Anybody use ratchet wrenches?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,882
Likes: 0
From: Troll Free Zone
CI 4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Re: Anybody use ratchet wrenches? (Rockn-Roll)
I drooled at them until I saw the price! :crazy: $100 was a bit too much for a set of wrenches. I'm putting it on my christmas wishlist though...maybe santa will have a set in his bag this year.
(Catalog/online---NOW) No way to beat this.
Craftsman 12 pc. Wrench Set,12 pt. Offset Ratcheting Box-End Metric and Standard $69.99
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: Anybody use ratchet wrenches? (mapman)
Very handy, use them a lot. Sears tool club had them on sale.
Next tool on my list - unless emergencies come up.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Re: Anybody use ratchet wrenches? (NHvette)
I plan to get ratchet wrenches at some point, but there are three problems with them:
1. They are expensive- couldn't justify it
2. You will break the ratcheting mechanism if you use it on tight bolts- I've seen it on some tools at work
3. With the ratcheting mechanism, you don't get the "feel" of how tight you are tightening something. I try not to use a socket wrench when really torquing something because you really can't feel how tight you have the bolt-same thing with these ratchet wrenches
Now this is not to say I don't like them- you just can't use them all the time. I recently bought some Craftsman quickwrenches off ebay (20 for $40). The open end of the wrench is formed so that you can ratchet with it. I like these because 1) they are cheaper and 2) you can use one tool for ratcheting and really torquing down a bolt. Use the open end for ratcheting and box end for the tight stuff.
1. They are expensive- couldn't justify it
2. You will break the ratcheting mechanism if you use it on tight bolts- I've seen it on some tools at work
3. With the ratcheting mechanism, you don't get the "feel" of how tight you are tightening something. I try not to use a socket wrench when really torquing something because you really can't feel how tight you have the bolt-same thing with these ratchet wrenches
Now this is not to say I don't like them- you just can't use them all the time. I recently bought some Craftsman quickwrenches off ebay (20 for $40). The open end of the wrench is formed so that you can ratchet with it. I like these because 1) they are cheaper and 2) you can use one tool for ratcheting and really torquing down a bolt. Use the open end for ratcheting and box end for the tight stuff.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 448
From: Loir Valley Sarthe, France
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Re: Anybody use ratchet wrenches? (Steve Straus)
....... I typically use them for the U-bolts on the driveshaft, .... and any place that a socket won't fit......
