Accessory ratchet speeder rings?

[n8n]

You know the little rings that are on the top of some older round head ratchets? e.g. Blackhawk I know had them for sure and I think SK. I seem to recall that Sears used to sell thin discs that you'd put on the ratchet before the socket to duplicate that function for ratchets that didn't have them built in, but apparently they're discontinued and NLA. Does anyone still make/sell these? Occasionally I end up in a situation where I have a free spinning nut but I need to take it off with a ratchet because I can't get my fingers on the fastener. My current favorite ratchets are my old Williams DP's (3/8" and 1/2") and some Snappy and Kobalt pear heads (1/4") and none of them have any way to manually put any drag on the socket or spin the socket. Or worse yet I'll end up doing a small job away from my "good" tools and will have to use some **** ratchets with lots of back drag.

Yeah, I know, vintage SK knurled sockets, I don't have any of those.

 

[craigripley]

I believe snap on sells what you want.

Tms70a
Frs70a
Lrs70a

 

[maddawg1952]

found 2 sets of used craftsman ratchet adapters on Ebay...bought those, but they do pop up from time to time.

 

[diebog]

I believe snap on sells what you want.

Tms70a
Frs70a
Lrs70a

I have all of these and to be honest they don't offer much grip. The knurling is to smooth and not deep enough to catch your finger skin (at least mine don't). Especially if you have the smallest bit of oil/grease on them. Now the 1/2" one is a little better, but I don't usually need it for the bigger sockets. Plus all of these add length to your socket which sometimes in a tight spot there is just enough room for the ratchet and shallow socket only. Thats my take on them anyway. I suppose I could have older ones and they may have improved the newer ones.

I know gear wrench makes some for pretty cheap

 

[n8n]

I know gear wrench makes some for pretty cheap

Got a link or a part number? Can't seem to find anything with my google-fu.

 

[diebog]

Which size you looking for?

 

[n8n]

All three, but I am definitely a primarily 1/2" drive kind of guy.

 

[diebog]

I can't seem to find what I had in my mind. Maybe I saw something and though it was something else. But I did find this. Is that what your after? 20 bucks shipped.

I have these type from Snap On You see how tiny the grooves are? They barely grip your finger more then a regular socket does. I paid quite a bit for the 3 mine as they are "Snap On", I figured they would be the best. In my opinion, the first like would give you more grip I would think.

 

[diebog]

I also ran into these new ones from Snap On. You can even get them to adapt from one drive to another. They seem like the knurling is allot more define on these ones.

 

[diebog]

Or some craftsman ones

 

[diebog]

Just found these ones They would be awesome for tight spots. I wonder if they still sell them. Problem is what do you call them?

 

[n8n]

Not exactly what I was thinking of, the pieces I'm remembering were very thin, not sure if they were plastic or metal but were sheetmetal thickness save for around their perimeter where they were about the thickness of a speeder ring on an old school round head ratchet. Or in other words instead of having a square socket and a square drive, they simply had a square hole stamped in the middle. But the thing you posted would serve the same purpose save for those times when you don't have clearance behind the ratchet head, so it's good to know that it's available.

 

[Pumpman1968]

I can remember the cheap plastic disks that came with the cheapie Made in Japan socket sets from the early 80's.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Occasionally I end up in a situation where I have a free spinning nut but I need to take it off with a ratchet because I can't get my fingers on the fastener.

I also ran into these new ones from Snap On. You can even get them to adapt from one drive to another. They seem like the knurling is allot more define on these ones.

It is, but the diameter is small enough that it stands to be less effective than the FRS70a etc. style.

One thing about the larger o.d. style; don't get the old style Ko-Ken that's dead flat across the female side. The space away from the ratchet (look at an FRS70a) helps the knurl be gripped by the fingers.


OP:
Get an SK 45171-2 kit and a 45170 (or other that takes that kit) ratchet for 3/8.

Or a Bahco 7755 looks to be both thin and has an underside knurl wheel for 3/8; Belzer 8155 for 1/2". On those, the selector is done via a twist of the handle (see Belzer 8155 pictures here: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/zdm1000r/42886822.html

Or a barrier wrench. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9633

 

[radrush]

This vintage P&C Tools 3/8"dr Ratchet, 3209 appears to have it's own built in speeder ring.

The vintage stainless steel ratchets also had built in speeder rings.

 

[jeremy v]

The Gearwrench are nice, but they are made for ratcheting wrenches not for adding to ratchets. I think they might be what diebog was thinking of in a previous post. If you have a set of ratcheting wrenches just get one of the Gearwrench ratcheting wrench socket drive adapters and then you have what you want and it will most likely have a lower overall profile than a regular ratchet would anyways. They come individually or in sets of 3 with one for each drive size, and they come set up to either fit inside SAE or metric ratcheting wrenches depending on your needs.

Gearwrench #9208 is the part number for the metric driven 3/8" square drive adapter. The others can be found easily as well.

 

[n8n]

I can remember the cheap plastic disks that came with the cheapie Made in Japan socket sets from the early 80's.

yes, that's exactly what I was thinking of. If I could get some of those made out of steel that might work. Then again, it might not.

I remember seeing those back in the day and wondering what the heck anyone would use them for. Now that I've been doing more serious work, I see the use of them, but can't seem to get my hands on any to see whether they actually work or not.

I do have some Blackhawk ratchets with the speeder ring, but tend to prefer my Williams DPs for general use, would be great if I could have the "best of both worlds"

 

[superautobacs]

There's one problem I found with attaching those thin discs onto a ratchet. Depending on the dimensional designs of your ratchet/socketry items, the ball doesn't seat fully against the detent, which creates a non-fixed joint that is loose and only held by friction. Your results may vary.


IMO, they were gimmicky as opposed to being a functional accessory. I much prefer this standard type:

 

[diebog]

Just found these ones They would be awesome for tight spots. I wonder if they still sell them. Problem is what do you call them?

So these ones I posted are not what your looking for? They look just like the plastic Kamart one but look to be made out of steel. It says Craftsman on them, but no part number. In that thread I think some others said the same thing about the sockets falling off because the ball on the ratchet end wouldn't seat all the way in the detent inside the socket. Guys said they just threw them away.

 

[n8n]

So these ones I posted are not what your looking for? They look just like the plastic Kamart one but look to be made out of steel. It says Craftsman on them, but no part number. In that thread I think some others said the same thing about the sockets falling off because the ball on the ratchet end wouldn't seat all the way in the detent inside the socket. Guys said they just threw them away.

That's exactly what I was thinking of, but apparenly they're NLA... maybe they weren't that good, as you say.

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

 

[diebog]

Did some more searching and found this.

 

[davethorik]

My Easco and K-D rhft ratchets have the rings built in. I think all the Apex rhft are the same. One of my favorite features about them, that and the nice smooth dual pawl action.

 

[sloppy]

the $1.99 HF super crappy socket set comes with one of those little plastic thumb things..

 

[diebog]

the $1.99 HF super crappy socket set comes with one of those little plastic thumb things..

Thats funny, I was going to post the same thing. For some reason HF doesn't sell them individually. But 2 bucks is pretty cheap as it is.

I have a lathe and a mill and thought about what it would take to make one, the only thing I would have a problem with is broaching the square hole inside. Cutting down the dia on some aluminum solid stock and knurling the side would be easy. I could make them however large one wanted. And I was thinking of reducing the thickness just where the socket meets the ratchet to 1/16 or less and keep the outer rim like 1/8" or so to enable more grip.

Only problem is how to effectively make the square hole so its not supper sloppy or to tight. Almost need a square punch or die that can be used in a press or something alike. If I figured that part out, I could probably make some if there was some interest.

 

[superautobacs]

Perhaps something of interest:

drive adaptors:

1/4 -> 3/8

3/8 -> 1/2

 

[jeejay]

But I did find this.

There's a 3-piece set too. Napa made a similar one, seems that was only 3/8" though.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

SK used to make rebuild kits that had a "speed wheel". The 3/8 part number is 45171-2 and the 1/2 is 42471-2.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-SK-TOOL...hash=item51e6475fe7&item=351755788263&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/S-K-Ratchet...170758?hash=item33c918b146:g:asAAAOSwB-1YrHpG

https://picclick.com/Rare-VTG-Craftsman-Ratchet-Thumb-Wheel-Set-1-4-311855387525.html

 

[jeejay]

Another 3-piece set. The low profile drive adapters double as drive spinners. Some sockets have knurled bands too, like the VIM screwdriver types (or other sets of OEM low profile sockets). Same goes for socket extensions, which would double as handles sometimes. Looks like there once was a finger spinning lever ratchet (I watched the video anyway). I guess the difference between having traditional spinners on top vs beneath the ratchet would be that one-handed spinning could be done with the latter (while holding the handle in the same hand), just a little slower.

 

[JohnDeere1]

Now I want a set, I have a 3/8 Mac spinner attachment and 2 RHFT Craftsman 3/8 and 1/4 but would prefer to use my snap on ratchets.

 

[jeejay]

Thats funny, I was going to post the same thing. For some reason HF doesn't sell them individually. But 2 bucks is pretty cheap as it is.

Eleven cents a piece for the 40 piece set lately (including tax). The ratchet worked much better after I oiled it and put an o-ring under the retaining spring (that made it stop wiggling up and down, which is actually a more precise fit now than higher quality ones I have). Well it took me three tries to get a couple that worked with such a fix (they're all a little off somehow).

These work better with an impact adapter, keeps the finger spinner from wobbling.

The sporty grip tape helps me hold both at the same time.

 

[Wamsutta]

I use a speeder ring whenever I'm doing spark plugs in almost inaccessible areas. The socket and extension are already on the spark plug; I need to reach back there to connect my ratchet onto the extension, but being that I can't see the orientation of the extension, I use the speeder ring to clock the square drive to the correct rotation to engage the extension. Without the speeder ring in situations like that, it's a real *****.

 

[jakemac]

Search for "ratchet thumb wheel" on eBay and scroll past the ratchets. They're out there.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rare-Sears-3-8-inch-removable-thumb-wheel-for-ratchet-or-socket-wrench-/401373340522?hash=item5d73b7236a:g:crAAAOSwONdZeRy2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-VTG-Craftsman-Ratchet-Thumb-Wheel-Set-1-4-3-8-1-2-Speed-Ring-Adapter-/311923633005?hash=item48a018eb6d:g:Il4AAOSwuspY~lYg

 

[mbshop]

Having ones in the 70s, I found that they were more trouble than anything. So they sat in my toolbox forever. I do hope they work for others but I think most will find them rather limited in their use .

 

[jeejay]

Hey, this is giving me something to do with disposable lids, well the one on a milk jug was too flimsy, but the inside of a liquid plumr lid works (about 30 seconds with a dremel and voila)!

Of course I washed it off real good first (after prying it out with a butter knife, and removing the backing). I'll be sizing up lids everywhere now: what else for a crappy socket set... seriously, I think that was an improvement (spins faster and/or more comfy with such a shape).

Then there was the scrap screen door opener (I pried the knob off with a screwdriver). Might have made it 1/4", but the opening was already too big, so I used a needle file to square it off at 3/8", and it works with the 1/4" adapter (otherwise deep sockets could have been necessary if the tiny diameter short ones were swallowed up in this knob). It's a similar shape to the first one, and the same diameter as the blue spinner, a little more reinforced inside, this just wouldn't allow for larger sockets alone. The set is mostly 1/4" though (it's pretty useful in that case). These longer ones allow for different finger positions over the top, so it can be similar to using a palm ratchet.

That reminds me, there's also a newer kind of palm ratchet adapter that uses the plastique (of some kind). I guess there's typically not more torque in spinning a socket drive until a fastener is finger tight than there would be screwing a lid on, etc.

I never had much use for my circle graph, with drive sized squares, until this came up.

 

[Zapp Branigan]

I had a set of those rings, forgot all about those. In fact I hadn't thought about them for years. I haven't seen them since 1985. Now it's gonna bug me wondering what ever happened to them.

I bought one of these at the local Ollie's discount store for 6 bucks, and it has a thumb ring on it, but it's easier to just twist the handle. Works good for plugs, headers and such. It's pretty slick, it keeps driving in the same direction you select as you twist the handle back and forth. It doesn't get used much but it's saved my bacon a few times.

https://www.pricefalls.com/product/...tent=PLA&campaign=278176234&ad=75591446284843

 

[jeejay]

Interesting (I'd missed those in stores, as topics here would indicate). Looks like the name of the "rotator ratchet" is following the same trend of redefining itself though, these other rotators seem to be more popular now for some reason, more angles I guess (yet the first ones seem to have good reviews too). Any double rotator ratchets with a finger spinner out there? I did find the double flex ratchet. Yeah, I could be talking about one vs two handed knuckle skinning devices (if every part that is gripped can move). I'd prefer to use a spinning T-handle for that matter, more of my ultimate hand drive (tried it with screwdriver bits too, so much faster, if not limited in scope). I'd compare all the rest if it were all in one place. Eastward? Alibabaland (google seems to love that place)... sometimes it's the UK, by way of Japan (not that I seek to find novelties far away, maybe they'll end up in a giant vending machine someday). I'm still wondering why those wobbly little socket sets came with a speeder ring, it seems like a practical joke somehow, at face value. I'm fine with fixing an eleven cent piece, but it's funny how the only one left in the wild is basically inoperable off the shelf.

 

[48548]

Not my thing.....

 

[ganymede]

Ive got a couple in 3/8.
One is a plain sheet steel Craftsman job from the 70's and the other (pictured) is by Williams.
It's only value to me is as a short extension.
I really dig the Craftsman though. It stays in my mobile kit.

View media item 72987

 

[48548]

I found 2 more

 

[Gittgo]

I have these styles from Garwerench. You can get a pretty mean grip on them due to the design and they are actually a reversible ratchet. Once I break something loose I often grab one to finish removing(or installing) the fastener