how old is TOO old to buy used? Particularly Snap On KRL boxes? Is 4 to 5 years old to much?

Also, of those that HAVE big boxes, what do you have and how do you like it? I'm planning on upgrading from my 40" Husky box (had a Stanley label on the packaging) since I don't feel it will hold up forever under every day use (mechanic). That, and it's packed full as is, and I'd rather just make the jump to Snap On/Matco now instead of buying the upper box. I'm not impressed at all with the high end Craftsman boxes I've played with at any Sears store. Every single one of them has had one or more drawers where the Grip Latch didn't hold the drawer in place at all. Opinions?

 

If you think your toolbox is too big then you don't have enough tools

 

Oh yeah I have a big matco box I love it and can stand on the drawers

 

I have a big matco box and love it, too. A bunch of guys will post here how matco sucks or snap-on sucks and blah blah blah. IMHO they are fairly close on quality, I chose based on price. I would also say a 4 or 5 year old box could be ok, depending on how it was taken care of. It is definatly a good idea to see first hand what you are buying when it comes to a used box.

 

you guys always say on her snap on, matco, etc boxes are the best and totally worth the insane prices of 13 THOUSAND dollars and up, but yet you should be ok with 5 years old? marketing is an outstanding tool.

 

Just check the drawers to make sure none of the slides are bent or broken, as long as they're fine, there shouldn't be a problem. The KRL are the high end Snap-on boxes, built more rigid than the KRA. I see plenty of boxes much older than 5 years being used everyday and they work fine.

 

If you don't mind me asking, what are the exact differences between the kra and krl boxes? I'm assuming the sheet metal will be thicker as well as the drawers holding more weight, but are there any other significant differences? Thanks.

 

I've got a brand new MAC Tools WCC (West Coast Choppers) box for sale for $6500. It's huge. PM for details.

 

I have just bought a 54" wide KRL snap on box and I am digging it. The KRL is made of 14 to 16 guage metal. The nice thing about snap-on is if you want to go to a bigger box they will buy our smaller snap-on box for the amount you paid for it so you can always upgrade. One of the techs here has a 72" wide matco and I believe it has the same quality as a snap-on.

 

I would say check it out first hand and make sure everything works. I plan on upgrading to a bigger used box eventually. I have a Blue point box that is possibly 10 years old or more and it works great, but is too small too.

 

i got a tool chest that i thoguht was big and id never fill, its like 6' 4" tall and like 3 feet wide...and yeah, 2 months later, i was ready to go bigger. so no, can never go big enough.

 

1 have a mac that is 13 years old the top drawer will hold a 1000 pounds and still slides like the day i bought it if not better.

 

i have a big matco box, when the dealer was showing it to me, he opened up the top drawr and jumped up and sat down on it. thats a pretty good sales pitch if you ask me, I bought it that day.

 

A guy at my work has a HUGE 15-20 year old Mac box and the thing works like new still. Tough as nails.


I am using a 70's snap on box and it is still holding up fine. It's getting a little small for me so it may time to upgrade. I am going to try a mac or matco for my next box. I give props to snap on for my box, thing has lasted longer than 3 mechanics already

 

I have a Snap-on 40wx20dx40h kra tool box that I'm looking at getting rid of. It's about 5 yrs old but the last 2-3 it has been sitting in the corner of my shop. Most of my work is done on the road and I keep all my tools on my service truck. Shoot me a pm if interested.

 

IRWIN makes the best tool boxes.

 

I have a matco box at work I bought it used, it was made in 99 and it still works like new I too can jump on my lower drawers never had a problem love it . And off ebay it was 1/3 what a new one would have been

 

Hey, could you set a couple engine blocks on it and take a pic for us? :p

 

Here's the link to it.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/non-automotive-classifieds/354104-fs-snap-kra-series-tool-box.html

 

Besides the things you mentioned, just a few other items. The larger cabs will have springs on the casters that act as shock absorbers. I'm not exactly sure why they need them, all the guys I know who have the very large boxes do not roll them around as they are just too big to move very far. Also, if you look at pics of each one, the corners of the KRA series has a radius, while the KRL uses a 90 degree bend (along with a square piece of tubing) which helps at rigidity. Similar to the principle of adding ridges in flat sheet metal so it doesn't bend and flop as easily.