tool set cases will sport a new look.
The wrenches will also have long panel forging, with the long length allowing for increased leverage.
Craftsman Overdrive Ratchets
Craftsman sent over an Overdrive mechanics tool set to test out, and I started with the 180T ratchets.
When working in tight spaces, where you don’t have much room to swing a ratchet, a finer swing arc can make a difference in how long it takes to complete a task.
Or, in some cases, a finer swing arc means less hassle, where you don’t have to dig around for different tools or worse – disassemble more than you have to in order to create the clearance you need.
180T gearing means the ratchet gearing can return with a 2° minimal swing arc.
The set I received included 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ ratchets, all with 180T gearing.
All three ratchets also feature a quick-release ball detent and full-polish handles.
Craftsman says that the 180T gearing and minimal 2° swing arc will not compromise the strength or longevity of the ratchets.
Craftsman Overdrive Sockets
The Craftsman Overdrive ratchets feature what the brand calls Tight Torque Gripping Technology.
Basically, the 6pt hex sockets are shaped to engage with fasteners without damaging them, and can engage with damaged and partially rounded sockets without slipping.
I like the design so far, and they seem to work as well as advertised. I can see these sockets becoming my go-to’s for breaker bar tasks.
The size markings are clear, with no complaints there.
I should add that ALL of the sockets in the set I received have the special gripping technology, down to the 1/4″ drive 1/4″ and 6mm sockets.
Craftsman Overdrive Wrenches
Craftsman will be launching Overdrive combination wrenches in SAE and metric sizes. There will be several wrench set options, and the larger mechanics tool sets will also include a selection of mixed sizes.
These are all long-pattern wrenches, which gives you more leverage and reach.
The wrenches have grooves and contouring in the open end, which are designed to provide improved grip, rounding prevention, and better engagement with damaged fasteners.
This type of feature is usually reserved for top-priced tool truck-branded wrenches.
The lower jaw is contoured a little differently and also helps to prevent slipping and rounding.
In my experience and analysis so far, the wrenches do a great job. This is Craftsman’s take on a proven professional-grade feature, and it seems to work very well.
The 6pt box end has similar gripping technology as the Overdrive sockets.
I am more of a 6pt hex socket and 12pt box end combination wrench type of user, but I plan on making these wrenches a permanent part of my kit. Improved engagement on rounded fasteners decreases the chance I’ll have to resort to Vise-Grip pliers or similar.
Questions?
I’ll be testing the new Overdrive tools for a while, and as they were provided as part of Craftsman being a ToolGuyd sponsor (thank you!), I’m considering them for-keeps rather than as a review sample.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Pricing and Availability
Craftsman OVERDRIVE Mechanics Tool Sets
- 49pc Tool Set (CMMT99049L) – $114.98
- 64pc Tool Set with VersaStack Case (CMMT99064) – $124.98
- 80pc Tool Set (CMMT99080L) – $159.98
- 99pc Tool Set (CMMT99099) – $174.98
- 121pc Tool Set (CMMT99121L) – $209.98
- 154pc Tool Set (CMMT99154L) – $244.98
- 284pc Tool Set (CMMT99284) – $379.98
Craftsman 180T OVERDRIVE Pear Head Ratchets
- 1/4″ (CMMT82110) – $34.98
- 3/8″ (CMMT82111) – $39.98
- 1/2″ (CMMT82113) – $49.98
Craftsman OVERDRIVE Wrench Sets
- 7pc SAE (CMMT87707) – $44.98
- 7pc Metric (CMMT87807) – $44.98
- 11pc SAE (CMMT87711) – $74.98
- 11pc Metric (CMMT87811) – $74.98
You can find the new Craftsman Overdrive tools at Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, and other Craftsman dealers.
Craftsman is a ToolGuyd sponsor and provided the product samples featured in this post.
Brad
What is the COO?
Mark S.
I believe these are Taiwan-made, according to a quick Google search anyway.
Stuart
Taiwan.
Cameron
I was back on the craftsman wagon when I felt they were making a push to make more tools in the U.S. even when I needed a tool that wasn’t made in the U.S. and had no plans to be…I went craftsman
But when they closed the mechanics tool factory. I felt a bit let down….
I’ve since moved away from their products for this reason. Maybe it’s not a good reason. But its my reason and I’m good with that
Stuart
okie dokie?
If you want USA-made mechanics tools, check out Proto.
ben t
Would love to hear your long term take on how these tools hold up. These definitely peeked my interest.
928'er
piqued…
Reflector
How’s the back drag on the 180T mechanism?
Chaz
Golly, I had no idea how important back drag was until I picked up a new drive and hated it. I replaced an old 90’s Craftsman 1/4 drive with a new Husky thinking I didn’t need anything special. I hate it. I have to hold the socket for inordinate amount of time.
Jared
Some ratchets will smooth out with use (or you can accelerate it with a drill…). Others work better if you cut the spring slightly to reduce the pressure holding the pawl against the gear. Some benefit from a better lubricant. None of those are liable to be manufacturer-approved, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. Don’t give up on your new ratchet.
Project Farm loves to measure backdrag on his ratchet reviews, but I’m not convinced doing that on a brand new ratchet is the most valuable way to test it.
Stuart
@Jared One thing I really liked is that the ratchet can be easily serviced.
@Reflector – the back drag is about average. I didn’t see the need to degrease and re-apply new lubricant.
I have the 3/8″ and a relatively new Nepros 90T in front of me, and the Craftsman has a little less back drag.
I generally don’t scrutinize unless a brand new ratchet has especially strong or weak back drag, which in my experience has been rare.
Reflector
If the back drag isn’t any worse than in lower tooth count mechanisms then the 180T mechanism is probably going to be nice in confined spaces short of one way roller type ratchets. I’ve gotten used to having to use my finger to give some resistance to ratcheting mechanisms because their backdrag is too high sometimes once the fastener is loose.
Jared
The “Tight Torque Gripping Technology” is a nice feature to have in a more affordable tool line. That seems like a genuine advancement for that market category.
Any thoughts on how it compares to it’s SBD siblings like Mac RBRT or Proto ASD?
From the pictures the bottom wrench jaw looks ASD-like, but my Proto wrenches don’t have the sharper grooves on the top side.
I’m having trouble envisioning how the grooves inside the sockets work. They seem too close to the middle of the flats to have an effect. Wouldn’t be the first time my armchair-engineering got things wrong though.
andres+solis+castillo
It’s the same design as the new rbrt, just this time stanley used the long pattern craftsman wrench. Should perform similar to the RBRT, and usag 285x. It’s a nice price only missing the 11mm(useless size).
OldDominionDIYer
Seems gimmicky. Just like Craftsman brand nothing but a gimmick!
Bonnie
Totally perpendicular to the point of the post here, but I find it really distracting seeing the ALLCAPS BRANDING in the headline and body text. I don’t know if that’s something Craftsman specifically requested as a sponsor or just trying to match their general brand guidelines.
Stuart
Thanks! I had most of the instances only first-letter-capitalized already, and adjusted a couple of early-post mentions now.
Sponsoring brands usually do have branding guidelines for trademarks and similar. My preferred treatment is to comply with all-caps in the headline and first mention (and sometimes sub headlines where it might help with clarity). I also do away with restricted and trademark symbols.
In this case, I left some of the early mentions in all-caps because I wasn’t sure if I should go with Overdrive or OverDrive in place of OVERDRIVE. That’s where adhering to official formatting makes things easier.
My stance is the same as yours, that all-caps and legal symbols can impact readability. Having all-caps or branding as officially intended in the first instance seems like a fair compromise.
andres+solis+castillo
Don’t like the name, like always craftsman uses some gimmick sounding names.
I like the effort, stanley sure is making use of the RBRT design. The ratchets looks even bigger(head), something that I dislike on the 120t version. I do appreciate the services ability tho. Why is this not under the v line? So far stanley has reseve this design for its premium brands. Makes me think they have given up on it.
IronWood
I have two sets of Proto Professional long pattern combination wrenches. One older normal style and one newer ASD. They’re both really great wrenches, but I don’t notice any difference with the anti slip features. Maybe these even newer versions help more? As far as the Craftsman stuff, I really really dislike 6 point combination wrenches, so no interest in them. Curious to see that 180T ratchet though.
Jon
Interesting choice to go with 6 point on the box end as that increases the distance the wrench needs to move in tight places to get to the next alignment point. I guess it is to improve grip on rounded bolts.
Joe H
In Minnesota here where really rusty vehicles are the norm a lot of times you wouldn’t even want to attempt to put a 12point box end on something unless you just want to make your life more difficult. Now if the vehicles are only a couple years old it’s a different story. Just about anytime you have the room to get a 6 point on something, that’s the way to go in the rust belt.
JML
I’d be interested to learn if the sockets damage a bolt/nut that isn’t already damaged. If these are meant to remove a rounded/stuck bolt that will be replaced, that’s fine, but for “normal” use they shouldn’t result in damage to other bolts.
Jerry
These almost seem like niche tools. I work a lot on rusted machinery and am wanting to get long pattern 6 point combo wrenches. Will definitely be checking them out.
Saulac
The finish suggests poor quality. The “cellulite-like” smoothness implies a soft and poorly forged material. It required extensive manual grinding to eliminate all traces of forging imperfections. The thick plating is imprecise and likely to peel off. Unless it is Snap-On smoothness, I prefer to see the fine forging marks beneath a thin plating. Take the finish on the original Craftsman “raised panel” wrench, it is functionality beautiful.
Stuart
The chrome finish is excellent with no obvious defects on any of the tools that I could find. There’s slight discoloration inside the sockets, which is typical except for considerably higher priced products.
Chrome tools are incredibly difficult to photograph, especially when there’s even a trace amount of oil or grease, which makes the surface look hazy. Is that what you’re seeing in my photos?
With perfectly cleaned chrome-finish tools, one has to content with dust and lint from wiping the tools down, and fingerprints anytime the tool is repositioned.
Harry
The ratchet head looks pretty thick for use in tight places. Is it 180 teeth or is it 180 positions? Do the sockets have that stupid Craftsman double detent system for drive tool balls or do they use a normal single cut out?
Looking at your wrench photos, the boxed end and open end closely resemble those found on the USAG 285 series I have or MAC RBRT series but, with a traditional smooth beam handle. The wrench handle shape reminds me of Dewalt wrenches.
I can’t get past the ratchet. It’s just too Fugly.
Stuart
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/dual-pawl-ratchet-teardown/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
180 positions, but with a different design and geometry than what I’ve seen before.
TMedina
How does the 1/4 or 3/8 ratchet head compare in size to other brands? Bigger? Smaller? About the same?
I have 1/4 and 3/8 drive ratchets by Tekton and Milwaukee – both brands are slimmer than comparable Husky or Kobalt models.
Jared
If a compact ratchet head is your key factor, I doubt any dual-pawl design is going to be your first choice.
Stuart explains why in his recent post on the subject. Basically you get twice as many positions or “clicks” out of the ratchet, by stacking two pawls at a 50% offset. For that to work, the driven gear must be twice as tall since only half the surface area is engaged with a pawl at any time.
You could build a 180-tooth single-pawl ratchet, but to be strong the gear diameter would need to be huge (so you could have a short-head ratchet, but super wide).
My personal preference is for ratchets with dual-pawl designs only when it’s a large or long-handle size. In that case, the smaller swing arc makes a noticeable difference in the amount of movement required at the end I’m holding with my hand. That can be a big advantage on an XL-1/2″ drive, but isn’t really noticeable on a stubby-1/4″.
I also like having more than one style, so I can use them to problem-solve fasteners in tricky spots.
Thom
If I’m going to buy Asian made tools I’ll buy TEKTON, KTC, TONE, KO-KEN
Chip
Sorry craftsman, haven’t/won’t the last 25 years.
I will buy cheap chunese ,or from an older company that will keep a design and offer warranty
JB
I like the RBRT design from Mac, and I like the 6pt box end.
Do a comparison and Get some Icon Anti-Slip and Milwaukee Max Grip, do a shootout competition!!
Hopefully SBD didn’t skimp on the heat treating, and this Craftsman Overdrive will be successful.
Max
Do we know if any of these are going on Black November sales?
Stuart
I don’t know, but I’ll be on the lookout for it.
George
It be nice if we could actually get the craftsman overdrive 284 piece set. I have not once seen it. When is the release for that set? I don’t see the point on buying half sets of tools.