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HF ratchet test

cglasgow

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Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
1,139
So I was in the local HF looking for a socket set that I could carry in the car and not worry about it getting lost or stolen and found this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/21-piece-3-8-eighth-inch-drive-sae-socket-set-41723.html

Made in Taiwan, looked pretty good, and with a 20% coupon was only $16. I didn't want the ratchet but the sockets fit the bill.

Because I didn't want or need another ratchet, just for S&Gs I decided to test it out to see what it could endure. I neither want nor need another 3/8"-drive ratchet so if (when) it broke, I would have lost nothing. I certainly would not try to warranty it.

The first thing I noticed was that it didn't look quite like the one in the picture -- no soft grip. They had two sets on the shelf and both contained the same hard-handle ratchet. When I got it home, I opened it up to have a look. Other than being bone dry, it looked fairly decent. 40 teeth, round head, no quick-release, acceptable action. I put a little RLL in and put it back together.

Then I clamped it in the vise and did a mrholeshot test on it. I started at about 50 lb-ft and worked my way up to the top of the range of my 1/2"-drive torque wrench. At 150 lb-ft (as high as I could go)..... nothing happened. The ratchet just shrugged it off. So kind of a boring test. But, it still fared better than mrholeshot's new CM rp. Sad -- even a "free" ratchet fared better than modern CM....

(And the chrome on the sockets is better than current CM sockets as well....)
 

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Shadowdog500

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Dec 7, 2009
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Down the shore
I did a similar test with one of the 3/8 drive deep well colored sockets from the HF $9 (on sale) set.

I chucked a grade 5 nut and bolt in my vice put a 1/2 adapter and breaker bar on it and started pulling. To my surprise I snapped the grade 5 bolt flush with the nut. Then I out a grade 8 nut and bolt in the vice and started pulling harder. I could not get that socket to split, and the grade 8 bolt actually deformed pulling out of the vice.

To my eye the socket was the same exact dimensions as my craftsman socket.

I had another experience when I was helping a friend do a break job in another friends pro shop. I grabbed a beat up 3/8 adjustable handle ratchet, that was smooth and strong from the top of his mobile box that he kept next to the lift. After commenting how much I liked the ratchet and asked where he got I was dumfounded to find that it was Made in China and was like $25. Then the Owner of the shop handed me his 3/8 Pro 80 and said "if you like that ratchet, you will love this one", I was dumfounded, but the Chinese one was smoother.


I'm not a big fan of buying Chinese because of the staggering trade imbalance, but I do have to admit that SOME of the Chinese stuff isn't **** anymore.
 

Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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Boston
looks like an exact copy of an easco, tooth count and all. Solid design, at least someone is carrying it on [easco (Apex) no longer makes them].
 
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loj

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Feb 14, 2010
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dfw.tx
Looks like a Wright clone to me. Wondering if the guts will fit in my old Powr-Kraft...
 

Hiball

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Apr 30, 2009
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14,026
Location
Missery
Looks like a Wright clone to me. Wondering if the guts will fit in my old Powr-Kraft...

The Internals is Way to small to match up with Wright Ratchets. Just buy some New Wright Guts for your PowerKraft, They can be found Cheap Online.
 
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