Ratcheting wrenches

[bw77]

I have never used ratcheting wrenches. I just work on the 2 family cars, Volvo S70 and a
Honda Accord, and have never needed them. I wondered how others use or do not use
ratcheting wrenches.

When I worked as a mechanic, 40 years ago, they were not available, and
I learned to wrench without them.

 

[yogitech]

Re: poll test

The real question is how often do you really use the open end side?

 

[purplezr2]

I use them all the time. I love them.

 

[madbasser]

I use the **** out of mine. I always find myself buying more and USEING them. I have gear wrench and Craftsman RP ratcheting, love them. Tried some HF and even those are decent. They are kinda big and fat and they don't finish them very well but for 9$ a set I said what the hay. They worked out ok.

 

[JWC07]

I bought an 8 pc gearwrench set on sale to see if i'd use them. Now i use them all the freakin time and want an American made set. I love em.

 

[Scout Driver]

I don't use mine daily........but when I need them in a tight-spot, I am very happy to have them. They can save a lot of time and aggravation.

Scott

 

[jhelrey]

I use a double box end to break a bolt/nut loose. I use my ratcheting wrench to finish.

 

[Rolling_Thunder]

I use mine all the time and love them!!! Their Two, Two tools in one!!

 

[DanCo]

I have both SAE & Metrics use them every day. I'll crack the bolt with the open end and run it out or in with ratchet end. Granted when you more force you use the appropriate sized socket/ratchet. My co-worker has the extra long 0* offset Gearwrenches, I want these bad.

Dan

 

[fourtythree]

They are definitely not necessary, but they are a huge time saver when working in tight spaces.

 

[slow50]

i never used them till recently i got a set. main reason i bought them is they were half off at sears too good of a deal to pass up. but now i use the **** out of them. definatly a good investment.

 

[2mJps]

I got a set of mac in 89 and hardly ever use them. It needs to be just wright to use them. My dad fixes rebuilder salvage cars I let him use them and he went and got a set.

 

[purplezr2]

Some examples of places I use them alot. Turbo Swap on 20V Vw motors, Belt Tensioner, Control arms(limited place to get socket in) Belt housing bolts on the top of the motor.

 

[davesnothere]

I don't use mine a whole lot. But when I do use them, I certainly am glad I have them. I wouldn't want to not own them.

 

[Hawk321]

Modern technician without them....couldn't believe it...

It a difference if you use them at home or daily in a garage.

 

[House Sparrow]

I have some older double-box end ratcheting wrenches, but honestly use them very little. My buddy who works for me sometimes has full sets of SAE and metric Gearwrenches, he loves them and uses them all the time. They do come in handy, but I think I'm just used to doing without them and don't even give them a thought most of the time.

 

[wreckercologist]

A lot of things I work on are a little too tight for a ratcheting box end to fit on, but they have their place like all tools. Great time savers when you have the room to use them. At work, I probably use them 10% to 15% of the time vs. 85% for standard combos.

I own: Snap-on 8mm through 19mm reversable(FD+), Cornwell 1/4" through 3/4" reversable, Armstrong 1/4" through 3/4" fixed 0 degree offset, and a few odds and ends Blue Points and so on.

Setting brand names aside for a moment, I would be OK with the non reversable style if they weren't all the flat 0 degree offset. The 15 degree offset of the reversable style is preferred IMO.

I use the open ends somewhat, but I really don't care for that on the ratcheting wrenches. The heavy ratcheting box end throws off the balance of the wrench making them awkward to handle IMO. At least compared to a standard wrench, which I am far more used to.

In a perfect world, I would have locking, reversable, flexhead, ratcheting, double box wrenches. No open ends to be found.

 

[Robbie UK]

Like many I instinctively reach for a socket when I can, then a regular box end spanner, then the ratchet wrench/spanner (I could add the open-ended wrench last but as someone has already said I cannot remember the last time I used one of these when another tool could do the job).

I guess I mother them a little as I fear that the ratchets will break with over-enthusiastic use; not sure why as I haven't broken one yet. But on many occasions they are the only tool that could have done the job. Releasing or installing the top bolt on a LR3 or Range Rover Sport air compressor - just how the hell could you do it without a flex-head ratchet wrench!!!

The other truism is that ratchet wrenches are becoming more essential over time due to the reducing space to work on modern cars. I'm sure I could have lived without them 10 years ago, but not now. Indeed, I find myself needing an e-torx flex-head ratchet wrenches - not found any yet (have they been invented?) but I am getting to the stage where these are the next 'must have' tool.

I am sure it's a conspiracy between the European car manufacturers and the tool producers.

 

[Seanbev24]

I couldn't live without them. Also, I use the open end of my ratcheting wrenches all the time. The reason is they're the Snap-on FD+ set, while my non-ratcheting wrenches have the regular smooth open ends. This way I have a choice depending on the fastener. Plus the ratcheting wrenches are a little longer than the regular Snappy combos so there's more leverage.

 

[wxm]

A lot of things I work on are a little too tight for a ratcheting box end to fit on, but they have their place like all tools. ...

That's why the Matco SGRBLM10T has become my favorite... It kind of like the two tools in one package...

I also have a set of GearWrench flex combo wrench 8-25mm that I used a lot...

 

[XaqNautilus]

I carry a full set of Flex Gearwrenches in my toolbag and only carry normal wrenches for 13/16" to 15/16". I don't carry larger wrenches in the bag. While working on gas wells and other oilfield sites don't usually have that restrictive of spaces, these wrenches are extremely helpful in getting jobs done in a timely fashion.

I recently saw a set at PA that had a button that would lock the head in position and now I feel my Gearwrenches are lacking.

 

[yogitech]

I use mine daily in my roll cart.

 

[Ign]

When I worked as a mechanic, 40 years ago, they were not available, and
I learned to wrench without them.

40 years ago PC's and the internet were not (readily) available, but here you are.

 

[dazcapri]

I crack the bolt off with a normal spanner then finish with a ratchet spanner.Like others have said I wouldn't be without them now.

 

[crewchief888]

i have a few in std 3/8-3/4 and metric 10-19, all double ended ratchets.

i seldom use them, but when i need one i have what i need.





i can usually access the bolt/nut by other means.

long extensions/wobble socket or a saltus wrench

 

[Fedwrench]

If you get the Matco/Armstrong models that have a fixed boxed end on one side and a fine tooth ratcheting boxed end on the other, you'll probably rarely reach for another wrench again. Gearwrench also makes the gearbox style that are really long, sometimes too long. I use my ratcheting wrenches daily.

 

[Ken81590]

I ditched all my regular combo-wrenches for ratcheting one's. Love 'em!

 

[dankicksass]

I can't keep my hands off ratchet wrenches. Wish I could, but the packaging engineers of America, Germany and Japan dictate their use thru cramming everything closer together every time they build a modern car.

 

[jetmech09]

Have a set of gearwrench flex heads, and blue point 25 degree offset ratcheting boxends. Use them every day. Find myself using the BPs the most.

 

[mooman]

I love my flex racheting wrenches. Just used them this weekend to install front shocks on my truck and the job much easier.

 

[The Frisco Kid]

Re: poll test

The real question is how often do you really use the open end side?

Wait... They have an open end side?????

 

[JDS968]

I have the Gearwrench 9602 set. I don't use it constantly, but when I need it, it sure helps. Really happy with them. Sadly, they don't make stubby reversibles, so some day I'll probably give in and get the Snap-On BOERMS712 set. Anybody have one used, and interested in selling?

I am pretty conscientious about not breaking seriously tight fasteners loose with the ratcheting box ends, or leaning on them too hard to tighten anything. I pull out a fixed box end and a ratcheting box end for one fastener, if necessary. It's not that the Gearwrenches feel like they have any play in the mechanisms, or that they feel delicate, or that I have any other reason to suspect that they would break...but I just feel like it might be misusing the tool. I don't know why, because I have no problem hanging off of a regular socket ratchet if necessary, and they can't possibly be that much stronger, can they?

I really don't like the flex heads, but I do have a Blackhawk 15mm stubby flex head ratcheting box that I bought in a panic from the MAC guy when I realized, half way through replacing an XK 5.0L A/C compressor for the first time, that there is no way to get the compressor out without taking the top nut off of the driver's side motor mount, and that unlike the 4.2L, that top nut is now basically impossible to get a tool onto. My short flex head 3/8" ratchet can break it loose, but more than a turn or two and it's impossible to get off the nut without running into the exhaust manifold heat shield (and it hits long before I can ratchet the nut all the way off), so I have to break it free, squeeze it out, then get the Blackhawk on, which can spin it the rest of the way off but can't get enough leverage to break it free in the first place. I swear these cars were designed by morons...or sadists.

I am sure it's a conspiracy between the European car manufacturers and the tool producers.

When I was a BMW tech, I was grumbling one day about the perverse variety of bizarre tools required to work on these Ultimate Driving Machines...until the guy next to me finally explained the problem. He said, "You don't understand...BMW is a specialty tool manufacturer that builds cars to create demand for its primary product line."

 

[Jarhead0408]

Love mine, Like to use the smaller ones when I'm working on my mowers engine (JD F725)

 

[1967lemans]

I recently discovered ratcheting wrenches. Bought a Waterloo tool box off a friend that had a few Gearwrenches in it. Not a complete set but a few common sizes. Love them. Need to pick up more. Found they work well in tight areas. I recently picked up a set of metric blue point ratcheting box ends on fleabay. Thinking about getting a set of ratcheting stubby's

 

[Guam_Guy]

I have a full set of Armstrong as well as Gear wrench and I use them about 90% of the time unless I am breaking torque on a nut.

 

[ianguilly]

I own 3 sets of gearwrench set, metric non-flex heads, metric flex heads, and metric stubby. I may not use them all in a week but i'll be glad when I do need them.