Educate me on Wobble Drives please

[DAustin]

A short wobble extension on a 1/4" drive flex-head ratchet is just the ticket for taking off the otherwise tricky nuts holding a Triumph TR3 fuel pump to the block.

I wish I had known about 50 years ago when I had mine

 

[lardy1]

Educate me now. I only have the shortest wobble extensions in 3/8" and 1/2". I've really only used the i/4" ones and have them in two lengths.

Question: Isn't putting the short one on a longer extension the equivalent of a longer wobbly? Other than using multiple wobbly's in a setup, is there any real reason to own different lengths?

 

[rd65]

I have a 1" 1/4 & 3/8 drive and a 3" 3/8 drive in the home box. I love them. Universals as a last resort. The ones I have at work are the type that transition to a straight drive when you push the socket on further. I am not a fan of this type.

 

[German Satin]

Great tools to have. You may want to avoid the wobble / fixed type and get the wobble only (personal preference) ... a lot of the higher end stuff do wobble only extensions that offer a greater angle (up to 15 deg) ... these would be the ones to get imo. Stahlwille, Heyco, Beta, Snap-on, Williams (made in USA) etc all make good wobbles. Try 'em out!

 

[German Satin]

Educate me now. I only have the shortest wobble extensions in 3/8" and 1/2". I've really only used the i/4" ones and have them in two lengths.

Question: Isn't putting the short one on a longer extension the equivalent of a longer wobbly? Other than using multiple wobbly's in a setup, is there any real reason to own different lengths?

Short ones are very versatile as you can wobble a longer extension etc etc

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Educate me now. I only have the shortest wobble extensions in 3/8" and 1/2". I've really only used the i/4" ones and have them in two lengths.

Question: Isn't putting the short one on a longer extension the equivalent of a longer wobbly? Other than using multiple wobbly's in a setup, is there any real reason to own different lengths?

Depends on how you work, the requirements of your work, and how hard you want to work.

If a 4 inch will not reach, and a 6 inch will not fit within the space allotted, you either need a 5" or to play with socket length or ratchet head offset from the handle. For instance, an SK 1/4 head ratchet has the drive anvil a solid 1/8" further from the handle than say a gear wrench. Well, if you need 1/8".....

You can also play with length with multiple wobbles to bend around obstructions. You need a 10" reach, obstruction 4" in. 6" wobble, joined to a 4" wobble, then socket. Kind of like having a swivel impact socket, attached to a swivel universal, for manifold bolts. It's almost 90* of socket throwing fury.

 

[Jweebothee]

Finally paid the piper and got a set of wobble only from Mr. Snappy, I got tired of the dual use type that always locked straight when wobble was needed, of course Mr. Snappy took $50 off his price to entice me to buy haha, it was the only wobble only set on the truck buried under a pile of wobble plus extensions

 

[boom10ful]

For impact wobble extensions, I highly recommend Sunex. I've had the Harbor Freight version and was always using the warranty because the drive head would become mushroomed and wouldn't hold sockets anymore. I haven't had that issue yet with Sunex.