Tekton ratchet experiences
- Thread starter Tonymanx
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Semi-hole mechanic
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2017
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You can order straight from their site.
www.tekton.com
www.tekton.com
Ton ton
Well-known member
Giants, you lost me on CLA. I read the acronym thread and I am still lost.
Cheapskate
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2010
- Messages
- 219
I purchased a Gearwrench 81309 1/2" ratchet and it was literally unusable. Rough, noisy and would catch and lockup in one direction when I tried to turn it with my fingers. Took it apart and it was bone dry inside. Not a speck of lubrication. Lubed it with a light coat of moly grease and it's like a completely different ratchet. Much quieter, smoother and now works in both directions. Why are all the manufacturers sending them out without any lubrication when they work so much better when they're lubed?
I take apart and lube every ratchet I buy now and it has made a big difference in all of them. They all become much quieter and smoother with just a little lube and a few minutes of work. Why this isn't done at the factory is beyond me.
Tinner
Well-known member
Clean, lube and adjust.
giants
Banned
CLA = clean, lubricate, and adjust. I
giants
Banned
Nothing. Seriously. I own one and took it apart tonight. I've used it maybe 1-2 times. There was no lubricant inside it. The ratchet was noisy. I added Super Lube. It's as quiet as a church mouse.
By the way, Harbor Freight sells the same 3/8" composite ratchet for much less. The only difference is the color. I have both; close your eyes and use it and you won't know which is which. In particular, the inners and even the Torx scews are the same. Oh, and the Harbor Freight had no lubricant inside it, either.
giants
Banned
I'm starting to do this as well. Have you found ANY brand of rathcet that has lubrication inside?
Ton ton
Well-known member
Thanks for the explanation, every one.
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Which Tekton ratchets are you talking about? The older 72 tooth quick release models or the current 90 tooth models?
The older model wasn't anything to write home about and was the essential generic Taiwan made ratchet design sold under many brands. The current 90 tooth ratchet sold by Tekton is quite good and nothing like the older model.
I've bought a few new ratchets over the past year and a half and they have all been lubricated from the manufacturer.
None of them were from Harbor Freight. They were SK, Carlyle, Cougar and a Tekton composite. I completely clean, dry and lubricate every ratchet I buy.
I'll probably sound like a Tekton commercial by saying this, but.....the Tekton website says their ratchets are lightly lubed from the manufacturer with a break in oil (not verbatim). That sounds to me like they are expecting the buyer to lube the tool when needed.
I've been reading about the Tekton 90 tooth. I was in Meijers the other day and fondled them. I've got myself thinking that I "need" that 90 tooth 3/8" ratchet with the eighteen inch handle.
None of them were from Harbor Freight. They were SK, Carlyle, Cougar and a Tekton composite. I completely clean, dry and lubricate every ratchet I buy.
I'll probably sound like a Tekton commercial by saying this, but.....the Tekton website says their ratchets are lightly lubed from the manufacturer with a break in oil (not verbatim). That sounds to me like they are expecting the buyer to lube the tool when needed.
I've been reading about the Tekton 90 tooth. I was in Meijers the other day and fondled them. I've got myself thinking that I "need" that 90 tooth 3/8" ratchet with the eighteen inch handle.
giants
Banned
Very lightly (sarcasm).
Seriously, I compared a 72 tooth (non-Tekton) ratchet to my 90 tooth Tekton and could not feel a difference and notice one, though admittedly I wasn't working in a tight space*. Can anyone else?
* My next project is to replace a Toyota water pump. Two of 10mm hex heads are in a hard to reach place in the top rear underside of the engine, accessed from the right front wheel wheel and going upward. I went to the junkyard and determined that my 10mm flex head ratcheting could reach it best, ie my 3/8" ratchet with shallow socked would not even be able to access it; I didn't think to try my 1/4" ratchet. Any alternative tools there?
Ign
Well-known member
I use the 1/4 & 3/8 drive 90 tooth fixed & flex head without quick release versions at work daily. No issues. I like the handle shape and ratcheting action is smooth as butter.
I wish Tekton would come out with a non offset handle 3/8 drive flex head ratchet measuring approx 13 inches long overall and a similar 1/2 drive version measuring 17-18 inches long overall.
So I realize I'm quoting you from Aug but just wanted to tell you I read on this internet forum where ALL the tool EXPERTS hang out that Tekton ratchets are simply not suitable for "professional use."
It was this place called Garage Journal and every single person there is an expert in every single thing tool-related.
So, clearly you're mistaken and I figured you should know.
And for those who struggle with the written word, at least most of that was heavy sarcasm (I promise you there's still one guy screaming at his screen not getting it)
BrandoJames
Well-known member
You’re basically comparing a 5 degree swing arc (72 tooth) vs a 4 degree swing arc (90 tooth). Even in tight spaces, I doubt you could tell them apart. The 90 tooth ratchet may have *other* qualities (besides tooth count) that could make it superior.
Try a long pattern flex ratcheting box wrench. Tekton makes a nice set.
toddmorr
Well-known member
ordered a 3/8 flex 90 tooth Tekton the other day. Promptly trimmed a couple turns off the pawl spring and applied some Super Lube. Wow, really smooth and nice feel. Backdrag not to Koken standards but still excellent. Incredible bargain for something like $20.
if only they had comfort grip.
if only they had comfort grip.
Which version of Super Lube is used for this kind of thing? (12004?)
I use 21030
My employer (industrial) requires me to wear cut-proof gloves. So for me, Quick Release ratchets are necessary.
I always used grease in my ratchets. I found it causes 'false neutrals' in fine tooth ratchets. Now I use gear oil, have no problems, and they're quiet.
I've had the same experience. I've always used Super Lube in all my ratchets. When I converted one of my Matco ratchets from 60T to 88T using grease would cause lock ups & the direction lever to flip sometimes. I thought it was the spring tension being too light. Switched to a light a oil & the problem went away.
Didn't know this thread existed. I have one Tekton ratchet that came in a socket set. I believe it's a 72T. If felt rough out the box & was noisy, opened it up & it had no lube either. Put a bit of light oil & that did the trick.
But that's not what bothered me. I can't stand that the direction lever is backwards. If I switch the lever to the right, I expect it to loosen a fastener, & switch left to tighten, but nope! Drives me nuts. But whatever, the Tekton set lives in my truck under the seat so it doesn't see a lot of use. If I had to use that ratchet often I definitely would have replaced it with something else.
Are their 90T ratchets "backwards" also?
My 90 tooth is at work, but I don't believe its "backwards". Today bought a HF 3/8" drive ratchet with 2 flex joints in handle. Didn't realize it was backwards, am considering returning it. Hard to learn a new trick after 44 years of ratcheting. I have also heard of soaking the heads of non-sealed ratchets in ATF. If ATF is sufficient lube for the tooth to tooth pressure of a transmission, I'm sure it's good for up to 100 ft-lb of torque that a ratchet might experience. When I worked under vehicles every day, I would clean and lube my ratchets once a month. Craftsman ratchets would show tooth chipping in about a year. That was in the made in USA days.....
Yup I hear ya. I've only got a bit more than half the years of ratcheting than you, I've never had a "backwards" ratchet or even knew they existed until a customer gave me one of those stubby dual drive ratchets when they started popping up everywhere. Besides the Tekton, those are the only backwards ones I thought I had as I always check now before buying a new ratchet, well so I thought.
A while back I bought these ratchets from HF cause I've never seen anything like them & thought they could be useful. Stupid me never payed close attention to them & just threw them in the drawer. Recently I was working on my buddy's Ryker & one of them did prove to be useful.
Well the damn things have backwards levers/switches also. Way too long to return em. And they have the annoying switching direction issue also. They're not easily to disassemble, well no screws that is, held together with a spring clip like ratcheting wrenches I assume. I've heard of the soaking in ATF for sealed ratchets also but never tried it myself, maybe I'll try dunking these someday. I don't have much hope for them though, oh well, lesson learned or should I say reminded. At least they didn't cost much & I got them during the good ol coupon days.
I just checked the reviews for the 90T Tekton, looks like it's not "backwards". But my Tekton set is an older set with a 7" ratchet. The 90T is an 8" so it won't fit my case anyway even if I did want to replace it.
BlakeTheCarGuy
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The Tekton flex head I used was very weak and got floppy after a few uses. It wasn’t mine but the owner did keep having to tighten the screw. He eventually got it warrantied and this one doesn’t do it. He scrapped the other one but oh well. At least the replacement works a lot better. But by far my go to is Capri for ratchets but Tekton is ok as well.
2ndGearRubber
Well-known member
I like my 3/8 tekton ratchet with the flex head. I did blow it up once, ratcheting mechanism failed, but it was warrantied. Head size is good, backdrag low. I don't like the loud CLICK of the head flexing relative to the handle, which is annoying when I'm doing something that involves the head constantly flexing, CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK. Minor complaint, and to be fair the head is nice and stiff as a result. No chrome peel yet, but they ALL get chrome peel eventually no matter the brand. All of this said, the total length of the thing is like 8", and I did blow up the internals once. For the stupid long stuff I spend the cash on snap-on. I'm going to be loading that 3/8 drive mechanism up and slamming it as hard as I can, with an 18" handle, so price isn't really a big deal if it protects my hands 1% better.
Overall, I recommend the tekton ratchet.
Overall, I recommend the tekton ratchet.