Koken Z-Series lineup weirdness

[Tool Using Animal]

So I was looking at the Koken Z-Series. Actually bought the 3/8 long flex ratchet, the 3/8 wobble joint and most of the 1/4 sockets. I noticed this:

- the 9mm size is not available in the 1/4" sockets
- all the 1/4" ratchets are 36 tooth only
- only one standard length ratchet is available in 1/2". No long, no flex. nothing.

Is that only because this series is new? Are they going to fill in the blanks? If so, when?

 

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[Fedwrench]

I never noticed the absence of 9mm. Not only is it not available in 1/4 Z series but, it's also missing from 3/8 drive Z series as well. However, Ko-Ken does offer 1/4 9 mm sockets in their regular series as well as in impact. I don't think the blanks will get filled in.
Ko-Ken does offer a variety of 1/2 drive ratchets too include flex head outside of the Z series but, nothing is really long over 18 inches.
Ko-Ken will release 72 tooth 1/4 and 1/2 (only one length) with 72 teeth and quick release versions in early 2023. Still no 1/2 flex heads or long fixed head in the Z Series though.
The Z series isn't that new. If customer demand exists, they could add other versions of 1/2 drive ratchet but, I'm not sure if the demand is there.

 

[Steve_P]

Yeah, no 9mm in the Z series in 1/4 and 3/8. I bought both sets a few years ago and there were also some other skips as well, I think mostly in the 3/8, but a year or two later they produced them; and I bought the skips. But I wouldn't expect a 9mm. Koken probably knows that there isn't a 9mm bolt head on any car in Japan that was sold in the last 20 years...
I like my Koken stuff, but, sorry, their ratchet selection *****. They were stuck on 36 teeth until a few years ago and have very little of the new 72 tooth selection; and many 72T only offer comfort grip handles, which I don't want.

 

[General Geoff]

Z-series is specifically designed to be more compact to fit in tighter spaces on modern cars. It only really makes sense to get 1/4" and 3/8" drive in Z-series, most of the time if 1/2" drive is required there is enough room for standard, large 1/2" drive ratchet and socket.

I will happily order a Zeal 1/4" drive ratchet once the 72-tooth version drops, but I probably won't bother with the 1/2" Zeal.

The 72-tooth 3/8" koken ratchets, both in standard and extended/flex head configuration, are fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone.

 

[LWB]

I appreciate what they've done with the Z series. The innovation is great. But low profile sockets can be limiting. I don't get why the handle is so short and plump at the same time. They need to come out with a hard handle.

That said, I'm about to buy their standard 1/4" rail and a 10 and 12mm nut grabber.

 

[Dave455]

There is no weirdness in 9mm, not being available. In fact, it’s a very thought through move.

What might you use a 9mm socket on?

I can only think of two standards that have ever used it. One is a long obsolete German standard (wartime if I recall) where it was used on some (very few - most used 10mm even then) styles of 6mm bolt head. The other is the, also obsolete, French standard, where it was used on (even then) rare 5.5mm bolts.

So, one reason for wanting a 9mm is that one wants a “complete” set. But what’s “complete”? How about 1/2mm sizes? Both 4.5mm and 5.5mm are found. Would one want a whole set in 1/2mm increments? No, because many sizes would not be used. Same with 9mm!

 

[kaymccampbell]

There is no weirdness in 9mm, not being available. In fact, it’s a very thought through move.

What might you use a 9mm socket on?

I can only think of two standards that have ever used it. One is a long obsolete German standard (wartime if I recall) where it was used on some (very few - most used 10mm even then) styles of 6mm bolt head. The other is the, also obsolete, French standard, where it was used on even rare 5.5mm bolts.

So, one reason for wanting a 9mm is that one wants a “complete” set. But what’s “complete”? How about 1/2mm sizes? Both 4.5mm and 5.5mm are found. Would one want a whole set in 1/2mm increments? No, because many sizes would not be used. Same with 9mm!

9mm gets used in my shop. It's great on corroded and over coated fasteners. Start taking apart 15yo anything in the rust belt and the "odd" sizes come in damned handy.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

9mm gets used in my shop. It's great on corroded and over coated fasteners. Start taking apart 15yo anything in the rust belt and the "odd" sizes come in damned handy.

That's why the in-between sizes exist. To be hammered onto rotted stuff

That's very "unjapanese" I'm sure. In the same way the Germans would be agasht if they so me use my knipex as a light duty hammer.

 

[seber]

I understand the concept but when I get to that, I go to the nut extractor set. I would never reuse a rusted fastener anyway.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I understand the concept but when I get to that, I go to the nut extractor set. I would never reuse a rusted fastener anyway.

So where do you get deep nut extractors? Or nut extractors that work on deeply buried pal nuts? Hell, where do you get nut extractors that even just work at all?

 

[Fedwrench]

So where do you get deep nut extractors? Or nut extractors that work on deeply buried pal nuts? Hell, where do you get nut extractors that even just work at all?

Have you tried turbosockets?

TurboSocket Products | Remove Damaged Fasteners | Hudson Bearings

Stop wasting your time with damaged fastener removal! Pick up the TurboSocket from Hudson Bearing & easily remove those stubborn fasteners.

www.hudsonbearings.com

 

[M6erfan]

So where do you get deep nut extractors? Or nut extractors that work on deeply buried pal nuts? Hell, where do you get nut extractors that even just work at all?

Have you tried turbosockets?

TurboSocket Products | Remove Damaged Fasteners | Hudson Bearings

Stop wasting your time with damaged fastener removal! Pick up the TurboSocket from Hudson Bearing & easily remove those stubborn fasteners.

www.hudsonbearings.com

There's RocketSocket too by Hudson Bearings, available on Amazon. . .

ROCKETSOCKET

The home of ROCKETSOCKET, America's original damaged fastener removal sockets for extraction of problem fasteners like nuts, bolts and screws that are damaged, rusted or frozen.

www.amazon.com

Not sure if any differences between 'Turbo' and 'Rocket'.

 

[M6erfan]

I understand the concept but when I get to that, I go to the nut extractor set. I would never reuse a rusted fastener anyway.

^^^Yup

 

[Andres26tnt]

I have both the 3/8 and 1/4 Z sockets, never had to use any of the skip sizes. Those sizes on my other sockets are collecting dust. but I'm sure many people used them, so koken should at least offer them separately.

 

[Dave455]

9mm gets used in my shop. It's great on corroded and over coated fasteners. Start taking apart 15yo anything in the rust belt and the "odd" sizes come in damned handy.

That’s a very valid use!

But… if I’m going to use a tool for that purpose, I’m probably not going to reach for the ones that are renowned for their particularly close fit, and accurate sizing!

I actually have an old set of Spanish made Acesa sockets that I keep specially for that purpose!

Anybody caught hammering my KoKen Z Series faces an immediate lifetime ban from my shop, always assuming they’ve been able to open the locked steel cupboard where I keep it…!

 

[16again]

Perhaps I'm the odd man out here. I hated the KOKEN ZEAL ratchets. Actually gave them all to a coworker. I love the 1/4" ZEAL sockets though.

 

[LWB]

Perhaps I'm the odd man out here. I hated the KOKEN ZEAL ratchets. Actually gave them all to a coworker. I love the 1/4" ZEAL sockets though.

What did you dislike about them? Is so hard to buy tools when you can't put them in your hands...

 

[Ricky Joe]

9mm was used in the Mercedes/Dodge Sprint vans and in Mercedes passenger vehicles in the early 2000s. I’m not sure when they stopped, if they did.

 

[16again]

What did you dislike about them? Is so hard to buy tools when you can't put them in your hands...

The selector switch on all of them were grainy and would reverse direction, if I even lightly touched the selector.

 

[Andres26tnt]

The selector switch on all of them were grainy and would reverse direction, if I even lightly touched the selector.

weird never had that issue, but I could see it happen since it's super light. I have an ares 120t ratchet, and that happens to me every single time I use them, deff pisses me off.

 

[vssjim]

There is no weirdness in 9mm, not being available. In fact, it’s a very thought through move.

What might you use a 9mm socket on?

I can only think of two standards that have ever used it. One is a long obsolete German standard (wartime if I recall) where it was used on some (very few - most used 10mm even then) styles of 6mm bolt head. The other is the, also obsolete, French standard, where it was used on (even then) rare 5.5mm bolts.

So, one reason for wanting a 9mm is that one wants a “complete” set. But what’s “complete”? How about 1/2mm sizes? Both 4.5mm and 5.5mm are found. Would one want a whole set in 1/2mm increments? No, because many sizes would not be used. Same with 9mm!

I see a lot of brake bleeders the are now 9mm and 11mm these days on eurotrash cars

 

[Dave455]

I see a lot of brake bleeders the are now 9mm and 11mm these days on eurotrash cars

I thought that as well, but that’s another application where the Z series isn’t ideal. You would have to use a deep socket for sure.