Does anyone use 1/4in with larger fasteners?

[krzyimprt]

Does any one use 1/4in a lot? I've used it with large bolts such as 1/2in and 9/16 and my Tekton ratchet feels like it's going to snap like a pretzel. Maybe my extension is causing so much flex? I have 3/8 tools but damn. I literally feel like I'm going to snap the anvil off this ratchet.

 

[d.mcfarland]

3/8 in a 1/4 body would allow you to use a 3/8 extension/socket.

 

[Wakefield]

Thumb ratchet.

 

[4xdog]

I use up to 14mm and my Snap-on 1/4” drive flex head all the time. If it’s high torque I move up to 3/8” drive, but I’ll go for 1/4” whenever I can.

 

[ItsNemo]

I only really use 1/4 drive up to 10-12mm and mostly just for interior or household stuff, rarely anything under hood except hose clamps and maybe brackets.

 

[Blind1]

13mm or 14mm would be the largest most of the time.

Some Smaller SAE for smaller lag screws.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Up to 15mm by hand and 19mm on a 1/4” impact

 

[ecotec]

I have used my 16mm shallow a couple times so far.

I have used 15mm deep and shallow often. Especially on oil drain plugs.

If you are tightening something low torque, like a machine screw in a metal boss in plastic… it doesn’t even matter how large the socket is.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

You won't snap anything off. I run up to 5/8" and 17mm in 1/4" drive and haven't stripped anything out yet.

 

[AdAstra]

They stop making most 1/4” drive sets at 13 mm / 1/2” for a reason.

Sizes above that in 1/4” drive are convenient for access, but are also pushing its capability, especially under repeated or dynamic loads that might come from loosening rusty full-torque fasteners, and are ideally reserved for lower torque or access-critical situations. (Advertised proof torques are one-time tests.)

Unless you want to risk breaking the drive square at some point, if you're pushing 14+mm sizes to the fasteners' limits you should use 3/8”.

That said, the flex you are feeling is probably mostly elastic wind-up in the extension, which is to be expected for the thinner shaft.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

They stop making most 1/4” drive sets at 13 mm / 1/2” for a reason.

Sizes above that in 1/4” drive are convenient for access but are also pushing its capability, especially under repeated or dynamic loads that might come from loosening rusty full-torque fasteners, and are ideally reserved for lower torque or access-critical situations. (Advertised proof torques are one-time tests.)

Unless you want to risk breaking the drive square at some point, you should use 3/8”. That said, the flex you are feeling is probably mostly elastic wind-up in the extension, which is to be expected for the thinner shaft.

Only the cheap sets. My 1/4 sets go to 15mm.

I use the tool which will fit. I changed a radiator in a jeep grand cherokee, 2015 or so, yesterday. Aside from the radiator support bracket/bar top bolts which I used my 3/8 electric ratchet and a 10mm, it was an exclusively 1/4 drive job. I change them without pulling the front bumper off, because I have low profile tools. Otherwise you get to deal with the single use plastic pop-rivets for the side molding, etc. 3/8 drive would be unusable for the job, it simply would not fit.

I have no issue using 1/4 for brake caliper pins torqued to 20-30ft/lb. Use what can get the job done. 1/4, 3/8, even 1/2 drive tooling will flex under load. Long extensions will wind up like a spring and make this feeling worse. Looking at the OP, that's a lot of extension and likely going to feel quite flexy.

 

[CS454]

Up to 15mm and 5/8, daily use, no problems.

 

[dnschmidt]

Flex is irrelevant. Bent is a problem. Metal is suppose to flex that's what's called elastic deformation. When it goes past the yield point it's called a torque to yield fastener which is fine for bolts but less desirable for ratchets.

 

[Lucid Moments]

It just depends on what I have in my hand. I use 3/8 most of the time, but if I have a 1/4 in my hand I will use that if it seems appropriate for the torque I expect to need.

 

[p00p]

depends.

Torque, space, reach, & environment. The resistance tends to be the primary decision making when given the options for tools being used.

 

[mike93lx]

If I am doing something that is mostly 12mmish or smaller, I will probably grab my 1/4 stuff. Bigger and I'll do 3/8

 

[qqzj]

Why would anyone want to use 1/4 ratchet on larger sockets? At 14mm, I would prefer to use 1/2 drive ratchet already. Make life easier for yourself.

 

[82355]

I have 1/4" drive sockets up to 5/8", and Metric up to 15mm.

Martin

 

[AEAdam]

I do. I haven’t used every make of tool, grain of salt. I went from craftsman to Snap On. General improvement across the board, but 1/4” capability was one of the most dramatic differences. Craftsman 1/4” sockets are vague, sloppy fitting, drive line (connections between socket an ratchet) were rattly. Ratchets reversed under load.

Snap on was different night and day- tight, stiff capable of anything I’ve asked of it. Snap On marketing says 1/2” under the car, 3/8 drive under the hood, and 1/4” for interiors. I disagree. Use a ton of 1/4” drive in engine bay. Clearance is tight and 1/4” is just faster, less clumsy.

Max torque for SO 1/4” is around 90ftlbs. Even with an available long ratchet, that’s a lot of load. I don’t see much wind/twist and agree, it’s disconcerting when it happens. But dnschmidt is correct. It’s not necessarily the harbinger of impending doom.

I believe, could be wrong, socket stress generally decreases with size. My sense is, I’m more inclined to buy premium tools for the smaller sizes (bit sockets chief among them) and cheap out on the big stuff. Even tho the torque is higher, I feel the overall stress on the tool is somehow lower.

I recently (last 5 years) bought a set of snap on 1/2” drive chrome. I needed 12pts and good ones for a pretty high torque (brake/suspension) application and didn’t want China. I’ve been using craftsman for 100% of my 1/2” drive and I was fine with it. Still am. But they were all 6pts.

For my money, to get the benefit of premium 1/4” drive, you probably need the entire ecosystem, ratchets, and extensions. Craftsman extensions don’t fit Snap on sockets tight and do tend to wind up. Not sure I could say the same about 3/8” drive.

 

[AEAdam]

I raved about Snap on above, but I’m guessing you could say all the exact same things about Koken or some other brands.

For data, I would look at the Rc hardness of the same brand of wrenches (if socket hardness is not available) and use that as a guide. Icon had close clearance in the wrench test, but didn’t have the hardness of SnapOn or Wright. I’d focus on the combination of tight tolerance (low clearance) and high hardness or TTCs strength/thickness ratio, both of which suggest quality of materials and heat treating.

If you are observant, you might find some surprises (or skip it and buy SO on eBay like I did).

 

[AEAdam]

Why would anyone want to use 1/4 ratchet on larger sockets? At 14mm, I would prefer to use 1/2 drive ratchet already. Make life easier for yourself.

If you can crack it loose without drama, 1/4” offers speed, low back drag, knuckle/extension clearance. Some manufacturers who stand behind their quality offer long ratchet handles that address a little of your concern.

 

[Rinspeed]

I rarely use 1/4" and mostly with 8 or 10mm.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Why would anyone want to use 1/4 ratchet on larger sockets? At 14mm, I would prefer to use 1/2 drive ratchet already. Make life easier for yourself.

Because a massive 1/2 drive ratchet with a 14mm socket the size of my thumb doesn't fit behind the intake manifold.

 

[NakeDiesel]

lol, I use my 1/4" drive set to overcome my gorrilla strength and not break ****.... it's my go to, then I step up if needed depending on what it is all the way up to my 3/4" socket set. I have actually broken my 3/4" ratchet and breaker bar loosening 60 year old bolts. Probably didn't help that I had a 10' cheater pipe on it and me standing and bouncing my 300lbs on it trying to break them loose even after heat cycles. They eventually gave up.

I use my Carlyle ratchets pretty much only at this point. The crapsman's aren't the same after they were changed out over the years to get them fixed. I have Carlyle all the way up to a 36" 1/2" drive ratchet and breaker bar. 3/4" ratchet is an old craftsman and breaker bar is an Icon I think but might be wrong on that one.

 

[qqzj]

Ye

Because a massive 1/2 drive ratchet with a 14mm socket the size of my thumb doesn't fit behind the intake manifold.

I was talking about 14mm oil drain plugs. If inside engine bay, probably 1/2 too big. I still would hesitate to put too much force thou. A decent 1/4 fails around 70-80 ft lbs. But before it fails, some internal damage could happen. I just prefer not to torture my tools, no matter whether I can get warranty replacement or not.

 

[cherokee]

I use the 1/4 quite often, they are just smaller, lighter and more easy to deal with, also usually have less "back drag" to deal with. So yea I use them a great deal.

On to the sets, I have a couple some deep some metric, I think I have about two of everything. Some stop at 13mm and 1/2 others stop at 14, and 9/16....I don't think I have a set that goes larger but I know I have loose sockets that are larger, bet they are in a set at one time or another.

Loose one socket what do you do.....sounds like a thread title.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Ye

I was talking about 14mm oil drain plugs. If inside engine bay, probably 1/2 too big. I still would hesitate to put too much force thou. A decent 1/4 fails around 70-80 ft lbs. But before it fails, some internal damage could happen. I just prefer not to torture my tools, no matter whether I can get warranty replacement or not.

Even a drain plug can be a tight fit, I can think of several designs from Honda, GM, Audi, where 1/2 drive would not fit.

A drain plug is very rarely supposed to be above 30ft/lb, so a long handle 3/8 is my choice.

 

[qqzj]

Even a drain plug can be a tight fit, I can think of several designs from Honda, GM, Audi, where 1/2 drive would not fit.

A drain plug is very rarely supposed to be above 30ft/lb, so a long handle 3/8 is my choice.

It’s true regular 1/2 sockets and ratchets might not fit some drain plugs. But I got stubby 1/2 sockets, and pass thru 1/2 set. So I can take care of anything with reasonable clearance with 1/2. Anything inside cabin or around dash is typically 1/4. Others are 3/8

 

[Chrome Vanadium Cody]

Big 1/4 drive sockets are nice to use on fasteners such as the nuts on electrical switches that are larger not for increased holding strength but to locate something in the middle.

 

[RPH]

Sk 1/4” set was the only set I needed for machine tools I worked on. Doing service on the road you get picky what goes in the tool box. Fifty pound limit for airlines and that includes case. Pipe wrenches, hammers, pry bar are all tools I can get locally. Hand tools and instruments I’m more picky about. But the 1/4” never failed me and surprised me a few times.

 

[Pinemarten]

I often break a fastener free with a larger drive size or wrench and then remove it with 1/4 inch ratchet and socket. Better clearance and lower backdrop are benefits. If I need a larger socket than my 1/4" sets cover, I will use this 1/4 to 3/8 adapter/spinner.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...2003-honda-civic?q=1/4+inch+to+3/8+inch&pos=4

I bought this at O'Reiley's for around $6. I really like it, so I went back and bought the 3/8" to 1/2" version.

 

[honcho]

Up to 15mm by hand and 19mm on a 1/4” impact

I'm going to assume that anything larger than 16mm is using an adapter of some sort if you're using a 1/4 drive tool (ratchet or impact) as I've never seen anything larger than a 16mm 1/4" drive socket (though they may exist).

 

[KnurledNut]

I'm going to assume that anything larger than 16mm is using an adapter of some sort if you're using a 1/4 drive tool (ratchet or impact) as I've never seen anything larger than a 16mm 1/4" drive socket (though they may exist).

Gedore makes a 17mm.
Here is a thread I posted about it:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/17mm-in-1-4-drive.489981/

 

[LHSA]

How does "3/8" in a 1/4" body" ratchets change the calculus? I feel like the heads on these ratchets make them much more maneuverable.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

How does "3/8" in a 1/4" body" ratchets change the calculus? I feel like the heads on these ratchets make them much more maneuverable.

Problem is socket and accessory size. A 10mm deep 1/4 is much daintier than it is in 3/8.


When you need the 3/8 in 1/4 body stuff, it's great. But it's not the same tool as 1/4.

 

[dchawk81]

I build bridges with a 2-1/2" socket and step down adapters to 1/4 drive so I can use my Ryobi impact driver to run them down.

 

[MovingAlong]

I'll grab a 1/4 driver when I'm concerned about over-tightening something, actual socket size on the end could be anything.

Sometimes I'll even use 1/4 driver when it's appropriate...

 

[Ditchdigger]

A 3/8 fastener with a 9/16" head (depending on grade or fastener, fine or course thread and dry or lubricated) has a max tightening torque ranging from 31-51 ft/lbs.

I have no issues using my 1/4" ratchets on those.

 

[NakeDiesel]

I'll grab a 1/4 driver when I'm concerned about over-tightening something, actual socket size on the end could be anything.

Sometimes I'll even use 1/4 driver when it's appropriate...

I tend to use my 1/4" dewalt driver event when it's not appropriate...

 

[toolenthusiast]

I'm going to assume that anything larger than 16mm is using an adapter of some sort if you're using a 1/4 drive tool (ratchet or impact) as I've never seen anything larger than a 16mm 1/4" drive socket (though they may exist).

Yeah, a 1/4” hex to 3/8” square adapter