Ratchet foot pounds not listed!!

[cortez]

Except for Harbor Freight's Heavy duty 1/2 inch ratchet most manufacturers will not reveal the tested break point of their ratchets.

They always tell me that if a nut is too tight to remove without an aid (cheater bar extension, or sledge hammer whack) a breaker bar is to be used (again with out any extension pipe or ect.).

Most users say a 1/2 inch ratchet is good for 250 to 350 pounds and a breaker bar up to 500 to 650 pounds unaided. HF says their extra strength rachet has been tested for 500 foot pounds!!!

If this is true it can be aided with a cheater bar without breaking for most everyday purposes. I have used a 5 foot 2'" pipe with a craftsman 1/2 inch ratchet and it did not bend or was damaged ( I did heat up the nut and quick cooled it with the store bought cooling spray) . Perhaps this was luck but I would like to know what the manufacturer tested the ratchet to.

Jacks and jack stands have their capabilities listed (per PAIR for most jack stand brands!!--even though each stand may be sporting ( in cast ductile iron writing) a 2, or 3, 4, 6 or 12 ton capability.

This should be a mandatory requirement as many times a breaker bar or a torque converter ratchet setup are not available.

What do you think are the foot pounds for your ratchets?

 

[wrenchcollector]

Most users say a 1/2 inch ratchet is good for 250 to 350 pounds....

I need a cheater bar to reach the 250-350 LB range.

I tend to ring the end off my extensions or break my non-impact sockets long before any damage is done to my cheap model C-man rachets. Some rachets begin to slip after repeated uses with a cheater bar though.

 

[wrenchcollector]

By the way, like the idea of companies revealing the break point of rachets. It's always nice to know what you are buying.

 

[cortez]

I need a cheater bar to reach the 250-350 LB range.

I tend to ring the end off my extensions or break my non-impact sockets long before any damage is done to my cheap model C-man rachets. Some rachets begin to slip after repeated uses with a cheater bar though.

I guess it is true that extensions are not made to rate -up with the capabilities of the ratchet itself (this is supposed to be common knowledge but they never sent me the memo!!).

 

[Mike83]

The new Snap-On 1/2" dr short flex dual 80 ratchet is advertised at 700 ft-lbs. The 3/8" dual 80 is advertised at 280 ft-lbs and the 1/4" at 90 ft-lbs.

http://image.snapon.com/international/pdf/skf80_npa.pdf

 

[cortez]

The new Snap-On 1/2" dr short flex dual 80 ratchet is advertised at 700 ft-lbs. The 3/8" dual 80 is advertised at 280 ft-lbs and the 1/4" at 90 ft-lbs.

http://image.snapon.com/international/pdf/skf80_npa.pdf

I think these are impressive numbers, considering the fudge factor built into them.

Snap-On has backed up their products with hard numbers!!

This is what other manufacturers should do openly (i.e. easily found data VS. arcane and hidden data on hard to fine sites!!).

 

[oldtools]

The HF ratchet has 70% of Snap-On torque capability, but only cost 1/10 of Snap-On. Another way to put it is Snap-On ratchet has only 30% more torque capability than HF, but cost 10 times more.

Technically, if a breaker bar is used to lossen a nut, the HF ratchet should never break. My 1/2 Craftman ratchet broke without it being heavily used or used under heavy load.

 

[Mike83]

You'd have to be a freaking ape (like you oldtools ) to break most ratchets under normal use, imo. My main criteria for ratchets is smoothness of action and how it feels in my hand. Oh, and looks. It has to look great.

 

[gofastman]

The HF ratchet has 70% of Snap-On torque capability, but only cost 1/10 of Snap-On. Another way to put it is Snap-On ratchet has only 30% more torque capability than HF, but cost 10 times more.

Technically, if a breaker bar is used to lossen a nut, the HF ratchet should never break. My 1/2 Craftman ratchet broke without it being heavily used or used under heavy load.

You didnt honestly just compair a SO Dual80 to a HF ratchet did you?
I mean, I'm no SO leg humper, but come on!

 

[Danglerb]

How many break a ratchet as opposed to wearing it out?

My lesson wasn't go buy the most expensive ratchet when I broke a Snapon, it was be careful and treat all tools like they might fail, because eventually they do.

 

[oldtools]

You'd have to be a freaking ape (like you oldtools ) to break most ratchets under normal use, imo. My main criteria for ratchets is smoothness of action and how it feels in my hand. Oh, and looks. It has to look great.

I never break the 1/4 and 3/8. I use the 3/8 70% of the time and the 1/2 maybe 5%. I didn't even put alot of load on the 1/2 and one of the tooth shear off.

 

[oldtools]

You didnt honestly just compair a SO Dual80 to a HF ratchet did you?
I mean, I'm no SO leg humper, but come on!

Yes I did.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

I posted this image before but here is a flier from SO. Text claims the cabinet weighs 632lbs but the close up shows the attachment point halfway up the handle of an F80 not the FLF80 featured in the photo.