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1/4 Drive Service Set advise

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wafrederick

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Jul 3, 2010
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Holton,Mi
I have a Cornwell set at work,paid about $250.00 for it when I had a Cornwell dealer come around.Has metric and standard sockets including a ratchet and two extensions(2" and 4").Knock on wood,I have broken one socket and wore out one socket so far.
 
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shockwave

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Oct 23, 2012
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Marietta,ga
My personal favorite set that I keep on me as it will cover most on what I work on around 300 eBay all the time
109579ba.jpg
 
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ChevyEFI

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Sep 2, 2012
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Phoenix, AZ
My SK 91844 set has served me well. I have a couple wobbles, a knurled spinner extension and a couple roto-head ratchets to round it out.

Givl Reggin said:
If you have access to Snap-On and don't mind the price, why would you not go with Snap-On?
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What benefits does the Snap-On set have over the others he's shopping?
 
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WWIIjeep

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May 30, 2012
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Arizona
ChevyEFI said:
What benefits does the Snap-On set have over the others he's shopping?
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Personal delivery and bragging rights when you step away from the truck with the set in your hand. :lol_hitti

Seriously though, I'd give the Snap-On ratchet a nod over the SK ratchet.

Even though SK has never been my top brand choice, after looking at the current prices for 1/4" drive master sets in my two usual favorite brands--Snap-On ($600+) and Proto ($380)--I'd buy the SK now too, and just add a Proto or Snap-On ratchet.
 
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cundifc

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Jan 29, 2011
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879
I think I'm going to go with the sk and just add a snap on ratchet. I don't use 1/4 all that often and would rather spend the difference from the sk set and th snap on set on some 3/8 or 1/2 inch snap on stuff.
 
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cundifc

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Jan 29, 2011
Messages
879
I think I'm going to go with the sk and just add a snap on ratchet. I don't use 1/4 all that often and would rather spend the difference from the sk set and th snap on set on some 3/8 or 1/2 inch snap on stuff.
 
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DetroitDIESEL444

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Jan 30, 2009
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276
I have the sk 47 piece or whatever and the snap on. I keep the SK at work, and the snap on at home becuase i dont like the case for the snap on, and the sk holds up to 15 mm and the snap on holds only to 14. If i had to do again i would have just bought the sk sets. they are the best in my opinion.
 
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sk farmer

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nd
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Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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Boston
nothing wrong with SK ratchets, just a tad fat so they don't work in the tightest places.
 
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03protege

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Sep 13, 2012
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Louisiana
sk farmer said:
that is a good deal also. there is really nothing wrong with that sk ratchet and i am not sure why people are ranting about it. sure there are some ratchets with different profiles, styles and features but it's not like it's a low budget cman ratchet or the like.
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Isn't it a round head? I know many on here do not care for them, myself included.
 
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litljay

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Jun 26, 2009
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Fresno, CA
I have the SK set and did exactly what you are thinking of doing.

My only complaint with the ratchet is the selector is a pain to change. Not that big of a deal really, but just my personal preference.
 
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sk farmer

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03protege said:
Isn't it a round head? I know many on here do not care for them, myself included.
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i just counted out 60 to be sure.. the 40970 is probably one of the most reliable and longest lived ratchets of any design. it is smaller and less bulky than man others . one can argue that it may take 2 hands but i don't know why it should. i just held mine in my hand and clicked it back and forth with my thumb at least 10 times in just a few seconds.:dunno:

i have several brands in both pear and round head. one of my pet peeves is bumping the direction lever on a pear head when working in a confined area and having to pull it out to change it. i recently did a writeup with pictures at the gazzette showing size, length and tooth count of about 10 ratchets including proto, sk, williams,wright and armstrong. it definately is not at the bottom of the list. the sk is another tool in the arsenal and i would not sell it too short.
 
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Conductor562

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I don't understand all the hating on SK ratchets. They aren't top of the line and they don't have 100 teeth like some of todays ratchets, but they are excellent quality ratchets, especially for the price. Don't understand why anyone would immediately replace it :dunno:
 
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greasegorilla

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Nov 2, 2012
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sk farmer said:
i have several brands in both pear and round head. one of my pet peeves is bumping the direction lever on a pear head when working in a confined area and having to pull it out to change it. i recently did a writeup with pictures at the gazzette showing size, length and tooth count of about 10 ratchets including proto, sk, williams,wright and armstrong. it definately is not at the bottom of the list. the sk is another tool in the arsenal and i would not sell it too short.
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Mind posting a like to that writeup? I'd like to read that.
 
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sberry

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Jun 18, 2005
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Brethren, Michigan
I have a couple SK small ratchets, they are great. I have had each remaned at least once but the real high stress work has gone down in a lot of cases as we have accumulated more power drive tools, about 90% of the time I use 1/4 is air or hand nut driver or common combo wrench. Last oil pan bolt removal was battery drill r&r anything bigger go to 3/8 if convenient.

Back when I was a kid had to do it with the smallest tool I could, today willing to fit something up a class to make it easy.

My helper the other day, fight with a tight bolt for 10 minutes with a 3/8 ratchet, change one ratchet and a socket which was 3 ft away and take 15 seconds to do the job while making it easy and leaving clearance not to bruise knuckles when all hell breaks loose.

Seen a guy crank bolt out by hand for 10 minutes, got 7 of them to do instead of finding right rigging and fitting air gun in, rap slowly out with no manual effort.
 
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crewchief888

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Dec 3, 2009
Messages
13,751
Location
NW indiana
i have a sk 1/4" dr set shallow/deep std & metric in the blow molded case.

found in a vehicle that i was parting out & scrapping
complete with a broken ratchet :sad:

good thing is that it matches all the rest of my broken SK 1/4" dr ratchets :thumbup:

i have really bad luck with SK 1/4" dr ratchets.



:beer:
 
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sberry

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Thats neat isnt it. Only complaint in the small ratchet dept I have had is Sears and a Napa which seems to be a highly polished pc the same as a Sears and I had it replaced, still nothing to write home about and used as a last resort in a distant 3rd to something Tiawan I scored off the parts counter when I was desparate. I bought the Napa when I needed by pointing to it on the wall and saying gimme and regreted it right off the bat. Its that same crappy sears mechanism or wtf it is in their 3/8 but its pitiful when China can make one good for half price?

Never had a better ratchet than this. Thought I might be over paying when I bought it 20 yrs ago, maybe 18$, grip just came off recently, 20 yrs in a tool pool, done the work of half a dozen sears etc, even the SK's, still only half worn out, never tighten a screw or grease it. Thousands of cycles.
 

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bart1

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Dec 14, 2010
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Alabama the Beautiful
shockwave said:
My personal favorite set that I keep on me as it will cover most on what I work on around 300 eBay all the time
109579ba.jpg
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I have the Hazet smart case and like it, although I think the regular cases like that are more secure and maybe sturdier. Think my set was $150 or $165 at th time.
 
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WWIIjeep

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Arizona
Conductor562 said:
I don't understand all the hating on SK ratchets. They aren't top of the line and they don't have 100 teeth like some of todays ratchets, but they are excellent quality ratchets, especially for the price. Don't understand why anyone would immediately replace it :dunno:
Click to expand...

You've got a Proto pear head for an avatar, so I'm just guessing SK ratchets might not be your favorite either. :)

Most of us have likes and dislikes for one reason or another. My opinion of SK round heads is the same as these:

Skin said:
nothing wrong with SK ratchets, just a tad fat so they don't work in the tightest places.
Click to expand...

litljay said:
My only complaint with the ratchet is the selector is a pain to change. Not that big of a deal really, but just my personal preference.
Click to expand...

A visual comparison, using 4 of my 1/4" drive ratchets, including, from top to bottom, SK 40970, '60s-vintage Thorsen 77M, Proto 4749, 1939-vintage Plomb 4749:

MVC-020F-12_zpsfdcf289f.jpg


The SK is the fattest, or thickest, of them all, by .200 inches over the Proto, and .240 inch (almost a full 1/4") over the old Plomb.
 
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sberry

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Those are nice. I happened to look at the Evolves at Kmart the other day, the ratchet is different than the Sears junk, felt like a ral ratchet should. 15$ for a 22 pc set. Felt like taking one home for the sport of it, wouldnt give it a seconds remorse over using it.
 
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greasegorilla

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Nov 2, 2012
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86
bofe954 said:
I've been eyeing this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NIAIE2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

has the 120XP ratchet. 75 bones...
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FYI, that set you linked to does not have the 120xp ratchet. You are correct in that 80300P is the part number for the 1/4 set with the 120XP ratchet. However, if you look closely, it is listed as the 80300, without the P on the end, and will come with a 60 tooth ratchet. The new 120xp kits also have yellow snaps on the case (at least from the pictures Ive seen)

Gearwrench is also a good brand to consider, however for the small difference in price I would lean toward the SK set.
 
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Conductor562

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West "By God" Virginia
WWIIjeep said:
You've got a Proto pear head for an avatar, so I'm just guessing SK ratchets might not be your favorite either. :)

Most of us have likes and dislikes for one reason or another. My opinion of SK round heads is the same as these:





A visual comparison, using 4 of my 1/4" drive ratchets, including, from top to bottom, SK 40970, '60s-vintage Thorsen 77M, Proto 4749, 1939-vintage Plomb 4749:

MVC-020F-12_zpsfdcf289f.jpg


The SK is the fattest, or thickest, of them all, by .200 inches over the Proto, and .240 inch (almost a full 1/4") over the old Plomb.
Click to expand...

Definitely not my favorite, but a nice ratchet for the money. I am partial to those pear heads though.
 
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