Round Head vs Pear Head Ratchet Poll

[bobcatdan]

I did not know proto made a QR, or a round head for a matter of fact.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

For some reason, always had round heads, and still do! Not sure why, but just what we had at home. Usually S-K.

I'd like to change over to pear head now that they have a higher tooth count.

 

[Hetman]

I think that in the past professionals feared Quick Release because they had (still do?) a drilled out center in the drivepiece/squaredrive for the plunger that moves when you push the release button. That looks like it would make the drivepiece weaker. Not as much cross section metal.
I think the newer professional stuff might have that drilling a bit smaller than on the old Craftsman roundhead. All have a little metal drilled out at right angle for the ball and spring (or pushrod for the quickrelease) but I don't think that drilling goes all the way to the base on the non quick release.

It just comes to my mind that I don't think there is such a thing as a quick release on a breaker bar!

True, QRed square is weaker but only by 10-20% so still it's still more possible that you damage ratchet mechanism before snapping it. But I agree about psychological factor .
For me, it's more convenient, with ratchets I only use QR.

 

[Hetman]

all the older QR stuff i have seen do not have the hole all the way through. only the newer stuff from my experience. i know usa made craftsman qr do not have the hole through, but the imports do.

edit - just took a look at roughly 15 QR ratchets from -v- to brand new, and only two had the hole, one was a taiwan craftsman polish, and a menards brand china.

You're looking at the wrong end . Hole at the bottom of the square doesn't matter. It will snap near mechanism (if it ever snaps), that's where highest tension is - and in this crosssection there's a hole.

 

[TwoInch]

gotcha. never seen one snap anywhere related to the QR hole anyways. seen many a breaker bar shear off the square tho..

i find that the pawl gear teeth mech goes long before the square drive shears, at least from my experience, and others ratchets i have seen broken

 

[Wakefield]

I know now not to pull on a ratchet as hard as I can when there is a breaker bar around,but when I was young I didn't know any better.

 

[Hetman]

i find that the pawl gear teeth mech goes long before the square drive shears, at least from my experience, and others ratchets i have seen broken

Exactly, that's what I said above.

 

[Kyle86]

Looks like pear head wins!

 

[RCStocker]

I have some Snap-on fine toot ratchets in pear head and they are great when others will not work.

I must own over 60 ratchets of all brands and I have given that many away to family.

I like my old 60's and 70's Craftsman round heads. The ones with the brass realease button and the round dial on the top. Dang are then nice to use. That is always the one I grab first. I have all 3 sizes and reall like the old ones. There are other old C man's that I like. They can take all the new ones and melt them down. I have not tryed any of the new Craftsman pro line. I have so many other good brands that I have not bothered to pick up one at the swap meet.

I just got back form shopping and I stopped in at FH, Sears and Lowe's.
I looked at thier ratchets. WOW has Craftsman gone to hell in a hand basket.
Thier socets are loose and sloppy as a 2 dollar ******. LOL
Sorry ladies but Craftsman is no longer worth buying. There is slop in there regular line of ratchets in 2 directions. My older son who rebuilds tucks and fram machinery during the cold winter months went with me. The Harbor Freight ratches are a thousand times smoother with no slop. After reading the post on the test between the HF not only one but they are almost as good as many of my other named brands. They have a new line of soft grip that are great if you are in California working in the hot sun or in Indiana in a cold winter. They will be nice on the hands. I picked up 2 of each and gave my son one of each. Then we went to Loew's and looked at the kobolt. They are twice the price of HF but they are very nice and smooth. I have always told people that Craftsman were the bottom of the barrel and was I right.

When I have had tight nuts or bolts I have always use my old Craftsman sockets. They have a lower gear count and there is more meat to the tooth. I have never broken one yet. I have had several new C mans rebuilt but my old ones are still going strong after 45 or so years and are not worn out.

I don't think either one wins. Depend on what you are doing. Fine motercycle and small engine work require a higher tooth count. For farm machinery I like the Round head bucause they have more beef to them.

The fit and finish on the HF are very nice. They were on sale and with my 20% off coupon the 3 ratchets were about $26 dollars for the 3. Now how do you do any better than that?