I have a Snap-On 3/8 drive flex-head ratchet and honestly, I find the flex feature to be more of a pain in the ass than a benefit. It can be hard to apply torque without the thing flopping around. Am I doing it wrong?
I have a Snap-On 3/8 drive flex-head ratchet and honestly, I find the flex feature to be more of a pain in the ass than a benefit. It can be hard to apply torque without the thing flopping around. Am I doing it wrong?
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
Mine locks into place. All the ones from HF and the like suck E36 M3.
In reply to Ranger50 :
Hmmm. Maybe I need to see if I can tighten up the part that holds the head. Mine is legit Snap-On, but it's floppy.
I've been on a ratchet buying kick lately and have some recommendations:
I just bought a new Snap On dual 80 flex head. I'm pretty meh about it except for the lock on the flex, which I really like.
For considerably less $, this BAHCO ratchet has a smaller head, feels more positive, and has a lock button. The only downside is more drag during the ratcheting, but that should improve with use. Great value for the $.
If you want to step up a bit, this Hazet 90 tooth ratchet is probably the most solidly built fine tooth ratchet I own. It's remarkably smooth and solid feeling, but it is kinda heavy. At sub $80 the 1/2" is a good deal, but the 3/8" is hovering closer to $140 and there are better options.
If you do a lot of overhead work you want this Gedore ratchet. It's a super nice piece, though only a more traditional 36 teeth, but it weighs almost nothing because it is solid aluminum and the 3 position ratchet switch with a center lock position is pretty awesome. It's so light that the socket weight is very noticeable. The $150 price tag is a little off putting if you don't need to save the weight.
Speaking of weight, everyone should own either this $50 T-one ratchet or the Stanley Proto Blackhawk that looks to be the same for $40. I have the T-one ratchet and it's life changing, but I ordered the cheaper Blackhawk and if it is the same I can update later in the week when it arrives. Essentially these are 1/4" size ratchets with 3/8" nubs, just like the Snap On that's the darling of mechanics everywhere right now.
If you really want to step up though, you need to consider a Nepros ratchet, specifically the $80 NBRC390L or $130 NBRC390F. The fit and finish on these is probably even better than my Snap On stuff, plus the tiny 22mm wide head and lock button and they are the best money you can spend on a ratchet right now.
Also, Nepros has little tiny "quick spinner" extensions to go between the ratchet and the socket and give you a little knurled wheel to turn like the OP loves on his current ratchet. For $20 that's a pretty viable option for that feature with any ratchet.
Edit: if you are buying used my father turned wrenches for most of the last 50 years and had the whole gambit of tools from everywhere. The only ratchet he kept close enough to always have on hand was a pear head Indestro. I have since inherited said ratchet and all the other Snap On, Mac, Matco, Craftsman, Harbor Freight, and whatever ratchets he had on top of the ones I already owned and he was on to something. That ratchet just works better than it has any reason to. If I had to rank them all even without the nostalgia it would be in my top 3, and they are on Ebay all the time for $20.
Powered ratchets are great tools for smashing fingers.
Where they really shine is on a bolt that can't be reached with a gun.
I have long extensions 1/2" impact with a 3/8" north end for reaching hard to get bolts.
I take out the hardest bolts first, this makes it easier to remove them.
I have 3 or 4 air ratchets and cant remember the last time I used them.
The one I used the most is a 1/4" ratchet that I use for hard to reach bolts that have already been loosened.
I consider the 3/8" air ratchet mission critical.
In reply to bentwrench :
Try a good quality cordless ratchet. It is common for people to buy a tool on rpms and high torque. Really lower torque works fine and slower gives you the time to release before the fingers get smashed.
Maybe this is off-topic now but the ratchet the OP refers to is called the tri wing ratchet (optionally triwing thumbwheel ratchet). I have a 1/4 and 3/8 version and i like them both quite a bit.
I also honestly think all the 72 tooth harbor freight stuff is fine. I have a 3/8 and a 1/2 flex head. One time one of our HF ratchets failed because a tiny torx bolt backed all the way out. I semi sorta don't like that but in all honesty a lot of my other ratchets have been opened up and gone through BEFORE breaking so I can't honestly say the HF would have failed if i'd ever just spent 1 or 2 minutes on maintaining it.
If you really wanna geek out on tools, i suggest joining Garagejournal.com as well. After I joined that site i opened up every ratchet i owned (which was quite a few at that time since I had multiple spares of everything) and formed my own opinions as well as making a lot of them work a lot better. A lot of stuff i gave away. Those tri-wings are a good example of something i kept.
I also have some Gearwrench stuff that i think is nice.
I've been around tool truck brands forever and honestly unless you're working in a place that they will drive right up to and warranty your stuff, you're generally overpaying. A lot of it is rebranded anyway and available for much better prices with the caveat that the warranty process requires more work up front (although a lot of people have a whole lot of stories about tool truck guys and the warranty process...). Plus, that relationship has a pretty big upkeep factor. A lot of tool truck guys are very 'what have you done for me lately'. There's also a lot of turnover so just because you have a good one now doesn't mean you still will when you need something.
My favorite Snap-on tools are sockets. Almost anything with moving parts I think is not great value in the market.
I got a set of 100 tooth 3/8" and 1/4" Gearwrench ratchets last year. They don't have a ton of miles on them yet, but they are worlds better than the Craftsman ratchets I've been using for the last 30 years. Really good for the price.
ShawnG said:In reply to yupididit :
Buy once, cry once.
Or, in the case of a cheap ass, such as me, go to harbor freight once, buy 15 of them. Never cry again.
In reply to oldopelguy :
I'd also recommend Nepros ratchets. They are eye-wateringly expensive but they feel amazing, have great features, and can take a pounding and a half.
Out of curiosity, has anyone tried the new HF Icon ratchets? They certainly look like they're trying to compete with the top-tier stuff, but my local store doesn't carry them.
02Pilot said:Out of curiosity, has anyone tried the new HF Icon ratchets? They certainly look like they're trying to compete with the top-tier stuff, but my local store doesn't carry them.
I was literally about to ask that exact same question. Seems like HF is all about knowing which are the good ones and which are the ones to avoid. The good stuff seems to be on par with stuff costing 3/4/5/10x as much. The bad stuff, I wouldn't take if it were free.
Ask and ye shall receive. Awesome info team. I have a lot of research to do on multiple brands I was unaware of. Plus never considered an electric ratchet. Have to check them out.
I'm surprised JG hasn't commented on this thread yet... 
Milwaukee-M12-12-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-3-8-in-Ratchet
I watched him beat the piss out of his M12 ratchet during a number of GRM Live shows.
Snap on has an industrial brand that can be a relative bargain too..... You won't get swivel heads, but you get a nice ratchet for the coin: Williams.
Some follow-up with pictures. I wish I could lay hands on all of them but the shop is a mess right now from moving the pallet racking around.
These are all 1/2" drive:
There's a generic round head, the Bahco, the Hazet, a reference Craftsman and Husky, and some random German. Take a look at the size of the Bahco, and the finish of it and the Hazet compared to the others.
Here's a pile of 3/8", except for the gearwrench 1/4" on one end and the Bahco 1/2" on the other:
The Snap On dual 80 in the middle is a small head generally speaking, but the Wera near the top and the Bahco 1/2" on the bottom are both even smaller. The Bahco 3/8" and Nepros are even smaller than the Wera, and the T-one is smaller than even the 1/4" gearwrench.
For the quality and head size alone the Bahcos are a screaming deal right now.
Also, lock on the snap on flex, which is awesome:
Use snap on at work, craftsman (pre craptastic stuff) and Tekton. The snap on is the best for sure but but the tekton stuff is close behind with the craftsman a distant third.
i highly recommend the tekton stuff for the value play. American made (some stuff), high quality, very affordable, lifetime warranty.
I like proto stuff too but haven't checked prices.
edit: coworker who turned me on to Tekton has some of the HF icon stuff. He seems to really like it. According to him HF stole a higher up from the Snap On and this is the result
yupididit said:ShawnG said:Snap-On Dual 80:
/thread
$150
I have three of the sears version of these. When ever I got a sears ratchet I take them apart and fill them with anti seize (the gray stuff) and then re assemble. This seems to make them virtually last for ever. When they finally die I will get the snap on version. These are by far the best ratchets you will ever use.
My current arsenal of 1/4 & 3/8 drive. The 18" handle 3/8 isn't as useful as I'd hoped but I find myself using it weekly. I have locking and non-locking 9" handle flex heads and I prefer the non locking one. The 3/8 head in a quarter inch flex body is awesome. The 1/4 drive 9" flex handle is probably my favorite of the bunch. It isn't about the leverage, it converts to a speeder instantly. Crack the fastener loose, flip up the handle and zip it out quickly.
The roto head 3/8 has probably been used 3 times in the 6 years I have had it. Would not buy again.
oldopelguy said:Edit: if you are buying used my father turned wrenches for most of the last 50 years and had the whole gambit of tools from everywhere. The only ratchet he kept close enough to always have on hand was a pear head Indestro. I have since inherited said ratchet and all the other Snap On, Mac, Matco, Craftsman, Harbor Freight, and whatever ratchets he had on top of the ones I already owned and he was on to something. That ratchet just works better than it has any reason to. If I had to rank them all even without the nostalgia it would be in my top 3, and they are on Ebay all the time for $20.
I've done very well with my circa 1994 Craftsman ratchets, but after reading through your thread (eye-opening as I'd never heard of many of the brands) I've been on eBay looking at Indestros. There are a number of styles—can you share a picture of the one you favor the most?
Oldopelguy, Nice collection. You had me drooling over the Hazet last night. If I used mine more I'd probably try one out.
This thread got me thinking about the Snap On ratchets that I inherited from my grandfather. He was a shade tree mechanic. I don't know that he ever had a regular job. I'm pretty sure all of his tools were second hand. I can't imagine him buying anything new. When He died my dad and uncles spread all of his tools out on the garage floor and the grandsons all got to take turns picking out tools. I made out pretty well.
First up is a full Midget M-70M 9/32" ratchet set from the 40's. There is a G date code mark on the ratchet. I've read that meant 1945, but this ratchet was only made until 1942. The sets were made starting in 1942. This isn't the greatest ratchet and it's 9/32" so nothing else fits. I finally wound up buying a new Craftsman set last year.
I also have his F-710-A 3/8" drive from 1957. A couple years ago it locked up solid while I was in the middle of a project. I thought it was trashed so I threw it in my tool box and bought this Craftsman from Ace HW. I really like the Craftsman. It has a great feel. A year or so ago I thought I'd take a look at the Snap On to see if I could fix it. I pulled the cover off and it was full of grit and ancient grease. I cleaned it up and re-greased it and it's almost as good as new.
Here's the model number on the Craftsman if anyone's interested.
He must have bought all of his 3/8" sockets at the swap meet. There's a full set, but they are from half a dozen manufacturers. Snap On, Proto, SK, Blackhawk, Craftsman, and one Crew Line I picked up when I was working at Kragen Auto Parts back in the Dark Ages.
In reply to ebelements :
My dad's Indestro is the model 6272, and I don't have a picture handy but you should be able to search for it. I think there are a couple on Ebay right now.
In reply to oldopelguy :
Awesome—just ebayed one. Thanks for enabling!
In reply to CAinCA :
I have a set of those Craftsman rattchets and really like them.
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