Any comments on 3/8" & 1/2" ratchets to buy

[EddieWalker]

This has me kinda wondering... If you and RAT are tweaking these 1/2" ratchet's, maybe you guys need some bigger stuff? Could it be that a 3/4 or 1" ratchet set is in order?

I have a 3/4 inch Proto Breaker bar aftet busting a Harbor Freight one. My 3/4 Ingersol Rand Impact wrench does the job too, but when I brokr my half inch wrench, I didn't have a cheater on it, just my body weight and some jumping up and down. The gears slipped and the nut stayed in place.

The wrench still works, but not on allot of force. There is a point that it will skip teeth and spin on me.

I don't even think I have a 3/4 inch drie socket that goes down to 3/4 inch nuts and bolts.

In the end, I think I cut that nut off and replaced it all with new, but I'm not positive. So many bad nuts out there that I can't remember for sure.

Eddie

 

[jwstewar]

Sears decision not to replace tools must be based on locale or just the store manager or who is working. I've had to have a couple of my ratchets replaced at Sears lately. Walk in hand it to them and they hand you another one, no questions asked. Just did one about 2 weeks ago. You might want to try another Sears store.

 

[slowzuki]

I have some craftman stuff but the old Grey set I have seems to be the longest lived. I have had to take the rachet apart and clean sand out of it but that was from using it in muddy sand.

I also now have some Mastercraft rachets with less angle between clicks but I'd bet they aren't as strong.

 

[_RaT_]

This has me kinda wondering... If you and RAT are tweaking these 1/2" ratchet's, maybe you guys need some bigger stuff? Could it be that a 3/4 or 1" ratchet set is in order?

I just don't like the "guts" on my Craftsman. They get rough, they don't stay locked in the left/right position in pretty short order. They ratchet hard enough to where they always turn the nut that has a decent amount of friction, you know, where you have to hold the socket with your fingers until the nut snugs up. I just find with mine you have to hold it longer then other brands. There is getting to be so much play in the ractchet mechanism that it that I have to swing more degrees to get a "click". I hope you know what I'm saying, its kind of hard to explain by typing.

 

[N80]

I've had a Craftsman set for 20 years now and it has never given me any trouble. I've worked pretty extensively with my B-I-L's Snap-On stuff and it is a joy to work with. Works great, feels great......costs a ton. He hates my Craftsman stuff. But, he's a farmer and tractor mechanic and I'm a doctor. I don't need Snap-On. The other thing is that his Snap-On stuff does fail from time to time. It gets serious daily use, so its not unusual. The thing is, he has to wait for the Sanp-On truck to come to get new stuff. Maybe you can get them on-line or by mail order, but he doesn't do internet.

I have never had any problem exchanging Craftsman tools. I bent a screw driver hammering on it and had a channel lock grove crack off. Gave me new ones, no questions asked despite the fact that they were obviously abused.

The higher end Craftsman ratchets that are available now are better built and designed than my 20 year old ones. The sockets are flat on one side (easier to grip and don't roll) and they are more clearly marked.

I'd probably buy Craftsman if I needed tools today.

 

[DieselPower]

I'm a Snap On, Mac and Matco person myself. Nothing wrong with Craftsman though. That's what I started with when I got into the truck repair business.

You can step up in the Craftsman line. They have their regular wrench's and their Professional series. The professional series are rather nice, high polish and much higher quality. I even have some of their Pro. series tools at home.

 

[AlanB]

I have some of all of them.
There are several different "Craftsman" ratchets out there, so don't judge them all by just a couple. Finer, coarser, weaker, stronger etc. That said I generally do not like the craftsman ones too much, even though I have several.

I really like my Snap-ons, and now that they are paid for, I do not worry about the money any more.... :0 but I think I paid about $60 for one 1/4" ratchet (not a set) and $75 for the other.

I would just grab every ratchet that I saw, see how I liked the feel, and the tooth engagement and see if I could stand the price.

Food for thought, it really depends on your application on how much something is "worth"

At one point in life I was (am) an Aircraft mechanic. Tightening bolts on the main rotor head of an apache (sitting on the main rotor blade, probably 15 feet in the air) Had a cheap 1/2" chinese breaker bar snap on me and I fell....

That replacement Snap-on extra long ratchet and breaker bar was worth every penny next time I climbed up there

 

[_RaT_]

Don't get me wrong, I use the daylights out of all my Craftsman sockets and wrenches, no issues with those other then a few abused smaller sockets crack on me. It was probably abuse on my part. I have some left over SnapOn sockets and a SnapOn breaker bar that simply will not break no matter how bad the abuse. I can easily use my Craftsman sockets, a great medium or better quality socket. Its just the ratchets. After using a few SnapOns I suppose I have been spoiled. I have never tried Jeffs "Facom" brand. Is it a French tool? I really like a good ratchet. Maybe I will order a MAC or SnapOn 3/8" and 1/2". I also need a new air ratchet. My old CP is shot. Who makes a nice strong and small 3/8"?

 

[George2615]

I have an assortment. Craftsman tools have lasted me almost 40 years now. S-K tools have lasted a long time too. The latest socket sets I got are made by Wright tools (website of same name). I bought a 3/8" and 1/2" drive socket sets about 6 years ago and use them at work. Very well built and ratchet has a good feel. Also made in USA.

I'd stick with CP (Chicago Pneumatic) for a 3/8" air ratchet. I've got both a 3/8" and a 1/2" I've used for the same 40 years. I bought a NAPA 1/2" wrench a couple years ago figuring my 1/2" gun was getting tired. It couldn't even break loose the lugs on the first vehicle I worked on. I took it back and got my account credited. I did take a chance and bought a 1/2" HD 650 ft lb Central Pneumatic ( not to be confused with CP Chicago Pneumatic listed above) Earthquake gun from HF and so far that has been a great gun.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Craftman has gone down in durability IMHO. Still not bad but not as good as they were 20 years ago. I have noticed that Craftsman has different socket wrenches at various prices, and that price is noticable in smoothness.

If you do not want to pay Craftsman prices, SK is probably out as they are very similar in price from the SK tools that I have bought, and like very much.

Home Depot and Lowe's both have tools that have lifetime warranties, how they are fixed or replaced I do not know. I have used a HD socket wrench and screwdrivers and thought they were just fine.

steve