Harbour Freight Professional Pro ratchets

[fao110]

Thinking real hard about picking up the 3/8 and 1/2 swivel ratchets.

Good buy or go with something different?

Thanks

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[jd_1138]

I have a 1/4 one, and it's awesome especially for the price. I'd say pick them up. You can always relegate them to a second set in the future, but the swivel head is really convenient so I think you will like them.

 

[jumbojak]

I like my long 3/8 a lot.

 

[unslow1]

I like them better than my Gearwrench.

 

[fao110]

Thanks guys.
Will be picking them up.


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[AS556]

I have several 3/8 and a 1/4. They are good to go.

Truthfully I don't use them much with William's, Snap On and Proto in my box but the quality is there.

 

[Strouty]

Are you trying to make them sound fancier with the Harbour?

 

[Bagherra]

Just remember the on/off switch is backwards. Doesn't seem important, but when every other ratchet you own is in the correct orientation but opposite of the HF ratchets, it can be annoying. Especially if you use your tools everyday. I had 4 or 5 of them but sold them because of the switch.

I wonder why they did that???

 

[jumbojak]

I wonder why they did that???

It's a higher tooth count version of the classic Proto design. Not backwards compared to them.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Just remember the on/off switch is backwards. Doesn't seem important, but when every other ratchet you own is in the correct orientation but opposite of the HF ratchets, it can be annoying. Especially if you use your tools everyday. I had 4 or 5 of them but sold them because of the switch.

I agree that the switch is the problem, but it's the switch's tendency to lock up when used hard that's the real issue. I've got other ratchets with similar internals that don't have this issue. I'm guessing it might have something to do with the thickness of the head. All the other ratchets I'm referring to like the HF composite and EZ red ones have much thicker heads and I haven't had any issues with those ones. HF might have just changed the head thickness when they contracted the work out and didn't do anything to compensate. As for the orientation, it's completely arbitrary. Not everyone owns a bunch of Snap on ratchets.

 

[PR1Gneon]

IMO better go with a Apex made ratchet.

GearWrench 84T or Husky 72T with quick release.

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[MrDeerHunter]

My box has nothing but SK and Pitt Pro ratchets. I sold my F80 to fund my lp90 (which I like a hell of a lot more). I think for the guy that wrenches when **** breaks or to help out a buddy that needs a little help the Pitt pro ratchets are great. I have all of them except the indexing, composite, and extendign ones. I think I have $200 in it and I don't feel like I ever have the need the for a ratchet I don't have. I have had the 3/8 long handle lock up and taken it back for warranty but I should have probably used a 1/2 breaker for it.

Don't hesitate buying them and later You might upgrade but think about this way, you are better off having lesser (not poor) quality of what you need than not enough of the premium to get *** done. Upgrade as your money let's you. But the HF pro line is a decent place to start.

Then move to SK. Their round heads are the smoothest.

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[visionguru]

Thinking real hard about picking up the 3/8 and 1/2 swivel ratchets.

Good buy or go with something different?

....

"swivel"? Do you mean flex head or roto?
I would compare the price of Gearwrench and even Autozone, both are slightly better quality than Harbor Freight, and not much more expensive.

 

[bonneyman]

Just remember the on/off switch is backwards. Doesn't seem important, but when every other ratchet you own is in the correct orientation but opposite of the HF ratchets, it can be annoying. Especially if you use your tools everyday. I had 4 or 5 of them but sold them because of the switch.

Yeah little things like selector shape, too much or too little back drag, and knurling feel can make or break a tool.

I wonder why they did that???

Could have just been the way the design materialized. Perhaps the engineers who design the tools don't use the tools.

 

[Nineeightyone]

I've got the roto head ratchet in 3/8, and it's nice enough for the price. I've also got a few of the other HF Pittsburgh Pro ratchets, a few flex heads and a few composite, and I really like the composite for cold-weather use, and the flex heads seem to work just as well as any others when I need them to.

 

[fao110]

Yes I meant flex head.
I picked them up kinda hard not to.

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[Mohawk Dave]

I agree. But I use the composite versions a lot. They have earned a spot in the drawer with my best ratchets.

Every time I put a newly refurbed something back together I use my composites jut in case of paint dings. I just wish the switch was not bass ackwards.

 

[Gurp]

I agree. But I use the composite versions a lot. They have earned a spot in the drawer with my best ratchets.

I work outside alot in the heat and cold. The composite ratchetswith the fat handles are my go to for outside auto work. Surprisingly tough for a $10 tool. I've abused mine alot.

 

[fao110]

I work outside alot in the heat and cold. The composite ratchetswith the fat handles are my go to for outside auto work. Surprisingly tough for a $10 tool. I've abused mine alot.

Been using the HF Pro ratchets I was asking about.
Wish I had done it sooner.
For the price they are hard to beat.
I turn wrenches every day so I will be giving them a work out.
Just dont tell my Snap On dealer.

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[Alpine4x4]

I have a few. They're OK. My 1/4" died once a little ATF got in it, jammed it up good. The head on my 3/8 flex is very loose. They're lightyears better than my old Cman ones for sure, but they're "backups" to my snappy stuff now that I've added a few to my box.

I will say the green soft grip 1/2" Pittsburgh ratchet that came with the 1/2" socket set has been amazing. I prefer it to the pro stuff, just feels like a tighter tolerance. I abuse the hell out of it and it still works great. I've found no need to replace it with a snappy version like I did the 1/4 and 3/8 pro ratchets except maybe length, but I just use my breaker bar if I need the leverage.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

I have a few. They're OK. My 1/4" died once a little ATF got in it, jammed it up good. The head on my 3/8 flex is very loose. They're lightyears better than my old Cman ones for sure, but they're "backups" to my snappy stuff now that I've added a few to my box.

I will say the green soft grip 1/2" Pittsburgh ratchet that came with the 1/2" socket set has been amazing. I prefer it to the pro stuff, just feels like a tighter tolerance. I abuse the hell out of it and it still works great. I've found no need to replace it with a snappy version like I did the 1/4 and 3/8 pro ratchets except maybe length, but I just use my breaker bar if I need the leverage.

ATF jamming up a ratchet? Are you talking about the low profile comfort grip one? I have composites I use in the winter that have super lube in them and they are fine. It's not the same, but they are similar in mechanism. Sounds like you got one that was genuinely defective if relatively thin oil causes it to jam.

 

[M6erfan]

I like the PP composites. The handles and lengths are great. I just wish the heads weren't so cartoonishly big.

 

[mad-ass]

I can't say anything about swivel head ratchets as I really never used them, but I have the long handled 3/8th flex head from HF and it made me wonder why I didn't buy it sooner.

 

[PR1Gneon]

I own the Pro 1/4 flex and dont like it, feels cheap like a toy.

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[DFB]

The roto head style ratchet (not HF) is my buds favorite down at the motorcycle shop


I am partial to their composites for many of the same reasons already mentioned. I really like the ********* straight handle 1/2" for many of my outdoor jobs and the curved 1/4" on batteries.

The directional switch is the least of my worries and its truly a non issue to me

I really kick myself for not getting the roto head version in addition to the other fine toothed ratchets I own like this with black rubber grips. (SK/Facom knockoffs).

Not a big fan of the new HF green though the older HF red handle version is more acceptable to me

 

[seber]

I tried one for the house to replace the antique 30 tooth. The backward switch wasn't just annoying, it was horrific. I'm not **** but that one drove me to raving.

 

[jgromada]

I chuckle when i hear the term "backwards" with regard to the switch.

Who sets the standard, Snap-On? I guess this is one of those I got nothing else to ***** about today!

 

[DFB]

Guess maybe I'm showing my age here but the directional adjusters on all my RHR turn counterclockwise for locking the head into a clockwise rotation tightening position.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Are you trying to make them sound fancier with the Harbour?

That's an easy way to tell that the OP is not American.

 

[Professional Tool User]

If the OP is referring to the round head ratchets, then I have no complaints, though I'd probably only buy the 1/4 dr one. As for the flex heads, they are okay as long as you don't beat on them. Otherwise, the switch has a tendency to lock up.

 

[AceofSpad3s]

All these people talking about right and wrong switch direction, meanwhile I don't even know which any of mine go I blame on the sheer amount of different ones I use.

 

[Alpine4x4]

ATF jamming up a ratchet? Are you talking about the low profile comfort grip one? I have composites I use in the winter that have super lube in them and they are fine. It's not the same, but they are similar in mechanism. Sounds like you got one that was genuinely defective if relatively thin oil causes it to jam.

Standard 1/4" comfort grip. Was pulling the valve body out of my 47RE and it got coated in ATF, the selector jammed up right after that and I couldnt force it to move. I guarantee it was defective from the factory, not sure why the ATF would cause it to jam up, but it did. Went to Snappy's now so no worries!