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Facom Ratchets

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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
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51
Location
Mauston, WI
I did a little searching and did not come up with alot. Does anyone here in the States own some and how do you like them? I was looking at the palm control and the pear head versions. Pros/cons? Any other dealers besides Ultimate garage? Was going to pull the trigger on a couple but wanted some opinions.


Yes I know I could get some proto versions and no I am not interested in snap-on. Thanks in advance.

Oh I almost forgot. I know it is a popular brand in the UK and Europe. Please give me you input as well.

Stroh
 
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stricht8

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Apr 20, 2008
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Super smooth and nice. Smoother than SO dual eighties despite the slightly lower tooth count. The rubber handle is a bit difficult to clean.
 
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Fedwrench

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Dec 9, 2007
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Valley of the sun
I have a couple of the palm control and the newer pear heads. The classic palm control is a great little ratchet. Nicely finished, good balance, smooth action. I like the comfort grip. Only real con is that the head isn't real thin.

The new Pear heads are taiwan made. I don't care for the new comfort grip handle as the grooves don't go all the way around the handle. The material is more slippery when covered with oil, atf, coolant, etc. They also added a hanging loop at the bottom that prevents you from tapping things with it it. You can't disassmble the new pearheads. the action is pressed into the head and it supposedly is lubed for life. Still a nice ratchet but, not what I expected.

The Proto versions of the palm control ratchets have the exact same Facom (currently made in Italy) palm control action. The chief difference being the round knurled handle and round beam.

Great little ratchets,
 
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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
Messages
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Location
Mauston, WI
Thanks Fedwrench! I'm gonna steer clear of the pear heads then. I don't like the idea of them being lubed for life. I did find Monte's video on youtube comparing the heads of the palm control to a couple of Hazets, a Snap-on, and a Stahlwille. I can understand the handle being difficult to clean but to me it looks like you could still grip it with oil and coolant on your hands. And it wouldn't get stained since it is black. I did have an SK tuff 1 at one time. I do believe it had the same guts since Facom owned them when they made those ratchets. How bad is it to repair one whent the time comes? Utimate garage says when the factory grease gets old they skip. Are they a pain to get apart?
 
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Olafur

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Jun 2, 2011
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Iceland
Not sure how long these have been around but I think I used Facom palm control first over 30 years ago. Great ratchets: smooth, light to swing, comfortable in your hand.

They need to cleaned once in a while - dirt sensitive due to the fine tooth mechanism.
 
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Fedwrench

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stroh said:
How bad is it to repair one whent the time comes? Utimate garage says when the factory grease gets old they skip. Are they a pain to get apart?
Click to expand...

Not an issue to rebuild. remove set screw, replace parts, squirt a little oil, reassemble aligning the lid pin into the heart shaped spring, drop of blue locktite on the setscrew threads. There is a sweetspot when tightening the setscrew though. Some people run the setscrew in all the way and then back it out a bit at a time until they're happy. Whatever works but, you need to hit the sweetspot for peak performance.
 
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rmsg0040

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Feb 15, 2012
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Location
Toronto
very nice ratchets, small head diameter, but as mentioned the head is quite tall in comparison to other brands.
 
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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
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51
Location
Mauston, WI
Tighten it till it turns easy then back it off a quarter turn? Lol!!! Couldn't resist. Seriously though it sounds pretty straight forward. Thanks Fedwrench. Is the handle rubber or a hard plastic? I am messy when working on my stuff.
 
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CWP1616L

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tweedlestan said:
What drive size and handle length is that?
Click to expand...

It's 1/4 drive and it's about 4-1/2 inches long.

040213670.jpg
 
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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
Messages
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Location
Mauston, WI
I do have a 3/8 long handled proto premium ratchet. I like it alot. It's too bad they don't make a flex handled version.
 
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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
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Location
Mauston, WI
Pulled the trigger on a 3/8 and a 1/2 ratchet last night. Hopefully will be here by the end of the week. How do you post pics on here? I tried once and could not get it to work.
 
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stroh

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Aug 28, 2008
Messages
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Location
Mauston, WI
I ordered a 3/8 j.174 long handled ratchet and a 1/2 long flex S.153A. Thanks for the pic links fellas. I will take some pics an post when the arrive.
 
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montero1dfw

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Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
30
Hi, I discovered this thread after seeing a couple of Facom S.161 1/2 ratchets at a locat tool store. They are both new but one of the ratchets doesn't turn very easily. They want $25.00 each, would these be worth buying? On a side note while I was there I bought a new US General Topbox item#68787 for a $200 and a set of Armstrong flex head wrenches 25-696 for $100. I feel spent out but if these ratchets are pretty good I will probably go get them.

mike
 
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rmsg0040

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Location
Toronto
Buy em, all you need to do is open and clean, if broken find a mac tool truck and get a kit
 
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montero1dfw

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Aug 18, 2009
Messages
30
rmsg0040 said:
Buy em, all you need to do is open and clean, if broken find a mac tool truck and get a kit
Click to expand...

Thanks I went back and bought them today. I paid $35 for both. I took the ratchet that was hard to turn apart and it had some yellowish looking stuff that was pretty hard and sticky. After cleaning the ratchet up and lubing it the ratchet works great.
 

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Requin6

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Jul 24, 2011
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Frederick, MD
I picked up this Facom r.161 tonight for $10. I had only heard of them briefly from a couple threads on here. After handling it for a couple minutes I had to have it. The ratcheting action is VERY smooth.

IMG_2498_zpseab1679f.jpg
 
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tony p

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Oct 15, 2007
Messages
131
Location
London UK
If you want a 3/8" drive Facom 'palm-control' with similar overall size to the R.161, have a look for J.161E. The 3/8 is actually about 1/2" shorter, as it doesn't have the black grip on the handle - it ends in a smooth ball shape.

Both really nice ratchets - have two of each and are perhaps the most-used tools in my box. Mine are mostly some years old now and 'Made in France'. Have a later one with no COO marked, but it's hard to tell the difference.

The palm-control ratchets usually (or certainly used to) come with a little sheet if diagrams on how to dismantle and reassemble which is a nice touch (even telling you what Torx size bit you need). Haven't tried putting 3/8 mech in 1/4 rat - the overall head diameter is a little larger, so I guess that's down to wall thickness of the head if the mechanism fits.
 
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