Matco BFR58

[X1 Mike]

https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/BFR58/3-8-DRIVE-5-EIGHTY8-TOOTH-FIXED-CHROME-RATCHET/

Anyone have experience with these?

I have 2 of the older versions BR5T which are the same size but with a 36 tooth head. Basically they are a 3/8" ratchet in a 1/4" body. I love mine and use them all the time. They are somewhat of a self limiting torque wrench for oil drain plugs on motorcycles. I would like to trade mine for the 88 tooth if it actually is a better ratchet. Maybe I'll keep one and get the 88 and compare but I was thinking about trading them both. What say anyone that uses them?

 

[Pontiac787]

Personally I don't see the need for reducing the arc of such a short ratchet. I would be more concerned with back drag. Your plan to trade one and use the other as a control would be a better option than trading both at once.

 

[Wamsutta]

Will they let you just trade it in? Usually there has to be something wrong with it.

 

[AngryBeaver]

if you're happy with the old 36 tooth, you'll love the 88's..

they are made by gear wrench. you can check them out anywhere that sells gear wrench products.

i have the big 3/8 swivel head, but don't use it much compared to my 80 tooth snap ons that feel much better

 

[davethorik]

The Matco 36t is the same as Craftsman pear heads, so if you've gotten by with that, ANY 3/8 in 1/4 body will be an upgrade.

 

[X1 Mike]

The Matco 36t is the same as Craftsman pear heads, so if you've gotten by with that, ANY 3/8 in 1/4 body will be an upgrade.

It is far nicer than any Craftsman I have ever used.

 

[davethorik]

A little nicer than Craftsman, yes, but it's the same mechanism.

 

[Wamsutta]

if you're happy with the old 36 tooth, you'll love the 88's..

they are made by gear wrench. you can check them out anywhere that sells gear wrench products.

i have the big 3/8 swivel head, but don't use it much compared to my 80 tooth snap ons that feel much better

What happened to A.J. Manufacturing being the maker of Matco ratchets?

 

[mikebaker1129]

What happened to A.J. Manufacturing being the maker of Matco ratchets?

They still make them as far as I know.

 

[AngryBeaver]

all the 88 tooth matco ratchets have gear wrench internals.......

 

[mikebaker1129]

all the 88 tooth matco ratchets have gear wrench internals.......

No.

GW is 84 tooth and will fit and made overseas.
Matco is 88 tooth and made in the USA by AJ manufacturing in Illinois.
Matco was at onetime made by Armstrong,but that changed when Armstrong closed their doors.
When this happened there was over a 1 year backlog of customers waiting on warranty and ratchets that had been ordered from Matco trucks.
Gearwrench on the other hand had no delay in the supply chain during this same period,because they were sourced from Taiwan.
If GW would have been the OEM for Matco,there would not have been people waiting over a year for ratchets on back order.

 

[AS556]

I would be livid if I paid Matco money and got a Gearwrench.

 

[Fedwrench]

all the 88 tooth matco ratchets have gear wrench internals.......

No. They do share the same floating pawl design but, as others mentioned, only the design is the same. There are other brands sharing that design.

 

[plinker]

I bought one of the 88 tooth 3/8 in 1/4 ratchets new off the truck when they came out last year, it replaced a FC936. I use it quite a bit & wish they had made one before. There are kits available if you want to retro fit a 88 1/4 drive ratchet.

The 36tooth ratchets made for Armstrong S-K & Matco seem to be made to better tolerances overall, from what I've seen, particularly the torque wrenches.


As for Matco being the same as Gearwrench,

I actually tried a GW 84 tooth kit in a Matco ratchet (60 tooth originally, 88 currently) and it tended to lock up as the selector where the pawl spring is would mar or break and cause it to travel too far and then lock up the ratchet. Went through a couple kits to find this out. IMO, the Matco ratchets are quite a bit nicer overall, and have a better locking flex design.

Matco does not appear to have a lot of Apex made tools anymore either from what I've seen in the last 3-4 years.

 

[clinebarger]

Personally I don't see the need for reducing the arc of such a short ratchet. I would be more concerned with back drag. Your plan to trade one and use the other as a control would be a better option than trading both at once.

I use my 3/8" drive 1/4" bodied ratchet for tapping duty using tap sockets, Back drag doesn't matter as much as feel & control in that application.

They also come in handy if you have a 16mm & up hex fastener in a tight spot.

 

[X1 Mike]

Well, I swapped one of them out and I must say my fear of not liking the new one as much was completely unfounded.
Wow!!!!
Not only is it smoother this is even smaller and lighter, all around better ratchet.




Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[X1 Mike]

No love for the new ratchet?

I thought someone would at least bust my chops about weighing them.

 

[sk farmer]

i have that same ratchet and about 9 other matco/armstrong/gearwrench ratchets with that style of mechanism. good stuff and you won't get any **** from me about weighing them and or putting up real info. there is far to much drivel from people claiming that "brand x" is the best when more than likely it is the only one they have ever had or they are comparing it to garbage.

 

[X1 Mike]

i have that same ratchet and about 9 other matco/armstrong/gearwrench ratchets with that style of mechanism. good stuff and you won't get any **** from me about weighing them and or putting up real info. there is far to much drivel from people claiming that "brand x" is the best when more than likely it is the only one they have ever had or they are comparing it to garbage.

I thought it was good to show actual sizes, a 3/8" drive in a 1/4" body is an incredibly useful tool. I never liked the Armstrong handle but I do love the 88 tooth mechanism. I originally bought all 60t ratchets when they came out but I have replace the internals with 88 on the 3/8" ratchets and I am going to do the 1/4" next.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Is there a # for the repair kit ?

 

[X1 Mike]

Is there a # for the repair kit ?

I do not know the repair kit part number mine was a bit sticky so he just swapped the old one for the new.

 

[B_Bimmer]

Old thread but posting for completeness since this place is a better reference than the rest of the internet for such things. I believe the correct 3/8" in a 1/4" body kit is BFR5TK available for $7.80 currently on the Matco website. Really one of the best values in conversion kits available.