first snap on ratchets to get?

[WittHay]

You can't order online from Canada? That can't be right.

Snap-on Canada went back to 1990 something, except they replaced the fax number with a email address. Basically telephone order. The website gives a price, picture and description but no online ordering.

For the OP, if at all possible meet up with a Snap-on dealer, you will be impressed at the amount of different length and handle style of ratchets there are on the tool truck.

Big improvement over the Mastercraft round head ratchets

 

[CR888]

Everyone carries on about back drag, its one of the easiest things to fix on a ratchet. I've adjusted back drag on all my 120xp's to where they are lower than my Japanese ratchets. There is this myth that modifying spring tension will affect the durability of a ratchet. Well as long as you don't take it to far to the point the pawls won't engage its totally fine. If you jack a car up & slide a jack stand underneath it to hold the weight of the car it don't matter whether you slide it into place with your foot or use a 20 ton hydraulic ram, it won't affect the ability of the jackstand to hold up the car. Same with putting a pawl in place inside a ratchet. Just get a Dual-80 1/2" flex comfort handle off a SO truck. Just clench first before climbing aboard.

 

[homec]

Snap-on Canada went back to 1990 something, except they replaced the fax number with a email address. Basically telephone order. The website gives a price, picture and description but no online ordering.

For the OP, if at all possible meet up with a Snap-on dealer, you will be impressed at the amount of different length and handle style of ratchets there are on the tool truck.

Big improvement over the Mastercraft round head ratchets

I guess not a bad idea. There are a couple mechanics near my office. Can maybe wander in and ask for their dealer and when the snap-on truck comes by.

 

[joel63]

Take your pick. I’ll sell you anyone you like!

View media item 80183

You mean it?

 

[KM223]

You mean it?

Absolutely! I’m looking to downsize.

 

[Professional Tool User]

For automotive, I'd buy a standard length 3/8 flex head, a long 3/8 flex head, and a roto head 1/4. As for your sockets, I've been there and done that with Williams and Snap on. Not worth it. If you are planning to buy chrome sockets right away, the money can be better spent on impact sockets. I have yet to break any of my Canadian tire Maximum impact sockets.

 

[Wamsutta]

Snap-on Canada went back to 1990 something, except they replaced the fax number with a email address. Basically telephone order. The website gives a price, picture and description but no online ordering.

That's crazy as heck for this day and age. I wonder if it's the same for the UK and Germany.

 

[WittHay]

That's crazy as heck for this day and age. I wonder if it's the same for the UK and Germany.

Same basic website for Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand just the currency is changed.

Not sure what happens when you phone Snap-on to buy a ratchet. If they just refer you to a local dealer or they take down your credit card information and process it right away or later . Also shipping is expensive in other country's besides the US, no free shipping.

 

[Ronson25]

The grip is a warranty part so if it gets banged up or breaks your dealer will replace...my most used is my 3/8 extra long flex with metal handle... Then my 3/8 in 1/4/body roto with soft grip...

 

[ex-x-fire]

If you're getting Williams sockets, why not get their ratchets too?

 

[timc930]

First of all, its gotta be a dual-80. Then I'd go flex/locking flex long 3/8 or 1/2 with the new colored comfort handle. There's kinda a reason so many are all making the same suggestion to a question that literally has hundreds of answers. But at the end of the day, (the sun goes down) if your going to invest in a top shelf ratchet, buy the drive size & style that your going to use the most... ideally you want it to be your 'go-too'.

So what do the different colored handles (Green, Red, Orange) represent? (and by color i mean the colored stripe at the end of the black grip)

 

[Tallpilot]

So what do the different colored handles (Green, Red, Orange) represent? (and by color i mean the colored stripe at the end of the black grip)

Snap-on is very good at merchandising to their target demographic. Large numbers of Snap-on owners have begged, sold, traded, etc in order to switch their collection to a different color. If you own nothing pick a color and enjoy it; they are usually the same price new. Otherwise collecting the colors and matching your collection is pretty much like collecting Pokemon cards but expect ********* fans to argue vehemently that there are many perfectly rational reasons for picking a color like multiple techs working in the same shop. Eminently reasonable.

 

[timc930]

Snap-on is very good at merchandising to their target demographic. Large numbers of Snap-on owners have begged, sold, traded, etc in order to switch their collection to a different color. If you own nothing pick a color and enjoy it; they are usually the same price new. Otherwise collecting the colors and matching your collection is pretty much like collecting Pokemon cards but expect ********* fans to argue vehemently that there are many perfectly rational reasons for picking a color like multiple techs working in the same shop. Eminently reasonable.

Thanks. Going to try a few SO ratchets, trying to decide soft/chrome grips. All of my older ratchets are chrome, so that's where I am headed, but still thinking....

 

[Tallpilot]

Thanks. Going to try a few SO ratchets, trying to decide soft/chrome grips. All of my older ratchets are chrome, so that's where I am headed, but still thinking....

That actually is a tough call. There are reasons for both choices. The most interesting fact to me is that the comfort grip versions of each length are all longer.

My personal preference is for locking flex heads because they are the best of both worlds. These things are expensive enough it is hard to justify both a fixed and flex head just because the fixed head is 'stronger.' Like everything though, the primary consideration would be your budget.

 

[M6erfan]

I'm upgrading my sockets to williams USA. I want to buy a snap on ratchet or two. I already have Canadian tire regular ratchets in 1/4 3/8 1/2 purchased as part of a set. They're not great.

This is for automotive (car, not truck). There's such a huge variety of snap on ratchets taht i'm not sure which to get first.

Regular handle, long handle, regular vs flex head?

If I were to get three snap ons, which should I get in which order?

thanks

None. Look at Carlyle 72t, Tekton 90t, Koken 24t.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Thanks. Going to try a few SO ratchets, trying to decide soft/chrome grips. All of my older ratchets are chrome, so that's where I am headed, but still thinking....

Don't forget about hard handles!

 

[d.mcfarland]

Probably the best all round 3/8 drive ratchet from snap on would be their flf80

Truth right here. With that, a T72, and whatever huge *** 1/2" drive model you heart desires, most jobs could be done I would think.

 

[RedneckWelder]

My favorite Snap On ratchets are my 11” locking flex head 3/8 Dual 80 and my 17” locking flex 1/2 936 series. I don’t like grips or quick release.

If I was an auto tech then I’d also like their 1/4 flex but I rarely use 1/4 drive

 

[timc930]

I am looking online, and, regarding the 1/4, and 3/8 Long Handle Flex Head, and Standard Handle Locking Flex Head for both 1/4 and 3/8, the handles are approx the same length.

FLF80A: Long Handle Flex: 11 1/2
FX80A: Standard Handle Locking Flex: 11 3/8

Similar with 1/4 as well.

With this, I am considering Standard Handle Non Flex, and Standard Handle Locking Flex in both 1/4 and 3/8, this would give me the the longer handle with locking flex...

Also leaning towards Chrome Handles, as that's what I've had all of my life, and I don't turn wrenches 40hrs a week, but I do have a lot of automotive projects and maint coming up on just about everything that I own, so I will have some hours on these tools on the weekends and evenings....I don't think I would take the time, or want to take the time to clean the soft grip either....

Edit: I also deal with a fair amount of M6 nuts, with a torque of around 9Nm (8.8), I like smaller 1/4 ratchets and just hold in palm with one hand if that makes sense...

 

[Tallpilot]

If you are going to get locking flex and non flex would it not make sense to get a longer handle in non flex like the FLL80? Otherwise it seems like you will just have two very similar tools.

 

[timc930]

The Standard Handle (SH) non flex is 7.5, and the SH locking flex is 10.5, yeah I guess that is pretty close, so long handle non flex might be good idea, but I also like a short 3/8, so maybe just get all three. I spend a lot of time with 3/8, so a variety, with something that I can somewhat "palm" would be nice. Tough decisions....but getting there.

I guess what I was thinking, is the SH Locking Flex is equal to the LH Flex, and the LH Flex seems to be very popular....

 

[scooby074]

You can't order online from Canada? That can't be right.

The Canadian SO website is hot garbage. Like a step back in time. It actually used to be better when it was more text based.

Its bad enough I created a thread just to rant about it! https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397752

No online ordering. Call or email. Its ****. No excuse for it in this day and age, considering the US site while not the best site out there is at least functional.

 

[scooby074]

Same basic website for Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand just the currency is changed.

Not sure what happens when you phone Snap-on to buy a ratchet. If they just refer you to a local dealer or they take down your credit card information and process it right away or later . Also shipping is expensive in other country's besides the US, no free shipping.

Ive ordered off the site when my driver "lost" his franchise.

Besides being a step backwards, its actually not that painful. When you call in, it goes to what Im guessing is a very small call centre... Could actually just be a guy on a desk Im betting SO canada has very few reps for online sales.

The guy I got was actually the franchisee sales rep and wondered how I got him by calling the public number lol. Nice guy (seriously). IIRC I think he was in Calgary??? All he asked was if I had a driver, not that I think it mattered as to whether hed process the order or not. I wonder if you do have a driver, if they send them a percentage of the sale?? Basically online ordering is undercutting the driver (if you have one) in a way.

AFAIK you wont get flyer pricing by ordering online, and you definitely wont get any freebies like you might get from ordering off the local truck.

The guy asked how I wanted to ship. IIRC I went with Purolator (maybe..) My order had a couple of items that were backordered and I only paid shipping for the first items shipped, SO covered shipping on the backordered items, which was good. I think it took 3 packages overall to get 6 items.

Its a lot easier to just process your own orders online without having to call it in, but the SO process is pretty painless and professional considering, basically they seem to be running the canadian RETAIL online ops as a side operation to the Canadian WHOLESALE ops. The Wholesale ops probably making up 95% of their sales.

 

[scooby074]

OP see if you can find a driver. Thats the best answer, you can feel the tools in hand. Some people like the hard or soft handles, some like the plain metal handle.

If your buying 3 ratchets, your dealer will likely make a deal, vs no deal off the website.

What to buy? I like the locking dual80 hard handle flex in 3/8. I got the extra long dual80 1/4 flex in steel handle, which is amazing. Lots of torque in a compact package. Use it lots. One of my favourites is my very old (36 teeth???), standard length 3/8 I got. Its nice and lubed and worked in, I grab it more than my HH flex. The locking long 1/2" does double duty, its a strongarm and a ratchet.

IMHO SO makes the best ratchets going. Youll notice a big difference going to them even from the Maximum ratchets (which arent really that bad). It would be really hard to make a mistake buying any SO ratchet theyre all pretty good.

Crappy tire sockets are decent and you cant beat the warranty. I have some SO sockets but most of mine are Maximum, Gray and Craftsman. SO might fit a hair better, but for the price, CT Maximum are darn good especially if youre prone to losing them.

 

[timc930]

I apologize for hijacking this thread, as I originally figured one-two questions, but I keep getting deeper. I did not want to open a new duplicate thread, as some forums frown on that, so being new I just did not know proper protocol. I'll be more than happy to open new thread if needed just let me know. I figured my questions would benefit the OP or another newbe to SO tools...

Anyone have any idea why the following are not offered by SO:

1/4: (Chrome Handle)
Dual80 Long Handle Locking Flex Head

3/8:
Dual80 Long Handle Locking Flex Head
Dual80 Extra Long Handle Locking Flex Head

 

[timc930]

So I found the name and contact number for the SO truck in my area, talked to the guy tonight, super nice. 10% for cash plus what ever tools are on sale. Meeting him Thursday to look at and purchase maybe 5 ratchets....Be nice to hold them first. Thinking:

F80, T72, TX72, and FX80A. After looking at the actual tool I'll get a better idea and feel for what I need.

 

[paulsomlo]

After 68 posts in this thread, you probably need another opinion like a hole in the head... but if it were me, I would start with the TX72 and FX80A, work with those for six months or so, then see how you feel.