What's your favorite ratchet(S)?

[Jason_D]

Mine are as follows:

1)Old round head New Britain 3/8"

2) New Britain 3/8" round flex head with bent handle THE BEST for plug removal!
(especially on the GM engines that you have to move forward to get to!)

3)Old SK 1/2" ratchet standard length

4) Proto Big Dog ratchet. Can take a 32" cheater pipe & not break! It does
flex though

 

[eschoendorff]

 

[Jason_D]

I've not used that one. How is it?
I've seen LOTS of variations of it too.

 

[danski0224]

Craftsman stainless 3/8 drive.

Snap-On long handle 3/8 drive.

 

[Fedwrench]

I like the Matco locking flexhead 60 tooth ratchets in 1/4 and 3/8 drive. I also like an old Matco 1/2 drive flexhead ratchet that was probably made by Wright for breaking fasteners loose. The new F80s are great too.

 

[eschoendorff]

Silky.... Finer toothed than teh standard 936 series, but not as fine as the 80 series. I happen to like the SO round heads though.... mostly by accident. I started using one one day and just kept on using it.

 

[Jononon]

FACOM J161 3/8" palm control ratchet. Being able to hold the head of the ratchet without any possibility of knocking the lever is very useful indeed, and I very much like the feel of the tool.

The quality is excellent, minimal 'drag' and a positive click. It might not be the strongest ratchet in the world, it is 72 tooth, but it's certainly not showing any signs of wear.

I have a bit of a ratchet habit, I have them from half a dozen manufacturers, but all my favourites are FACOM.

 

[fourfeathers]

My go to ratchet is the older style black handled version of the swivel head Snappy above. I would like to upgrade to that style though.

The older Facom is my next fav. I tend to use a long ratchet, or a short one, but rarely a "normal" length one.

1/2 drive is a long snappy at work, a long SK at home.

 

[kartracer55]

Sk roundhead

 

[tony p]

I'm with Jononon on this - the Facom 'palm control' ratchets are a pleasure to use. My hard-worked 1/4" and a 3/8" stubby are among my favourite and most used tools.
I also have a previous-model 3/8" Beta which has been faultless.
I'm not wrenching all day for a living, but they've stood up well to regular use at home and at the track.

(I have to say that another, recently-bought, 1/4" Facom - which no longer bears the legend Made in France - whilst still a thing of beauty, just feels a couple of percent less than perfect).

 

[eschoendorff]

FACOM J161 3/8" palm control ratchet. Being able to hold the head of the ratchet without any possibility of knocking the lever is very useful indeed, and I very much like the feel of the tool.

The quality is excellent, minimal 'drag' and a positive click. It might not be the strongest ratchet in the world, it is 72 tooth, but it's certainly not showing any signs of wear.

I have a bit of a ratchet habit, I have them from half a dozen manufacturers, but all my favourites are FACOM.

Oooohh! Forgot about that one. I have a tiny FACOM 1/4" that I love! Then again, I'ma sucker for FACOM tools....

 

[GDA]

SO long handle 3/8 - I seem to use it on everything from engine and interior work all the way to brake work.

 

[BKillian]

SL715 & 1/4" Armstrong & TM711

 

[SteveU]

SK 3/8" bent handle flexhead

 

[Deafautotech]

i love my FLF80 and SL715 and SLF936... i used them mostly same with all snap on 1/4dr ratchet (short, long, flex and speeder handle ratchets) i am more use snap on ratchets than craftsman ratchets as craftsman are good but hate it when lever changed itself...

 

[Jason_D]

but hate it when lever changed itself...

Geez I hate that. Soooooo annoying! That's why 1 reason I love my older New Britain & SK ratchets, they don't have the common thumb switch.

 

[wrenchr]

I like the 80 series from snap on, and all of their other ratchets for that matter.

 

[MAD]

One of my favorites is the SK 3767 (second from the right). It is a long flex head 1/4" dr. sized body but with a 3/8" square drive. It is small and flexible enough to get in tight places but long enough to apply some actual torque. I find myself using that ratchet a lot with bit sockets (Allen, Torx, triple square) since I do not have these in 1/4" drive. The forth ratchet in from the right is also a 3/8" drive in a 1/4" dr. sized body.

 

[gotmud13613]

1/4" & 3/8" Proto Spin-Flex
Old SK Round Head
3/8" Proto LH industrial finish

 

[eschoendorff]

One of my favorites is the SK 3767 (second from the right). It is a long flex head 1/4" dr. sized body but with a 3/8" square drive.

I have a Snap On ratchet like that... it's pretty cute.

 

[Zeroek]

So far my 2 most used Ratchets are my Snap on 80 tooth flex head and a older Matco ratchet with a handle. I like both of those pretty well but I really like the Snap on Soft Grip handle ratchets a lot.

 

[chad s]

and a older Matco ratchet with a handle.

Yea, most of my ratchets have handles too!

 

[krusty the clown]

i have craftsman, mac, matco, sk, armstrong, and new britton ratchets. the two i use most are the 1/4" and the 3/8" flex head snappys. out of 22 ratchets i do 95% of my work with those two.

 

[BKillian]

i have craftsman, mac, matco, sk, armstrong, and new britton ratchets. the two i use most are the 1/4" and the 3/8" flex head snappys. out of 22 ratchets i do 95% of my work with those two.

I just don't feel comfortable turning hard on the flex-head ratchets, I like reg long handles.

 

[krusty the clown]

I just don't feel comfortable turning hard on the flex-head ratchets, I like reg long handles.

you get used to it...........i'll break it loose the fold the handle and remove the bolt like turning a crank.


i also have a speedeeratch that was made my beall tool division of hubbard mfg in east alton illinois. it has a chain you pull out of the handle to spin the drive head. anybody know anything about it? btw the snappy guy said it was the coolest thing he had seen

 

[Uncle Buck]

SO long handle 3/8 - I seem to use it on everything from engine and interior work all the way to brake work.

I must say I have that one and tend to use it alot as well!

 

[nissan_crawler]

My most used is a snappy t860.

 

[Rickster]

I've always reached for the SK roto-head first, but I just purchased a SnapOn Roto-head ratchet with the black plastic comfort handle.

 

[eschoendorff]

i also have a speedeeratch that was made my beall tool division of hubbard mfg in east alton illinois. it has a chain you pull out of the handle to spin the drive head. anybody know anything about it? btw the snappy guy said it was the coolest thing he had seen

Never seen one. Can you post pics?

 

[wilbilt]

Never seen one. Can you post pics?

That sounds really cool. I have heard of Saylor-Beall, but never seen one of those.

You pull the chain like you are starting a lawnmower?

 

[krusty the clown]

Never seen one. Can you post pics?

wish i could.......the wife took of right before christams and one of the things she took was the digital camera. she's been gone for a month.....i really miss the camera

 

[krusty the clown]

That sounds really cool. I have heard of Saylor-Beall, but never seen one of those.

You pull the chain like you are starting a lawnmower?

yeah kinda......i'll try and borrow a camera untill i get mine back.

 

[ImportTuner]

wish i could.......the wife took of right before christams and one of the things she took was the digital camera. she's been gone for a month.....i really miss the camera

Off subject: your wife has been gone for a month and all you missed is the digital camera ...

 

[eschoendorff]

yeah kinda......i'll try and borrow a camera untill i get mine back.

Send it to me.... I'll take the pics for you.

 

[wrenchr]

Krusty has been married for quite awhile, I'm willing to bet.

 

[Zeroek]

Yea, most of my ratchets have handles too!

Matco decided since I paid so much I should get the handle as well

 

[krusty the clown]

import tuner........yes thats about the long and short of it!

eschoendorff.........i'll need your full name, ssn, and a credit card to hold ;-)

wrenchr.......6 months



she also got away with my new snap on jacket.......thats cold man...just cold.

 

[wrenchr]

As long as the beer is still cold it will be aight!!!

 

[krusty the clown]

As long as the beer is still cold it will be aight!!!

it is plentiful too

 

[wrenchr]

ats right git r done!!