Has ratcheting wrenches made non ratcheting wrenches obsolete?

[Cato]

Has ratcheting wrenches made non ratcheting wrenches obsolete?

I have two complete (metric and SAE) sets of non ratcheting wrench sets and a complete half set (metric). I thought I was set up for life and then some. Now as I work on my vehicles, tighten loose nuts on my furniture, and monkey with a dying garage door, I'm seeing the need for ratcheting wrenches. Non ratcheting combo wrenches seem obsolete in comparison to their ratcheting counterparts. What do you fellas think?

 

[Kirbot]

Not at all. Non ratcheting wrenches are great for backing nuts and bolts.

Plus ratcheting wrenches are frequently too bulky and clearance is an issue.

 

[littletoes]

Bulky!

 

[OutsideMachinist]

Nope.

 

[rockinacummins]

A person needs both. And for most of us, numerous duplicates lol

 

[beatcad]

**** me! are you sucking me into one of these questions/threads that have been covered a hundred times?
a tight/stuck bolt should be broke loose w/ a box end wrench or a socket & ratchet or breaker bar if its that stuck.

take care of your tools and they'lle take care of you.

 

[Fedwrench]

NO.

However, fine tooth ratcheting wrenches can definitely make ones life better and greatly increase productivity as they wrench.

I also don't think one or two sets of wrenches in SAE and Metric would set anyone up for life but, that's just me.

 

[Kirbot]

I never hesitate to break things loose with a gearwrench, unless it's REALLY stuck.

It may not be the "proper" way to use them, but it's always worked for me. If one ever does fail, there's always the warranty to fall back on.

 

[panknuckshovel]

Yep, you nailed it. That is why the hundreds upon hundreds of sets that are in every store and are on every truck are nothing but leftover, obsolete, NOS on sale for pennies on the dollar.

 

[Kirbot]

I still certainly wouldn't call them obsolete.
But come to think if it, a set of combination gearwrenches and a set of double box end wrenches probably would not be a bad set up at all.

 

[creativecars]

Not for me. A good combination wrench is my go to for many applications. I like my Gearwrench ratcheters, but I have to remember to reach for them.

 

[purplezr2]

I have 4 sets of both metric and sae plus double boxes and flare nuts. They are by no means obsolete .

 

[RedneckWelder]

Absolutely not.

I use my nonratcheting wrenches way more than my ratcheting ones. While I love my ratcheting wrenches for certain applications (in areas too small for a socket and ratchet to fit) by no means are the ratcheting ones the go-to. I could comfortably do this job with no ratcheting wrenches at all.

 

[bonneyman]

Nope. Both have their place.

I'd really like to get a set of those Matco extra long double boxes with one end ratcheting and the other forged. But the price is just out of my league.

So I'll stick with Bonney "non's" and Gearwrenches.

 

[Fugio]

I've tried ratcheting wrenches over the years. I want to like them. I really do. But I don't. I hate them. Give me an old fashioned set of combo wrenches any day!

 

[RedneckWelder]

Nope. Both have their place.

I'd really like to get a set of those Matco extra long double boxes with one end ratcheting and the other forged. But the price is just out of my league.

So I'll stick with Bonney "non's" and Gearwrenches.

You know Gearwrench sells what is basically damn near identical to the Matco sets, right? at about half the cost?

Flexible ratcheting + fixed box end

http://www.gearwrench.com/gearwrenc...ic-xl-flex-gearbox-ratcheting-wrench-set.html

(Street price is around $200, I have my eyes on them for the future)

Ratcheting end + fixed box end

http://www.tooltopia.com/kd-tools-8...scplp6816954&gclid=CPLV-say9MICFUQV7Aod_REAbw

(This is what I brought for now)

 

[1950mercury]

Nope. Both have their place.

I'd really like to get a set of those Matco extra long double boxes with one end ratcheting and the other forged. But the price is just out of my league.

So I'll stick with Bonney "non's" and Gearwrenches.

Look at armstrongs they used to make matcos and are USA made were matco and gearwrench are not..

Ive broken enuff ratcheting wrenches to know dont try to brake loose some bolts. Thats when i switched to double box with one side ratcheting

 

[RVDan]

No. Every time I try to break loose a seized fastener with a gear wrench I bust the gear wrench.

 

[DJAMiller]

I personally never owned a set of ratcheting wrenches but one of the guys at work has a set of gearwrenches that he complains never fit anywhere. The box ends on gearwrenches are a lot thicker.

 

[ADSR]

The ratcheting wrenches to not make good slug wrenches.

 

[southalabama]

I think the instructions on gearwrench says not to use to break loose the faster. They urge you to use the open end.

I've got them and use them where they fit. But yes they are big and bulky but when they do fit they are nice.

It's just another tool in the arsenal.

 

[jim1987]

Hell no lol. There's so many other wrench styles to have. Just as a dyi in my box I have
Ratcheting, flex ratcheting, xxl indexing ratcheting, 12 point combos, long 12 point combos, 6 point combos, and stubbies. Each gives you that little joy when you use it for what it was intended for.

Like my 6 point Carlyle's. Tough as nails. Perfect for tight situations that you need to back up a nut to an impact and the socket won't fit on the back side. Living in the rust belt I'm not going to trust a 12 point combo to hold the rusted fastener. And I'm sure not backing an impact to a ratchet wrench.

That's just one example. As a dyi. Think of how many a real mechanic knows.

 

[dnschmidt]

Sort of but not really. My view is that the only Gearwrenches worth a damn are the reversible type or the flex head type. A normal straight Gearwrench isn't very useful to me as there are too many clearance issues.

 

[Tronyadorable]

ZZZZZZZZZZ Light this with a coupon and smoke it

 

[Ricky112]

ive ran into the bulky ratcheting wrench problem many times.. like while cramped in a customer car with ****** plastic panels bent out of the way, can hardly see, back is sore..

such is life

 

[angrystroker]

No way they for me are less effective, cannot work in the tighter areas. A great TV RONCO buy one get two for beginners.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Ratcheting wrenches make many situations easier, but they are not yet full replacements. I can not fit a ratcheting wrench on my catalytic convertor bolts due to clearance on my miata. I can only use a ratchet/socket and a normal wrench.

 

[johninct]

They are a specialty tool only. In the right spot they save time or work but in most cases for me, they don't fit. I put them in the category of half moon, line, stubby, 4 way angle wrenches, flank drive plus, 0 degree long box, etc. I don't use them every day but when I need them, I really need them

 

[n8n]

Sometimes you need the strength of a box end wrench... looks like SK has tried to do that with their new ratcheting wrenches but then you still have the size issue.

So in short, I love my gearwrenches but still need a set of combos as well.

 

[85camaro]

To the OP....if you think all you need is ratcheting wrenches then you're gonna bust a lot of knuckles, Son.

 

[Art From De Leon]

I see no need to have ratcheting wrenches, the oversize box end on them, made me decide against them.

 

[Leaky88]

I have both styles and will keep both. Leaky

 

[FriendOfYours]

I have the x-beam reversible, x-beam straight, flex, locking flex, standard reversible, straight, half moon and s shape. In both SAE and Metric

I have one set of long combos for SAE and Metric

The standard combo wrenches do not get touched. Ever. It's either a socket on a ratchet or ratcheting wrenches. I break fasteners loose with my ratcheting wrenches all the time. I wrench 8-12 hours a day, every day of the week. I make booktime look like it was written for a person with no hands

Edit: Wanna really be productive? Get a King Tony M7

 

[expfcwintergreen]

Nope. Both have their place.

I'd really like to get a set of those Matco extra long double boxes with one end ratcheting and the other forged. But the price is just out of my league.
===========
GearWrench has very nice sets of extra-long double box ends in SAE and metric.

 

[SantaAna12]

Another Cato thread.

Pfffffffffft!

Ck his last one......hilarious.

 

[cuengineer]

Absolutely not, the ratcheting wrenches complement but do NOT replace non-ratcheting. Same thing as sockets don't always work instead of regular wrenches and sometimes stubby wrenches are needed. With limited space in newer cars, there are more and more opportunities where specialty wrenches are needed. Having said that, I love my Gearwrenches and usually grab them first!

 

[Outlawmws]

Another Cato thread.

Pfffffffffft!

Ck his last one......hilarious.

 

[thesilverone]

up next: has the adjustable wrench made the hammer obsolete?

 

[bonneyman]

Thanks for the link, Redneck. That tooltopia bundle looks really good.

 

[devoncoolman]

This is like asking if mouth wash has made a tooth brush obsolete? No standard non-ratchet wrench's are like fine art it's never going anywhere.