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1/2" flex ratchet with bent handle?

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Jim85IROC

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Does anybody know of a decent quality (i.e. not the $10 ebay jobs) 1/2" flex ratchet with a bent handle? My favorite 3/8 ratchets are the flex with the bent handle, and after fighting with caliper bolts in the wheel well of a number of cars, it's started to dawn on me that a bent handle, once I turn it around, will help a lot with this particular task. So far I haven't been able to find anything except the cheap $10 ebay no-name chinese ratchets, and I don't really want to use those in any kind of high torque application that requires a long handled 1/2" in the first place.

Last time I did the brakes on my Grand Prix, I couldn't fit my long breaker bar, and smashing my short one with a 5lb hammer still wouldn't break the caliper bolts free. I wound up hitting my Craftsman RP wrench with the hammer to get the bolts free, but I don't really expect that wrench to tolerate too much more of that behavior.

Also, because I'm a DIY hobbiest and not doing this for a living, I'm looking for something that's cheap. I'd prefer used USA-made, but new Taiwan could be acceptable too, but first I just need to find out what's out there.
 
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puttsy

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Take a look at what armstrong has. I'm not familiar with working on calipars (or cars for that matter) but, see if a flex-head long handle may actually work for you. Or a flex-head, bent handle.

I know the $80 a flex-head, bent handle Armstrong may be a bit steep but, to save some aches and pains, it may prove a valuable investment considering I probably pay more than that $80 when I take my Grand Prix to the dealer and have them service the brakes.

I'll edit this post and give some part numbers and links to hopefully help narrow the search.

Wow, you're quick!

Armstrong MAXX 1/2" flex-head:
12-994
98017.jpg


http://www.tooltopia.com/armstrong-12-994.aspx
$89.99

Still working on the bent handle though. I'm sure Snap-On has one but it would be crazy cost-prohibitively expensive.
 
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Jim85IROC

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I wasn't aware that Armstrong had a bent handle flex ratchet, especially in 1/2". Do you know the part number?

I've been wanting to try somr Armstrong stuff, so if they have what you say, that would be perfect.
 
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DrkMtnDew

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this might have to be a home built tool cause i've never seen/heard of a 1/2'' bent handle. it'll be interesting to see if someone does actually make one.
 
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wrenchr

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$32.99 craftsman, you need to modify the handle though..........................
 
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otis66

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My Snap On 936 Spark Plug ratchet or my Snap On roto ratchet always worked for me. Both are 3/8" drive. Sometimes I'll use my Snap On Long 3/8" drive breaker bar. I never used a 1/2" drive anything for front calipers on a GM vehicle. A 15" or 18" breaker bar 1/2" drive would fit under the wheelwell. You could also buy a Craftsman 1/2" drive flex head ratchet and put some heat on it and bend it the way you want to. I've done this with more than a few Craftsman wrenches.
 
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puttsy

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Odds are you probably won't find a quality one then. I don't know that it would be classified as a 'niche' tool but, there just isn't demand. I've been looking for the coveted t-handle ratchet for a couple years now but, there really aren't any good ones of those either. It's just too small of a market for a tool company to dump money into. Yes, some companies make them (This POS company on that 1/2" bent ratchet, MotionPro on that t-handle ratchet) but, the interest in them is just so finite it's not worth it. Heck, there's debate as to whether a sliding t-handle is worth having, why would a t-ratchet even make sense then?

Likely, you're instances is squandered by bent-handle, 3/8" drive flex ratchets. I don't know what size socket you would be using but, it would probably be possible to get the 3/8" drive version, ideal or not. It's times like this when "The right tool for the job..." argument comes up. I can't say which is correct but, I would nearly always want the tool the I feel suits the situation the best, and not the tool that will work in said situation. (Unless you like using a ratchet as a hammering tool/object; to hammer on things :S)

This final thought may be damning to my vehicle experience and knowledge but, to eliminate the possibility, have you looked at an indexable ratchet? Not sure if it would even be close to usable in your situation but, it's something else to take a gander at. I haven't seen many 1/2" indexable ratchets but, it's not the snipe hunt of that 1/2", bent handle flex head.
 
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Jim85IROC

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otis66 said:
My Snap On 936 Spark Plug ratchet or my Snap On roto ratchet always worked for me. Both are 3/8" drive. Sometimes I'll use my Snap On Long 3/8" drive breaker bar. I never used a 1/2" drive anything for front calipers on a GM vehicle. A 15" or 18" breaker bar 1/2" drive would fit under the wheelwell. You could also buy a Craftsman 1/2" drive flex head ratchet and put some heat on it and bend it the way you want to. I've done this with more than a few Craftsman wrenches.
Click to expand...
Last time I did the job, my long handled 3/8 flex didn't give me the leverage I needed. My 12" breaker didn't either, and my 24" wouldn't fit in the wheel well. Smashing the 12" breaker with a 5lb hammer didn't work because it was too springy. I had to use a wrench and hit it with the 5lb hammer. It seems like up here in the salt belt, those bastards get hard to break free.
Now that I have air, hopefully next time I can fit an impact in there.
 
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srmofo

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Ive seen some 3/8 ratchets of that type but never a 1/2.

I still dont really understand why you cant get a breaker bar in there or why you cant use a 3/8 drive. Very rarely do I ever encounter a caliper or bracket bolt that requires anything 1/2 drive....except for maybe bracket bolts on chevy trucks, They loctite those SOBs from the factory for some reason.
 
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Fedwrench

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We're talking about the two 18mm (maybe) headed bolts that hold the crossover bracket to the knuckle right?

If so, You need to raise the car up higher (use jack stands) so you can get a Craftsman 1/2 drive flex head ratchet in there or buy an impact wrench and compressor.:D

If not and we're talking about the bolts/pins that attach the caliper ears to the cross over bracket, you need to eat your wheaties, 3/8 is fine for those.

Besides, if you had a bent handled 1/2 drive ratchet you wouldn't be able to fit a cheater pipe over it.:lol:
 
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DrkMtnDew

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Fedwrench said:
If not and we're talking about the bolts/pins that attach the caliper ears to the cross over bracket, you need to eat your wheaties, 3/8 is fine for those.
Click to expand...

mmm... I like wheaties. If ever i'm out of wheaties, spinich will do in a pinch. :thumbup:
 
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Jim85IROC

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Fedwrench said:
We're talking about the two 18mm (maybe) headed bolts that hold the crossover bracket to the knuckle right?

If so, You need to raise the car up higher (use jack stands) so you can get a Craftsman 1/2 drive flex head ratchet in there or buy an impact wrench and compressor.:D

If not and we're talking about the bolts/pins that attach the caliper ears to the cross over bracket, you need to eat your wheaties, 3/8 is fine for those.

Besides, if you had a bent handled 1/2 drive ratchet you wouldn't be able to fit a cheater pipe over it.:lol:
Click to expand...
yeah, it's the 18mm bolts that hold the pad bracket to the spindle. The caliper mounts to this bracket. Those always seem to be frozen on my cars. Next time I'll try my impact gun.

But... I'd still like to find a 1/2" bent handle flex ratchet. I'll have to keep an eye open at swap meets for a cheap flex ratchet and bend the handle.
 
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nexum1919

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Chicago, IL
craftsman raised panel 6 point wrenches and a 4lb dead blow hammer will produce more torque than the IR's new hammerhead 90 degree impact tool.

i use my 6 point set exclusively as striker wrenches. you want them to be strong, 6-point and relatively short. only issue is they have an angle. just make sure you sure an open palm to push the wrench against the bolt and take up all the slack before striking.
 
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Farmer Joe

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Yea, haven't really seen this type in 1/2".
What I use in most brake jobs that are not done in the shop, is my 1/2" extendable ratchet from HF. That thing is solid and has been through many brake jobs easily.
At work I just use my air ratchet and 3/8" sockets, sometimes 3/8" swivel sockets.

Oh yea, I forgot. Sometimes I need to put extensions on the 1/2" extendable HF ratchet to reach a bolt in an awkward spot, not big big of a deal as long as you have anywhere from a 6" or 10" extension around
 
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Jim85IROC

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I bought that same HF extendable AFTER my last brake job, but haven't used it yet. Maybe that will be all I need.
 
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tkonetzke

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My understanding of the bent handle ratchet is that it is a "spark plug" ratchet. Which would explain the lack of 1/2 drive availability. Many times my solution has been similar to the OP, wrench and a deadblow. Not the best way im certain but it works in a pinch
 
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Jim85IROC

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Yeah, recently I noticed that the bent handled Matco is called a "spark plug" ratchet. It was the first time I saw it called that. My 3/8 bent handle flex is the ratchet I use for 95% of my work. I just love the versatility of the shape.
 
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bassbone52

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Maybe a better solution would involve using something like Kroil on those bolts instead of beating on them or buying more tools.
 
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Jim85IROC

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That's sweet. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a cheap 1/2" flex ratchet in the classifieds. :)
 
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nelstomlinson

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Jul 27, 2009
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Interior Alaska
Slather everything with anti-seize, or appropriate condiments, when you reassemble it.

I use either anti-seize or blue locktite on everything with threads. The locktite seals out oxygen and prevents corrosion about as well as the anti-seize. Napa sells a silicone grease, syl-glide or something like that, that goes on anything that contacts rubber.

This is a terribly wet, corrosive environment, and my brakes come apart without any excessive effort. My 13 year old girl, who's small for her age, did the last brake job.

Sorry I can't help with finding a bent ratchet for you, but these stuck bolts are a problem that you only have to have once per car.
 
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