Ratchet with tightest locking flex head mechanism
- Thread starter CoThG
- Start date
plinker
Well-known member
I've got Matco's (and Armstrongs) and a couple Gearwrench units, the Matco is far better for a locking flex, Gearwench is too easy to unlock by accident IME. Dont care for the Snap-on locking flex's myself.
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
I like Matcos for 3/8". Snap-On for 1/2".
-Ryan
-Ryan
WWheeler
Well-known member
Not sure if my Matco is the 'tightest' but it sure is the best performing and most intuitive / easiest to use locking flex that I've ever laid hands on.
I have a set of Gearwrench that the locking won't stay locked and an EZRed with a button that isn't much better. They pretty much all go unused. I also briefly had the old style of Snap-on locking flex and didn't like it so I gifted it to a nephew who was a new tech at the time and he loves it so I could get the Matco instead. Just looking at the images of Snap-on's new version doesn't make me want to change any time soon.
I have a set of Gearwrench that the locking won't stay locked and an EZRed with a button that isn't much better. They pretty much all go unused. I also briefly had the old style of Snap-on locking flex and didn't like it so I gifted it to a nephew who was a new tech at the time and he loves it so I could get the Matco instead. Just looking at the images of Snap-on's new version doesn't make me want to change any time soon.
matco is a nice locking flex ratchet, best cheaper option was the carlyle, can find those super-ten locking ratchets rebranded, UK eBay good place look as they had them in premier brand very cheap last year (got a version with extending handle) and also was selling carlyle cheaper than can get them at Napa !
Super-ten ratchets are pretty tight all round and back drag sensible with spring clipping and bit of use and lubing, the flex is a pressed pin so not really adjustable/servicable .
Super-ten ratchets are pretty tight all round and back drag sensible with spring clipping and bit of use and lubing, the flex is a pressed pin so not really adjustable/servicable .
CHI_Tool&Die
Well-known member
Good luck trying to get them either. Other than a quick batch of the long 3/8, my Napa hasn’t been able to source any locking flex ratchets in any drive size since about six months in from the start of Covid.
Wow, I had no idea that was the case. Last ratchet of that type I bought from Napa ( way pre-covid) on sale for about 1/2 the cost of what they are now and I haven't looked since.
ricleh
Well-known member
demarpaint
Well-known member
It is good, I have the 3/8 version and it works well.
turnthewrench 2.0
Well-known member
As others have said, Carlyle 72T. It doesn't move.
turnthewrench 2.0
Well-known member
TheToolEnthusiast
Well-known member
If you can find them the new 120XP from Gearwrench is much stronger than the previous generation.
demarpaint
Well-known member
It is, I managed to grab one in 1/4" drive from Circle C for a good price. It's a nice wrench for the money.
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LWB
Well-known member
I liked the Steelman Cobra with the slide down lock in the 0 degree position, flex in all others.
That's cool. Never seen it before. How do you like it? Thanks for posting it.
I like it. They don’t make them anymore and I don’t know anyone that copied the mechanism. The were 140 teeth if I remember right. I read Knipex got mad about the name, but I don’t know if that’s true. I really liked being able to securely lock it in the “normal” position.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I think any of the push button locking models are the most secure (mac, carlyle, new gearwrench,). However, the trade off might be a weak spot in the handle fork where the locking mechanism is. I haven't broke any of mine yet but, I've seen others fail.
that steelman cobra ratchet has a huge head and ceased production years ago. Definitely different though
that steelman cobra ratchet has a huge head and ceased production years ago. Definitely different though
rick carpenter
Well-known member
For my GearWrench locking flexes, I took brass shim stock and put some little circular shims under the spring to tighten it up a bit, and used other shim stock in the hinge to limit side-to-side play and under the anvil to limit fore-and-aft play. Also, you can tighten the GW hinge pin a little too. They are very nice in hand now.
Mike S.
Well-known member
I'll have to try that with my 90T Gearwrench flex head with the older style locking mechanism. I can only get 3 to 5 swings of the ratchet before it unlocks itself.
rick carpenter
Well-known member
Mine are 90T also. You can find brass shim packs off Amazon with a couple of different thickness sheets. No need to spend much and cuts easily with a utility knife. Little to no risk of galvanic corrosion if you regularly maintain/oil your ratchets. I just use 3-in-1 oil. My 3/8 locking flex is particularly sweet handling now. It will hold a 19mm deep impact socket on a 6" extension unlocked unless I try to make it flop. You can experiment with the different shim gauges to get the right feel for you.
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Hello Sir, I bought the Gearwrench (3) ratchet set and pretty much all 3 ratchets were sloppy. Do you have any pictures of what you did to tighten up the head and side-to-side play on these ratchets? I once saw a video a few months ago of someone doing something similar to what you did but I didn't bookmark the link and now I can't find it. Compared to my 2 snap-on locking flex head ratchets, these Gearwrench locking flex head are kind of terrible from a quality standpoint. I guess its the O'll saying "You get what you pay for". I won't be buying any more Gearwrench tools based on this experience. Thank you in advance for your help.
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
Apparently, GearWrench fixed the problem with the 90T's. Of course all of us who have the initial **** versions are left out in the cold.
I dunno where my GW 90T's are. They were so crappy, I wanted to throw them across the garage (and I am not a violent man), but I did not. However, their "whereabouts" is as if I shot them of into to black hole.
-Ryan
I dunno where my GW 90T's are. They were so crappy, I wanted to throw them across the garage (and I am not a violent man), but I did not. However, their "whereabouts" is as if I shot them of into to black hole.
-Ryan
Look up shoulder screw shims on McMaster Carr. This is what I use for ratchets, and anywhere I need a shim that a screw goes thru. I've never actually used them for the intended purpose at home.
I don't know if they fixed the sloppy locking flex heads on the GW. I bought one 1-2 yrs ago and it required shimming. Still, for less than half the cost of the similar Matco, it was worth it to me for only a few minutes of time.
rick carpenter
Well-known member
Here is what I did on my old style locking head 90Ts. Remove the hinge pin/bolt. In the lock is the spring with a little cap on it. Use a hole punch to make shims out of plastic to go into that hole, that way they are easier to fish out if you add too many. You'll never eliminate the fore and aft movement of the head, but I like a little there. The little arc on the side of the teeth is the shim I added. It reduces the side to side movement to almost nothing. That I like.
Tape the lock after you add shims under the spring, this just makes it easier to handle. Place a drop or two of oil under the large shim in the head then a drop or two on top before replacing the anvil. The pawl has a rabbet at edge of the saddle that goes toward you. You can put the pawl back in the wrong way but the anvil won't fit if it is. Be careful with the c-clip, the fit is a little tighter and if that thing springs off you'll never find it. Put the head and hinge shim back in the fork and tighten the hinge pin/bolt to what you like. Too tight though, and spring detents become useless.
I've seen comments that tools should work correctly straight out of the box and that you shouldn't have to do what I've done. To a certain extent I agree, but I would reply with two points. First, for a few bucks worth of brass shim stock you can make a fairly inexpensive ratchet operate like a much higher dollar ratchet. Second, we modify our vehicles don't we?
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