1/4 ratchet

[mowkep]

I have (2) of the 63 piece CM soft side case tools sets. They are basically a 1/4 socket set with extras. Got them for around $20 years back. One for the car and one for home, which I use a lot. I'm figuring that upgrading the ratchets would make a world of difference. I found a Williams USA for around $20 or a 3 piece Blackhawk ratchet set for $45. I don't really need the 3/8 and I have 1/2 older Craftsman at work. Or is there another direction I should be looking?

 

[mrjaw14]

The best would be snap on, but it’s pricey. SK is about half, made in US, and high quality. If you’re looking for cheap, gearwrench or Carlyle or something with a high tooth count. Williams for the most part is the old snap on 36 tooth design. Armstrong if you can find it is also good, but Armstrong isn’t around anymore.

 

[bob15]

Snap On, Wright, KD and Bonney are the 1/4 ratchets that I like. Some of it is how they fit in my hand.

You could look for used on ebay or a pawn shop as well.

 

[sqaurelizard]

love the wera 1/4

 

[crewchief888]

in the garage i typically grab a gearwrench long 1/4" ratchet before anything else..

at work either a short cornwell, or a long SO....

SK is the last on the "list" either place

 

[M6erfan]

Carlyle

 

[mowkep]

Thanks for the recommendations. Is anyone familiar with the Blackhawk brand? I'm assuming it's better than Stanley and not as good as Proto....but how would it stack up against Williams USA?

 

[four.cycle]

there's a "best 1/4" ratchet" thread here somewhere....

here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193134

to save you the trouble of wading through the entire thread, the overall consensus here is that the #40970 S-K RHFT is the odds-on favorite.
you should be able to find a decent one (used) on Ebay for anywhere from $15-$22 including shipping. brand new they go for about $40 bucks.

if you want low-budget, best screamin' deal on a US-made 1/4" drive RHFT this week is:

1049 KAL (Proamerica) 1/4" drive RHFT
new
$6.40 incl. shipping OBO "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kal-Tools-...-1-4-Inch-Drive-Knurled-Grip-USA/112784078196

* the seller is using a stock photo of the S-K 40970 - pay no attention to the photo. honestly, for that money I wouldn't bother taking a photo either. I have two of them on the way and already own three or four others. not a bad little unit. here's a photo of one of mine:

 

[potato]

great deal

 

[Rickster]

A really nice 1/4dr ratchet is the SK. It has a fine tooth head and preforms flawlessly. If you wanted to upgrade from there I recommend the Snap-on hard handle Roto-Head ratchet... it's the only 1/4dr ratchet you'll ever need. When I got mine I thought "where have you been all my life?!!??....

 

[paulsomlo]

if you want low-budget, best screamin' deal on a US-made 1/4" drive RHFT this week is:

1049 KAL (Proamerica) 1/4" drive RHFT
new
$6.40 incl. shipping OBO "buy now"

That KAL 1049 - how many tooth is that?

 

[Empty Pockets]

I am a fan of SK and Wright, but if you are concerned with price, I recently picked up a 72 tooth Tekton composite ratchet for under $15 at Meijer. Just a thought

 

[shanny19]

The Blackhawk 1/4 is tiny, ****, Taiwanese , and top-notch.

 

[mowkep]

Thanks. I think I saw the 3 pc Blackhawk set in a MSC flier.

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I like my Matco 8" the best. For a good price a locking flex Gearwrench is where I would go if I needed another 1/4" ratchet. My least used 1/4" ratchet is my Snap On 6" flex head.

 

[potato]

The Blackhawk 1/4 is tiny, ****, Taiwanese , and top-notch.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005YSZRFQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20
this one i assume?

 

[four.cycle]

That KAL 1049 - how many tooth is that?

I had to go dig another set out of the garage. This one has a black selector on the back. Some are chrome, some are black.
Looks to be a 40-tooth mechanism:



==

Another option if you want high tooth count / low budget:

PROTO J4752F 1/4" drive RHFT (72T) (made in Italy)
new
$21.95 incl. shipping "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTO-J4752F-1-4-Drive-Round-Head-Ratchet-Tool-4-1-2-Long-NEW/312055803246

^ it looked interesting. I ordered one the other day but it's not here yet. you'd have to check reviews online.

==

I cannot find a tooth count on this 4752A and I'm not sure whether or not I own one:

PROTO 4752A 1/4" drive RHFT w/thumbwheel
used. engraved
$14.99 incl. shipping "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTO-PROF...RATCHET-IT-HAS-SEEN-SOME-USE-O-M/272986830184

==

or, as has already been suggested, cruise the ads on Ebay and look for a nice 40970 S-K - usually there are at least three or four listed every day. be patient until you can snag a nice one for under $20 bucks.

 

[paulsomlo]

I had to go dig another set out of the garage. This one has a black selector on the back. Some are chrome, some are black.
Looks to be a 40-tooth mechanism:

Thank you for checking that - is the KAL smooth? I've been using a mid '80's CM RP pearhead w/QR and it's been reversing on me as of late, drives me crazy. I'm a bit apprehensive about going to a non QR.

I was at Epstein's back in November and was playing with the 40970 - I was taken aback by how smooth it was. It's not surprising to hear that it's held in high esteem here.

Oh yeah, I should ask - the KAL and the SK 40970; do you have to hold the drive end when you reverse them?

 

[four.cycle]

"...is the KAL smooth?..."

Well.... that's a subjective judgment call. If by "smooth" do you mean does the mechanism rotate without a lot of "clackity-clack-clack" like those ****** Craftsman RP pear-heads?
Yeah... they're relatively "smooth".

Your question prompted me to go back out into the garage. I grabbed a few sets off the top layer - I don't have time right now to do a lot of digging - dinner is almost ready here.

So we've got a KAL 1049, Proamerica 4150 (same/same as the KAL), JS Technologies 11000, an old (1956) Powr-Kraft (which is a re-branded Wright 2400), a Thorsen 77MC, and my beater TM739 Snap-on.



The "action" on the KAL, Proamerica, Thorsen, and Snap-on are all pretty much the same.
The old Powr-Kraft (Wright 2400) has a bit of a finer mechanism, at least in my hand.
And believe it or not, the "smoothest" (and quietest) is the JS Technologies.
Go figure.

==

There's a guy who's been trying to unload some JS sets for months:

JS Technolgies 13-pc 1/4" drive SAE socket set w/plastic box
JS Technologies, 1000 Mcfarland 400 Boulevard, Alpharetta GA 30004-7729
3/16" - 1/2"
new
$25.95 + $6.95 shipping OBO "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Drive-...ion-Swivel-Set-13-Pcs-JS-USA-New/312050890156

^ These sets are military surplus. They were a "small arms kit" set that was made to fill a military contract. I have no clue who actually made them.
I believe I have three of that same set, and as I recall the last one I bought from that seller I only paid $15.00 + shipping for it, so if you shoot him an offer, lowball him right out of the gate. He's been sitting on those for well over a year.

I've got others around here buried but to be honest, if I was only going to own one 1/4" RHFT, it would be my 2875 Indestro (52T), although they're damn near impossible to find and you'll pay anywhere from $15-$40 for one on Ebay.

That's why if anybody asks I usually recommend the S-K 40970 - they're cheap, they're reliable, they're ubiquitous, even if they don't have a 120-tooth gearbox.

==

I'm not sure how to address your question about the operation of the selector. I always use two hands. Part of that is because I'm missing part of a finger.
Since you asked, I think the selector on the back of that Snap-on is a ***** - I much prefer the others.

 

[davethorik]

The old Powr-Kraft (Wright 2400) has a bit of a finer mechanism, at least in my hand.

The Wright 2400 is one of my favorite ratchets, but I don't use it on anything too tough because they're discontinued. I like it because the head is tiny. Iirc it has 45 teeth, in a nice crisp and light action.

The SK 40970 are great too, I have 2 of them, converted one to 3/8. They have a bigger head than the Wright, but at 60 teeth a finer action. I haven't used the 1/4 version in a while though, to be honest.

About one hand operating, the 1/4 round head ratchets are hardest to one-hand of all drive sizes, at least the Wright and SK. I've done it a handful of times but I consider that a fluke and not normal. You can do it fairly easily on 3/8 and 1/2 is super easy, probably because they're bigger, but you do have to have a technique to get it to work consistently. My experience in this is mostly with Wright ratchets.

My go-to 1/4 ratchet is an Armstrong locking flex in 60t, I haven't even thought about converting it to 88t. It has been flawless for me. I don't know what prices are like now with Armstrong closing its doors, but I bought it new right after joining GJ and learning about it for around $40, and it has been worth every penny. They have a very thin pear head design, one hand capable, and decently long at 6.25".

 

[paulsomlo]

Another option if you want high tooth count / low budget:

PROTO J4752F 1/4" drive RHFT (72T) (made in Italy)
new
$21.95 incl. shipping "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTO-J4752F-1-4-Drive-Round-Head-Ratchet-Tool-4-1-2-Long-NEW/312055803246

^ it looked interesting. I ordered one the other day but it's not here yet. you'd have to check reviews online.

Hope you can post a review on this when it arrives.

 

[Wamsutta]

You won't find a better built 1/4 drive ratchet for the money.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Drive-...107428&hash=item235e30f3b9:g:w8sAAOSwnH1WYGJD

 

[1/2 Cup]

mowkep,

I just brought one of these from our big box stores ( Bunnings ) for $20.00 AU and I luv it

https://www.gettoolsdirect.com.au/sidchrome-1-4-drive-ratchet-compact-head-scmt12970.html

 

[four.cycle]

You won't find a better built 1/4 drive ratchet for the money.

I have not yet tried any Williams product. Looks pretty nice.

 

[Tonyuk]

Im a fan of the gearwrench 84 tooth 1/4" flex head, a bit longer than most with a thin head, not much backdrag either.

I also use a tekton roto head often, as well as a 1/4 composite (similar to the harbour freight)

 

[Matthew3901]

I just picked up a tekton 1/4 inch flex head rachet #14961 off amazon for less than $20
it is made in taiwan but seems of high quality
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLY1CIE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[buba]

Since you already have two standard length 1/4 ratchets another direction would be to supplement them with a long handled ratchet. There are many good choices including the SK 40971 and Gearwrench 81028

 

[Wamsutta]

I have not yet tried any Williams product. Looks pretty nice.

The internal parts will directly interchange with a Snap-on T936.

 

[PR1Gneon]

I own the Titan XL and like it a lot.

 

[Parrothead]

I own the Titan XL and like it a lot.

I have a standard 1/4 drive ratchet. Very smooth and extremely durable.

I’d also recommend the Husky 1/4 drive ratchet as it’s made by Apex (aka Gearwrench) but has quick release. 72t too.

 

[drtyler]

The Proto J4752F is essentially a Facom R.161 with knurled metal handle instead of plastic grip. Excellent ratchet, especially for the price!

Another option if you want high tooth count / low budget:

PROTO J4752F 1/4" drive RHFT (72T) (made in Italy)
new
$21.95 incl. shipping "buy now"
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PROTO-J4752F-1-4-Drive-Round-Head-Ratchet-Tool-4-1-2-Long-NEW/312055803246

^ it looked interesting. I ordered one the other day but it's not here yet. you'd have to check reviews online.

 

[mowkep]

I think the CM wrench is 7 11/16 in length. The hope is to find a good ratchet that'll tuck in it's place.

 

[turnthewrench 2.0]

You won't find a better built 1/4 drive ratchet for the money.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Drive-...107428&hash=item235e30f3b9:g:w8sAAOSwnH1WYGJD

Hard to beat for that price. For high tooth count, I like the Carlyle 90T - $29.99 in my location.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CHQR1490

 

[HanShotFirst]

In ¼” I have the following ratchets (normal ratchets, non-specialty).

Snap On TM70B: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Snap-on-to...2AAAOSwZKBZMjuC:sc:USPSFirstClass!89403!US!-1
Williams 52A: https://www.protorquetools.com/5-wi...MI1q6m_eGH2QIVyLXACh0pqQjdEAQYASABEgIux_D_BwE
SK 40970: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061SN5W/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Stanley 85-890: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007XH7ME/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Pittsburgh Pro Composite: https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-drive-composite-ratchet-62619.html

So if I lost all of my ¼” ratchets yesterday, which would be the first one I would buy again? Easily the SK; it’s my favorite in ¼”.

What I like about the SK: It’s small and fits into nice tight spaces. I love the knurled handle, and I absolutely LOVE how smooth it is. Sure it’s a very old design, but it’s a fine tooth ratchet (50-60 tooth, can’t remember which), and like all round head SK’s it’s just brute strong! I love this little ratchet.

What I like about the Williams: It’s very similar to the SK, just not nearly as smooth. For the most part, it gives similar performance to the SK (which is why this is my second favorite ¼”), but it has a longer handle for when I need a little more leverage. SK makes their ¼” with a similar handle length…So if I lost all my ¼” ratchets, I would buy one of each of the SK’s. But since I have this Williams, I’m kinda getting the same thing.

Snap On: Obviously a good ratchet, but in my hands it’s just not as nice as the SK. The SK’s ratcheting mechanism feels much more precise and strong. I have broken this ratchet once before, and then loosened what I was trying to break loose with my SK. Still, it’s a great ratchet, but IMO there are better ¼” ratchets out there; and for less money.

Stanley: This is a downright decent import ratchet. The round head design is mostly a copy of the SK’s innards, but it has a knurled knob section on the top that allows you to turn a fastener with your fingers once it’s all loosened up; I find this to be very nice. The down side to such a feature is, it makes the head much thicker. But if you have multiple ¼” ratchets, you’ll still have other options. Anyhow, this isn’t a bad ratchet for the money. It has a longer handle than all my other ¼” ratchets with the exception of the Pitts-Pro Composite. This is a very nice ratchet on the cheap.

Pittsburgh Pro Composite: I gotta say it, I LOVE these ratchets. Head is thin, action is smooth (on all mine), mechanism has never failed me, and it has somewhere in the neighgborhood of 80 teeth, so it’s very user friendly. I love the light weight and longer than normal handle (nearly as long as most standard 3/8”).

Okay, so there’s some high end and low end choices…I will say this, ANY of the one’s on my list here will serve you well. So just match your budget to the tool and you’ll be good to go.

 

[four.cycle]

You won't find a better built 1/4 drive ratchet for the money.

I clicked on that and added it to my Ebay "watch list", thinking I'd sleep on it before purchasing. They're all sold out now.

 

[M6erfan]

In ¼” I have the following ratchets (normal ratchets, non-specialty).

Snap On TM70B: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Snap-on-to...2AAAOSwZKBZMjuC:sc:USPSFirstClass!89403!US!-1
Williams 52A: https://www.protorquetools.com/5-wi...MI1q6m_eGH2QIVyLXACh0pqQjdEAQYASABEgIux_D_BwE
SK 40970: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061SN5W/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Stanley 85-890: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007XH7ME/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Pittsburgh Pro Composite: https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-drive-composite-ratchet-62619.html

So if I lost all of my ¼” ratchets yesterday, which would be the first one I would buy again? Easily the SK; it’s my favorite in ¼”.

What I like about the SK: It’s small and fits into nice tight spaces. I love the knurled handle, and I absolutely LOVE how smooth it is. Sure it’s a very old design, but it’s a fine tooth ratchet (50-60 tooth, can’t remember which), and like all round head SK’s it’s just brute strong! I love this little ratchet.

What I like about the Williams: It’s very similar to the SK, just not nearly as smooth. For the most part, it gives similar performance to the SK (which is why this is my second favorite ¼”), but it has a longer handle for when I need a little more leverage. SK makes their ¼” with a similar handle length…So if I lost all my ¼” ratchets, I would buy one of each of the SK’s. But since I have this Williams, I’m kinda getting the same thing.

Snap On: Obviously a good ratchet, but in my hands it’s just not as nice as the SK. The SK’s ratcheting mechanism feels much more precise and strong. I have broken this ratchet once before, and then loosened what I was trying to break loose with my SK. Still, it’s a great ratchet, but IMO there are better ¼” ratchets out there; and for less money.

Stanley: This is a downright decent import ratchet. The round head design is mostly a copy of the SK’s innards, but it has a knurled knob section on the top that allows you to turn a fastener with your fingers once it’s all loosened up; I find this to be very nice. The down side to such a feature is, it makes the head much thicker. But if you have multiple ¼” ratchets, you’ll still have other options. Anyhow, this isn’t a bad ratchet for the money. It has a longer handle than all my other ¼” ratchets with the exception of the Pitts-Pro Composite. This is a very nice ratchet on the cheap.

Pittsburgh Pro Composite: I gotta say it, I LOVE these ratchets. Head is thin, action is smooth (on all mine), mechanism has never failed me, and it has somewhere in the neighgborhood of 80 teeth, so it’s very user friendly. I love the light weight and longer than normal handle (nearly as long as most standard 3/8”).

Okay, so there’s some high end and low end choices…I will say this, ANY of the one’s on my list here will serve you well. So just match your budget to the tool and you’ll be good to go.

Good stuff Han. But the PB Pro composite ratchet's head is thin? It's the thickest out of all my ratchets. That head looks cartoonishly big laying in my 1/4" drawer. That said, I like them too...

 

[mowkep]

Thanks for all the responses. I very much apppreciate it. It's too bad there isn't a place where one could physically handle all the different ratchets and tools. It would make a world of difference. I ordered the Williams USA to start with....probably to be followed with another brand. I forgot I have an old Stanley 1/4 which is probably better than CM.

 

[BK13]

in the garage i typically grab a gearwrench long 1/4" ratchet before anything else..

84 or 120?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[turnthewrench 2.0]

Thanks for all the responses. I very much apppreciate it. It's too bad there isn't a place where one could physically handle all the different ratchets and tools. It would make a world of difference. I ordered the Williams USA to start with....probably to be followed with another brand. I forgot I have an old Stanley 1/4 which is probably better than CM.

Nice choice. If ever willing to spend a few extra bucks, then buy the Stahlwille 80 tooth - so smooth it makes the Dual 80 feel gritty

http://amzn.to/2DXDVLk

 

[Mr. T]

Just got this guy in this set. I’m seriously impressed by how smooth it is and how thin the head is. I thought it would be good but it’s great.