How do ratchets break - I've never broke one??

[MalibuLX3]

I hear about people breaking tools all the time and sending them in for repair/replacement all the time. Well in my limited time wrenching I've never once broke a tool. How do tools break? Are people not using them as intended? Are there manufacturing defects in the tools? Or am I just overly cautious and not using my tools as hard as I should be??

 

[davidj]

I have never broken a ratchet before either..... but one time i had a 8mm socket on a 1/4 inch craftsman ratchet and i had to hit it with a hammer to get the bolt to break loose, anyway the 8mm socket broke. thats really the only thing i've ever broken. most of the time if you use your tools the way they are intended to be used they will not fail you. every now and then something that gets used all the time will wear out and break...

 

[astrodoggie3000]

1- you use them correctly
2- you don't use cheater bars
3- you use the right tool for the job

Tools will last a lifetime if you use them correctly... but alot of people don't have the correct tool, or just don't care. Then there is the ratchet that is just worn out from alot of use, it does happen.

 

[ajchien]

I've warrantied only one CMAN 1/4" raised panel ratchet. The detent ball fell out, and it no longer held sockets. I think that was a manufacturing defect.

I think I rarely do anything bad to my ratchets since I almost always use breaker bars to break loose bolts.

 

[Red Green]

I have worn out tools from extended use. Most of the time when I break something it is from an extreme use. I broke a socket when I was standing/bouncing on a breaker bar. I was trying to get a lug nut loose. The next larger drive size would not fit because the lug nut was inset in the wheel.

I broke a sheet metal ripper the other week because I was using it improperly. The Snap-on guy handed me a new one and told me how I broke the last one. Then he told me the proper way to run the air hammer with the ripper so I don't break another one.

Ratchets most of the time they get dirty and then don't engage correctly then it will skip or break a tooth from not being engaged completely.

 

[Beerman]

I've broken 4 American-made quality tools in my life. One was a C'man flare nut wrench on a break bleed valve. I applied too much torque, as the valve was stuck.

The other 3 were trying to get a Honda Civic crank bolt off. I split two different C'man sockets and snapped a SK 1/2 extension-and still didn't get the ***** broke free.

FWIW.


Beerman

 

[zer0cell]

If you use your breaker bars to do the 'hard' work when something is really stuck, then use your ratchet afterwards it will most likely last a heck of a lot longer. Eventually you might just open the ratchet up and clean/lube it if you have a problem and that could fix it. Manufacturing defects aside, unless the metal has worn from being used a heck of a lot over many years, a quality ratchet should last and last... Should such a scenario occur, a rebuilt kit is in order.

Sure, poor quality ratchets don't really 'need' a good reason to break other than they were poorly designed or manufactured from the start. I think when a 'quality' ratchet does break, it is often because the user selects an undersized ratchet for tougher jobs frequently or they treat it as if it were a 3ft+ breaker bar and seriously push it to its limits. Examples of which would be jumping on it, using a cheater bar etc. In my eyes ratchets are for speed and convenience, not brute force. I'm no expert though but that seems logical to me...

 

[t100]

big tool with small parts. this is an SK 1/2" drive 15" handle round head ratchet. I was doing an oil pan in my driveway, truck was on jack stand, I was lying on my back with my bare hands no cheater.

you see in this picture it broke into 5 pieces.

 

[tonydanzah]

i usually shear or explode the square drive

 

[D9H 90V]

Breaking a ratchet isnt uncommon but its not a very easy task, The ratchet in the pics is my brothers he wasnt using a pipe or any kind of cheater, he was only tightening some steering bolts on a honda car as you can see it cracked the head on each side, the ratchet is a Snap On I forget the # but the COO is USA,

I have broke a few ratchets, mostly no names theyre easy, and 1 Craftsman RP, I have only broke 1 SO ratchet my FX936 I sheared the screws off at the cover plate because the gear was worn so it could push against the cover plate when in a hard pull(so my dealer said while he was rebuilding it)

I saw a guy trying to break the square drive off of his FL830 once, he had the sq. drive clamped in the jaws of a 4" Wilton mounted to the bumper of a service truck using a 4ft cheater, I figured the ratchet was gonna break easy but what happened instead was the sliding jaw on the vise broke instead

Like said earlier most of the time when you break a ratchet its because you are using the wrong tool, or its a cheap ratchet, but you can break really good ratchets just the same, everything has a breaking point

 

[Toolhorder]

Breaking a ratchet isnt uncommon but its not a very easy task, The ratchet in the pics is my brothers he wasnt using a pipe or any kind of cheater, he was only tightening some steering bolts on a honda car as you can see it cracked the head on each side, the ratchet is a Snap On I forget the # but the COO is USA,

Sounds like the wrong tool for the job, that's a fine tooth ratchet not meant for tightening up bolts.

 

[Greatbear]

I've broken ratchets in normal use (I'm quite strong), but the most common reason for breakage in my case was loosening very tight bolts while using a long extension (over 15 inches). The snap recoil of built-up torsion release shatters the ratchet pawl in almost every case. I use a breaker bar when such situations arise whenever possible.

 

[shampoop]

I've partially stripped a 1/4" standard craftsman ratchet. I was using it at the JY on a stuck seat mount bold that i'd normally use a 1/2" ratchet on. It still works, just free spins easily. I would never have done it, but all i had was a 1/4".

in other words, extreme abuse.

 

[Canadian Charlie]

Well in my limited time wrenching I've never once broke a tool.

Consider yourself lucky

 

[mrholeshot]

In some cases it's abuse but in many cases they just break. If you arn't breaking any ratchets you arn't making any money. I've had a brand new ratchet come of the Snap-On truck 936 3/8 drive break within an hour of using it. No abuse, just normal duty doing a water pump. Sometimes it just happens. A lot of ratchets get replaced or repaired just because they don't get cleaned and people thing they are broken. Sometimes a ratchet doesn't hold but shows no broken parts (craftsman rasied panals come to mind) and then some ratchets just seem bullet proof. If you make a living with ratchets you will end up breaking one or wearing it out. The running joke around here is me hitting ratchets with a hammer. I've done it but only with a dead blow and I was willing to sacrifice a ratchet to get the job done at the moment. I paid enough for a Snap-On ratchet that they can continue to put kits in them especially as many of them as I have purchaced.

 

[KEH]

I've picked up a few used ratchets that did not work, took them apart, cleaned and oiled them and they work fine. Got one new style Cman with the metal selector lever, not plastic and it worked fine except the ball in the square drive was broken in two so it had to be warrentied anyway.

KEH

 

[jerryW]

I broke a craftsman 1/2 in. breaker bar twice. On the same pinion nut.

First one split at the sides, after warrantying it, blew the pivot pin out of the second!

Found a used Snap-on that weekend, haven't broken it yet!


jerry

 

[Tom2]

I've broke several ratchets. I use my tools quite a bit, and can be tough on them (a lot of rust up North..) Sometimes when you're out of time and you don't have a lot of tools around you, you gotta push what tools you do have pretty hard. It's a lot more about getting the job at hand done, then worrying about the life of a $20 ratchet.


Sometimes they'll just stop moving, they'll start slipping, flip from forward to reverse or vice versa, the ball in the drive will quit working, and I've broke a couple Craftsmans when I was younger/dumber using them stupidly on way too much torque when no other tool was handy.

I've never broke a Craftsman 1/2 ratchet - and I've used them with breaker bars on some super tight stuff - and beat the handles with hammers, etc.. Never broke one.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

As said before, everything has a breaking point. I made the locking head on an extension expode a few days ago. I've watched a friend break countless ratchets by sheer strength alone, but he's built like a brick ********* and works on wreckers, excavators and mobile cranes..

I've only broken one..

 

[crewchief888]

only time i break tools is when they get used "not as intended".
cheater pipes, sledge hammers, and 3/4" dr impacts.

gotta do what ya gotta do sometimes......

 

[littlekillertoad]

I've never broken a ratchet before. I did get an old 1/4" sk that was rusted solid inside and I couldn't get it working again. Does that count? I also had an old 1/2" proto that was so worn down that it would skip teeth.

 

[supertooljunkie]

I had a friend break on of my Snap on 3/8" drive long ratchets by putting a cheater pipe on it while trying to break head bolts loose in an AMC Gremlin with a V-8. I have broken countless Craftsman 1/2" breaker bars trying to loosen the rear axle nuts on an air cooled VW, by putting cheater pipes on them and jumping on it. I have had Husky 1/2" breaker broken by using them on over sized bolts with a cheater pipe. I stepped up to a Snap on 3/4 breaker and never broke another.

 

[tyreguy25]

I had a friend break on of my Snap on 3/8" drive long ratchets by putting a cheater pipe on it while trying to break head bolts loose in an AMC Gremlin with a V-8. I have broken countless Craftsman 1/2" breaker bars trying to loosen the rear axle nuts on an air cooled VW, by putting cheater pipes on them and jumping on it. I have had Husky 1/2" breaker broken by using them on over sized bolts with a cheater pipe. I stepped up to a Snap on 3/4 breaker and never broke another.

Both of those sound about my speed. I have only broken one ratchet and that was in high school, I had received the new Stanley Professional tool set with 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" drive tools. I used the 1/2" drive ratchet to change tires on my car at the time until I bought a Thorsen 1/2" breaker bar. That ratchet wouldn't turn either direction and would auto-reverse if it did turn. It has since been replaced and hasn't been used since.

 

[cruiser808]

I've broken 4 American-made quality tools in my life. One was a C'man flare nut wrench on a break bleed valve. I applied too much torque, as the valve was stuck.

The other 3 were trying to get a Honda Civic crank bolt off. I split two different C'man sockets and snapped a SK 1/2 extension-and still didn't get the ***** broke free.

FWIW.


Beerman

Those Honda crank bolts will do it every time. I twisted a USA made Thorsen 1/2" extension while removing the head bolts on a 350 Chevy.

 

[dkroth]

The other 3 were trying to get a Honda Civic crank bolt off. I split two different C'man sockets and snapped a SK 1/2 extension-and still didn't get the ***** broke free.

Mmmmm. The infamous Honda crank boly. Even when you don't break the tool it sounds like something broke when the nut gives up.

 

[woody 73]

1- you use them correctly
2- you don't use cheater bars
3- you use the right tool for the job

Tools will last a lifetime if you use them correctly... but alot of people don't have the correct tool, or just don't care. Then there is the ratchet that is just worn out from alot of use, it does happen.

Very well said!

What sometime happens is that a mechcanic needs to get the job done ASAP,so you do what it takes to get that job done,because time is money;and in those special times you cut corners,that is when those tools break.

For me my tools just wear out from use,you can only sharpen a chisel just so many times,ratchets internals will wear out,hammers chip,files get dull,screwdrivers fail,sockets break etc.

 

[38D]

For the "not used as intended" crowd, I just snapped 2 craftsman T40 torx sockets trying to get the head bolts out of an old race engine...3/8s ratchet, no cheater bar. Bought the snappy T40 heavy duty torx and it worked fine. Sometimes, a tool is just not strong enough.

 

[billymade]

The 1/2" Craftsman breaker bars breaking... is classic! Beware of those; I kept breaking them until I stepped up to a Snap-On, haven't had a problem since! I also hurt myself really bad from one failing; so, if you are using a Craftsman BB be careful! I think there are tools that are just not well made and also every tool has its breaking point, there are only so many times things can handle the stress before they fail. Every tool has a fail point; the better tools have a higher point at which they will fail.... the question becomes, do you through repeated use or from high stress reach or exceed that point? Then, throwing out all the pseudo scientific explanations, things just break! LOL!
Craftsman torx bits; the metal is just soft on those compared to the pro brands! Another key to working with torx bolts; make sure that the head is clean.... dig it out with a probe, carb cleaner or compressed air (or all three!). Be sure that the socket is fully seated in the head; I even tap them in with a hammer... i push the socket in the fastener as I pull on the ratchet; also make sure that you are working straight on with the bolt, not at a angle or twisting... its easy to mess up the bolt or socket! If you keep breaking your sockets (lisle and craftsman are known for this!) step up to a pro brand they last longer!

I'm convinced that the tools that are well made and are able to hold up... will shake themselves out rather quickly with use! This is especially so, in a professional shop production environment; the shops that I have worked in... certain "standard tools" that everyone used... became "shop standards" to a degree when everyone figured out through use, what worked and what didn't! Forget all the hype; "real world usage", is the ultimate test of a tool.... "fans" of certain tools are created when used, day after day and they hold up! A tool that works, is durable, stands up to daily use.... becomes a real pleasure and ends up earning a top spot in your toolbox!

 

[Lunati]

Where I work I normally see ppl break tools because they are using the wrong tool for the job. I have 9 years wrenching and the only tool I have broken has been a 1/4" drive ratchet. but thats because I would lube it once in a blue moon lol. I've seen a bunch of ratchets at work break for that same reason. Some co-workers look at me all weird now because I lube my ratchets at the end of every work wk.

 

[Kev442]

I warrantied many ratchets over the years. Not much you can do when the reversing lever or detent ball gives up on a Craftsman ratchet. They fall right off. Also broke a couple 1/4" drives from Master Mechanic and Craftsman, the interior teeth plain broke or would not engage right.
I now use my HF ratchets almost exclusively, avoid 1/4" except for very light duty, lube them, and use a breaker bar almost religiously. Dam GJ has edumacated me too good!

 

[Tom2]

For the "not used as intended" crowd, I just snapped 2 craftsman T40 torx sockets trying to get the head bolts out of an old race engine...3/8s ratchet, no cheater bar. Bought the snappy T40 heavy duty torx and it worked fine. Sometimes, a tool is just not strong enough.

Craftsman Torx sockets ****. I broke one on first use..

I'm to the point now where if I buy anything new, I want to try to get Snap-On..Can't afford it, but I need tools that actually work. Otherwise it's just a complete waste of money.

I'm surprised so many failures from the C-man breaker bars.. That's terrible.

I have a cheap one. I think it's a Stanley from Walmart (maybe a Companion from Sears, not sure). And I've literally jumped on top of the thing with cheater bars dozens of times and it's never broke.

Honestly, Stanley tools from Walmart seem to be better quality value than most Craftsman stuff from Sears.

 

[nismomans13]

I've used a 5lb hammer to break loose fasterners on my old Craftsman 1/2 raised panel wrench, I've used cheater bars 10 miles long and that thing keeps ticking. On the other hand. I have a matco 3/8 ratchet that I never used a cheater pipe or hammer on and the gears bind all the time. I had to warranty it.

 

[diesel research]

Try some old SK round head 1/2" ratchets. Love SK, but there is a reason they are nick named slip and kill. Those things would almost break just by looking at a bolt.

 

[supertooljunkie]

billymade,

I know what you mean about the C-man breaker bars breaking. My record for a days breakage is 8-9, on a VW axle nut. Broke one and traded it. Took it home and broke it. Traded that one and bought one. Broke both of those. Traded for the last one that store had. Took the good one and bad one home and broke it. Took them both to another Sears and traded them. Broke them. Traded for the last two they had and broke the first one. The last one held and I finished the job. Traded them both in a week or so later, then ran down the Snap on man a week later.

 

[caper]

Sounds like the wrong tool for the job, that's a fine tooth ratchet not meant for tightening up bolts.

That should be a sig line.If it's not meant to tighten bolts then WTF is it for?

I've broken way more breaker bars than ratchets.Breaking a ratchet is just all in a days work.When you actually use your tools sometimes things break.

 

[D9H 90V]

Sounds like the wrong tool for the job, that's a fine tooth ratchet not meant for tightening up bolts.

He was using the ratchet to sung the bolts down before tourqueing them to spec, trust me that ratchet doesnt get abused that thing is his baby

 

[american lockpicker]

I've never broken a ratchet before but someone once broke my dad's cman luckily Sears swapped it for a new one.

 

[crewchief888]

For the "not used as intended" crowd, I just snapped 2 craftsman T40 torx sockets trying to get the head bolts out of an old race engine...3/8s ratchet, no cheater bar. Bought the snappy T40 heavy duty torx and it worked fine. Sometimes, a tool is just not strong enough.

i have 2 or 3 sets of off brand torx bits. i dont see too many torx head bolts, but after i snap one of the cheepies off, i usually buy a SO to replace it.
i found out a long time ago, that SO allen & torx bits are the sh*t. all others ive tried are pale in comparison

 

[Fedwrench]

All tools break or wear out evetually regardless of the brand. However, some may fail faster than others. I see many carcasses of failed ratchets on my flea market visits. If they didn't break no one would ever need new ones...

 

[billymade]

supertooljunkie, I think i broke 3 or 4 of them.... and guess what! I was working on a VW Axle NUT TOO! LOL! Those aircooled VWs can be rough on tools! I also broke allot of 36MM sockets; finally bought a deep well impact socket and I also used this tool as well with a sledge hammer! Ahh, the joys of working on aircooled VW's!

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=air+cooled+vw+axle+nut+socket&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8