Do you prefer course or fine tooth ratchets?

[sickytwisted]

I like fine tooth but i've been told by a professional mechanic friend that he hates fine tooth ratchets. This was just after I tried to give him a brand new snap on f80, for all of the favors that he's done for me and just because he's an all around good guy. Anyway, he kept it but didn't hesitate to express to me what a POS fine tooth ratchets are. I i've never had any problems with em. WHats your preferance? Call this my taking a poll.

 

[Fedwrench]

Fine tooth all the way, I need 45 teeth or more, preferably 60. To each his own but, 30 teeth just doesn't cut it for me.

 

[Merkava_4]

I like fine tooth but i've been told by a professional mechanic friend that he hates fine tooth ratchets. This was just after I tried to give him a brand new snap on f80, for all of the favors that he's done for me and just because he's an all around good guy. Anyway, he kept it but didn't hesitate to express to me what a POS fine tooth ratchets are. I i've never had any problems with em. WHats your preferance? Call this my taking a poll.

You give the guy an F80 and he tells you how he hates fine tooth ratchets? What an ungrateful [censored].

 

[Tool Pants]

You are all spoiled.

Here is my Williams S-50 1/2". 16 teeth.

 

[06wt]

i like my ratchets how i like my woman
FINE

 

[Jokeman]

Whatever gets the job done.

 

[LGMechanical]

Your mechanic friend must hate change. As a professional truck mechanic I can tell you that fine tooth ratchets are indispensable. The is no application where a course ratchet performs better than a fine tooth. Aside from course being cheaper, fine tooth is the clear winner.

 

[BanjoSavesTheDay]

It seems possible that under maximum torque, a ratchet with bigger, courser teeth would be less likely to break. However, if you're going to attack it with a four foot cheater pipe, you might as well use a bigger drive size.

 

[psychoclaw84]

To each his own.

I like fine tooth ratchets, a minimum of 45 teeth, they provide the best access in tight engine compartments.

Exception: I do own a coarse long handle 1/2 drive Cornwell ratchet that I do enjoy.

Matco, SK, Proto & Snap On are the ratchets of choice for me.

 

[Jononon]

Fine tooth, I'm never in so much of a hurry that I can't use a breaker bar if I really need the strength.

 

[Monte]

72 teeth fine tooth

 

[speed bump]

I prefer air ratchets, otherwise I don't think it really matters. Every once and a while I have a use for my really fine tooth ratchets outside of 1/4" drive but other than that I don't really ever feel the need.

 

[a390st]

I generally prefer 45 teeth or more. I would say it doesn't matter, but in a tight engine bay it is a lot quicker if more than one or two teeth can engage per turn.

 

[tonydanzah]

100% fine tooth

 

[TAMPAGT07]

i like my ratchets how i like my woman
FINE

I got one too. I like my ratchets how I like my women, the more teeth the better.

 

[nissan_crawler]

fine tooth.

If anybody had made that comment to me as I was handing them a brand new Snap-On ratchet, it would've became an **** suppository.

 

[ratchet_gear]

I like my ratchets how I like my women, the more teeth the better.

LOL!!!

 

[simonb]

the guy never got a gift in his life, that is why he came off the way he did, I had a friend like that, he would put anything down that was given to him because he feels he doesnt deserve it.

I prefer fine tooth- especially in tight areas
they are also quieter
with lifetime warranty, i dont see why someone would want anything other than fine tooth

i have been spoiled, i never owned anything less than 80tooth- i dont even recall ever using one that is less than 80 (i been working about 1 1/2-2 years)

 

[Mike83]

I like fine tooth but i've been told by a professional mechanic friend that he hates fine tooth ratchets. This was just after I tried to give him a brand new snap on f80, for all of the favors that he's done for me and just because he's an all around good guy. Anyway, he kept it but didn't hesitate to express to me what a POS fine tooth ratchets are. I i've never had any problems with em. WHats your preferance? Call this my taking a poll.

Hmm. I never look a gift horse in the mouth. Nor would I look a gift ratchet in the...well, you get my point. Sounds like an all around pr!ck.

I like fine tooth ratchets. I had an F830 and did not like it so I sold it. 60 tooth min for me, and even that seem coarse compared to my TL72 or S80.

 

[mkdive]

You give the guy an F80 and he tells you how he hates fine tooth ratchets? What an ungrateful [censored].

I love my F80!

 

[sickytwisted]

I love my F80!

Yeah, That f80 kicks some serious ****. Well it seems to me that fine tooth wins and my mechanic friend is probably affraid of change!

 

[DavidtheDuke]

I think that mechanic simply has had bad luck with them in the past, but they have been improved and have better surface contact than a regular coarse tooth ratchet, hence they have better ratcheting kickbacks as well as superior strength.

 

[gofastman]

Your mechanic friend must hate change. As a professional truck mechanic I can tell you that fine tooth ratchets are indispensable. The is no application where a course ratchet performs better than a fine tooth. Aside from course being cheaper, fine tooth is the clear winner.

I second this statement completely, I really cant think of ANY reason you would use a low tooth count ratchet. Back in the day when the only way you could get fine teeth was in a round head ratchet I could see some issues, but I will never give up my dual80's or GearWrench 88 tooth hybrids

 

[mkdive]

I like my ratchets how I like my women, the more teeth the better.

Made me

, too good not to add to my signature!

 

[tonydanzah]

Also like in gear ratio in axle the small the teeth the stronger it is to a point. You have more smaller teeth making more contact in the area than fewer larger teeth. Smaller teeth have less leverage.

 

[Joe H]

You give the guy an F80 and he tells you how he hates fine tooth ratchets? What an ungrateful [censored].

Exactly what I was thinking. Isn't it common courtesy to just graciously accept the gift regardless of whether you like it or not.

Anyways, I prefer fine tooth ratchets by far. I just don't understand why some people don't like em. The tight swing arc comes in handy for me so often. Also as long as you buy a good brand strength isn't an issue either. I've seen someone put about a 3-4' cheater pipe on a 3/8 drive Dual 80 snap-on ratchet and sure enough it broke. Upon closer inspection we noticed that the gears on the ratchet didn't fail but the actual square drive end broke. Needless to say I have no doubts about the strength of those ratchets after seeing that.

 

[caper]

Coarse or fine?I'll pick fine but if you ask me new versus old,well that's something else.I'll take an older ratchet over a new one hands down.I have a couple 80 series ratchets and they're nice but if I was offered a new 80 series or an older hard handle the 80 would be sitting there awhile.The 80 series ones I have have all been converted to hard handles.

 

[spencerian]

I like my 1/4 inch all fine tooth.
My 3/8 course EXCEPT my stubby ratchets.
All 1/2 are course.

 

[rjohnson]

I prefer fine tooth!

 

[bry@n]

Fine tooth here.

 

[bushhawg73]

Fine teeth for me 2.

 

[VegasBruce]

I have both, and use the fine tooth more.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Made me

, too good not to add to my signature!

Thank you, mkdive. I am flattered.

 

[sickytwisted]

I got one too. I like my ratchets how I like my women, the more teeth the better.

YOUR POST MADE ME POSTING THIS THREAD COMPLETELY WORTH IT! THANK YOU!

 

[Paladin]

You give the guy an F80 and he tells you how he hates fine tooth ratchets? What an ungrateful [censored].

X10!

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

You give the guy an F80 and he tells you how he hates fine tooth ratchets? What an ungrateful [censored].

agree...........

 

[airdale]

I got one too. I like my ratchets how I like my women, the more teeth the better.

Which begs the question: round or pear head?

 

[sickytwisted]

I need to correct the feeling that i seem to have projected in my initial story. My mechanic friend whom I love dealry took the gift gracefully and it seemed to me as if he were saying that so far every fine tooth ratchet that he had owned was a POS. He also said that he would not use the one that i gave him professionaly because it meant too much to him.

 

[ukvauxtech]

Fine tooth for tight access jobs or bolts that are just a little too tight to turn out with my fingers. Course for tight bolts.
Just my preference.

 

[expatriated]

How many teeth are in my F830? 30?

I like my Toptul 72 teeth alot.