Ratchet Adapter - Why?

[spongerich]

I picked up a Snap-on 67-C 1/2" Ratchet adapter at a flea market a few weeks ago. (It was only $5, so I couldn't resist)

I know that it's for converting a breaker or t-handle to a ratchet, but my question is why? By the time you take off the socket and put this on, isn't it just as fast to grab a ratchet?

The only advantage I see is being able to use this with a breaker 'in line' with the socket (like a nut driver) where there's no room to swing a handle.

What am I missing?

 

[Joe B.]

Breaker bars are often longer than ratchets. More leverage.

 

[crewchief888]

i used to use mine to torque turn rod and head bolts using a longer breaker bar.
back then, iirc, nobody had ratchets over about 15". even at retail price a 24" breaker bar and the adapter were cheaper even when long handled ratchets were available.

 

[Fedwrench]

I think they are relics left over from the 40's/50's. I think they would allow you to make a second ratchet out of your general purpose kit or if you were stranded deep in the Amazon rain forest and your ratchet had failed, you could turn your breaker bar into a ratchet. perhaps it was about versitility and cost.
Mentioning the inline nutdriver reminds me of an old Mac Breaker bar I once had that had a female square drive in the end of the handle that allowed the breaker bar to be used as an extension. You just don't see versitle tool designs like that anymore.

 

[WHT]

I picked up a Snap-on 67-C 1/2" Ratchet adapter at a flea market a few weeks ago. (It was only $5, so I couldn't resist)

I know that it's for converting a breaker or t-handle to a ratchet, but my question is why? By the time you take off the socket and put this on, isn't it just as fast to grab a ratchet?

What am I missing?

I use one now and again with some of my torque wrenches that don't have ratcheting heads. It can be useful (at least to me) when reaching under a car and working in a confined area.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

They have been around since the early days. At a time when torque wrenches didn't have built in ratchets you could get the ratchet function using one. I sometimes use one with a speeder or a T-bar.

A 1/4 drive one comes in very handy for under dash work with a stubby handle. Even with a magnetic bit adapter the combination is smaller than a stubby ratcheting screwdriver.

 

[t100]

Breaker bars are often longer than ratchets. More leverage.

I think lead pipes are cheaper and vastly available.

 

[Vulturej]

The ratchet adapters can used at the end of extensions with a breaker bar in tight spaces where a ratchet head is to big.

 

[doctorschmullus]

it would come in handy every now and then

 

[Stick Figure]

I've been looking for a good price on some to use with the 90° adapters that snap on sells.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?item_ID=77856&group_ID=20239

I think the adapters are a great idea but you really need to put them w/ the ratcheting adapter to work properly in my opinion.

 

[Red Green]

i used to use mine to torque turn rod and head bolts using a longer breaker bar. back then, iirc, nobody had ratchets over about 15". even at retail price a 24" breaker bar and the adapter were cheaper even when long handled ratchets were available.

I agree with the above.

I use mine when removing sub frames at the junkyard. Its more leverage to use a ractcheting adapter and a 24" breakerbar then a long handled 1/2" drive ratchet. A lot of the time I will grab my 18" nonflex head ratchet when I am working in the shop.

 

[crewchief888]

They have been around since the early days. At a time when torque wrenches didn't have built in ratchets you could get the ratchet function using one. I sometimes use one with a speeder or a T-bar.

A 1/4 drive one comes in very handy for under dash work with a stubby handle. Even with a magnetic bit adapter the combination is smaller than a stubby ratcheting screwdriver.

now theres an idea !!

 

[Jbullfrog]

I use them with tap sockets or thread chasers and a T-bar.