Nice thin 3/8 extensions for ratchet...

[Bolster]

Who makes nice thin extensions for a 3/8 ratchet? I have vintage extensions from Proto that are very nice and thin, but they don't have the indent broached on all four faces, just one, so they're a pain to use.

The craftsman extensions are as thick as Hillary Clinton's legs, I don't like them. They were obviously thickened to reduce the number of returns from broken extensions.

So who makes 'em thin these days? Who's thinnest?

 

[DavidtheDuke]

Well I haven't had every extension placed in my hand, but I've noticed the SO wobble-plus extensions are pretty thin on the shaft.

 

[Uncle Buck]

If you can lay your hands on some vintage Indesto's they were quite thin in the day. I have one or two in 3/8" that are the bomb! Snappy must have gone back and forth, cause I have them both ways. Proto/Plomb I really cannot speak to.

 

[64merc]

I know what you mean, I love vintage extensions!!

I can be lazy, but the lack of indentions has never bothered me since the extension is usually taken off the ratchet less often than the sockets.

 

[paramudduck]

Some of the older Mac extensions were very slender.

 

[kartracer55]

Nobody that I know of, off hand. I have extensions from Snap On, Matco, blackhawk, husky, sk, craftsman, and a bunch of cheap ones.

Most tend to be thick like the craftsman's, Snap On has relatively thin extensions, although not quite as thin as the vintage ones that you're probably referencing.

 

[chevy302dz]

The thinest ones I've seen are a tie between PennCraft and Firestone. Modern extensions all seem to be thicker then the vintage ones

 

[Rigmaster]

Sorry, I don't know of anyone who makes thin extensions these days. I have some older Snap On, SK and Craftsman 3/8 extensions that are nice and thin- but I either inherited them or bought them used so I can't tell more than that.

Keep your eyes peeled, they come up from time to time.


Rig

 

[3 at 8]

I can't find any new thin ones. My only thin ones in 3/8 are older Armstrong mdl# F-117

 

[JSharp]

Urrea makes nice thin extensions.

 

[Paladin]

My vintage Wardmastr extensions are really thin compared to the C-mans and SK, SO, etc...

 

[billymade]

My older logo and newer logo Snapon's seem the thinest I have or have used...

 

[v8garage]

I have several vintage plomb 3/8" in assorted lengths that are relatively thin. They don't have an indent but they have a hole through two sides which effectively does the same thing as an indent. Even if you put the ratchet ball on the side that doesn't have a hole it is pretty snug and doesn't just slip right off easily. Never had a problem with it.

 

[cruiser808]

All my newer extensions are fairly thick, including the Snap-on's. I have some vintage Thorsen and Williams 1/2" extensions that are quite thin. Unfortunately, I bent the Thorsen while removing the head bolts on a Chevy 350 a few years ago. It mostly came back from a large bow after releasing the torque pressure, but it's still slightly bent now. For me, there was no advantage to using a thin extension.

 

[48548]

Here are some pictures of some of the ones I had, yes I goofed and they are 1/4 but you might get the idea of thickness...

First row SK impact, second 1/4 craftsman and last 2 black snap on wobble non impact and one proto chrome.

 

[paramudduck]

I have a few MAC extensions made just like the Proto chrome on the bottom. I'm always scared I'll twist them in half but never have yet.

 

[eschoendorff]

Okay... maybe I am dense, but what difference does it make how thick an extension is??? I cannot recall any time that I ever wished that I had thinner extensions....

 

[Uncle Buck]

Okay... maybe I am dense, but what difference does it make how thick an extension is??? I cannot recall any time that I ever wished that I had thinner extensions....

Should not be any difference at all. With that said, I understand totally, I always had a preference of thinner diameter extensions myself, though I must admit I never really gave it a thought until this thread.

 

[Bolster]

See, I like that Proto in the photo. Nice and thin.

I need some thin extensions because I'm accessing fasteners in limited space where my thick craftsmans bump obstructions halfway up the extension, and put the socket a skootch too far to the side, due to their thickness. Frustrating. A slightly thinner extension would be just the ticket...

I'm eyeballing those Urreas...

 

[Uncle Buck]

See, I like that Proto in the photo. Nice and thin.

I need some thin extensions because I'm accessing fasteners in limited space where my thick craftsmans bump obstructions halfway up the extension, and put the socket a skootch too far to the side, due to their thickness. Frustrating. A slightly thinner extension would be just the ticket...

I'm eyeballing those Urreas...

Not a good place for wobble extension is it?

 

[chammyman]

I can understand this.

I had to take a sump and oil pump off a truck a while back, the front 2 bolts for the oil pump went in from the top so to get them off you had to undo the timing cover, sod that. I could see the bolts, however the gears and a few studs meant that it would have to go on at an angle which it couldn't do because of the extension.

Anyway long story short, I took the very long 3 foot 3/8th extension to the grinder and ground I think 5 rings into it. Doing that meant it cleared everything and I could undo the bolts.

 

[kartracer55]

Depending on the size you need...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools.asp?tool=all&Group_ID=257&store=snapon-store

You have to call to order them though. They are spendy, but if you need them you need them

 

[krusty the clown]

item not available?

 

[Deafautotech]

item not available?

i think it is not available because of backorder?? my snap on guy can get one for me if i need order... i already has 10mm and 13mm. i used it a lot but afraid to break it and it still backorder then i would be stuck...

 

[bmwpower]

Time to get the calipers out....