school me on ratcheting wrenches

[ProCharger]

Let me start by saying I have a ton of normal combination wrenches and while I am quite happy with them I am wanting to add ratcheting wrenches to the mix. Having no real experience with them I dive right in and start researching. Please feel free to correct me anywhere my assumptions are incorrect.

With that said it looks like a regular ratcheting combination wrench is your basic open jaw and a ratcheting box end that is usually straight with 0 offset. So am I right to assume you must flip the wrench to change directions? With 0 offset due to the having to flip the tool to change direction to me sounds like possible clearance issues on flat areas...not for me...pass.

That brings me to the reversible wrenches. These are appealing due to usually having an offset to raise the tool off the work area for better clearance and no need to flip the tool for a direction change. Does that sound like an accurate description?

Last I have been looking at flex heads. Easy enough, head pivots on an axis allowing more versatility over both standard and reversible.

Am I missing anything in the differences between reversible and flex head? Am I right to think the flex head offers all of the pros and none of the cons over the reversible while adding more uses?

Im not in the market for anything top of the line but I have been looking at Gearwrench brand for most of my comparisons so far. I am a hobbyist with a ProCharged S-10 in the garage I mess around with once in a while, definitely not using in a professional setting.

Is there anything else I should be looking at when considering ratcheting wrenches? Right now I am leaning towards a set of sae and metric flex heads, something like Gearwrench 9901D and 9702D. Any help/guidance is greatly appreciated.

Pro

 

[nfk]

I have the no offset Mac ratcheting wrenches. I use them often. I have ran into a few occasions where the offset would be nice. I have not used many flex head wrenches so I can't comment on them.

 

[dsimatt]

I don't have any flex headed ones but i do know i wouldn't own any that aren't reversible as in the past i have screwed up and got bitten when i couldn't rever it.

 

[ChrisLS8]

If possible try to get ones with a closed non ratcheting end.

That would be to break the fastener loose then use the ratchet end to speed the fastener out.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I'm pleased with the flex head Gearwrench sets I got from Advance a few months ago. I think they were on sale for like $35 each, metric and standard. I would say that I use them about 60% of the time and my regular combo wrenches the other 40% of the time for breaking loose stuck fasteners. In that regard, I do agree with ChrisLS8 that I don't use the open end on my ratcheting wrenches that often and it would better serve my purposes for both ends to be closed.

 

[Askme42]

I would go with something box end one side ratcheting on the other. Like this. http://www.carid.com/gearwrench/12-...n-85988.html?gclid=COXNvJGE4sMCFQwtaQodHW4AwQ

 

[MrGiggles]

I bought a metric/SAE set from HF thinking they would be the cats meow. Wrong! The box end of them is very large and won't fit in the majority of places that you would want a ratchet wrench. They hang on the wall and seldom get used. These can get you into trouble too, if you back a bolt into something, you can't get the wrench out and there's no way to screw the bolt back in.

This is a situation where the more you spend, the better off you'll be.

 

[shockwave]

Also look at the offset spline wrenches I like the ezred 5 piece or look for gear wrench 120xp box ratcheting flex end are very nice indeed

 

[Ign]

GearWrench is over-rated but ubiquitous. Since the good old SKs are gone I can't recommend much that either isn't GW or isn't expensive.

I'm also in the reversible-only camp.

 

[apdxyk]

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...tion-Reversible-Ratcheting-Wrenches---Spline/

I have these in 8, 10-15mm sizes. They are nice, but not cheap. COO USA

 

[colin39]

I have the facom ratchet spanners , best ive had , 8 - 32 mm 3 years old now and used every day, no faults.

 

[ChrisPace]

I know the gearwrench 120xp's sure feel nice but I have not purchased any yet. I have the old old school craftsman type that have been sold for decades. I use them often but they are like 30 teeth it seems


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[ninjamunky85]

I bought a metric/SAE set from HF thinking they would be the cats meow. Wrong! The box end of them is very large and won't fit in the majority of places that you would want a ratchet wrench. They hang on the wall and seldom get used. These can get you into trouble too, if you back a bolt into something, you can't get the wrench out and there's no way to screw the bolt back in.

This is a situation where the more you spend, the better off you'll be.

I have the double box end metric set from HF and I really like them. I use them all the time when I'm working on my motorcycles. I've considered "upgrading" to another brand like gearwrench but I don't see the point.

Yes the box end is bigger than a traditional combo wrench but I just assumed that was par for the course since there is an additional ratcheting mechanism in there. Most of the time it's not a big enough difference to matter though.

I also prefer the double box end design to the ones with an open end. I've got plenty of combo wrenches already and I almost never use the open end on any of them. The double box end wrenches give more sizes with less wrenches.

One thing about the HF set is that it skips some sizes, but they seem to be sizes that I almost never need so that actually can be a good thing. The four double box end wrenches cover most of my needs

 

[kctyphoon]

im not a pro - and i dont own any myself since im not - but id look into carlye in terms of quality vs cost. many guys here love them, and they REALLY look good too..

 

[Malczewski]

Does Facom make any in sae ? A fairly extensive search yielded ZERO.
Are Williams any good ?

 

[sberry]

I own a set of simple ones, if I thought I could keep them together and would rally use them a lot would be looking at some fancy offset types. My straight non reverse are ok for problem solvers but am back to the common combo for a couple reasons.
I am so used to it and a speed demon they really may be a bit easier but in the grand scheme woudnt be big savers. Its just another layer of stuff to keep track of. I segregate the tubing, even a set of snaps I have from a general pool over 3 or 4 or more sets of common mostly sae or if its possible am on it with a 1/2 impact.
I really don't have a set of commons but a pool of about 150 or so combo I got about a buck a piece in to. I finally tossed a couple out that were never any good but the rest have the snot beat out of them.
I use a ratchet type more as a problem solver than a daily thing. I understand how some guys could find a spot for them.

 

[sberry]

I got the old cman ones and bought the new simple ones 20 pc set for 60$ and really used them a half a dozen times in a couple years. I almost never used the old ones, they take up drawer space.
I use wrenches every day but not always in the same spot. In a pickup, on golf carts and shop and even there its way easier to have more of the common ones we use that to chase down something when we need it. Any tool other than the most basic would have to be treated as special or be looking for it,,, ha

 

[apdxyk]

Does Facom make any in sae ? ..

Not quite what you looked for, but close:

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...tion-Reversible-Ratcheting-Wrenches---Spline/


I bought mine from Zoro, piecemeal, using coupon codes every time, etc

 

[Manny2_0]

Am I missing anything in the differences between reversible and flex head? Am I right to think the flex head offers all of the pros and none of the cons over the reversible while adding more uses?

Pro

No
I have the craftsman usa in all three ratcheting types

o offset
reversible &
locking flex

The flex can do a lot of what a reversible can, but it does not feel as rock solid as it is two pieces of metal joined together
Thus there is a little wobble side to side, plus you have to flip it to switch directions
It only flexes, it is not reversible
You may see a little lever that looks like a switching mechanism, but that is a switch to lock and unlock the flex

Just my two cents worth,

I like the reversible the most
the other two never get used, even though you should never say never