New Carlyle Ratchet, My Thoughts...

[Mr_B]

What's the big deal? If you screw up the handle just buy a new one. It's only $35. It's not like a $180 Snap-On that you end up paying for three times over in the initial price.

don't buy another one, just pull the handle and turn or grind tabs and fit a alloy knurled sleeve over it either press fit or bit of epoxy .
They are indeed superb for the sale price, I got the 3/8 long and short and love it more than the 1/4 ...

 

[M6erfan]

I'll just leave mine as is. I don't buy an 8" long 1/4" ratchet for "tight spot work" anyway. I have my little Facom, TR72, and Anex low profile ratchet/sockets/bits for those situations.

If the comfort grip ever does fail, I'll try and see about the warranty but if it just wears out from use & abuse I'll just replace it on my own dime. Or stick a hard handle on it.

 

[Mr_B]

I got small gearless ratchet and koken stubbies but manytight spot jobs I do benefit from the locking flexi head and slightly longer handle as not direct access possible and it the comfort handle that sometimes bit too bulky for access space available for it swing in .
comfort handle is pretty decent so can't complain but will be removing mine for knurled sleeves .
The 3/8 long was about 50bucks and is one of my most used ratchets, will get even more use with slimmer handles ...

 

[APS2000]

This is a good ratchet and a good price when on sale. You get a lot of features: small profile head, flex, lock, comfort grip, length and quick release.

 

[Zewnten]

Just bought one yesterday on sale and it's a great little ratchet, especially for the price. Basically no warranty with my Napa but for what I paid for an equivalent Snap On I can buy 5 of these.

 

[rockinacummins]

Just bought one yesterday on sale and it's a great little ratchet, especially for the price. Basically no warranty with my Napa but for what I paid for an equivalent Snap On I can buy 5 of these.

Weird... These are supposed to be lifetime warranty?

Everytime I've bought Carlyle tools the guy behind the counter has reminded me about it...

 

[mudflap]

Just bought one yesterday on sale and it's a great little ratchet, especially for the price. Basically no warranty with my Napa but for what I paid for an equivalent Snap On I can buy 5 of these.

Thats kinda how it is with S-K...i love the tools, but good luck with the warranty. But read on here people were having luck bypassing the retailers..and using their website.. I have done that with a couple screwdrivers..no hassle..no problem.

 

[DTuck]

Just bought the 3/8 & 1/2 locking flex head ratchets. I think I'm in love.

 

[John in OH]

The 2017 third-quarter NAPA sale flyer just had these Carlyle locking flex head ratchets on sale. I bought both the 1/4 and 3/8 sizes .... don't recall the exact prices, but the 1/4 was still around $35 and the 3/8 was about $45.

Haven't had a lot of experience with them yet, but they are both really nice in fit, finish and function. I'd buy them again.

Not all NAPA stores are created equal. My local Ohio store is great .... if they don't have an item in stock, they can nearly always get it into the store from the warehouse in 12 hrs or less.

 

[paulsomlo]

Showing $32.99 online

I was just in my local Napa, they said these would be on sale through the end of the year.

 

[Zewnten]

Ya it's jsut my Napa, they say Carlyle is a seperate company from the parts store franchises so all warranties are approved third party or some such. It was actually faster for me to return a set for a refund and order a new one than to try and warranty something. One time ratchet selecter spring broke and my Napa tried to credit me the original price and charge me the diffence and called it a warranty haha. But their ratchets are still worth buying even without the warranty.

 

[lardy1]

I'm pretty much a domestic tool guy. But retirement has limited my mad money and outside the truck brands, I just wasn't seeing what I wanted to put my money into.

Then, I stumbled on this ancient thread about a year ago and I ended up buying the quarter inch version of this ratchet. In a way, it has revolutionized my tool selection in that I'm now using this ratchet and the larger SK sockets in sizes I always used to automatically reach for 3/8". By reading these forums I'm seeing that to be the trend and I certainly see why.

The only thing I own that I could compare it to is my new Gearwrench 1/2" drive locking flex. Nothing against that ratchet at all for the measly $40.00 or so that it cost me. But, frankly, the Carlyle just blows the Gearwrench away.

 

[toddmorr]

i've got a 3/8 version of this ratchet. Feels strong. I trimmed a little off the spring and that helped with the backdrag immensely, not to Koken levels, but a lot, to the point where I'm reaching for it often now..

 

[Taco Truck]

Can this ratchet be taken apart and serviced? I can't tell from the pictures.

 

[rijndael]

Yes. There's a little plastic tab where you often have a snap ring holes. It's at the base.

 

[Taco Truck]

Thank you!

 

[Ton ton]

Thanks for the nice review, I am glad to see that you found a nice tool.