opinions on these 2 cheap rachets

[Snakebyt]

i am needing a 24" flex head rachet for light duty work, its only going to be used for pretty light duty work so it dosent have to be top notch. Just wondering if anyone has ever used either of these, looking at them in local stores, they seem to be pretty much the same head on them. Both have lifetime warrantee.
Any input?


http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200668212_200668212

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-1-2-in-Drive-Quick-Release-Flexible-Head-Ratchet/3381192

 

[PavelK313]

I personally would go with Lowes for ease of warranty in case it brakes.

 

[AA/FC]

Unless you're using the 24 inches simply for extra reach, most of the time a 24 inch ratchet is used for leverage to break lose stuborn/rusted/seized nuts or bolts. Every time I use my 24 inch SO ratchet is because I need the leverage. I'm not sure if I would trust the Northern or Lowes ratchets in those situations. Your milage may vary.

 

[Parrothead]

I'd go with the Husky, made by Apex (Gearwrench). It has a quick release, a super thin head and 72t. I have the Kobalt, and it's fine but I like the Husky better.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-3-8-...gclid=CNCbpoSbp9ECFYSLswodVJQCDg&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[1982fxr]

I personally would go with Lowes for ease of warranty in case it brakes.

Lol great warranty til ya try to use it

 

[PavelK313]

Lol great warranty til ya try to use it

I don't own a single Kobalt tool, but always read on here how great they are. lol

 

[Snakebyt]

how are exchanges and such at northern tool? is it a hassle?

 

[Snakebyt]

Unless you're using the 24 inches simply for extra reach, most of the time a 24 inch ratchet is used for leverage to break lose stuborn/rusted/seized nuts or bolts. Every time I use my 24 inch SO ratchet is because I need the leverage. I'm not sure if I would trust the Northern or Lowes ratchets in those situations. Your milage may vary.

i will be needing it for the leverage, but its main use 99% of the time will be for oil filter housings, cant believe some of them will mot come off with a 16" ratchet, just tired of using a breaker bar.. lol, and dont really want to spend $250 for the SO one

 

[derosa]

I can't imagine needing a 24" ratchet to remove an oil filter, are you over tightening them to begin with? I hand screw all mine tight and if I have to use a filter tool only need a 10" ratchet to loosen them, never had one come loose. Even when I've had a shop do the job previously half the time I can remove it by hand and I'm not that big a guy. Did have the last valvoline I ever used overtighten a filter cover with a pair of channel locks and partially crack it, only one I've ever needed more leverage on. Seems like an 18" should be sufficient.

 

[johnnyga]

i like kobalt tools the ones i have are well made

 

[MrGiggles]

You can get a Snap On SLF80A for ~100 bucks on Ebay if you keep you're diligent. I would go that route instead.

You know what they say, buy once cry once, you won't regret it when the head starts flopping around on the Taiwan ratchets.

If you can sacrifice 6", the HF Professional flex head is 1/3 the price of those. They're really nice, aside from the floppy head issue.

 

[Jake40]

For $3 more than the Kobalt by a Gearwrench ratchet. You can warranty them at any napa or other store that sells Gearwrench.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OL2XB9K/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[woody 73]

Seems like over kill to me for oil filter use; op which is easier for you walking into northern tool or lowes for a replacement?

My experience differs because I do not have any Northern stores in my state at this time and lowes can be a hit or miss depending on who you talk to.

You would think (key word) that lowes could pay their help more money and teach them about warranties but no such luck. I would think (key word) that a store devoted to tools (in this case Northern) exchanges would go much easier but I am only guessing at this time since I never bought any tools from them.

Toss of the dime 50 of one and 50 of the other pick your poison...

 

[Snakebyt]

I can't imagine needing a 24" ratchet to remove an oil filter, are you over tightening them to begin with? I hand screw all mine tight and if I have to use a filter tool only need a 10" ratchet to loosen them, never had one come loose. Even when I've had a shop do the job previously half the time I can remove it by hand and I'm not that big a guy. Did have the last valvoline I ever used overtighten a filter cover with a pair of channel locks and partially crack it, only one I've ever needed more leverage on. Seems like an 18" should be sufficient.

I thought that as well, but some of the paper filters seem to get stuck, i have even tested it by installing it with a 15" ratchet but wasnt able to get it off with the same ratchet, also with the longer flex head i can get to some spots where otherwise i would have to use extension and a swivel,

 

[woody 73]

For $3 more than the Kobalt by a Gearwrench ratchet. You can warranty them at any napa or other store that sells Gearwrench.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OL2XB9K/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Jake is it easy for getting replacements at Napa or do you need the receipts where you bought the tool?

 

[Snakebyt]

You can get a Snap On SLF80A for ~100 bucks on Ebay if you keep you're diligent. I would go that route instead.

You know what they say, buy once cry once, you won't regret it when the head starts flopping around on the Taiwan ratchets.

If you can sacrifice 6", the HF Professional flex head is 1/3 the price of those. They're really nice, aside from the floppy head issue.

Ill look into the harbor freight ones, got a part number?

 

[woody 73]

Interesting rant about Northern tools:

https://northern-tool-and-equipment...thern-tool-warranty-*****-20120810338252.html

 

[Commendatore]

Lol great warranty til ya try to use it

Same experience. The kobalt warranty is basically useless.


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[woody 73]

Lowes extended warranty rant:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/lowes...-is-a-scam-mooresville-north-carolina-1086337

 

[woody 73]

Napa warranty note nothing about the gearwrench name:

https://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/727154.pdf

 

[MrGiggles]

Ill look into the harbor freight ones, got a part number?

http://m.harborfreight.com/12-in-dr...t-62332.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided

 

[M6erfan]

Seriously, get the HF. $29 before 20% coupon, lifetime warranty with easy exchanges, for doing filter changes? No brainer IMO...

 

[saulvg99]

Lol great warranty til ya try to use it

I might be the exception or maybe is my local Lowe's but I went to exchange two broken pliers today and it was fast and easy to exchange them with out a receipt. Had some broken kobalt needle nose and a small kobalt locking pliers. Lady at customer service desk took pliers and told me to go look for new ones. They had needle nose in stock but locking pliers only came in a set of three. Lady took out pliers I needed out of the set and gave them to me. No trouble at all.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

 

[cja245]

I'm actually pretty surprised how expensive those are. I think I would personally go one of two ways. Buy the $30 harbor freight with a 20% off coupon, or buy the $200 snap on. I just personally couldn't justify spending $70 on a Kobalt when $200 (or probably closer to $150) bought me a Snap on. I doubt the Kobalt is noticeably better than the harbor freight, in fact I would bet money the later is better. Their ratchets are pretty decent and the warranty is probably the best in the business.

 

[Empty Pockets]

A year ago, I would never have written this, but I recently bought a couple of HF's Pittsburgh Pro ratchets.

If the truth be told, these ratchets are as good or better than CM, HD or Lowes. For me, it would be a no brainer, I'd go with HF.

IMO, while they aren't tool truck tools, it appears that HF is making an attempt to improve their tools' quality. Some tools more successfully than others

 

[abvw]

I can't imagine needing a 24" ratchet to remove an oil filter, are you over tightening them to begin with? I hand screw all mine tight and if I have to use a filter tool only need a 10" ratchet to loosen them, never had one come loose. Even when I've had a shop do the job previously half the time I can remove it by hand and I'm not that big a guy. Did have the last valvoline I ever used overtighten a filter cover with a pair of channel locks and partially crack it, only one I've ever needed more leverage on. Seems like an 18" should be sufficient.

If you don't wrench for a living, you wouldn't know or possibly understand the struggles. Some Toyotas (doesn't matter 4 banger or v6, I serviced a few virgins) will require a 36" breaker bar if the last idiot didn't oil the o-ring or torque to spec (like a grunt or two with a 18").

25 N•m or 18.5 ft-lb. It doesn't take much.

 

[white 450]

A year ago, I would never have written this, but I recently bought a couple of HF's Pittsburgh Pro ratchets.

If the truth be told, these ratchets are as good or better than CM, HD or Lowes. For me, it would be a no brainer, I'd go with HF.

IMO, while they aren't tool truck tools, it appears that HF is making an attempt to improve their tools' quality. Some tools more successfully than others

I'm glad you wrote it so I can just quote you and agree! I have a drawer full of dual 80's but when I set up a 5 drawer cart with all of my extras I put a couple of the HF Pro ratchets in it and must admit they are much nicer than the CM ratchets they are sitting next to. I'd be surprised if I picked up a raised panel ratchet again and I grew up using them only.

 

[Finky198]

I'm actually pretty surprised how expensive those are. I think I would personally go one of two ways. Buy the $30 harbor freight with a 20% off coupon, or buy the $200 snap on. I just personally couldn't justify spending $70 on a Kobalt when $200 (or probably closer to $150) bought me a Snap on. I doubt the Kobalt is noticeably better than the harbor freight, in fact I would bet money the later is better. Their ratchets are pretty decent and the warranty is probably the best in the business.

I own both the HF and the SF80A and agree 1000% they are both great ratchets and I highly recommend them both. I bought the Harbor freight first and then got a good deal on the sf80a there is a significant difference in the build quality you could feel it just in the weight let alone the thickness of the handle. Granted I own other dual 80s already And have Drank the CoolAID. I am still very happy with the HF ratchets I have purchased A bunch of their lineu and cannot complain one bit about their performance it's also a nice handle on the Harbor freight as I perfer chrome on the snappy...its nice having both when you know you stuffs gonna get filthy.



At this point I see no value in middle ground of ratchets as the value of quality vs price is just not there or is not in line with their competition. HF being top in its class for the lower price and a great value and a lot of variety with flex std and multiple drives. and Snap on in the high end catagory. Its not that their aren't decent ratchet out but the middle market is lacking that wow factor that Harbor freight offers in their professional line at such a price . And with the onslaught of craigslist and eBay. snap on prices have come down so far their more within reach and not much more then the middle ground pricing.

 

[DSLTRK]

i will be needing it for the leverage, but its main use 99% of the time will be for oil filter housings, cant believe some of them will mot come off with a 16" ratchet, just tired of using a breaker bar.. lol, and dont really want to spend $250 for the SO one

Both are made in the same forge, but the Klutch isn't quick release, but I think that's a good trade off as the drive end will be stronger.

 

[crewchief888]

I have the kobalt from lowes.
I did have to warranty it once when it broke at the flex pivot.

In it's defense, I had about 4ft of pipe on it just a few minutes before I started jumping on it.

Walked into lowes and laid it on the desk all they said was "go get a new one and bring it back here"

 

[FlushingDIYer]

This was my first purchase from Cripe. Kobalt 1/2 ratchet 22317, USA. It's a beast of a thing. (By beast I mean heavy...) I put a cheater on it to break loose strut to knuckle bolts and they came broke easily. Feels stronger than my Chinese Craftsman 1/2 flex head...

 

[yamaha0343]

For the price, the HF may well be the way to go.

We really need to talk about the need for a 24 inch ratchet to remove oil filters though. You shouldn't really need a ratchet at all. Something's definitely wrong.

 

[wasabiboys]

I have this ratchet from harbor freight. It is not bad at all. Good torque and teeth
http://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-professional-flex-head-long-handle-ratchet-62333.html

I would not spend that kind of money on a lowes or northern tool one.

 

[crewchief888]

We really need to talk about the need for a 24 inch ratchet to remove oil filters though. You shouldn't really need a ratchet at all. Something's definitely wrong.

ive had to use an air hammer more than once to remove filters that 18" of chain wrench wouldnt budge.

 

[EOC_Jason]

Better price than the amazon link someone posted on the 1st page:

http://www.cpooutlets.com/gearwrenc...ad-teardrop-ratchet/kdtn81363,default,pd.html

Maybe we need to come up with some sort of hydraulic claw / impact wrench device... lol


FWIW, I've exchanged both Husky @ HD and Kobalt @ Lowes a couple times and never had a single issue. They say, "Go find it and bring it back here"... They do their thing on the register and out the door I go.

 

[kkasson]

Another vote for the Harbor Freight. I only have the 3/8 flex head myself but I've heard nothing but good things about all of this new line of ratchets. I plan to get all of them.

 

[Snakebyt]

If you don't wrench for a living, you wouldn't know or possibly understand the struggles. Some Toyotas (doesn't matter 4 banger or v6, I serviced a few virgins) will require a 36" breaker bar if the last idiot didn't oil the o-ring or torque to spec (like a grunt or two with a 18").

25 N•m or 18.5 ft-lb. It doesn't take much.

thank you.. lol.. yes, i work at a toyota dealership.. i would love to go with the HF on, but i dont think 18" will cut it.. but i know 24" will

 

[yamaha0343]

Gotcha, the filter canister on my Tundra was a pain the first time I did it.

 

[Snakebyt]

seems it is mostly the tundras and tacomas that need the extra leverage, i would love to give the HF 18" one a try, just afraid that it wont be enough, all the other people at the shop use 24" flexhead ratchets. I use a 24" breaker bar right now, but a ratchet would make things so much easier.

 

[Danglerb]

I haunted ebay looking for a decent deal on a SLF80A, and after losing a few last second bids I bought the Titan 24" 1/2 flex head on sale someplace around $30. The extra length makes hard jobs with 18" into easy jobs. I don't expect to use it very often, but its nice to have it when i do need it.