'Best' cordless 3/8 " ratchet?

[Chevy-SS]

I do a fair bit of automotive wrenching and my current 3/8" cordless ratchet (probably 15 years old and falling apart) is just too big and awkward. I've been checking out some of the newer tools and they seem awesome. I watch a lot of the hot rodding shows on TV and many of the techs seem to use a cordless Milwaukee ratchet.

What are you guys using?

Thanks for some tips and recommendations.........

 

[Tenex]

Miwaukee M12 seems like the go to. I'm not aware of too many companies, outside of the tool trucks, that offer one.

 

[Tom.C]

I just made a thread regarding this not too long ago, I have the milwaukee and was unhappy with the power and the feel when manually torqing, it feels a bit flimsy on anything above 50ish ft lbs, I went and got the snap on and will never look back, regardless of what the specs between the two say the snap on is far superior in every way and I'm am far from a snap on fanboy, I think there stuff is overpriced but whether you feel the price is worth it or not this ratchet is simply the best.

As for the milwaukee, working on automotive it may be ok, will probably get the job done, just depends if you want good enough or unmatched.

 

[Tenex]

Snap On CTR761B for $421.95 or Milwaukee 2457-21 for $149. I really have to question if the Snap On is really 2.83 times better than the Milwaukee especially considering that the OP won't be getting the additional service he's paying for and it only has a 1 year warranty.

 

[shockwave]

I have both Milwaukee and snap on and prefer the snap on all day for 3/8 the head is stronger and much faster very underrated compared to the Milwaukee which is electronically torqued and heads cannot handle heavy loads

There is limitations with both like plastic body's tend to flex under load of manual torque

The other option is matco but speed is closer to Milwaukee on 16v but torque is higher than both body is stronger but more expensive than snap on too

 

[Tom.C]

Snap On CTR761B for $421.95 or Milwaukee 2457-21 for $149. I really have to question if the Snap On is really 2.83 times better than the Milwaukee especially considering that the OP won't be getting the additional service he's paying for and it only has a 1 year warranty.

It is.

But like I said, I'm not trying to sell him the snap on, maybe he doesn't need all that, the thread is titled "the best 3/8" so that's what I came to talk about.

The milwaukee is an excellent tool all things considered, but underpowered imo, one thing I know for sure is I wouldn't want to go back to it from the snap on, but my job demands are likely different from his, as I have said, he may be ok with the milwaukee.

 

[Sugarfryz]

I used to have the Milwaukee, now I have the snap on. Don't regret it at all. The speed and power are worth it in every way. You get what you pay for.

I'm not saying the Milwaukee is bad, I still daily use many of their tools, just not a fan of their cordless ratchets.

 

[Chevy-SS]

I owned two service stations back in the 70's, so probably would be buying the Snap-On if I was still in the trade full-time. But now is just casual stuff.

But you guys have me thinking. I will pay very close attention on the TV shows to see if they are using Snap-On or Milwaukee. I am always seeing red tool color, so I am assuming Milwaukee, and we all know how dangerous "assuming" something can be, LOL. What color are the Snap-On ratchets?

Thanks for info.

 

[dnschmidt]

The answer to this question depends upon what you're expecting from the ratchet. The Milwaukee is a bolt/nut spinner and works perfectly well in that capacity. It's not going to torque anything. Manually, I'd say it would easily handle 50 ft-lb but that's about it. The Snap-On is more like a cordless replacement for an air ratchet and people like it but to me the best is the Ingersoll-Rand R3130.

 

[Tom.C]

They're red as well, The post above is a perfect explanation of what I was trying to say, he pretty much hit the nail on the head, although I'm not sure about the ir ratchet I have never used one but they look huge.

 

[bcradio]

Obviously the Milwaukee's the better of the bunch. Milwaukee's backed by a 5-year warranty and the largest lineup out there.

 

[Jazzman442]

I am looking for one as well. I was thinking the ML 12 would be a good choice for Auto work. If I wanted more power I would get the AC delco version as it looks like it has the most power of all of them. They both around $150 to $200. way cheaper than the Tool trucks.

 

[jubilee]

I have two ac delco bought from eBay. One was $120 and the other was free due to ups losing it for 3 weeks. Seller sent me a replacement and told me to keep the original if it showed up later, which it did. I use every day. Lots of torque. Better have a good grip on it. Don't know anything about SO ratchet. Won't buy Milwaukee, never had any luck with their stuff.

 

[trackwelder]

Obviously the Milwaukee's the better of the bunch. Milwaukee's backed by a 5-year warranty and the largest lineup out there.

It's not better as far as performance goes. That's a fact not just an opinion. I have a ton of Milwaukee stuff but the ratchet comes up short with a weak head.

 

[Formula]

I've been using my Milwaukee's everyday for almost 2 years now without a problem. I have both the 1/4 and 3/8 drive. They work exactly as they should. Don't use them as a breaker bar and they'll hold up just fine.

 

[ex-x-fire]

M12 is definitely at the bottom if you ask me, I should have bought an a/c delco.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Obviously the Milwaukee's the better of the bunch. Milwaukee's backed by a 5-year warranty and the largest lineup out there.

Have you looked at the snapon on 14 volt line?

Warranty is probably use less when it blows into pieces when you use it as a ratchet

 

[67King]

People, don't watch shows for guidance on what to buy. Those tools are all there for marketing. It is called "product placement," and either Milwaukee or Snap-On, or whomever has paid to have their tools on the show.

The best "ratchet" is the M12 3/8" impact. The ratchet is not designed to put a ton of torque on a fastener, and from my experience with pneumatic ones, I am GLAD it doesn't. There are a few scenarios where the impact will not fit due to space constraints, but very few. About the only time I use the ratchet is when I am running down fasteners that require a specific torque. SO I run down them, then use my torque wrench to torque them to the proper spec in the proper sequence. All other times, I'm using the impact. It gets 20 times the use of the ratchet.

Most, if not all, of these tools have their rated torque advertised. I believe the M12 ratchet is rated at 35 lb-ft. Obviously not much. But buyers should have known that going in. And like I said, I LIKE that it isn't much, I don't want a ratchet that can break my dang wrist.

So for the price of a Snap-On, I'd tell you to buy an M12 impact, AND an M12 ratchet. And probably a 1/4" drive impact, as well.

 

[mcbassin]

I've been wanting one of these battery powered ratchets too. I'm subscribing....

 

[Chevy-SS]

Great comments and suggestions, gents! Thanks very much.

As many have commented regarding torque, I am not looking for the cordless ratchet to actually torque the fastener. The initial loosen and final torque must be done by hand in almost all instances. The cordless ratchet basically only does the actual spinning, which saves so much wear and tear on your hands and wrists. As I said in original post, I have a very old cordless ratchet that I have been using for many years, but it's huge and heavy and falling apart.

Again, many thanks for the comments!

 

[bcradio]

Have you looked at the snapon on 14 volt line?

Warranty is probably use less when it blows into pieces when you use it as a ratchet

Have you seen any M12s fail like you have pictured in your head?

The answer is Nope!

When you buy a cordless tool, you buy a lineup... whether you like it or not. If you have bottomless pockets then sure buy the best of each tool and have 20 different cordless brands. Otherwise, pick the best lineup... which is Milwaukee in this case.

 

[trackwelder]

Have you seen any M12s fail like you have pictured in your head?

The answer is Nope!

When you buy a cordless tool, you buy a lineup... whether you like it or not. If you have bottomless pockets then sure buy the best of each tool and have 20 different cordless brands. Otherwise, pick the best lineup... which is Milwaukee in this case.

I can answer that question. Yes I have broken the head on 2 Milwaukee 12 ratchets. I have cordless Milwaukee, dewalt, and Snap On and it doesn't bother me a bit to have 3 systems. None of them make the best of everything.

 

[bcradio]

I can answer that question. Yes I have broken the head on 2 Milwaukee 12 ratchets. I have cordless Milwaukee, dewalt, and Snap On and it doesn't bother me a bit to have 3 systems. None of them make the best of everything.

So again like I said the answer is Nope... didn't blow up on you.

I could break the head on a Snap On just as well.

 

[Tom.C]

I like the snap on because you don't have to switch tools in the torque and break loose, I haven't touched my regular ratchet lately, the manual ratcheting action works just as my regular ratchet does, so you get the convenience without switching tools all the time, And for the record I don't think anyone is saying the milwaukee is a bad tool but the truth and bottom line is the milwaukee was a 1/4 ratchet that they slapped a 3/8 drive onto and because of that it falls short as a 3/8 ratchet, I use my milwaukee at home on the car, I don't mind having a separate charger for my snap on and all thing considered if I where able to go back I never would have bought the milwaukee, my second choice would have been the a.c. delco, had I known the milwaukee was so gutless but it works ok on cars just probably not for someone who would expect to be able to use it as a true 3/8 ratchet.

 

[trackwelder]

So again like I said the answer is Nope... didn't blow up on you.

I could break the head on a Snap On just as well.

Never said it blew up. The head on the Milwaukee is weak from my experience..I broke two of them before doing some research and buying the Snap On. I wanted a tool that I could break fastners free with and run them off. The Milwaukee simply was not reliable in doing so. Again I didn't give a **** about buying a new system. The Snappy does what I need it to so it was worth the cost to me. Obviously you have different needs and expectations from a cordless ratchet.

 

[md21722]

I used to have the Milwaukee, now I have the snap on. Don't regret it at all. The speed and power are worth it in every way. You get what you pay for.

I'm not saying the Milwaukee is bad, I still daily use many of their tools, just not a fan of their cordless ratchets.

I tried the Milwaukee and didn't care for it. The Snap On is more comfortable and controllable. Also, its rated to brake things free by hand. The Snap On CT761 3/8" cordless impact is also a beast. It's only rated at 120 ft-lbs but it will zip lug nuts torqued to 110 ft-lbs off all day long. The Snap On 14.4V line is quite good, plus you can get it in multiple colors.

 

[wafrederick]

Do have to watch with Snap On's 1 year warranty on their cordless tools.They like to put a charge on top of the warranty sometimes.I go on J Young's youtube channel and a $95.00 charge was put on top of the warranty on one fixed under warranty.Reason why was Snap On said it was immersed in oil and he did not buy that claim.His dealer ate that charge and did not have to pay it.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Do have to watch with Snap On's 1 year warranty on their cordless tools.They like to put a charge on top of the warranty sometimes.I go on J Young's youtube channel and a $95.00 charge was put on top of the warranty on one fixed under warranty.Reason why was Snap On said it was immersed in oil and he did not buy that claim.His dealer ate that charge and did not have to pay it.

Never had that issue before... you find some stuff out of left field sometimes

 

[wafrederick]

Never had that issue before... you find some stuff out of left field sometimes

It was submerged in oil,It is mentioned in this video of his and Snap On has seen it,

 

[WhiffySpark]

It was or wasn't submerged? If it was submerged that should be covered and you should have to buy a new ratchet. But they'll cover it for the flat fee. Which is a nice thing to do

I highly doubt it wasn't submerged. Snapon isn't stupid

 

[Hammer1963]

My experience (about 12 years) with 3/8" cordless ratchets has been in collision repair that included mechanical work. I have owned the Snap-on 14V, the Matco and Milwaukee. All three are good quality tools but are all different. It depends what you are looking for. The difference in on the job torque ability is not as great as some may say. Ten pounds max in my opinion. I never had any intentions of using a cordless ratchet for final torquing of a fastener as size was more important to me. I have ended up with the Milwaukee for a couple of reasons. Compact size, wide platform of associated tools and battery life. The battery life is several times greater than the other 2 mentioned brands. No comparison. Warranty is fantastic and thankfully after 3 years of use I have had no issues. In the end, it depends on what you are going to use the tools for. Good luck on your decision.

 

[echerbst]

I have both and snap on wins hands down. I used them everyday to make money so the time saving and better power of the snap on is well worth the price difference. If you are just a diy'r using at home for occasional use and just want to run some bolts in and out get the m12. The m12 hold up pretty well think I got the 1/4 right then they came out about 5 years ago and think I'm on my 4th one, but there warranty is great, send it in and they send you a rebuilt one.

 

[67King]

The difference in on the job torque ability is not as great as some may say. Ten pounds max in my opinion.

Snappy specs 40 lb-ft, M12 specs 35.

I still an impact is better than any ratchet, though.

 

[Hammer1963]

Snappy specs 40 lb-ft, M12 specs 35.

I still an impact is better than any ratchet, though.

For torque purposes you are absolutely correct.

 

[SoDoodoo]

People, don't watch shows for guidance on what to buy. Those tools are all there for marketing. It is called "product placement," and either Milwaukee or Snap-On, or whomever has paid to have their tools on the show.

The best "ratchet" is the M12 3/8" impact. The ratchet is not designed to put a ton of torque on a fastener, and from my experience with pneumatic ones, I am GLAD it doesn't. There are a few scenarios where the impact will not fit due to space constraints, but very few. About the only time I use the ratchet is when I am running down fasteners that require a specific torque. SO I run down them, then use my torque wrench to torque them to the proper spec in the proper sequence. All other times, I'm using the impact. It gets 20 times the use of the ratchet.

Most, if not all, of these tools have their rated torque advertised. I believe the M12 ratchet is rated at 35 lb-ft. Obviously not much. But buyers should have known that going in. And like I said, I LIKE that it isn't much, I don't want a ratchet that can break my dang wrist.

So for the price of a Snap-On, I'd tell you to buy an M12 impact, AND an M12 ratchet. And probably a 1/4" drive impact, as well.

True that you're going to use your impact more than your ratchet, but if you work in this industry you're going to learn real fast that there's a lot more places that your ratchet can fit that an impact won't. Talking about the Snap on vs Milwaukee, I've tried both, and sure the snap on is more expensive, but I have a lot more confidence breaking bolts loose with that than the Milwaukee. Snap on website states it could handle around 150 ft.lb of manual torque, I don't think the Milwaukee could, seeing as it's the 1/4 ratchet with a 3/8 on it.

 

[trackwelder]

Snappy specs 40 lb-ft, M12 specs 35.

I still an impact is better than any ratchet, though.

Yes that's the second time you have mentioned what everybody already knows. We are not discussing whether to use an impact or a ratchet. Again yes you are correct I also will use an impact almost every time if it will fit. Now that we have that out of the way let's get back to the ratchets.

 

[dnschmidt]

The M12 will NEVER, and I mean NEVER achieve 35 ft-lb. 10 maybe, 15 on the best day of its life. For me this is irrelevant as I use it as a nut spinner and not a torquing device. Manually, it will easily handle 50 ft-lb and for top of the engine work that's more than enough since most of the motors intake manifolds are plastic, if it's a BMW or Mercedes it seems that the entire engine is plastic. Modern cars don't have many bolts other than those used on suspensions and head bolts torqued to greater than 50 ft-lb. Most are far less than that. If you working on Caterpillars that might matter on a modern car it doesn't.

 

[67King]

Yes that's the second time you have mentioned what everybody already knows. We are not discussing whether to use an impact or a ratchet. Again yes you are correct I also will use an impact almost every time if it will fit. Now that we have that out of the way let's get back to the ratchets.

Two reasons: people here post about these things as if they are impacts. Not everyone, but a very large number. These things are not designed to break loose stuff. 150 lb-ft on these things? Please, that is 1/2" drive breaker bar torque, not 8" long, 3/8" drive, electric ratchet torque. But that seems to be the bar folks want to set. I don't even use my FL80 on that (yes, I own some Snap On stuff).

As another poster pointed out, when one buys these tools, they are generally buying into systems. And for the investment required of one tool, one could have multiple tools, including the proper one for the job.

 

[kctyphoon]

I'm very surprised the Mac and 20v IR ratchets are not talked about more on here.. I don't own any, but IR looks to make some great cordless tools for mechanics.

 

[mcbassin]

Good information guys.