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Tekton small body ratchets

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ihateminimumwage

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I'm in. It's been slim pickings for QR 3/8" in a 1/4" ratchet for what seems like forever. Should be killer for hard to access spark plugs on air cooled engines.
 

CallumRD1

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What I want to know is if I can swap the guts from the new ratchets into one of my existing 1/4" drive ratchets with one of these parts kits:

 

Fatboyslim95

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Just ordered the flex-head non-quick release ratchet. Should be here today. I can post pics if anyone is interested. I really like Tekton ratchets for the money, figured it may be useful for Subaru spark plugs.

I have a Koken Small body ratchet that is a non flex head that works great as well.
 

Fatboyslim95

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Interesting. Must be enough of a market to warrant making one for retail sale. Who'd have thunk?
I think so, Snap On and Matco both make similar ratchets and on some you can just swap internals. Only thing I don’t like about the Tekton is how short the handle is. Wish they had a longer offering, but they probably kept them short to prevent a lot of warranty claims.
 

bonneyman

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Yeah, there's a thread on those, and I'd never heard of them. But many guys listed theirs or asked what kits to get to make one, so I figured a fair number of folks could use one. I just didn't figure they'd be that popular for a manufacturer to come out with one.
 
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Fedwrench

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What I want to know is if I can swap the guts from the new ratchets into one of my existing 1/4" drive ratchets with one of these parts kits:

I would say no simply because, the repair kit doesn't come with a gear cover and the 3/8 won't fit through a 1/4 drive gear cover.
 

CallumRD1

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I would say no simply because, the repair kit doesn't come with a gear cover and the 3/8 won't fit through a 1/4 drive gear cover.
ScreenShot 2023-09-30 at 11.47.43 AM.jpg

I wish I had some measurements because these look awfully close to my eye. 3/8" in 1/4" body on left, 1/4" on right.

Edit: both quick-release
 

DerekV

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ScreenShot 2023-09-30 at 11.47.43 AM.jpg

I wish I had some measurements because these look awfully close to my eye. 3/8" in 1/4" body on left, 1/4" on right.

Edit: both quick-release
He’s referring to the backplate, which the rebuild kits don’t come with. One may get away with drilling/boring out a 1/4” backplate to accept the 3/8” anvil, though.
 

Benito

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Pros: It's small, very much like a 1/4" ratchet size wise. Not a tiny 1/4", but smaller (mainly thinner) than the AP Nano ratchet bodies.
Cons: Same strength as their 1/4" ratchet, so 1/3 the normal 3/8" drive torque. Meaning it wont replace your daily 3/8", and probably why they arent available in longer lengths.
 

CallumRD1

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He’s referring to the backplate, which the rebuild kits don’t come with. One may get away with drilling/boring out a 1/4” backplate to accept the 3/8” anvil, though.
I'm not sure what you mean. I'm showing the comparison photo illustrating that the diameters of the two circular features appear to be the same (to the naked eye looking at a photograph) on both parts. If both parts have the same diameters, then there's nothing that would need drilled or bored to get the new 3/8" part to fit.
 

david3921

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I'm not sure what you mean. I'm showing the comparison photo illustrating that the diameters of the two circular features appear to be the same (to the naked eye looking at a photograph) on both parts. If both parts have the same diameters, then there's nothing that would need drilled or bored to get the new 3/8" part to fit.
He's talking about the flat plate the anvil protrudes through. The one you take off to replace or oil the 'guts' of the ratchet. A 3/8" anvil won't fit through a 1/4" plate.
 

CallumRD1

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He's talking about the flat plate the anvil protrudes through. The one you take off to replace or oil the 'guts' of the ratchet. A 3/8" anvil won't fit through a 1/4" plate.
The plate doesn't have a hole sized for a 3/8 or 1/4 anvil, it has a hole for the circular feature between the anvil and the toothed drive gear on the screenshots I posted above.
 

demarpaint

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Pros: It's small, very much like a 1/4" ratchet size wise. Not a tiny 1/4", but smaller (mainly thinner) than the AP Nano ratchet bodies.
Cons: Same strength as their 1/4" ratchet, so 1/3 the normal 3/8" drive torque. Meaning it wont replace your daily 3/8", and probably why they arent available in longer lengths.
That was the deal breaker for me. IMO the Astro tools nano ratchet might be a better choice, or a ratcheting combo wrench if space is a real concern.
 

KnurledNut

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ASTRO has been making these for awhile. WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
Astro only has two offerings, both long, fixed and quick release. 8” and 12”. 72t.
Tekton has 3” QR/NQR, 6” fixed or flex QR/NQR. 90t.
Each covers where the other is lacking.
 
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Benito

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Astro only has two offerings, both long, fixed and quick release. 8” and 12”. 72t.
Tekton has 3” QR/NQR, 6” fixed or flex QR/NQR. 90t.
Each covers where the other is lacking.
Plus AP has 1/4" and 1/2" models as well. But agreed.
I think they said more models will be at SEMA?
 

DerekV

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The plate doesn't have a hole sized for a 3/8 or 1/4 anvil, it has a hole for the circular feature between the anvil and the toothed drive gear on the screenshots I posted above.
Ah, I see what you’re saying now. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t a direct swap.
 

david3921

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The plate doesn't have a hole sized for a 3/8 or 1/4 anvil, it has a hole for the circular feature between the anvil and the toothed drive gear on the screenshots I posted above.
Hmmm...you may be right. I'll have to look at my ratchets. It would make sense if they all (1/4, 3/8, and 1/2) could use the same cover plate by standardizing the base of the anvils.
 

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Benito

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Does Astro offer a flex head version? :bounce:
I think they already mentioned making one or a prototype but that the flex joint is still normal size of a 3/8" so eliminates a lot of the size advantage. Tekton again using 1/4" torque limits, can use a 1/4" flex joint.
 

Snaparxon

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ScreenShot 2023-09-30 at 11.47.43 AM.jpg

I wish I had some measurements because these look awfully close to my eye. 3/8" in 1/4" body on left, 1/4" on right.

Edit: both quick-release
Looks like the kits comes with everything you need except thread locker for the 2nd backing plate screw
 
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Fedwrench

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Got some more Tekton goodness today in the form of the new 3/8 small body ratchets.
First off, I was wrong. The gear covers are the same size on the 3/8 small body ratchet and a regular Tekton 1/4 ratchet. The center hole and the rest of the cover matches each other, only the part number is different..
On to the ratchets. The small one has to be the smallest 3/8 drive ratchet available :dunno: At 3 5/16 inches overall, in a 1/4 inch body, makes for a small ratchet. Crisp 90 tooth action, nice chrome, feel, and balance. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the name TEKTON is laser etched on the head of the flex head & small ratchet instead of being stamped on the handle like the fixed ratchet but, I'll get over it. The T4 screws are delicate so, be careful if you're taking these apart. I'll see how they shake out at work. I think VIM should discontinue their plans for mini ratchets. :lol: :beer:
 

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Steve_P

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Looks like the kits comes with everything you need except thread locker for the 2nd backing plate screw

Not sure if you're serious, but it must only be on the other side of the screw, or that it should actually be there and was omitted in production.
 

Steve_P

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Looks good! Their site does state that the rebuild kit can be used to convert existing 1/4” ratchets if anyone was curious. For $9 I went ahead and ordered one to try out.

Thanks for sharing that. I have a 1/4" Tekton that I have a near duplicate in a 1/4 Gearwrench 90T, so I'll probably convert the Tekton. Please post some pics when you convert it and let us know if any issues.
 

Outahere

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.....The small one has to be the smallest 3/8 drive ratchet available :dunno: At 3 5/16 inches overall, in a 1/4 inch body, makes for a small ratchet. Crisp 90 tooth action, nice chrome, feel, and balance.....
How is the backdrag?
 
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