Anyone got a 1/4" Ratchet that LASTS ?
- Thread starter Chris_R/T
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I believe they were made by SK, They still have a following and can be found on Ebay occasionally.
Griff93
Well-known member
The above mentioned ratchets were all killed in places a 3/8 wouldn't reach usually due to head size. I also have a list of broken 3/8 ratchets including breaking a SO FLX936 body in half at the yokes. I'm not a huge guy either. I'm around 200 lbs. I'm just apparently rough on stuff.
Guess So... Sometimes you just have to chalk it up to the Cost of doing business. May i ask what profession you are in, and on what equipment you keep slaying 1/4 Drive Ratchets?
Griff93
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BMW repair.
Ic.. thanks.
Griff93
Well-known member
Welcome. The cars just don't have much room in them. I've got about a full set of torx bits that I cut down shorter to fit in my bit ratchet because there's so many tight spots.
I'm not a fan of the Snap on T72 series. I broke a selector switch by just changing direction, I feel the ratcheting action binds, and the head is bulky but, that's just me. The Snap on dual 80 is great in 3/8 drive but, there's room for improvement in their 1/4 drive.
There are many great 1/4 drive ratchets. the Craftsman round head fine tooth quick release model is tough. The SKs are also good. Proto has a fairly new 45 tooth model that is very stout. I prefer the Danaher made 60 tooth Matco, Gearwrench, or Armstrong versions. You can't beat the thin head and fine ratcheting action. Any of these will serve you well.
Fedwrench is RIGHT ON , as is usually the case. I completely agree from the snap on Dual 80 1/4" drive comments, the Cman RHFT / SK and the Danaher series.
Question though, Fed - I noticed you specifically mention 60 tooth and not the newer Matco 88 tooth - is that only because you grouped the Danaher together or do you really prefer the 60 tooth action over the 88 tooth action?
sarel.wagner
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Time to start looking at Hazet, Gedore and Stahlwille, they make the proper BMW tools.
Rgrds
Rgrds
mrholeshot
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Not very thin but this thing(SK) is tough
jethro29
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i have three from s.o.,short,long and flex and i got them at the same time 6 years ago and use atleast 1 of them everyday and i'm not easy on any of my tools and haven't had any trouble.
mspecperformance
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I own a indy BMW shop and I've only broken a craftsman once or twice, my matco 36er once, a gearwrench 1/2 and maybe a torx and hex bolt once or twice.
BMWs are fairly easy to work on and taking bolts on and off aren't really an issue for us anyway.
BMWs are fairly easy to work on and taking bolts on and off aren't really an issue for us anyway.
hammergodthor
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My vote is for Cornwell. Its a super strong design, and I don't immediately recall anybody on here having a problem with one. Cheap too, especially on Ebay. 
plinker
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+1 on the S-K 40970
wreckercologist
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My vote is for Cornwell. Its a super strong design, and I don't immediately recall anybody on here having a problem with one. Cheap too, especially on Ebay.
I traded in my 8" Cornwell a while back. I sheared the square drive off twice. The last time beating up my hand.
mrholeshot
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I despise Cornwell tools and the truck they ride in on.
Ah ****.. I just picked up a Long Handled one off ebay a couple days ago. I only gave $27 bucks so we will see.
Lemme say, Ive had good luck with there wrenches over the years, Most picked up second hand.
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wreckercologist
Well-known member
Yeah, that's the same one I had, orange handle and all. I thought it would kickass having a 1/4" drive that long but all that ever happened was breakage. That's purely my experience with that tool. I wouldn't say it was junk.........nice chrome, nice handle, worked quite well. Maybe I pushed it too far.
Also, I'm not trying to rain on hammergodthor's parade. If you have good luck with it, you have good luck with it.
hammergodthor
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Ouch! I've never heard of that, but I probably live in a small cave...
Snap-On rates their 1/4" (Dual 80) ratchets at 90ft/lbs; think you were close to that??
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=hand&item_ID=83033&group_ID=21944&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
Packard V8
Well-known member
Ratchets break? I've only been working on stuff for fifty years now, but I've never broken a ratchet. I suppose if one is a flat-rate tech, using a ratchet on hard-to-move fasteners instead of starting them with a breaker bar or T-handle makes some dollars-sense. It's just me, but I feel the ratchet is taking too much strain, I go larger, longer or fixed head.
I've got three Snap-on 71-series 1/4" ratchets in my garage big box and a couple of Craftsman in my basement box. They are all more than thirty years old and have turned many a fastener. Your results may vary.
jack vines
I've got three Snap-on 71-series 1/4" ratchets in my garage big box and a couple of Craftsman in my basement box. They are all more than thirty years old and have turned many a fastener. Your results may vary.
jack vines
Charles (in GA)
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I had a Craftsman RHFT that I brought to my present job 21 years ago. I use this ratchet daily as 1/4 drive is what an aircraft mechanic uses the most, and about six or seven years ago, the ratchet began to slip and I set it aside and bought an Allen branded RHFT that is the same ratchet, different handle. I used it for about five years and it began to slip and I put a kit in it, but the wear is in the handle teeth, so I took the kit back out and installed it in my original CM ratchet and started using it again. It works fine. This ratchet has literally millions of turns on it, with one kit, and still going strong.
Charles
Charles
wreckercologist
Well-known member
Ouch! I've never heard of that, but I probably live in a small cave...
Snap-On rates their 1/4" (Dual 80) ratchets at 90ft/lbs; think you were close to that??
Hmmm. Difficult to say. I can tell you doing the same particular job, I managed to kill the guts in a Williams 1/4" flex ratchet (the Snap-on style) several times, broke a 6" Snap-on extension as well as a 9/16" Snap-on 1/4" drive universal socket (split the drive end, not the u-joint portion).
Truth be told, I should have been using 3/8" drive stuff but at the time, I didn't have anything that would fit. I do now.
In my case, this was a new job that showed up so I had to start from scratch and figure it out. After doing over two dozen like it, I've tried different combinations of tools looking to find easier and/or faster ways to get it done and have finally settled.........for the most part.........always looking for more speed..........help.
e-tek
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Garage_Mahal
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Griff, you need a Facom 1/4" drive. About 1.5 inch shorter handle than a typical 1/4" ratchet. Less torque=less breakage.
Griff93
Well-known member
Yes I know lefty loosey...she owes me money.
I've broken the T936 short handled snap on ratchet. I don't think I could realistically use one much shorter than that. Like I said, I'm just rough on stuff. I picked up a snap on long 90 degree pick on the truck a couple of months ago to look at it as I keep breaking my Mac picks regularly by pulling off plastic tabs on CCV lines. While I was looking at I put the 90 on a finger on my left hand and was trying to see how flexy it was when I snapped it in half. I didn't put much force on it. It just broke right at the knurl.
I've broken the T936 short handled snap on ratchet. I don't think I could realistically use one much shorter than that. Like I said, I'm just rough on stuff. I picked up a snap on long 90 degree pick on the truck a couple of months ago to look at it as I keep breaking my Mac picks regularly by pulling off plastic tabs on CCV lines. While I was looking at I put the 90 on a finger on my left hand and was trying to see how flexy it was when I snapped it in half. I didn't put much force on it. It just broke right at the knurl.
Packard V8
Well-known member
Just looked at your location - Huntsville, Alabama. That explains everything.
FWIW, I was born and reared in Alabama. We can break any arn ball with a rubber hammer if we're in the mood.
For better or worse, I left there and learned among other things how to self-regulate torque. I go back a couple of times a year for my catfish and BBQ regeneration treatments. I've been all over the world and nobody does BBQ better than Alabama.
jack vines
cruiser808
Well-known member
If you can find one, because they aren't made anymore, the Bonney V-702K 1/4" round head ratchet is almost indestructable. I have launched on it with no mercy with items that should be reserved for 3/8" only and came out a winner. Try removing a rusted old bumper off a 89' Buick Estate Wagon and you'll see what I mean.