Kobalt Gearless ratchet at Lowes

[nbpt100]

This is a new one at Lowes. I saw it yesterday and it is very smooth. It may take getting use to not hearing or feeling the clicking.

Other vendors make them but the Kobalt pricing at Lowes is very good. Black Friday Sales going on now..

The review given below in the link is quite positive.

Anyone have experience with using these?


http://toolguyd.com/kobalt-direct-drive-gearless-ratchet/

 

[Tim37]

Mac couldn't make them work.

 

[a52-830]

Mac couldn't make them work.

it seems snap-on did:

https://store.snapon.com/Product-Details-FZERO-P813483.aspx

 

[Tim37]

I never seen a Snap-on I will have to ask when next time he stops by

 

[454ragtop]

I have the Titan shorties in 1/4" and 3/8" drive. They come in handy in tight spots, but the lack of noise or feel makes me only use them when I have to. Very annoying on those bolts with just enough drag that you can't spin them with your fingers, never sure if the ratchet is spinning them either.

 

[nbpt100]

To me the best feature is that they don't need a 5 degree angle to engage. They say it is virtually a zero angle to engage.
The head is a tad wider than a typical ratchet, they don't make a noise and that is about it for differences.
Pattents have been out on them for 65 yrs but I assume no body felt they could make money on them until recently.

 

[firworks]

I got one a few months back and took it apart to see what was inside and how it worked. It's pretty neat. It's a series of rollers inside. I've used it a few times and I think it's a better option than the extremely high tooth count Steelman Pro Cobras, though it suffers from the same problem of having a huge head. It doesn't have the problem of massive backdrag the SPC's do.

 

[rlitman]

I have the Titan shorties in 1/4" and 3/8" drive. They come in handy in tight spots, but the lack of noise or feel makes me only use them when I have to. Very annoying on those bolts with just enough drag that you can't spin them with your fingers, never sure if the ratchet is spinning them either.

I have the same two. Yeah, as shorties, in tight spots, the lack of teeth is quite helpful. Also, this sort of mechanism isn't something to be putting a cheater bar on. But like you, I don't think I'd care for them in a full size ratchet.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

it seems snap-on did:

https://store.snapon.com/Product-Details-FZERO-P813483.aspx

Holy ****!!! $180 for a standard length non flexhead ratchet? That price is absurd! Ok, rant over. I just don't see the point. There 80 tooth ratchets have a small enough swing to get a bolt out of almost any situation. Hell if you are ratcheting at 0 degrees you are not doing anything anyway.

 

[jcbarry]

I know the head on the Snap On one is huge, like double a normal ratchet. That and the price made it a no go for me.

 

[valentine]

Mac couldn't make them work.

Curious as to why you said that? I bought one from Mac years ago and I've had no problems with it. It's not my most used ratchet but you've got me wondering if the Mac version has a bad reputation. As far as the Kobalt gearless ratchets go, they are pretty good. I first encountered them a couple of years ago when Lowes was blowing them out for less than $5 for a set which included the ratchet and a handful of splined sockets which are supposed to work on both standard and metric fasteners. I bought a few of them to throw in each of my vehicle tool bags. The sockets are kind of cheap but the ratchet seems nice and it is very smooth. For an emergency kit, I'm sure that it's more than adequate and I'll go as far as to say it's way better than the first ratchet I purchased back in the 1970's.

 

[Tim37]

Curious as to why you said that? I bought one from Mac years ago and I've had no problems with it. It's not my most used ratchet but you've got me wondering if the Mac version has a bad reputation. As far as the Kobalt gearless ratchets go, they are pretty good. I first encountered them a couple of years ago when Lowes was blowing them out for less than $5 for a set which included the ratchet and a handful of splined sockets which are supposed to work on both standard and metric fasteners. I bought a few of them to throw in each of my vehicle tool bags. The sockets are kind of cheap but the ratchet seems nice and it is very smooth. For an emergency kit, I'm sure that it's more than adequate and I'll go as far as to say it's way better than the first ratchet I purchased back in the 1970's.

I actually asked about one a while back and was told that he couldn't get them anymore.

 

[CNGsaves]

These were also discussed last year on GJ. You'll get best deal AFTER the holidays.

Thought the overall thought of GJer's back then was YES to the ratchet, but no to the "universal" sockets that come with it . . . so buy for the Ratchet, at half price or better later.

 

[Stuey]

I still like mine, and use it every so often.

It fills a need, and is not what I consider a primary ratchet. Its swing arc comes in handy sometimes, its large size and round head gets in the way other times.

They were supposed to come out with other gearless ratchet sizes, and I think I have an early production model of one or two, but for whatever reason I have yet to see them hit the market.

There are new gearless ratcheting wrenches in this year's Lowes holiday gift center. I think I have a set around here somewhere in case anyone has questions. (But please PM or email me, I might not check this thread again for a few days.)

 

[Wamsutta]

The best part of using a ratchet is listening to that sweet 80 tooth sound. Gearless is not for me.

 

[Tom.C]

The best part of using a ratchet is listening to that sweet 80 tooth sound. Gearless is not for me.

we made it this far without them

 

[Skin]

Holy ****!!! $180 for a standard length non flexhead ratchet? That price is absurd! Ok, rant over. I just don't see the point. There 80 tooth ratchets have a small enough swing to get a bolt out of almost any situation. Hell if you are ratcheting at 0 degrees you are not doing anything anyway.

They have no back drag so you can literally ratchet out a fastener from start to finish without hitting a point where the fastener doesn't have enough resistance to allow the ratchet to....ratchet. Its a tangible benefit. They're also incredibly strong. The head has to blow apart or the drive break off before the clutch fails. Unfortunately the heads are huge and not having the clicking for feedback is odd.

The MAC ones worked fine, they just weren't big sellers. A number of members bought the Snap-On one when they came out too, I imagine all of them are collecting dust.

Snap-On was licensing from "roller clutch tools" or something.

 

[nikh]

I bought that set last year, the ratchet was ok, aside from being huge for a 3/8. It was nearly as big as an old SK 1/2 round head. I ended up giving it away when i found Omega roller ratchets in 3/8 drive. They are in the lower left of the picture.

 

[KM223]

I have the Snap On F-Zero and it is fantastic. The head is as mentioned a bit on the larger side but with zero degrees of angle that is easily overlooked.

 

[Jason280]

I bought one two Christmases ago, when they were on sale with the sockets for $9.99. The first one I bought had to immediately go back, the quick release didn't hold sockets well at all....found out a lot of them were the same way, but finally found one that worked correctly. I've used it maybe a handful of times, and its sat in the box since. Its a neat ratchet at first, but the head is just a little too clunky for my taste.

 

[winlinmac]

I have one of these from last year when they were on sale for $10 as well. Hasn't seen any use yet, it "should" be good for turning a fastener but not tightening though. I wouldn't add much torque to this.

 

[fastbike02]

IMO save your money! I bought one last year when they were on sale for 10 bucks. honestly I have only used it once, the idea is cool but really doesn't feel good in your hand nor does it do anything better than my 80 tooth that feels great!

 

[Bcom]

I was in lowes today and played with one. I dont think i could get used to the lack of a clicking sound. Plus the direction changer seemed stiff. It didnt feel like a quality tool at all.

 

[MikeF2316]

Interesting you guys complain about the lack of ratcheting noise. I was working on the parking brake pedal for a Benz yesterday. As you probably know, it ratchets in the down direction (applying) then you release it by pulling a handle. Except the ratcheting noise is fake. Well the noise is real, but that mechanism is just there to make noise. There's a one way clutch there to hold it on! In this application it was a wrap spring type.

 

[FigureItOut]

Interesting you guys complain about the lack of ratcheting noise. I was working on the parking brake pedal for a Benz yesterday. As you probably know, it ratchets in the down direction (applying) then you release it by pulling a handle. Except the ratcheting noise is fake. Well the noise is real, but that mechanism is just there to make noise. There's a one way clutch there to hold it on! In this application it was a wrap spring type.

That's kinda funny. I have a blue Blue Point ratcheting right angle bit driver with a gearless mechanism, and actually really enjoy using it, but a silent ratchet would feel odd.

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[Jason280]

I don't mind the lack of any "ratcheting noise", but it does have a lot of back drag....I'm sure the ratchet has its place, I just haven't found it yet.

 

[gdocktor3]

I see they have gearless ratchet wrenches on sale today.

 

[Citation]

I don't mind the lack of any "ratcheting noise", but it does have a lot of back drag....I'm sure the ratchet has its place, I just haven't found it yet.

Seems off is it has a lot of back drag. I have one as well (and gave one to a pro-mechanic friend). The only ratchet I had with less back drag than the 3/8" gearless was the 1/4 Kobalt 72T. I was lower than either of my Husky/Apex ratchets (72T and 100T the GW clone models). My mechanic friend said it's now his go to ratchet when he has to run a nut/bolt when low back drag is a must. You might be just seeing something with your sample.

 

[nbpt100]

Interesting you guys complain about the lack of ratcheting noise. I was working on the parking brake pedal for a Benz yesterday. As you probably know, it ratchets in the down direction (applying) then you release it by pulling a handle. Except the ratcheting noise is fake. Well the noise is real, but that mechanism is just there to make noise. There's a one way clutch there to hold it on! In this application it was a wrap spring type.

Yea, if they did not have that fake generated noise they would probably have a lot of come backs saying the parking break is not operating as it should. "I think something in it broke"

Those wrap springs as you call it is a constant force spring that gives the same force no matter how far it travels. Women in high heals probably like that it does not require much pressure to fully apply it.

 

[openwheelracing]

I tried it. It feels aweful, not smooth at all.

 

[drewvdw]

I bought one yesterday and brought it to work today. Failed on the 7th fastener. To be fair, I think it was a defect and not that I was being very hard on it. I'll have my girlfriend take it to work with her and get it warrantied (she works at Lowe's).

 

[firworks]

I don't find that mine has a lot of back drag at all, especially when it is competing with things like the Steelman Pro Cobras which have horrendous amounts of backdrag.

 

[Citation]

I saw a few mentions of quick failures. I thought mine failed at first. The biggest problem with the ratchet is changing direction. It doesn't have a confident click when changing directions. It can feel like its reversed when it's actually between directions.

 

[drewvdw]

That's exactly my issue. It is stuck between clockwise and counter clockwise.

 

[winlinmac]

Stuey, what is your stance on the gearless wrenches?

I still like mine, and use it every so often.

It fills a need, and is not what I consider a primary ratchet. Its swing arc comes in handy sometimes, its large size and round head gets in the way other times.

They were supposed to come out with other gearless ratchet sizes, and I think I have an early production model of one or two, but for whatever reason I have yet to see them hit the market.

There are new gearless ratcheting wrenches in this year's Lowes holiday gift center. I think I have a set around here somewhere in case anyone has questions. (But please PM or email me, I might not check this thread again for a few days.)

 

[BK13]

I was in lowes today and played with one. I dont think i could get used to the lack of a clicking sound. Plus the direction changer seemed stiff. It didnt feel like a quality tool at all.

Dang those ratchets that are part of a $10 tool set not feeling like quality tools! LOL

I know what you are talking about, though. I bought sets for my son and GF's sons. (Maybe I bought an extra one as well...) So far, I've never used mine.... I'd rather grab an Armstrong MAXX, a Snappy 36 tooth, or a GW.


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[48548]

There is my f-zero next to the bent red handle and yes the head is huge. I haven't used it with the others I have... But I think it is a cool design.