Project Farm tests flex-head ratchets (and one roto-head)

[General Geoff]

The Olsa was quite the dark horse in this comparison, IMO. I found it a bit odd that he would include the Wera as it's a roto-head, I suggested in the comments that he do a complete roto-head comparison for a more apples-to-apples test.

 

[Fedwrench]

Thanks for sharing. I agree that the Wera roto head shouldn't have been mixed in with the regular flex heads. I also feel all of the flex heads should have been closer to a common length like 12 inches overall.
I'm also surprised that the MAC and Proto didn't perform closer to each other. Hats off to AJ Manufacturing or whoever makes the Olsa LP90 ratchet clone. I wonder if the older SK made LP90 handle would have done better?
Too bad SBD couldn't figure out how to give the Craftsman V series flex head a smaller head with less back drag. Maybe it smooths out with use
Lastly, the Icon ratchet beat Snap on.

 

[Steve_P]

Great test. They all did really well considering the failure torques; it'd be really tough to put that much force on them unless you weighed 300 lbs, or put a pipe on them. It was ironic that the expensive Mac failed at the flex joint and not the anvil, considering it should be a warranty replacement- compared to Snap On who typically ensures an anvil failure in their design. You can tell which company is testing for failures, paying attention, and adjusting the design to ensure the anvil fails first.

While the test was great, I don't understand why wastes time on stuff like weighing ratchets of varying lengths.

 

[BrandonV]

Another good showing for GEARWRENCH.

 

[JeepYJ]

While the test was great, I don't understand why wastes time on stuff like weighing ratchets of varying lengths.

It gives you a comparison between the ratchets. If you’re swinging a ratchet for hours per day a few ounces makes a difference.

 

[Steve_P]

It gives you a comparison between the ratchets. If you’re swinging a ratchet for hours per day a few ounces makes a difference.

If one is 8" OAL and one is 12", then I think we can deduce the 12" is heavier. My point was that weight is irrelevant unless you also compare it for weight vs length. Which he doesn't.

If you're truly concerned about weight, then the shortest ratchet in that size is your choice. And then try to loosen anything with it.

 

[JeepYJ]

If one is 8" OAL and one is 12", then I think we can deduce the 12" is heavier. My point was that weight is irrelevant unless you also compare it for weight vs length. Which he doesn't.

If you're truly concerned about weight, then the shortest ratchet in that size is your choice. And then try to loosen anything with it.

Is the 12” 50% heavier for being 50% longer? Is it only 10% heavier? The data is there for you to interpret as you see fit.

 

[teagueo]

While the test was great, I don't understand why wastes time on stuff like weighing ratchets of varying lengths.

It isn't hard to understand. You can probably think of a few applications where tool weight matters if you try.

 

[Wamsutta]

1. I don't mind the high effort to change the switch direction; that way I don't have to worry about it changing directions on its own.

2. I thought Olsa Tools only made socket holders.

3. I was very surprised by the high quality and high price of the Proto ratchet.

4. What the heck happened to the MAC ?

 

[Mgdoug3]

These tests can be fun to watch but they're really not that helpful. I like my SK LP90s and Snap-on Dual 80s and use them daily. Todd really likes the GW ratchets and they do well in his tests. In my experience, I hate GW ratchets because of the sloppy heads, detents and will occasionally self-reverse.

I would really like to see the same test after the ratchets have been well used and compare the numbers to new. I believe that's a better test for durability. The first Snap-on Dual 80 I bought had a lot of back drag but after about a month of use, it's as light as any ratchet I have used and it's never been rebuilt.

 

[scooby074]

While the test was great, I don't understand why wastes time on stuff like weighing ratchets of varying lengths.

Useless fluff. Like effort to change directions and several other of his metrics.

Im concentrating on ultimate strength and to a lesser extent head dims and handle length.

 

[mark-NJ]

Love his reviews but, man, that dude talks FAST!

 

[Jeff]

Love his reviews but, man, that dude talks FAST!

It's a lot of info condensed down to 15 mins.

 

[bwringer]

Maybe I'm just a bottom feeder or something, but the DeWalt at just $24 honestly really impressed me.

If you ask me, the more force needed to change direction the better. That way maybe the damn thing won't be so likely to flip itself deep down in some darksome hole.

 

[ItsNemo]

Love his reviews but, man, that dude talks FAST!

LoL I watch it at 2x speed...could even go faster sometimes

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Adding the Wera Zyklop was weird but don’t forget he also tested a Snap-on zero degree or whatever ratchet with a ton of standard fixed head ratchets. He kinda likes to throw oddball stuff in every now and then.

I was surprised by the SK/Olsa ratchet. It performed very well in almost all metrics. I hope that it means all the issues in the first runs back during Ideal SK have been fixed and improved upon.

I still favor roto/swivel ratchets way more than flex heads and these tests kinda justified my decisions for my particular circumstances.

The tool truck brands have not fared well in all of his tests to date.

 

[Fedwrench]

1. I don't mind the high effort to change the switch direction; that way I don't have to worry about it changing directions on its own.

2. I thought Olsa Tools only made socket holders. I don't think Olsa Tools even makes their socket holders. They have other peeps make tools for them. Rumor is AJ Manufacturing makes Olsa's US made ratchets.

3. I was very surprised by the high quality and high price of the Proto ratchet. The Proto Precision 90 series ratchets are outstanding!! I even think they got the better shaped handle with the dual bands of knurling over the MAC version. My only beef with Proto is that they keep the list prices of the Precision 90 series ratchets artificially high. There's no way a proto version costs more than the MAC Version.

4. What the heck happened to the MAC ? I blame the push button lock on the handle. The MAC & PROTO ratchets roll out of the same factory in Texas so, one would think they would perform the same.

Maybe I'm just a bottom feeder or something, but the DeWalt at just $24 honestly really impressed me. It's a great ratchet. I think the second generation Dewalt ratchets are true sleepers. They have a great crisp 72 tooth ratcheting action with a comfortable handle and they are bargain priced if you shop around. The ones I have were made in Italy.

If you ask me, the more force needed to change direction the better. That way maybe the damn thing won't be so likely to flip itself deep down in some darksome hole. Yes & No. When I purchased my SK LP90 ratchets, i had issues with the direction switches on several of them. They just would not budge. Cleaning, lubing, sanding, made them tolerable but, you shouldn't have to screw with a new ratchet fresh out of its plastic bag.

 

[Jtels85]

I have that MAC ratchet without the lock. I bought it off the truck not long ago, so it really hasn’t been used much yet. So far, it seems very solid and works like a hot knife through butter. Time will tell I guess..

 

[dmparksa]

Went to lowes over the weekend and thought that the kobalt that he tested looked neat for $35.

Even though it didn't test well by his metrics, I don't foresee ever wanting to put over 100 lb/ft of force on 3/8 ratchet.

It's compact, low backdrag and lightweight. Sounds like a great ratchet for people looking for that in a ratchet.

Dewalt also stood out as a great contender at under $25. I have a few of their 72t ratchets that come in the kits in my car, and they've been pretty good, a bit clunkier and heavier than some other ratchets, but haven't let me down in a pinch. I'd like to get a set of the Dewalt Round head Ratchets that are made in Italy though. Here's a 1/2" that's very affordable at only $18, made in Italy.

Seems like the Olsa ratchets are made by AJ Manufacturing now from what I'm reading on this thread. I thought they were made by SK, but I guess they moved manufacturer due to SK's sale.

Looks like the ratchets are on sale on Olsa's website for around $105.

 

[M635_Guy]

It was a bit of a mixed test - hard to compare when handle lengths were so varied.

Any ratchet that reverses in use is pretty much dead to me - that's why I hate my Sunex ratchets so much.

I kinda wish he'd done a post-break-in set of tests - I run new ratchets at a low speed on my drill in each direction for a minute or so (a trick I picked up here at some point), and it makes a big difference.

I wish he'd had Ko-ken in the mix.

I feel like he kinda de-bunked the value of the 120T mechanism (finished just behind the 90T in the test), but kinda wondering if that's the singular test to show the value.

I've never been impressed by the GW wrenches I've handled - the mechanism seems... cheap and clicky, and didn't seem like it would be low-back-drag. As a ratchet *****, I might have to give a 90T another chance... :/

 

[Pig_Pen]

His scoring doesn't take into account whether there's anything left to rebuild after failure or not. Snap On, Gearwrench, etc. sheared the anvil but the handle and ratchet body remained intact. Icon, Kobalt and Mac all either bent or broke so the entire tool is junk afterwards.

 

[JeepYJ]

Icon, Kobalt and Mac all either bent or broke so the entire tool is junk afterwards.

Who cares if the handle or anvil broke if they have a lifetime replacement warranty? Just take the pieces to HF or Lowes or your truck guy and get a new one.

 

[AEAdam]

Also missing is real world usage. My 3/8” long flex is the first ratchet I grab for most non-interior jobs. Don't really need amazing back drag etc, but a knuckle with no slop, stiff enough to let me on, and high strength.

Reassembling, I almost always use a different ratchet, smaller, lighter, lower back drag if possible, don’t need high torque.

I’d like any of these professional reviewers to, just once, think about our usage and compare tools with how we use them in mind.

The idea that tool manufacturers are contacting this guy to learn how they can improve their tools scares the hell out of me. What’s he gonna tell them? Reverse lever takes too much force to operate?

 

[dnschmidt]

The idea that tool manufacturers are contacting this guy to learn how they can improve their tools scares the hell out of me. What’s he gonna tell them? Reverse lever takes too much force to operate?

I find that weird as well. You would think that all tool manufacturers would themselves test all of their competitors ratchets to see where they stand and not depend on some YouTube guy to provide them with that information.

 

[VolvoRyan]

I have one of those Olsa USA LP90 clones, and love it. Funny, as my non-flex LP90's get almost zero use here.

Yeah.... these tests are odd. New ratchets have a lot of "new" to work out of them before you really get a feel for them.

I was surprised by the Gearwrench 90T. From reading around here, I got the feeling that GearWrench fixed the jiggly-wiggly flex-joint that we all complained about a year or so ago. The tests here confirm it. I wish GW would reimburse me for the early **** ones that I bought.

I love flex heads, but my choice for which flex-heads was shaped by nothing he tested for.

-Ryan

 

[gleman]

I find that weird as well. You would think that all tool manufacturers would themselves test all of their competitors ratchets to see where they stand and not depend on some YouTube guy to provide them with that information.

Hey that's free "real-world" data! Repeat tests in house and the R&D budget saved thousands for cocktail hour!

 

[milky2k]

Craftsman is stronger than Snap on. Oof! How will the Snap On fan boys live this down?

 

[micromind]

He didn't test Wright. I would like to see how a Wright model would hold up.

I heard rumors that Wright was going to manufacture and rebrand certain Craftsman tools, maybe this is one of them.

 

[milky2k]

I wanted to like the Craftsman V Series ratchets however, the sealed head design that can’t be disassembled really puts me off. Also, the two Lowe's stores in my area don't have any V Series tools in stock. Its not just that they are out, I have never seen any on a shelf or display. So, if I need a warranty replacement I can't get it from my Lowes, I would need to deal with Craftsman online and wait maybe a couple of weeks to get a replacement and I don't like that either especially when Harbor Freight for example, has plenty of Icon in stock and I can get a same day replacement from them.

 

[mark-NJ]

Craftsman is stronger than Snap on. Oof! How will the Snap On fan boys live this down?

Maybe I'm in the minority, but 169.5 ft. lbs. (Kobalt) is way more than I, alone, could ever reasonably put on this kind of wrench. I suppose ANY of these would exceed my needs.

Is the purpose of a tool to break it? Does this test really indicate / prove anything at all? I like this guy's reviews, but stuff like this? I don't get it.

 

[boxy30]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but 169.5 ft. lbs. (Kobalt) is way more than I, alone, could ever reasonably put on this kind of wrench. I suppose ANY of these would exceed my needs.

Is the purpose of a tool to break it? Does this test really indicate / prove anything at all? I like this guy's reviews, but stuff like this? I don't get it.

You don't want a 1/4" ratchet that doesn't fail until 500 ftlbs?

I'm with you - beyond a certain point, the difference between failure load of 200 ftlb and 290 ftlb in a real-world application is pretty much irrelevant. That said, failure load is the flashy number that sells. I would say flex-joint slop, swing arc, and backdrag are much more clearcut in terms of the further you go in one direction (less in this case), the better

 

[Farmall450]

While the test was great, I don't understand why wastes time on stuff like weighing ratchets of varying lengths.

He always does a few odd things like this, I suppose it's part of the process.

 

[gleman]

He always does a few odd things like this, I suppose it's part of the process.

I like the tale of the tape and scale for his tests. Probably takes 15 minutes to video those 16 wrenches and someone has to check and see if they're honest.

 

[gleman]

You don't want a 1/4" ratchet that doesn't fail until 500 ftlbs?

I'm with you - beyond a certain point, the difference between failure load of 200 ftlb and 290 ftlb in a real-world application is pretty much irrelevant. That said, failure load is the flashy number that sells. I would say flex-joint slop, swing arc, and backdrag are much more clearcut in terms of the further you go in one direction (less in this case), the better

Testing to failure is kinda irrelevant to most people but it does get the video clicks. I'm guessing plain curiosity because I watch them too.

 

[Farmall450]

I'd like to get a set of the Dewalt Round head Ratchets that are made in Italy though. Here's a 1/2" that's very affordable at only $18, made in Italy.

Facom DeWalt? That's a new one to me.

 

[dnschmidt]

Craftsman is stronger than Snap on. Oof! How will the Snap On fan boys live this down?

Yes, they will have a **** fit but this chart is worthless anyway. Who the hell torques a 3/8" ratchet to over 270 ft-lb? Also the difference between 295.2 and 292.0 is insignificant particularly when only one ratchet from each was tested. I love Project Farm but a lot of his tests are irrelevant in the real world picture.

 

[KnurledNut]

Facom DeWalt? That's a new one to me.

USAG Dewalt

 

[General Geoff]

Who the hell torques a 3/8" ratchet to over 270 ft-lb?

Who needs both hands to yank on a 3/8" long handle ratchet to bust loose a 25 year old crusty suspension bolt that lacks clearance for a 1/2" drive ratchet, and that's lived in the rust belt its entire life? Lotsa people.

 

[JeepYJ]

Testing to failure is kinda irrelevant to most people but it does get the video clicks. I'm guessing plain curiosity because I watch them too.

It’s an interesting number. And to see where it fails. Would it be interesting to know that Brand X fails at 85 ft-lbs while others go to >150? That’s a relevant piece of information.

 

[milky2k]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but 169.5 ft. lbs. (Kobalt) is way more than I, alone, could ever reasonably put on this kind of wrench. I suppose ANY of these would exceed my needs.

Is the purpose of a tool to break it? Does this test really indicate / prove anything at all? I like this guy's reviews, but stuff like this? I don't get it.

You're right, I'm just poking a little fun at the SO fanboys. There is little point to breaking a ratchet and then trying to project that result across that entire product line. However, that seems to be the Youtube trend and I don't quite understand how it became a thing. A handful of youtubers breaking ratchets is statistically insignificant to draw any real conclusion other than that it usually takes a cheater bar and a lot of effort to break a ratchet.
Maybe its a response to the stories I'm sure we've all heard where some guy said how a lesser brand of ratchet could not remove a frozen nut but his trusty USA made SO ratchet with a 4 foot cheater pipe was able to remove the bolt without any damage to the ratchet because 'murrica, therefore all other ratchets are junk. I've always thought those stories were tall tales anyway. The German side of me thinks that if you broke a tool it must be your fault and not the tool's, and I'm not even part German. I never understood using a cheater bar on tools that were never meant to have a cheater bar put on them. Stuck bolt? Use a breaker bar. Still stuck? Go up drive size. That bolt is either going to come loose or you are going to break the bolt head or round it off. If you broke your tool you're doing it wrong!