Stubby flex ratchet

[2manytools]

I have a lot of Tekton tools that I've been happy with. Guaranteed for life. I don't own the first one which I think is more what you are looking for, but own the 2nd one.

1/4" polished flex head - cant find it in stock anywhere else currently

1/4" Swivel Head Ratchet

 

[CR888]

I have a nice Japanese round head 3/8 stubby & its super smooth but when changing direction you need to use both hands where the lever style pear head can be done by using just a thumb on one hand.

 

[Ji m]

My little "Frankenstein" Matco 88 flex is my daily go-to now for just about everything

 

[Ji m]

^even though the Frabkenstein 88 flex is a full size 3/8" head,
in reality, it doesn't take up much more room than the compact 3/8" Matco (in a 1/4" handle),
but I'm not afraid to lean on the compact flex head

now I just want to "build" a short handle version of the top ratchet
(1/2" pawl in a 3/8" head) so I can have a short handle, small body 1/2" flex

 

[sk farmer]

I have no doubt not everyone has a need for stubby ratchets. Where they are important is when you are working shoulder deep in an area where only one arm will fit, especially if you can't see what you're doing. One hand on the ratchet, two fingers on the socket guiding it onto the hex head and now you realize the ratchet is working the wrong way. this is where round heads really fail. Just thumb the lever on a pear head and go to work. Putting that same fastener back in is when you want a flex to get the alignment with the hole using just two fingers and a ratchet in your hand. The breakaway or final torque may still require a regular ratchet with innovative extensions but heaven help the man who has to use that for the whole operation.

funny how we perceive things. we all think that the stuff we work on is harder, dirtier or more difficult to work on than anyone else's projects. in reality someone somewhere is working on something just as difficult.

if i am arm deep, i want the smallest tool that will get the job done and often it is a round head. i don't find it a fail on the tools part if i forgot to check if it was turning the right direction before i attempted the job. what drives me far more crazy is having a pear head reverse on my if it hits something in use or on the way in the hole. that rarely happens with a round head

i also did a test. all of the ratchets i posted earlier. i could easily change direction on them with one hand using my thumb. i don't see how it is such a big problem.

still waiting for wamsutta to show us some of his stubby ratchets that he actually owns and his experience with them.

 

[Widgeon]

For tight finesse work, the gear wrench 3/8" 120XP is hard to beat. I have a couple and that is my preference.

I know this might sound goofy, but for max clearance, you could also buy the swivel ratchet bar from harbor freight that has a 1/4" on one end and 3/8" on the other and just cut the handle to length. The head is very low profile, and it swivels.

https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-38-in-drive-long-reach-dual-flex-head-ratchet-67994.html

 

[Gerard]

honestly, the titan compact 3/8 roto ratchet like pictured above is a great compact 3/8 ratchet. it is something nobody else offers and one of my favorite ratchets. if i could only keep one of the ratchets in the pictures i posted above the titan would be it.

Snap-on makes a 1/4" size roto with 3/8" drive, although they only offer it from the factory in the soft-grip version. However, one can buy the 3/8" repair kit and install it in the all-steel TNF72 or hard-handle THNFD72 if desired to have those versions of a compact 3/8" drive.

They also made a 3/8" kit for the older 39 tooth 1/4" roto ratchets, so if anyone has one of those lying around, it can be converted as long as the kits are still available.

The Titan looks sweet, but if someone really wants to spend 5x the price or more on a USA-made equivalent, it can be done.

 

[sk farmer]

Snap-on makes a 1/4" size roto with 3/8" drive, although they only offer it from the factory in the soft-grip version. However, one can buy the 3/8" repair kit and install it in the all-steel TNF72 or hard-handle THNFD72 if desired to have those versions of a compact 3/8" drive.

They also made a 3/8" kit for the older 39 tooth 1/4" roto ratchets, so if anyone has one of those lying around, it can be converted as long as the kits are still available.

The Titan looks sweet, but if someone really wants to spend 5x the price or more on a USA-made equivalent, it can be done.

good catch. i stand corrected. i assume by your avatar you agree on how useful they are.

 

[Gerard]

good catch. i stand corrected. i assume by your avatar you agree on how useful they are.

Roto is my favorite ratchet design, although I don't yet have a compact 3/8" version. The 1/4" Snap-on (an older 39 tooth TM738) is my most-used ratchet.

I really, really wish SK would come out with a 1/4" size roto ratchet. I'd buy two on release day and put a 3/8" kit in one of them. I'm not a huge fan of any handles on ratchets (soft-grip especially, but even the plastic ones), but i find the slim steel handle to be a bit tedious to grip and spin in nut driver mode. SK-style knurled handles are my absolute favorite. Still all steel, but larger and easy to grip and spin. Would make for the perfect small-sized roto ratchet.

 

[marke1200]

SK Farmer,
What is the number of that SK 3/8 drive in the 1/4 body? It's funny, but the 1/4 SK is one of those ratchets that I gravitate to - probably have a dozen and a half or more by now. And I'm a real sucker for 3/8 stubbies... so you can probably imagine what that picture did to me! LOL

 

[Mgdoug3]

the long compact is 45171, the flex is 3767 and the standard handle is 45179.

sorry i missed your question. i was distracted by the life and death importance of a hard handle rather than my normal answer of providing pictures, giving honest answers and real life experience.

usually i try not to engage the trolls but sometimes they just need to be set straight, even if they don't get it.

Here's the answer to your question. They look like an awesome ratchet to have.

 

[marke1200]

Ah! Thank you. I guess my ebay search had me confused. I kept thinking that 45171 was a regular length 3/8. Apparently its about 6.5 inches or so.
Thanks again!

 

[The Fall]

Also I never understood all the love for round head ratchets. Ive tried all the reccomended brands (SK, vintage Craftsman, etc) but never really fell in love. To each his own.

I think most people prefer fine-tooth pear heads. We're in the minority.

Round heads are the toughest ratchets out there and I like SK's knurling. I also don't care for quick-release ratchets. I own about six Snap-on ratchets (all but one fine tooth) and a Matco 88 tooth. The SK's get used 80% of the time. I like having both styles of ratchets. They both have their place.

 

[KnurledNut]

I realize the OP doesn't want a round head, but I was kind of curious about the Blackhawk 34948B 3/8 stubby flex ratchet. I haven't seen anybody else mention them. Supposedly it's "Made in USA according to Proto's website, but it's probably more like made here with global materials. I've noticed their other ratchets that claim to be made in the USA aren't stamped. Are they garbage? I know there's better out there, but you can get one for $22 shipped on EBay. Doesn't seem too bad.

I have the 34948A. Mine is identical, but with a tri-wing selector.
Garbage? Hardly.
41T dual pawl mechanism gives you a 82T-like action.
The spinner is nice for some settings, but makes for a thick ratchet.

 

[sk farmer]

SK Farmer,
What is the number of that SK 3/8 drive in the 1/4 body? It's funny, but the 1/4 SK is one of those ratchets that I gravitate to - probably have a dozen and a half or more by now. And I'm a real sucker for 3/8 stubbies... so you can probably imagine what that picture did to me! LOL

Here's the answer to your question. They look like an awesome ratchet to have.

Ah! Thank you. I guess my ebay search had me confused. I kept thinking that 45171 was a regular length 3/8. Apparently its about 6.5 inches or so.
Thanks again!

thanks, i have had great luck with compact ratchets and find them very useful.

hey, wamsutta..........still waiting for pics and real world experience for you to post in this thread.

 

[Wamsutta]

hey, wamsutta..........still waiting for pics and real world experience for you to post in this thread.

I'm not sure I understand the question. People should just buy what they want. You either see the value in something or you don't. You obviously don't.

 

[KDoug]

I have the 34948A. Mine is identical, but with a tri-wing selector.
Garbage? Hardly.
41T dual pawl mechanism gives you a 82T-like action.
The spinner is nice for some settings, but makes for a thick ratchet.

Thanks. I was wondering when someone would respond to my comment. I knew it probably wasn't garbage, but figured somebody would find something bad to say about it like they always do on Garage Journal.

 

[sk farmer]

I'm not sure I understand the question. People should just buy what they want. You either see the value in something or you don't. You obviously don't.

no, you don't understand. they op asks a question. lots of people give him answers. some even put up pictures of things they have for comparison. your advice is to buy something you don't have and more than likely never have used. you then try and justify it by making things up and telling people they just don't get it.

to prove that i do get it i will later put up pics of some of my hard handle tools.

 

[6PTsocket]

I love my old Williams round heads. The heads are much smaller than my SKs. They are smooth, easy to shift and bullet proof. Too bad there are no parts available but so far so good and I have had the 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 for many years. Never felt the need for a pear head. I never knew I was tooth count deprived so I never missed it.

Round heads are an acquired taste. I prefer them but others wouldn't give their worst enemy one. I don't need anymore but I ****** up any cheap SK I get my hands on since parts are easy to come by.

You should stop by your Wal-mart, Advanced Auto (Gear Wrench) or NAPA (Carlyle) and try out a few ratchets and go with what feels best. For around $25 or less you can find a ratchet that you will want.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[6PTsocket]

I think you are missing the point. The people here like tools. They like collecting, buying and talking about them. Others collect stamps, coins, bottle openers or beer cans. That does not mean that they don't have a life or other interests.

simply amazing or pathetic depending on how you look at it. i am am emr and my son is a paramedic. i have used an aed to save someone's life. trust me, the guy didn't worry about having a hard handle ratchet in his hand and i didn't go home with a burning need to buy more (i do have one) after the fact.

if i am laying on a stretcher having a heart attack i pray that someone can help me so that i can spend more time with my wife, family, pets and friends. if the biggest thrill you have is a hard handle stubby dual 80 i truly feel sorry for you and your lack of understanding about what is truly important.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Mgdoug3]

I love my old Williams round heads. The heads are much smaller than my SKs. They are smooth, easy to shift and bullet proof. Too bad there are no parts available but so far so good and I have had the 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 for many years. Never felt the need for a pear head. I never knew I was tooth count deprived so I never missed it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I will have to try a Williams and Wright sometime. My first USA round head ratchet was a 45170 and it became my favorite ratchet to use.

 

[sk farmer]

I think you are missing the point. The people here like tools. They like collecting, buying and talking about them. Others collect stamps, coins, bottle openers or beer cans. That does not mean that they don't have a life or other interests.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

no i get the point. i have been hanging around here for over 9 years and have seen some really good guys come and go and some that chase more people away than add value if you get my drift. i use and collect like most other guys here and own everything from hf to snap-on.

wamsutta was insulting me by saying i would be dieing unhappy from never using a snap-on hard handle. he could not justify why it was the better choice so he did the only thing he could do, assume i don't have any and tell me that i just don't get it. well i do have hard handles and i do get it.

here is my snap-on ratcheting driver and fhd80, macx12fpa breaker, proto big dawg 5240pg and 4749pg and custom short hard handle sk tuff1 ratchet along with my compact ratchets . just some of my hard handle tools.

so sorry wamsutta, rather than spewing ******** and posting links to the snap-on website, i post pictures and offer real world experience of things i know and use firsthand. maybe you should give that a try.

 

[Alpine4x4]

FCF72 would be my choice, just wish they had a stubbier one!

 

[Wamsutta]

no i get the point. i have been hanging around here for over 9 years and have seen some really good guys come and go and some that chase more people away than add value if you get my drift. i use and collect like most other guys here and own everything from hf to snap-on.

wamsutta was insulting me by saying i would be dieing unhappy from never using a snap-on hard handle. he could not justify why it was the better choice so he did the only thing he could do, assume i don't have any and tell me that i just don't get it. well i do have hard handles and i do get it.

here is my snap-on ratcheting driver and fhd80, macx12fpa breaker, proto big dawg 5240pg and 4749pg and custom short hard handle sk tuff1 ratchet along with my compact ratchets . just some of my hard handle tools.

so sorry wamsutta, rather than spewing ******** and posting links to the snap-on website, i post pictures and offer real world experience of things i know and use firsthand. maybe you should give that a try.

In no way shape or form was I trying to insult you. I don't insult anybody. I now realize that trying to engage you into a friendly conversation was a big mistake on my part. I am very sorry for bothering you sir. I won't do it ever again.

 

[ngk22r]

Maybe now will be a good time to re-read the OP and follow his comments in this thread...

 

[sk farmer]

In no way shape or form was I trying to insult you. I don't insult anybody. I now realize that trying to engage you into a friendly conversation was a big mistake on my part. I am very sorry for bothering you sir. I won't do it ever again.

Telling someone you don't know that they will die unhappy unless you agree with them is an odd way to engage in friendly converstion.

 

[sk farmer]

Maybe now will be a good time to re-read the OP and follow his comments in this thread...

To the op. Sorry this went off track. Even then i still tried to add qualitty and relevent content.

 

[Snaparxon]

Sk, that Tuff1 ratchet is pretty cool, looks factory

If you want to get rid of that pos FHD80 Snappy let me know.

 

[Wamsutta]

Telling someone you don't know that they will die unhappy unless you agree with them is an odd way to engage in friendly converstion.

Fair enough sk farmer. I got tangled up in your spider web and learned my lesson. Never again will I do that.

 

[Ji m]

I'm fed up with round head ratchets. Before I spend my allowance on a Snap-On flex head stubby, I thought I might try the Titan from Wallmart. $11 for a different name. Has anyone tried cutting off the 1/4" drive stub on this? Other than the stupid double boss what do you think of the ratchet? I know it doesn't cost much, but anything I buy means a long drive from here in the middle of nowhere, Tx.

I already posted in this thread,
but just re-read the original post,
is the $11 Walmart Titan double sided like the Harbor Freight ratchets?

If yes,
is the head as thick as the HF/Pittsburgh is?

This one HF is just the spare parts from the Matco Frankenratchet thread,
but the head is a lot thicker than a typical 3/8" Matco 88 (HF on top, Matco in the bottom of the pic)

I don't know if cutting the 1/4" stub is the best idea either,
on the HF Ratchets the double and single headed gears are interchangable.

 

[seber]

I had to take a drive down to Conroe to see a heart specialist so I stopped in at HF before I came home. I picked up a double flex and eliminated the middle section. It's pretty clunky but it is what I was looking for. If it works for me as I hope, I can spend the money on a better ratchet knowing it won't just be relegated to sit quietly in the box like the non flex rats.

 

[Ji m]

I had to take a drive down to Conroe to see a heart specialist so I stopped in at HF before I came home. I picked up a double flex and eliminated the middle section. It's pretty clunky but it is what I was looking for. If it works for me as I hope, I can spend the money on a better ratchet knowing it won't just be relegated to sit quietly in the box like the non flex rats.

The orange handled abomination in the above post started out as a HF double flex 3/8" ratchet.

The bottom section you used was used on a Matco 88 (also in the pic)
the double head was swapped into it from a HF 1/4"-3/8" extendable Ratchet,
(that I didn't want to be double headed anymore)
and the handle came off a broken/cheapie CM driver to cover the unused second joint.

It's basically every leftover part in one tool,
and it does sit quietly in a box of unused tools.

& I hope the ticker Dr appointment went well!

 

[seber]

& I hope the ticker Dr appointment went well!

It's all good. I've had a couple of pulmonary embolisms and now need constant monitoring. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

 

[Ji m]

It's all good. I've had a couple of pulmonary embolisms and now need constant monitoring. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Clots are bad,
I hope they're on top of things

Be careful with the blood thinners if that's part of the deal

back to the flex ratchet,

I got sick of the orange handled abombinaton,
so I cut the handle down & used a stubby screwdriver grip in a try for the worlds shortest stubby

At least it's all HF now

 

[Al Borland]

This one is highly underrated: https://www.harryepstein.com/index.php/minature-flex-ratchet-5-1-2-contour-handle-e997.html

…And they are all fun and good til the detent ball falls out (like every Wright does, since ever)

 

[PR1Gneon]

This one HF is just the spare parts from the Matco Frankenratchet thread,
but the head is a lot thicker than a typical 3/8" Matco 88 (HF on top, Matco in the bottom of the pic)

Ji m, like your Matco frankenratchet stubby [emoji848]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

 

[az45]

What's a round head ratchet?

I have a couple of Gear Wrench which work fine, but Ive been using this Craftsman for 15 years or so and it works and feels great,

https://goo.gl/NeKg2G

 

[Ji m]

Ji m, like your Matco frankenratchet stubby [emoji848]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

You should like it,
it was your idea


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7156005&postcount=96

It's been my go-to for anything that doesn't need a ton of muscle on it
thanks!

 

[davethorik]

…And they are all fun and good til the detent ball falls out (like every Wright does, since ever)

I had no idea that happened to all Wrights, ever. I'll have to keep an eye on the ones I have.

 

[seber]

Well now that I've had it a while and tried it out thoroughly, I went back to the 30 tooth teardrop flex Snap On as the one I reach for. With a virtually permanently mounted 3" extension it just always seems to be the right tool. When I made a living with my tools I used an air ratchet most of the time but since I no longer need to be fast, it hasn't been out of the drawer in years. The flex handle works as a speed handle and is fast enough.