Smallest Head 1/4" Ratchet (besides Ko-Ken)?

[teagueo]

What's the most compact 1/4" drive ratchet you've come across? Low back drag if possible.

I'm not a fan or roto or pass-through (haven't really tried them honestly).

I'm almost all 3/8" ratchets over here and looking to lighten up my tool kit and get into tight spots.

 

[demarpaint]

Astro Tools makes a small 1/4 ratchet. Astro 1/4 nano ratchet

 

[KnurledNut]

Im guessing the original Proto pear head would be pretty high up the charts...

Edit:
More specifically head height thickness. Obviously not body size.
"Compact" can mean multiple things.

Any certain dimension?

Edit 2:
Thorsen 77m open-gear is pretty compact in every dimension.

 

[paulsomlo]

Proto 4749xl - very small/thin head, backlash is not so low.

 

[Fedwrench]

It's a roto ratchet but, the titan micro is pretty tiny any way you look at it.

https://www.autozone.com/ratchets-sockets-and-wrenches/ratchet/p/titan-1-4in-drive-swivel-head-micro-ratchet/1069122_0_0?cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:TLS:698039389&msclkid=935c621d5ee312d8221e01ec3899afa5&gclid=935c621d5ee312d8221e01ec3899afa5&gclsrc=3p.ds

Someone on you tube even trimmed the handle down below the name to make it shorter.

 

[cgrutt]

Not sure if any of these fit the bill but this is my curerent collection of 1/4.. the Par-X on left is most compact (aside from the dial ratchet) and is generally the one I reach for most often. Great feel. The ICON on right is a recent addition have been using it lately but largest of group. I do like the higher tooth count on the ICON wasn't sure if that would be meaningful but is why I wanted to try it. The Snap-on flex head next to it is much smaller. The yellow squares are 1" for reference.
Anyway hope this helps.

 

[Dave455]

Probably the Wera 8008.

It’s basically the 1/4” drive version of their mini bit ratchet and is very compact.

 

[lardy1]

The 72 tooth Carlyle is pretty compact. The same ratchet is available under a number of brand names for very reasonable prices. They have gone up but Powerbuilt Pro and Blackhawk versions were quite cheap at one time.

 

[M6erfan]

^ That Carlyle 72t is the most compact I'm aware of too. In addition to Blackhawk and Powerbuilt, Tone (Japan) offers that ratchet head too.

 

[ronkz650]

The Titan roto mentioned earlier is great. (I realize you weren't looking for a roto). Small in all ways, great for small jobs where you don't need a lot of leverage. One of my favorites, and for $16 or whatever, and available locally can't be beat.

 

[tamaraw]

Koken lists their Zeal 36t 1/4" heads as 20.5mm wide and 9.5mm tall with an overall length of 114mm being the shortest option:

2725Z pictured (reference)

KTC lists their Nepros 90t 1/4" heads as 22mm wide and 11mm tall, standard option is 125mm long

NBR290 pictured (reference)

They also have a 100mm long flex:

NBR290FS

An 80mm long fixed handle:

NBR290S
And a 49mm long ultra-compact with female square drive:

NBR290H

Vessel has a compact head 72t model listed at 20mm wide and 20mm tall (including the square drive and quick release, so probably about 10mm for the body alone), albeit with a chunkier handle:

HRH2-W pictured (reference, pg 28) (product page)

Hazet also offers this 20t model without head dimensions but a rather unique 89mm handle that bends upwards:

863MC pictured (reference)

 

[Vwpower]

this snap on round head is my smallest I think. It’s in the lower bottom left corner of the pic

 

[noid]

Titan tools gearless.

 

[senlow]

Omega RR40S-SP Roller Ratchet.

 

[four.cycle]

Wright 2400 head diameter: .81 in.

Wright 2400 head thickness: .56 in.

Oxwall head diameter: .77 in.

Oxwall head thickness: .25 in.

We just had this conversation in another thread. The Oxwall is hands-down the thinnest - it just can't handle any torque loads.
Still haven't seen one that's smaller in diameter than the old 2400 Wright. The little Titan swivel-head is just a wee bit wider overall, if I'm not mistaken: .91 in outside-to-outside on the yoke.

 

[gigamel]

When I need really small 1/4" I use my old Husky 66604 - hard to beat head diameter of only 14.2 mm 0.55 in.

 

[senlow]

Wow!!! I doubt that there is anything thinner than the Oxwall that four.cycle posted.

Just for reference, my Omega roller ratchet has a diameter of .630, and thickness is about .470.

 

[tamaraw]

Plate-type ratchets will pretty much always the thinnest and narrowest categories because of the skeletonized housing with nothing around the gear. But they typically have very low tooth counts and very high backdrag which severely limits their usefulness in most situations, hence why I left them off my earlier comment.

@OP If all of your current stuff is 3/8", maybe try a 3/8" drive in 1/4" body ratchet and see how that works out for you? It will definitely be smaller than any standard 3/8" ratchet and would be an easy way to see if the size meets your expectations without investing in a whole new set of sockets/attachments up front.

 

[ThePostman]

SK LP90 or Matco. Gearwrench 120XPs are slim but they can't handle the torque the other two can.

 

[tamaraw]

Heck, there are these adaptors too, but like bit ratchets, plate ratchets, or gearless ratchets, they are more of specialty tools, not typically your main drive tool.

 

[alinc100]

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/titan/tools---equipment/hand-tools/ratchets---torque-wrenches/4a6b9be6ae5b/titan-1-4-inch-drive-ratchet/ttn0/11204

 

[ChevyEFI]

I do think the round head 72t Snappy could be a good option. I have had a 36t roto for a long time. Their roto has a longer handle than the std. handle.