Steelman 160 tooth ratchet

AndrewV · Oct 15, 2014

Seen this in the indy guy's tool catalog this month. Was like wtf????
Anyone have/had one?

Linky

superspec · Oct 15, 2014

for the price im tempted to try it

Leadberry · Oct 15, 2014

We used Steelman tools at the tire shop where I used to work. They're all chicom. Torque wrenches had rough actions and were sloppy. Failed regularly. Thin-walled reversible impact sockets also cracked on a weekly basis. The tolerances on the wrenches and sockets sucked. Drop lights had flaky electricals. Aside from that, they managed to get the job done. And, to their credit, they were used heavily and weren't cared for at all.

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd ever buy Steelman for home use.

Ign · Oct 15, 2014

It'll "grip the fastener" in super tight spaces!

Is this just one of those "split" tooth deals, ie offset pawls engaging 80 teeth?

Ign · Oct 15, 2014

I gotta ask, what's a reversible impact socket?

wild cowboy · Oct 15, 2014

Ign said:
Is this just one of those "split" tooth deals, ie offset pawls engaging 80 teeth?

yes.

Leadberry · Oct 15, 2014

Ign said:
I gotta ask, what's a reversible impact socket?

They were 19mm on one end, 21mm on the other end for metric, or I think 3/4" and 15/16" for SAE. People also call them flip sockets. 1/2" opening was in the middle of the socket so it could be installed either way on an impact gun.

Airframer · Oct 15, 2014

Ign said:
I gotta ask, what's a reversible impact socket?

bcradio · Oct 15, 2014

Leadberry said:
We used Steelman tools at the tire shop where I used to work. They're all chicom. Torque wrenches had rough actions and were sloppy. Failed regularly. Thin-walled reversible impact sockets also cracked on a weekly basis. The tolerances on the wrenches and sockets sucked. Drop lights had flaky electricals. Aside from that, they managed to get the job done. And, to their credit, they were used heavily and weren't cared for at all.

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd ever buy Steelman for home use.

Wal-Mart or Sam's Club?

I used then when I worked at Sam's club tire shop.

Leadberry · Oct 16, 2014

bcradio said:
Wal-Mart or Sam's Club?

I used then when I worked at Sam's club tire shop.

Wally World. You hit the nail on the head. Was never sure if the Clubs used the same tools, as we had several Club members who would come in and tell us how the local Clubs all used Cheetah Blasters (wasn't an option for us).

RedneckWelder · Oct 16, 2014

I think the tooth count stuff is getting a mite ridiculous.

I'm cool with 72-88 tooth ratchets, they work fine for me. Way better than the cheap Craftsman and HF ratchets I grew up using...

BK13 · Oct 16, 2014

LOL. "2.25 degree swing arc". **** it, Gearwrench!

monomach · Oct 16, 2014

I wish manufacturers would stop increasing tooth counts and just focus on making everything else about their ratchets all wonderful and bulletproof. 160 teeth is awfully pointless. I can barely even tell the difference after 60. I don't think I've ever NEEDED anything higher than 45.

And that's even a 1/2" drive? Pfft. For 1/2", I almost never need anything finer than my 24t Proto.

Chadwilliam1 · Oct 16, 2014

I am holding out for 200 teeth for my next ratchet purchase.

oldldh · Oct 16, 2014

Chadwilliam1 said:
I am holding out for 200 teeth for my next ratchet purchase.

Nope...

Not enough...

ONE DEGREE ARC!!! :lol_hitti

360 Teeth or nothing!!! :evil:

retDAC · Oct 16, 2014

Apparently these 160 tooth ratchets are from the Steelman Pro line: (scroll down)
http://steelmanpro.com/featured.html

This is the old Steelman line: http://www.steelmantools.com/tools.html

espyking83 · Oct 16, 2014

A ratchets durability that has 160 teeth couldnt be more sturdy than paper mache.

AndrewV · Oct 16, 2014

monomach said:
I wish manufacturers would stop increasing tooth counts and just focus on making everything else about their ratchets all wonderful and bulletproof. 160 teeth is awfully pointless. I can barely even tell the difference after 60. I don't think I've ever NEEDED anything higher than 45.

And that's even a 1/2" drive? Pfft. For 1/2", I almost never need anything finer than my 24t Proto.

It's partially a sales gimic, and a partial good idea for percision work.
Still 120xp's, and dual 80's are the best. No higher for me, unless it's proven/tested really.

SteelmanPRO · Oct 23, 2014

Hi Everyone,

I am a bit late to the party here, but I wanted to pop in this thread to say that we are very proud of our 160 tooth COBRA series ratchets. Theses ratchets are double QC tested, once at the factory, and once here in Las Vegas at our QC facility. They have been found to exceed ANSI torque specs by 150%.

These ratchets are a double pawl system, but both pawls are continuously engaged, and there are truly 160 teeth inside the ratchet head. I'll be glad to try and answer any other questions you may have about them, and if I don't know the answer I will find someone who does!

dudutzu905 · Oct 23, 2014

any chance you can provide us with some pictures of the insides or at least drawings of the design?
thanks

Jason280 · Oct 23, 2014

Tag, I'd like to see a few disassembled pics...

madcrisis · Oct 23, 2014

Can we get pictures of the inside?

madcrisis · Oct 23, 2014

Gees as I read people are beating me to the punch!

dj_110 · Oct 23, 2014

I'll believe 160 teeth when I see pictures. I'm guessing that its 2 rows of 80 teeth with 2 pawls. There may be 160 teeth, but I don't believe it's 160 teeth around the gear head, they would be so small I don't think they would last or hold anything.

The great ratchet tooth number is like a lot of other things that companies are trying to one up the competition. The packaging should probably say "Ratchet now includes 50% teeth for free".

woody 73 · Oct 23, 2014

Ok so educate old woody what is the difference between this model with 0 deg. arc and the 160 tooth count; I realize one has teeth and the other does not so educate me!!!

http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-direct-drive-gearless-ratchet/

Tronyadorable · Oct 23, 2014

dj_110 said:
I'll believe 160 teeth when I see pictures. I'm guessing that its 2 rows of 80 teeth with 2 pawls. There may be 160 teeth, but I don't believe it's 160 teeth around the gear head, they would be so small I don't think they would last or hold anything.

The great ratchet tooth number is like a lot of other things that companies are trying to one up the competition. The packaging should probably say "Ratchet now includes 50% teeth for free".

I'm thinking there may be 160 teeth hidden in here.

MJB24 · Oct 23, 2014

Nice looking. I have the 3/8 from this thread and it's still holding up and with more teeth.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=233812

monomach · Oct 24, 2014

woody 73 said:
Ok so educate old woody what is the difference between this model with 0 deg. arc and the 160 tooth count; I realize one has teeth and the other does not so educate me!!!

http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-direct-drive-gearless-ratchet/

What's the difference between a brace with bit and a cordless drill? I understand one runs on electricity and one requires me to whip my arms around like an idiot so educate me.

Weird question, right? You already stated the difference.

Unless you mean the swing. 2.1 degrees for one, close to 0 for the other.

928'er · Oct 24, 2014

SteelmanPRO said:
Hi Everyone,

I am a bit late to the party here, but I wanted to pop in this thread to say that we are very proud of our 160 tooth COBRA series ratchets. Theses ratchets are double QC tested, once at the factory, and once here in Las Vegas at our QC facility. They have been found to exceed ANSI torque specs by 150%.

These ratchets are a double pawl system, but both pawls are continuously engaged, and there are truly 160 teeth inside the ratchet head. I'll be glad to try and answer any other questions you may have about them, and if I don't know the answer I will find someone who does!

Tool of "choice" at Wally World. That's quite an endorsement.

Run, run fast, don't look back.

ajchien · Oct 24, 2014

SteelmanPRO said:
Hi Everyone,

I am a bit late to the party here, but I wanted to pop in this thread to say that we are very proud of our 160 tooth COBRA series ratchets. Theses ratchets are double QC tested, once at the factory, and once here in Las Vegas at our QC facility. They have been found to exceed ANSI torque specs by 150%.

These ratchets are a double pawl system, but both pawls are continuously engaged, and there are truly 160 teeth inside the ratchet head. I'll be glad to try and answer any other questions you may have about them, and if I don't know the answer I will find someone who does!

Well, this is garage journal! The best way to market your product here is by showing us!

Appeal to the geek inside us by opening up the ratchet and showing us the underlying mechanism. And then follow it up by appealing to the brute inside us. That can be done by clamping the ratchet in a vise, putting a 4 foot pipe on it, and have a 250 pound guy pull on it until something breaks! (all of this recently done to a Pittsburgh pro ratchet, btw). These two things ... Always are crowd pleasers.

wild cowboy · Oct 24, 2014

if it is dual pawl - the the 160 tooth is really the same arc as the dual 80 and other similar designs, so please post a photo of the internals

nine4gmc · Oct 24, 2014

dj_110 said:
I'll believe 160 teeth when I see pictures. I'm guessing that its 2 rows of 80 teeth with 2 pawls. There may be 160 teeth, but I don't believe it's 160 teeth around the gear head, they would be so small I don't think they would last or hold anything.

The great ratchet tooth number is like a lot of other things that companies are trying to one up the competition. The packaging should probably say "Ratchet now includes 50% teeth for free".

SteelmanPRO · Oct 24, 2014

As promised, here are the pictures of the internals of the 160 tooth Cobra Ratchet. Have a good weekend everyone! :3gears:

nine4gmc · Oct 24, 2014

It does appear to have 160 lil teeth in there. Who will be the first to bench vise test one? :lol:

JDon99 · Oct 24, 2014

wild cowboy said:
if it is dual pawl - the the 160 tooth is really the same arc as the dual 80 and other similar designs, so please post a photo of the internals

The Dual80 has a 4.5 degree swing arc...

JBradley500 · Oct 24, 2014

Do you happen to be the same Dave R. that does Tekton technical support?

Chadwilliam1 · Oct 25, 2014

steelman pro should send one over to toolguyd.com

Mohawk Dave · Oct 25, 2014

JDon99 said:
The Dual80 has a 4.5 degree swing arc...

and this one states 2.25 degree...http://steelmanpro.com/hand-mechanics-tools/ratchets/160-fine-tooth/3-8-160-tooth-cobra-ratchet.html

Skin · Oct 25, 2014

wild cowboy said:
if it is dual pawl - the the 160 tooth is really the same arc as the dual 80 and other similar designs, so please post a photo of the internals

Dual 80 has 2 pawls but each are dedicated to only 1 direction. Its not an alternating engagement design.

SteelmanPRO · Oct 27, 2014

JBradley500 said:
Do you happen to be the same Dave R. that does Tekton technical support?

Nope, not the same Dave R, but with a name like that, I'd hope he is providing great tech support! :bounce:

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