To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Toughest 1/2" drive ratchet?

H

heathen

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
7
I wanted to get your opinion on what the toughest 1/2" drive ratchet would be. I know the guys at work are sold on the double pawl Wright 4400. I know a breaker bar is the right tool for the job but I have seen guys put 4 foot cheater pipes on the 4400 and bounce up and down on the bar to break bolts loose before. It makes me cringe to watch it but is there another 1/2" drive ratchet that could withstand this abuse? I've seen a few others that couldn't hack it, Proto, Williams, Craftsman. What do you guys think?

Thanks.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
C

chewy7

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2010
Messages
872
Location
WISCONSIN
I tried that with a Snap-On SL-936 to intentionally break it and couldn't. I welded a big nut on the leg of our work bench, stuck a 3/4" drive socket on it. I think the nut was between 1-1/4"and 1-1/2", hence using the 3/4" drive socket . Put on a 1/2"-3/4" harbor freight impact adapter on it. Put the SL-936 on it, stuck a long pipe on it probably a couple feet long. pushed it down by hand a couple times. The adapter split apart after a couple tries of putting all my weight on the bar. The Snap-On SL-936 was like bring it on!
You couldn't tell i even tried to do something like that. No cheater bar marks or anything on the big ratchet. I think i slipped a hose inside the pipe just in case the ratchet would break so i could warranty it. The ratchet didn't really noticeably flex at all. I was really impressed by the strength. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
M

Moose-LandTran

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
15,945
Location
The Brink of Insanity (England)
chewy7 said:
I tried that with a Snap-On SL-936 to intentionally break it and couldn't. I welded a big nut on the leg of our work bench, stuck a 3/4" drive socket on it. I think the nut was between 1-1/4"and 1-1/2", hence using the 3/4" drive socket . Put on a 1/2"-3/4" harbor freight impact adapter on it. Put the SL-936 on it, stuck a long pipe on it probably a couple feet long. pushed it down by hand a couple times. The adapter split apart after a couple tries of putting all my weight on the bar. The Snap-On SL-936 was like bring it on!
You couldn't tell i even tried to do something like that. No cheater bar marks or anything on the big ratchet. I think i slipped a hose inside the pipe just in case the ratchet would break so i could warranty it. The ratchet didn't really noticeably flex at all. I was really impressed by the strength. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I put a 4' pipe on my SLF80 to break a stuck crank bolt loose (3/4" ratchet wouldn't fit.) and i was really pulling on the pipe. It just took it in its stride!
 
G

george4

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
Messages
773
Location
N California
Moose-LandTran said:
I put a 4' pipe on my SLF80 to break a stuck crank bolt loose (3/4" ratchet wouldn't fit.) and i was really pulling on the pipe. It just took it in its stride!
Click to expand...

Good to hear that, I just got a SLF80A. The length and width of the head is the same dimension, as a S936 but the SLF80A head is about .020” thinner.:beer:
 
Last edited:
T

toolmaker1

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
533
Location
Northwest Pa
S

SCscoutguy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
2,229
Location
South Carolina
OP
H

heathen

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
7
The old style Proto pearheads are actually one of the few that did break at work. They are a great ratchet but not quite as strong as the Wrights we have used. This might be a great time to look into my first Snap On ratchet. Those premium Protos look nice too. Honestly the Wright I have at work is a fine ratchet but I'm just looking for something a little different.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
D

DrkMtnDew

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2010
Messages
1,465
i really like my proto's and SO's. another i might throw in is the Cornwell ratchets. they are built...
 
S

slipjointed

Well-known member
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
665
I was going to say Wright until I finished reading your OP.

Frankly, I don't really think anyone makes a tougher ratchet than Wright. Their stuff isn't as sleek and elegant as SO, but it's made to take serious abuse in an industrial environment.
 
T

tbobbo

Banned
Joined
May 19, 2011
Messages
248
Location
Bismarck, ND
I have some snap on ratchets that I bought in 96, they were new then. I worked at a oilfield equipment repair shop, we broke 2 proto 3/4 ratchets trying to get a bolt loose. (With a cheater bar of course) I put my thorsen 1/2 to 3/4 on my short snap on ratchet and we broke it loose! I have never broke or opened any of those 8 snap on ratchets I bought back then. I have a couple of the new ones, and they get the nod for most things, but when the bolts get tight I get the old ones out!
 
D

diesel research

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
5,440
Location
gulf coast, TEXAS
AZ_Catskinner said:
SK 40170 has taken more abuse than any ratchet I've ever owned and always comes back for more.
Click to expand...

I had to google that model just to verify we are talking about the same thing. I like SK. The above ratchet was my LEAST favorite tool when it came to reliability. Probably 50% of them we had stripped out and failed. (employer provided SK sets) Were they "abused"? Yes, in the typical ways ratchets get abused. I have to rank them just above cman raised panels on the auto-reversing or slipping features.


Toughest ratchet is probably a breaker bar and snappy ratchet adapter, I believe it is 20 tooth.

I enjoy my armstrong maxx 1/2" ratchet, but it is only 3 months old, so time will tell.
 
S

skruft

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
759
I agree. I have never broken a 1/2 ratchet except an old-style Craftsman (I have used Snap-on, SK and Craftsman), but I see very old SK ratchets with the chrome knocked off all the time and think they must be very strong.
 
OP
H

heathen

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
7
Sorry for taking so long to get back to this thread. I wanted to say thanks to everyone for their input. It gives me a lot to look for in my used tool search. Anybody else have a really tough ratchet?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom