stubby combo wrenches

[lightning02]

looking to buy a set of stubbies.

whats preferred- ratcheting or non-ratcheting?

 

[hst880]

http://winwintools.en.made-in-china...ort-Flexible-Head-Ratcheting-Spanner-Set.html

What about the style above? it is 7pc with flexible head ones.

 

[hst880]

http://winwintools.en.made-in-china...ort-Flexible-Head-Ratcheting-Spanner-Set.html

What about the style above? it is 7pc with flexible head ones.

 

[lightning02]

Those would be considered ratcheting then lol

 

[gdocktor3]

I have both, but use ratcheting nearly every time. Gearwrench.

 

[67King]

I have both. Don't use the ratcheting very often, though sometimes they are invaluable. The reason I don't use them is that the ratcheting system makes the head much thicker, making them harder to fit into tight spaces......which is hte whole point of stubbies!

 

[unslow1]

I have both. Given the choice of only one or the other I would go with non-ratcheting. This would be for the same reason 67King. The heads are much larger on the ratcheting ones.

 

[T45]

Absolutely non ratcheting if you are working in small sizes in tight quarteres.

10mm and below love to sit into recessed locations.

 

[bcradio]

I have both. Don't use the ratcheting very often, though sometimes they are invaluable. The reason I don't use them is that the ratcheting system makes the head much thicker, making them harder to fit into tight spaces......which is hte whole point of stubbies!

100% this. I almost never use my ratcheting stubbies (mostly for the reason of being fatter in the head).

I would definitely get the non first and later get the ratcheting as they do come in handy occasionally.

 

[Cope]

I have Gearwrench SAE and Metric standard wrenches. Don't use them often but when I do there's nothing else. IIRC I got them from Advance Auto Parts on a BOGO deal.

 

[lightning02]

i was looking at the tekton stubbies.

 

[Adam.C]

Stubbies are by nature low torque tools. If you need torque, you get a longer wrench. Where I think they shine is where you need an open end, crack something free with a long one, but can't simply turn it out with your fingers and still need an open end, but don't have the space to swing your long one. That's when stubbies come in handy.

If you can fit a ratcheting wrench on the head, then any fine toothed ratchet wrench will work. In that case, a stubby may let you ratchet a little quicker. But I run into this very infrequently.

In fact, I use my wrenches pretty infrequently. Almost everything I do I do with either a socket and a ratchet, or an impact gun. When I do reach for wrenches, (because a ratchet won't fit) I typically reach for the long high performance Snap On models and not my combos. Their box ends are nicer and I appreciate the extra length.

But this is just me and just my automotive work. I recently acquired and disassembled an old milling machine. I used combination wrenches for everything. Only time I used a ratchet was to remove the cap head screws using allen bit sockets. I even used the open ends for some bolts. But in this instance, I don't think stubbies would have helped.

There are a lot of tools I would buy before I bought stubby wrenches. Oh, and the only ones I ever use are my 8 and 10mm for car interiors. I have Snap On ratchet stubbies. And they are pretty convenient for that. I think I may have some smaller that have helped me do stuff under my driver's seat.

 

[ptschram]

I have both and my only wish is that I could get much larger sizes in stubby

 

[rustbucket5]

i would think both for reasons mentioned above. i bought a metric and sae set for 7$ a set and i have used them way more than i thought i would. i would also think for non ratcheting ones just get the cheapest set as you wont be torquing on them and abusing them like longer wrenches.

 

[Dr.JohnnyFever]

I have been really pleased with my Blackhawk racheting stubbies. A good set of ignition wrenches is handy also.

 

[WWheeler]

I have used my sae/metric ratcheting flex-head gearwrench stubbies more in the ~3 months I've had them than I ever have the sets of craftsman stubby wrenches that I've had since the 1990s.

Pretty sure somewhere around half of my old Craftsmans have never been used. I'm pretty sure I've used all of the flex stubbies more than once. The flex heads have been going where no wrench ever did before for me.

I have sets of the larger flex-head and non-flex ratcheting wrenches also, but I have been using the stubbies more. With the larger ratcheting wrenches I'm scared to break a lot of stuff loose with them because I feel like I'll break it (I haven't broke one yet, but the fear is there and when I can't get at or don't want to use the open end on it has me reaching for a non-ratcheting wrench instead more often than not to break a fastener free), but with the stubbies I feel a lot more confident in pulling as hard as I can so I use them more comfortably whenever a ratchet & socket won't do even when there is enough space I didn't really need a stubby. I think that's why they've sort of become my go tos. That, and when the space is confined the flex heads really expand their usefulness.