Posi Grip Ratchets? They look interesting…

[impactims]

Made in USA, lifetime warranty, gearless ratchets.

Sold on eBay for a fairly reasonable price.

They get good reviews.

Anyone here have any experience with them?

 

[Bubba Fett]

I have an older Kobalt ratchet that is very similar to this. I don't use it often, but it has come in handy for very tight areas. I can't remember if it is made in the USA, but the mechanism is probably similar.

 

[Jason280]

I have at least one of this style in a Kobalt and another in either a Snap On or Mac/MATCO (can't remember), and back drag is fairly noticeable. I need to dig them out, but none of them ever made it into any of the regular ratchet rotation in any of my shops or truck.

eta: At one point, Lowe's was selling their version with sockets on clearance for under $10.

 

[Cruzan80]

The handle/head shape is strongly reminiscent of the Taiwan Sears tri-wonga that we're not rebuildable. However, those were not a gearless design.

 

[bwringer]

I had one of these some while back, and they're much less useful than you'd think. I don't even remember what I did with mine; probably donated it somewhere.

1) The heads are really big and fat. When you're in a limited access situation that's the last thing you need.

2) They often get sort of "stuck"; it's not so much back drag, it's that the mechanism inside (a ball and ramp thing, IIRC) can be a little sticky so they often don't release easily when you turn the other way. I used to have a "ratchetless" screwdriver that worked on the same principle, and had the same problem. Absolutely maddening in use.

I think these were a more useful option back when ratchets were all chonky 36 tooth beasts.

Any 72+ tooth current ratchet with a reasonably slim head is going to work a lot better, IMHO.

 

[impactims]

I had one of these some while back, and they're much less useful than you'd think. I don't even remember what I did with mine; probably donated it somewhere.

1) The heads are really big and fat. When you're in a limited access situation that's the last thing you need.

2) They often get sort of "stuck"; it's not so much back drag, it's that the mechanism inside (a ball and ramp thing, IIRC) can be a little sticky so they often don't release easily when you turn the other way. I used to have a "ratchetless" screwdriver that worked on the same principle, and had the same problem. Absolutely maddening in use.

I think these were a more useful option back when ratchets were all chonky 36 tooth beasts.

Any 72+ tooth current ratchet with a reasonably slim head is going to work a lot better, IMHO

Double checking, are you saying you had a gearless ratchet of some sort or are you saying you had the gearless ratchet pictured above?

 

[rust in the eye]

The example posted "can take 300-500 LBS torque"

I have a seldom used gearless thumb ratchet. Works well enough and is truly zero or damn near backlash, for lack of a better term.
If you find yourself working in impossibly tight quarters these are useful otherwise,, eh.

 

[impactims]

I have a seldom used gearless thumb ratchet. Works well enough and is truly zero or damn near backlash, for lack of a better term.
If you find yourself working in impossibly tight quarters these are useful otherwise,, eh.

If the gearless ratchet is superior to the gear ratchet in super tight quarters due to being more efficient and having less wasted "swing," why would the gearless ratchet become inferior when not in tight quarters? Wouldn't the gearless ratchet be better when there is plenty of room too? Because at that point, you swing less to turn more, which is helpful in tight quarters and not so tight quarters. Right?

 

[rust in the eye]

If the gearless ratchet is superior to the gear ratchet in super tight quarters due to being more efficient and having less wasted "swing," why would the gearless ratchet become inferior when not in tight quarters? Wouldn't the gearless ratchet be better when there is plenty of room too? Because at that point, you swing less to turn more, which is helpful in tight quarters and not so tight quarters. Right?

I didn't say inferior.
According to others this style has significant backdrag (which could significantly mitigate their benefit), are bulkier and prone to jamming.
Mine gets so little use I can't even comment other than it is a one trick pony. By design it is not reversible so the driven tools need to be detached and the drive square pushed through to the other side.
Buy it and try it, I'm curious.
Mine is same as this; https://www.ebay.com/itm/226157475925
This discussion made me curious so I got mine and agree it has significant backdrag. No big deal unless the fastener being worked is quite free. I don't recall it ever jamming up.

 

[Steve_P]

Project Farm tested the Snap on gearless ratchet in one of his tests. It was surprisingly strong and did ok in the test, but has a fat head.

Edit- here's the link. TLDW is that four 90T? ratchets did better than the SO gearless on the arc swing test; which is supposed to be the entire benefit of gearless. But sometimes what's advertised doesn't work out in reality; like how a good 90T ratchet can beat a 144 tooth in the same test. The gearless SO got beat by several that cost much less, including Matco. The reality is that if gearless was the way to go, they'd be the norm; and they're not.

 

[bwringer]

Double checking, are you saying you had a gearless ratchet of some sort or are you saying you had the gearless ratchet pictured above?

I don't remember what brand it was, but it looked identical. I had a 3/8" drive version. It's been some years.

The 1/2" drive doesn't seem all that useful; maybe try a 3/8" (or 1/4" drive if they have one) and see what you think of the concept?

 

[Kurt4440]

Made in USA, lifetime warranty, gearless ratchets.

Sold on eBay for a fairly reasonable price.

They get good reviews.

Anyone here have any experience with them?

I have a similar gearless ratchet.
If you have an itch for a new ratchet, I would recommend a cordless ratchet.

 

[mgeoffriau]

I agree with many of the comments above but I will offer that I've found the Olsa gearless mini ratchets to be a useful tool. Zero backdrag, zero slop, and a very compact head makes it my go-to when I've got a bolt or nut in a difficult to reach spot.

Amazon.com

 

[JradM]

Gearless ratchets like that have some advantages - very low arc swing (they say "zero" degrees, but clearly that doesn't make sense) and strength. However, they're bulky and can have quite a bit of backdrag.

Do the benefits outweigh the downsides? That's on you to decide.

I have lots of ratchets. Too many ratchets really - but I think ratchets are great. You get a new ratchet and it's like every socket in your set is a new tool.

Different styles of ratchet give you different options.

• I have Proto classics that I use when I need something low-profile.
• Proto pear-heads are very narrow.
• My Williams ratchets have the lowest back-drag in my collection.
• I use my Gearwrench 1/2" 120XP XL flex head when I need lots of torque and a short arc swing.
• Roto ratchets are handy when you have lots of spinning to do.
• I have one of those Blackhawk/Stanley/Westward rotator-ratchets (they're all the same ratchet in different colors),
• etc.

I could see adding a gearless ratchet for yet another option. However, I don't think I'd want it as my daily-driver. Too much bulk and backdrag.