Best ratcheting wrenches?
- Thread starter redbarron57
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the1nonlyjl
Banned
Wera 05020013001 Joker Combination Wrench-Set, 11 Pieces
U happy with it?
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anndel
Well-known member
Snap On also makes 1/2,3/8,1/4 and 1/4 hex drive inserts for their ratcheting wrenches that allow for sockets and bits to be driven. Makes for an excellent low profile ratchet!
These are available in both metric or fractional, depending on what you have.
Thanks very much, I have the metric set so I just ordered the metrics 1/4-in to 1/2-in. Thanks very much for the tip.
I think a set of those 'Jokers' is the tool/set that I'd like most, but really don't need.. Along with my general Wera/PB SWISS 'anything they make' needs lol.
Wera 05020013001 Joker Combination Wrench-Set, 11 Pieces
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I still have my Dad's CM ratcheting wrenches from the 1960's (the 1/4-5/16 is probably somewhere in the woods behind the house, left there by me or my brothers). I also have a newer CM set as well. They just sit in the tool box, I prefer to use a ratchet/socket. I bought a GW flex head set a few years back when they were on sale and never warmed up to them. The flex head on some is floppy, on others nearly immovable. They serve more as the wrench of last resort in tight places.
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Corndoggeh
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- Apr 2, 2016
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As soon as I get the chance I'm going to get my hands on these Tekton double box flex head wrenches.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512CB8/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512F4M/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512CB8/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F512F4M/?tag=atomicindus08-20
lazer50
Well-known member
Depending on where your located your options may differ i didnt see a location. I worked as an heavy equipment mechanic early 2000s truck cranes loaders etc.then hired as a industrial technician i started using ratcheting wrenches around 02 bought a set of sae and metric non reverse gear wrench.used them everyday on everything i could breaking loose bolts you name it as time went i bought blue point reversing more g w every style that came out i bought some snap on matco extra long i bought a lot of styles brands and used daily and a lot of harsh applications.im not current on new as far the last year or so but all the wrenches ive used none have broke failed locked up or anything.so you could spend x amount of dollars and buy every gear wrench available and get good tools or start buying others i mentioned that will cost more and build your collection.the snap on i have are great but expensive and so on but again none have failed me and i put them all to the test. Now other fellas may have used other brands and had good results too but im pretty sure that overall g w are dependable and a great value.
amorrow
Well-known member
Wow, I wish I would've known about those Snap-On wrench adapters sooner.
Farmall450
Well-known member
Gearwrench.
TheGrooveking
Well-known member
The nicest I think I ever used was S-K. We have a lot of Gearwrench at work and they don't hold up very well. I've lost track of how many I've had to warranty. We have a set of Bluepoint that's been there for years that's been great. And We have some Ultra Pro which are just blue point clones (although some of the latest replacements appear to be Gearwrench)
Does anyone have a picture of the full set, prices or pn? Or are they not out yet?
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Those are nice but seem really expensive for being from the Tekton brand...
hautpot are those snap-on yours? more links to discussions?
I'm curious what exactly the screw plates open. its not clear what is servicable...
BioNerd
Well-known member
SK xframe
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Strouty
Well-known member
Man, those wrenches are really fugly.
BioNerd
Well-known member
Maybe, but they are the best IMO. Best open end and finest/strongest ratcheting mechanism.
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AndySchlagzeuger
Active member
I purchased this set of ratchet spanners about 18 years ago, in metric 8,10,12,13,14,17 and 19. Made by and labelled as Gearwrench but also labelled on the other side, and sold as "Kincrome" (in Australia) with a lifetime warranty. Over that time, used daily professionally, several have failed and been replaced, usually because I have lent them to people in the workshop who have used them to break bolts with, despite me warning them not to.
I use them as speed and access tool. I never use ratchets as breaker bars nor would I use these or any brand to break bolts with, sooner or later they'll break. Just my take on it. But when used within their capablities and purpose they save alot of time/hassle and have proven fairly durable.
The open end on the GearWrench spanners is virtually useless by the way IMO; flexes very easily. It's almost just there for decoration.
I haven't really used any other brands, but I would try something like Stahlwille or Snap On if I had to buy another set because I know their open ends are much much better and I would expect the ratcheting components would be tougher too.
jallyn
Well-known member
I've posted this picture before, but since this thread came back around I figured I'd post it here too just as a comparison of a few of the cheaper brands. I'm not a mechanic so I don't have any professional brands of wrenches..
These are all the same size wrench. I think I paid $8 for the husky spline set on clearance and just bought em for the hell of it a few years ago. (I don't think I've ever even used them). The Channellock's are identical to the HF sets.. The dewalts offer a great deal for the money if you can find them on sale. I paid $39 for the metric and sae sets. Not the best out there I'm sure, but a lot for the price, esp since they are reversible AND a thin head..
+1 Exactly. When you compare a hand-full of mid-level brands the DeWalt comes out the best in terms of accessibility in tight spots due to the thin wall around the ratcheting end. Get them on sale or a good eBay price and they are one of the best values for a decent ratcheting wrench set.
To my knowledge DeWalt offers only reversible, not zero-offset, flex-head, stubby, or any of the other varieties of ratcheting wrenches. For me this is not an issue as the reversible ratcheting wrench is my favorite.
I do like the look of the flex-head 6pt ratcheting wrenches from say Tekton, though. If the price came down a bit I might have to get a set of those as well.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Lang made the laminated style ratcheting wrench for snapon, Armstrong, and many others. They are good and have there place. If you like that style of wrench have at it. I have a few small ones and find I like them much better than the combo wrench style wrenches for small 1/4,5/16,and 3/8 size tek screws and those god forsaken gm battery terminals. 7/16 and above I have not used in 15 years. I have some armstrongs and find them good but still find the soexr and soexrm snapon to be the best. Now if they were not so much money! on the industrial machinery I work on the long handles and good offset are a god send. Flat wrenches limit you as they can't swing over the top of the adjacent fastener or stud.
I only have up to 3/4" though as the get bigger they get to bulky in any brand. From there the double deep offset box ends get their fair share of use.
I only have up to 3/4" though as the get bigger they get to bulky in any brand. From there the double deep offset box ends get their fair share of use.
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Strouty
Well-known member
Once they make them reversible and with an offset, oh and take out that silly open area that makes the wrench twice as wide as it should be, then I will agree.
Jeff
Well-known member
Here are some pics and the part number for the new dual 80 snap on ratcheting wrenches. I snagged these pics off Instagram and thought I would share for anyone interested. I can't wait to get my hands on these! PN=SOXRRM710
<a href="http://s847.photobucket.com/user/mopedracer112/media/8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab38/mopedracer112/8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo 8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg"/></a>
This is a size comparison: gearwrench left, new dual 80 center and flank drive on the right.
<a href="http://s847.photobucket.com/user/mopedracer112/media/6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab38/mopedracer112/6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo 6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg"/></a>
<a href="http://s847.photobucket.com/user/mopedracer112/media/8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab38/mopedracer112/8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo 8E6AF5D8-3823-4571-A4A5-916BB62E99F9_zpsebszyvax.jpeg"/></a>
This is a size comparison: gearwrench left, new dual 80 center and flank drive on the right.
<a href="http://s847.photobucket.com/user/mopedracer112/media/6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab38/mopedracer112/6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo 6EE2E859-B9EC-4C0A-BC3D-48DE2B9CD2B6_zpsv1ola6pb.jpeg"/></a>
jallyn
Well-known member
DeliveryGuy
Well-known member
Are they only in available in Metric? I just bought the old style set of SAE reversible ratcheting wrenches.
Bighead38
Well-known member
I have those from gear wrench. Saved me big time swapping transmissions last week. I also have a set of inserts for sockets so you can turn them with a wrench. I don't use either very often but when I need them they are a life saver.
Edit: I meant to quote the picture of the inserts for the wrench.
Bighead38
Well-known member
I need 6 point ratcheting wrenches. The 12 point just aren't the right tool here in the rust belt.
outdoorspace
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I don't normally reach for a ratcheting wrench but the Tekton sets look nice for the money. It's probably worth mentioning that their ratcheting flex-head combination wrench sets are priced the same as the standard-length double box end sets and actually cover more sizes.
BioNerd
Well-known member
Man, their open end is so good that i no longer use flare nut wrenches
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ssdave
Banned
I jumped on these when they came out new in the 90's. Set of Gearwrench, sold by Ace hardware. They were held together by an internal c clip type snap ring, and those rings popped off under use and ruined the wrenches almost immediately. I kept warrantying them, and finally just sold the newly warranted set on ebay. I haven't used them since much, occasionally I have one for awhile that I get in a bunch of used tools, try it, get rid of it. I've also had the old "sandwich" style Williams and Snap-on and Proto, and they're not real useful; too much clearance needed.
I might be tempted to try ratcheting wrenches again now that the dual 80's ones have such a thin head. They will be a lot better for clearance.
I might be tempted to try ratcheting wrenches again now that the dual 80's ones have such a thin head. They will be a lot better for clearance.
You put those thin jaws on soft flare fittings you will dent them.
Same reason you don't use FD+ on flare lines.
Flare wrenches have wide jaws to distribute the force
on soft HW, not just prevent spreading of open end.
zendigital
Well-known member
BioNerd
Well-known member
You put those thin jaws on soft flare fittings you will dent them.
Same reason you don't use FD+ on flare lines.
Flare wrenches have wide jaws to distribute the force
on soft HW, not just prevent spreading of open end.
Thin jaws? Have you tried these wrenches Im talking about?
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Snap On makes open ends is 4 different versions for this very reason.
(+1 ive mangled enough parts to learn this the hard way
)BioNerd
Well-known member
From the website on the new snapon ratchet wrenches.
Description
• Patented, ratcheting mechanism utilizes Snap-on Dual 80® technology; combining dual pawls with a thin-walled, box-end design, for smooth operation and more torque transfer in less lateral space
• Flank-Drive® gear features an 80-tooth profile and is cold-formed from the same steel as snap-on sockets, delivering up to 40% more cycle life and strength equivalent to traditional combination wrenches
• Flank-Drive® Plus wrenching profile on open end, "bites" into the fastener, preventing slipping and rounding of the fasteners, while providing up to 62% more turning power and strength
• Manufactured from special alloy steel, precision forged, heat treated, and finished in nickel-chrome for optimum strength and durability
• Longer-length, wrench handle is sized for optimum comfort and balance, and provides increased leverage, especially in tight spaces
• Handle is offset 15° from box-end for maximum knuckle clearance and increased access in any space
Description
• Patented, ratcheting mechanism utilizes Snap-on Dual 80® technology; combining dual pawls with a thin-walled, box-end design, for smooth operation and more torque transfer in less lateral space
• Flank-Drive® gear features an 80-tooth profile and is cold-formed from the same steel as snap-on sockets, delivering up to 40% more cycle life and strength equivalent to traditional combination wrenches
• Flank-Drive® Plus wrenching profile on open end, "bites" into the fastener, preventing slipping and rounding of the fasteners, while providing up to 62% more turning power and strength
• Manufactured from special alloy steel, precision forged, heat treated, and finished in nickel-chrome for optimum strength and durability
• Longer-length, wrench handle is sized for optimum comfort and balance, and provides increased leverage, especially in tight spaces
• Handle is offset 15° from box-end for maximum knuckle clearance and increased access in any space
Strouty
Well-known member
If I lived in California, I wouldn't use flare wrenches either, you guys have it tough with all that surface rust.