Is a thumb wheel ratchet useless?

[oldtools]

I have the red plastic HF one. Quite useful in tight space.

 

[Wakefield]

If it's S*K it's not useless. At least as good as a screwdriver handle,at least for 1/4" drive. (put an extension on it and pretend it's a ratcheting screwdriver that uses 1/4" sockets)

(actually new S*K knurling on grip radius could stand to be deeper/rougher in my opinion)

 

[bulletpruf]

yup, basically a short extension with a knurled thumbwheel on it, Still a useful tool, I picked up a Snap-On 3/8 version with some other stuff a while back, and I use it a lot, but I like having a thumbwheel on a ratchet handle.

I know Snappy makes the thumbwheel ratchets too, it is possible they make a 1/2 drive version. Other than that I think all the 1/2 thumbwheel rats are overseas-sourced.

Ok, thanks for the info.

Scott

 

[toolaholic]

Starting sparkplugs in aliminum heads. Once they are started I switch to a ratchet then torque wrench. Thumbwherl is low torque. It would be hard to cross thread using a thumb wheel.

 

[Exceller8]

I have the red plastic HF one. Quite useful in tight space.

I don't remember HF having a plastic one. I know Gearwrench has a red plastic one. Do you have a link for the HF version?

 

[SCscoutguy]

I don't remember HF having a plastic one. I know Gearwrench has a red plastic one. Do you have a link for the HF version?

A bunch of us here on the GJ got them about two years ago when they were blowing the little sets out for $1. The ratchet itself is identical to the old Danaher Kobalt one which itself is identical to the gear wrench one.

 

[wc@cltx]

No tool is useful... until you need it.

 

[nadogail]

They are nit Useless, but I have used my 3/8" drive once in about 15 rears.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Would you rather NEED a worthless tool and not have it? Or HAVE a worthless tool and not need it?

 

[mike93lx]

A 10 year old thread....

 

[AEAdam]

A 10 year old thread....

It’s so true. I didn’t want to believe it. But nearly every zombie thread resurrection is done by a new member. It’s not terrible, but it is a stereotype that seems accurate.

@wc@cltx welcome to garage journal

 

[Hohn]

i personally have never had an instance where i needed a thumbwheel to get something done or get something done faster, so i would vote not too useful in most situations imho.

I bought the cheap Pittburgh set awhile back and used one of them just this last weekend.
It turns out that there are times when you can get an extension to reach and little else. Yet the fastener isn't loose enough to allow you to just twist the knurled extension. For that, the thumbwheel-- even the cheap HF units-- is super useful.

Definitely not a tool I'd spend a lot of money on, but they sometimes earn their space in the box.

 

[demarpaint]

I use mine and find them useful at times.

 

[Belanice]

I replaced my 1/4" roto head ratchet anvil with 1/2" anvil of those thumb wheel ratchet that I never used. Hope this makes them somewhat useful.

 

[whitesco]

I just picked up that gearwrench 1/4 drive set from advanced auto for 40 bucks. Look in the hot deals thread to find it, Its an awesome deal! The only thing is it came with this thumb wheel ratchet thing. It seems like the most useless thing ever. It takes up more space than a ratchet head, and you get less leverage. Seems to me like its just useless, anyone actually use these things?

You mean the kind with a handle or literally the palm/thumbwheel type? The latter was incredibly useful recently when replacing blend door motor gears on a Jeep WK2… I couldn’t have gotten any other tool from my box in there without disassembling a LOT more dash than I wanted to.

edit: replied before I saw the last post, I guess you mean the normally-handled ratchet with a thumb wheel. I meant this guy:

1/4" Drive Mini Finger Ratchet

1/4" Drive Mini Finger Ratchet

www.mactools.com

 

[oldschoolcraft]

You mean the kind with a handle or literally the palm/thumbwheel type? The latter was incredibly useful recently when replacing blend door motor gears on a Jeep WK2… I couldn’t have gotten any other tool from my box in there without disassembling a LOT more dash than I wanted to.

edit: replied before I saw the last post, I guess you mean the normally-handled ratchet with a thumb wheel. I meant this guy:

1/4" Drive Mini Finger Ratchet

1/4" Drive Mini Finger Ratchet

www.mactools.com

That looks good but for $26 I'm guessing COO is China?

 

[threewood]

60's era Mopars have nuts holding the dash pads on from behind. Can't get a ratchet in there. Thumbwheels with extensions are a life saver.

 

[seber]

I sometimes use a thumb wheel extension for a ratchet by itself. It does the same thing as a thumb wheel ratchet but without the bulk. Normally it lives on one of my flex ratchets.