Why are non-reversible ratcheting wrenches bad?

[reader2580]

I have read quite a few threads here where people say non-reversible ratcheting wrenches are bad, but nobody actually mentions why they are an issue. People were jumping all over S-K for introducing non-reversible ratcheting wrenches. Why are non-reversible ratcheting wrenches so bad?

I am a DIY home mechanic and so far I have not had any issues with my non-reversible ratcheting wrenches from Gearwrench. I don't do major vehicle work as my daily drivers are generally fairly new. I do have a converted bus, but I stay away from major engine work. I have replaced the radiator, the water pump (twice), and fixed a number of oil leaks including pulling the oil cooler apart to fix leaks.

 

[harvey29]

Not sure what would be bad about them I've got SAE and metric snap on and gearwrench both and they get used daily in a professional shop.

 

[GTA Matt]

Two reasons I don't like them. A: if you are not paying attention, it is relatively easy to back yourself into a corner in a tight clearance situation with the fastener and the wrench will be essentially "stuck". B: Sometimes aged or rusty fasteners can get wedged or stuck on the end of the wrench and the easiest way to free them up is to reverse just a hair. These two reasons keep me from purchasing non reversible ratcheting wrenches if there is a reversible option available.

 

[n8n]

the real issue with non reversible is in the situation where you're removing a bolt that backs up against something, you might work yourself into a situation where you've backed something out and can't get the wrench off nor tighten it back down without reversing it. Probably would only be a real scary issue with a flanged head bolt, but it can happen.

 

[redwrench60]

You have to be carefull with them as you can ratchet a bolt or nut out into an obstruction and trap the wrench with no easy way to turn it back in. That and the head isn't offset seem to be the top complaints.

 

[NoahG]

One way wrenches don't have any offset.

 

[Finky198]

People freak out thinking there going to get it into a space were it's stuck If you know what you doing it won't be an issues

I prefer the reversible type gear wrench makes a decent
I have the blue points made in Taiwan nice serviceable in flex stubby

The flex is a nice feature with the ratchet it give you that extra off set

 

[toddacimer]

I just don't like that they are flat and more prone to helping me skin my knuckles

 

[fleetcomm]

The only problem I have has already been posted in that be careful not to run a fastner out in a confined area but, I have several sets of the flat non reverseable wrenches and in some areas they work better than the angled ones.

 

[harvey29]

I prefer the flat ones, guess I'm different

 

[Strouty]

They are usually stronger, but as others said don't get trapped, it can be a pain. Usually it will happen before you realize it, then you have a project. I love the flex end ones.

One thing I have found is that almost all my ratcheting wrenches have ****** loose open ends. I have actually toyed with the idea of cutting some off.

 

[jim1987]

Because one day you'll be tightening down a spring compressor on your jeep with on and realize you compressed the spring down to where you can get the wrench back off. Lol. Luckily the but was twice as thick as the wrench and I could put another (reversing) ratchet wrench on it. Lol. I was lucky. Could have been much worse.

 

[jim1987]

They are usually stronger, but as others said don't get trapped, it can be a pain. Usually it will happen before you realize it, then you have a project. I love the flex end ones.

One thing I have found is that almost all my ratcheting wrenches have ****** loose open ends. I have actually toyed with the idea of cutting some off.

I keep toying with the idea of buying the flex rachet wremchs when the gw goes on sale (every month or so.) And cutting them in half for stubby flex ratchet Wrench's.

 

[devoncoolman]

All my ratchet wrenches are non reversable. Doesn't bother me.

 

[ajchien]

People freak out thinking there going to get it into a space were it's stuck If you know what you doing it won't be an issues

Yeah, when you don't know enough about what you're doing, you can "freak" out.

Last week, I swapped out a knock sensor on a Honda element. First time doing it. I had no idea how much clearance i was dealing with.

The only 27mm tools I have are 1/2" drive sockets, and none of my ratchet/socket combos would fit in the space ... So things were going to be tight.

I wound up using a socket+socket cap+ratcheting wrench. After getting things loose and ratcheting back and forth a few times, I stopped and said to myself .... What if I get stuck? Barely pulled off the wrench and spun the rest off by hand, so I was near that point of no return. Would I have actually gotten stuck? I have no idea. Probably not. But I didn't want to find out. Guess if I did get stuck it wouldn't have been the end of the world, but I would have needed to move other things out of the way (radiator fans etc) to finish.

 

[amolaver]

Backing a fastener out into an obstruction is certainly possible (locking the wrench into place), I can think of only one occasion where it actually happened to me...and with some finger twiddling, was able to get the bolt turned back in to free the wrench. Thousands of fasteners, one instance of that problem. I'll take those odds. The simplification of the ratcheting mechanism 'should' make it more reliable.

As far as offset..true, all (afaik) non-reversing ratchet wrenches are zero degree. Which I happen to greatly prefer. The offset angle causes the force you apply to not be in the same plane as the fasteners..leading to rounding and busted knuckles. You can't use them everywhere, but I use them probably 95% of the time. Also...just buy flex heads. Any offset angle you want, any time you want it.

ahm

 

[dnschmidt]

To me it's the lack of offset. That's the killer with respect to the non-reversible. I have TOPTUL, Gearwrench and Carlyle reversible wrench sets and got rid of all of my non-reversible. I do have flex heads as well as they don't have the zero offset problem.

 

[Fedwrench]

They aren't bad, you just have to smarter than your tools.

Like all other tools, it's a matter of personal preference.

The new SK X frames are a completely different argument. People wanted everything but what SK is initially delivering and the X frame design is quite a bit different from the wrenches available today.

A wrench's perfection is determined more by the individual wielding it, than by who made it or where it was made.

 

[jcfields]

.

 

[Nanashi]

I have used the gear wrench flex head none reversible for years and very hard. I prefer none reversible because they are thinner and stronger.

I have gotten a wrench stuck once or twice but had no issues getting it unstuck in a minute. I really like the gearwrench flex head ratchets and I turn wrenches for a living. The open end is useless but I mostly own snap on wrenches so it doesnt matter.

 

[Larson666]

I use gearwrench and craftsman ratcheting wrenches all the time almost every day at work and home both sets are NON reversible sets and both have never gave me a issue other than being awesome !!! guess what you can jam a normal box end non ratcheting wrench also so if your thinking of buying a set like the $50 20pc gearwrench combo buy it. I will say I like the gearwrench set more than my craftsman set as the gearwrench set is a little slimmer and not as thick. why pay the extra for the reversible ones when the reg ones work just fine, IMO!!! now if your making your living from turning a wrench everyday then buy the reversible set and enjoy. Oh DO not use a cheater bar on them lol just like any ratcheting drive they have a issue with busting with to much force

 

[Ign]

That's what I always thought. Who gets a wrench stuck? Then I got a wrench stuck on a flange bolt. Whoops.

Me too. And as others have stated, it's not an incredibly likely scenario. In my case, it was a very stubborn nut, I absolutely could not spin it back in by hand. It was a thick flange nut and it looked like there was room for it to come off at the end of the threads, but nope. You would have had to use calipers to figure out that it wasn't going to make it.

But it's all about your frame of mind and how you approach life and tools: are you willing to say that for one in a thousand times you're ok with the hassle, or if you're like me you feel you want to eliminate that possibility altogether.

Neither approach is wrong for you, but I know which approach is wrong for me.

I've abused my SK reversibles more than I should and they've been flawless, so while a reversing mechanism theoretically might be weaker that may not prove true in reality.

 

[Strouty]

That's what I always thought. Who gets a wrench stuck? Then I got a wrench stuck on a flange bolt. Whoops.

Flange bolts every time, usually they are stover lock nut style or just rusty and dry, so you can't just run it back the other way with your fingers. It only happens to me when I think about it, when I don't pay any attention it never happens.

 

[Ohmthis]

Ive been using them 60 hours a week for years. Once they break loose I pull the bolt or nut off by hand. If it still is tight................I use the open end!!!

 

[jim1987]

guess what you can jam a normal box end non ratcheting wrench also

I'd like to know how you jam a fixed end wrench

 

[jim1987]

I prefer none reversible because they are thinner and stronger.

Umm.. No. My duralast are about equal thickness as my flex gearwrench. Both have been just as reliable.

 

[unslow1]

I'd like to know how you jam a fixed end wrench

I've done it many times. Install enough engines, transmissions, headers and starters and it becomes common. Personally I prefer non-reversible ratcheting wrenches. I have both but use the non-reversibles. Sometimes the selector will get flipped like it sometimes will on a ratchet.

 

[jim1987]

I've done it many times. Install enough engines, transmissions, headers and starters and it becomes common. Personally I prefer non-reversible ratcheting wrenches. I have both but use the non-reversibles. Sometimes the selector will get flipped like it sometimes will on a ratchet.

It is physically impossible to jam a fixed end wrench. How ever it went on for you to get to the range of motion to get it to be stuck against something, you can move it back to that position as which you put it on. We are talking a standard boxed end wrench here right? Like a standard rp wrench? Am I missing something?

 

[unslow1]

Yes, usually it is a Craftsman raised panel. Not only is it possible it's common. Haven't you ever gotten one in a spot you had to pry it off? I do it all the time on headers. That's one of the reasons I try to use open end if possible. Usually a ratchet wrench won't fit anyway.

 

[jim1987]

Yes, usually it is a Craftsman raised panel. Not only is it possible it's common. Haven't you ever gotten one in a spot you had to pry it off? I do it all the time on headers. That's one of the reasons I try to use open end if possible. Usually a ratchet wrench won't fit anyway.

Uh.. No. I just swing it back to the spot where I put it on in the first place?

 

[unslow1]

Ask the other guys on here. It's not uncommon. I bet I do it at least once on the average engine swap. Things move around. There are very tight spots. It's not as simple as just backing up a wrench.

 

[2oolhound]

Closest I've come to jamming a fixed wrench is on the double length cylinder base nuts on a m/c. To install the nuts you need a 1/2 spacer on the engine cases to hold the cylinder block up enough so you can just get the nuts on the studs poking through the base flange and under the cooling fins. Then pull the spacers out and tighten the nuts down as the cylinder block will ride down on the last nuts.

Taking it off it's real tempting to use a ring spanner as you can turn it 50 - 60' or more because of the clearance of the thin ring. The open end will only turn it 25' or so before the lobster claw effect hits the casting. Eventually with the ring spanner you realize there is enough room below the nut to drop the wrench down off the bottom instead of taking it off the top to re-grab. You make such good time doing this that before you know it there is no room above the nut to remove the wrench.

Nothing is really stuck as you simply have to turn the nut back on till you have enough room but you sure feel pretty stupid turning the nuts back on after you've made such good time.

 

[unslow1]

Split flange large header tubes can be a real pain. Especially if they are all separate tubes with bolt in to collector. Some designs use through bolts that you need to use two combination wrenches. One on the nut a one the bolt while trying to keep 4 tubes from moving.

 

[stikman56]

the real issue with non reversible is in the situation where you're removing a bolt that backs up against something, you might work yourself into a situation where you've backed something out and can't get the wrench off nor tighten it back down without reversing it. Probably would only be a real scary issue with a flanged head bolt, but it can happen.

I've done just that with mine. Only once.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Two reasons I don't like them. A: if you are not paying attention, it is relatively easy to back yourself into a corner in a tight clearance situation with the fastener and the wrench will be essentially "stuck". B: Sometimes aged or rusty fasteners can get wedged or stuck on the end of the wrench and the easiest way to free them up is to reverse just a hair. These two reasons keep me from purchasing non reversible ratcheting wrenches if there is a reversible option available.

That's the one. Not a wrench guy but damn I own a ton of stuff including one ways. The best one ways are plate wrenches because you can hammer them...don't tell craftsman or cornwell; otherwise the low tooth count is gnarly.

The combo one ways are generally cheap which is an advantage if you can't afford a nice set of 2 ways. No big deal they essentially do the same thing.

 

[uart]

Ive been using them 60 hours a week for years. Once they break loose I pull the bolt or nut off by hand. If it still is tight................I use the open end!!!

Which basically defeats almost all of the advantage of having the ratcheting feature in the first place.

I mean come on, isn't that what the ratchet is there for? To help you quickly back out fasteners that are more than finger tight without constantly having to remove and reposition the wrench.

 

[JDon99]

I myself don't see them as bad, just not a desirable as the reversible. I have ran into some stances were the straight wrench worked better than an offset reversible, but 98% of the time, the reversible would have worked as good or better than the straight, non reversible.

 

[sk farmer]

i am sure some of these guys that are bitching about the 0 degree offset on ratcheting wrenches are the same ones that lust after the long double box ends with 0 degree offset. every wrench has it's place and that is why there are so many options. some work better in some situations and make your life easier. i like to have more than one option so i can pick the right wrench for the right job.

 

[john.small.549]

I just don't like that they are flat and more prone to helping me skin my knuckles

This is the biggest reason for me


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[mrjaw14]

Right now at NAPA the gearwrench pass-through sets are on sale for about $38. I got the 1/4 and 3/8 sets yesterday after getting in a situation where I got a non-reversible gearwrench in a position where I couldn't get the wrench off after backing a bolt off too far. I just pushed the wrench on the threads and used an open end to run the bolt in a bit so I could get the gearwrench off. The pass-through socket sets seem to be a cost effective way to get reversible low-profile sockets where a normal socket set can't get, but still be able to take a decent amount of torque.