Does anyone have any recommendations on a long, heavy ratchet? I have seen several that telescope up to 40" or so that look nice.

What I am after is a long ratchet I can use in place of a breaker bar and extension pipe. If I can find one that has a tight increment (lots of pawls - like 50 clicks as opposed to 20, not sure of an actual number just illustrating) that would be great. With a lot of my ratchets what I run in to is the areas I have to move the ratchet end up too small to where I can't get to the next click on the back stroke = can't ratchet and turn a bolt/nut. I want something that will be able to do that with a lot of torque/leverage. I can adapt down to what ever size I need so drive really doesn't matter, at least 3/4" I'd say though. I can't say that I've ever seen a 1/2" ratchet as big as what I am looking for.

 

Ordering tools tonight so I put one of these in with my order:
https://www.tooltopia.com/ez-red-mr34.aspx

I also got an impact grade 3/4 to 1/2 reducer. I figure the impact grade will hold up better than a chrome adapter.

24 "teeth", or pawls, in the ratcheting mechanism. That is very low, not ideal but I will see how it works and look for something better later. I have a long reach 1/2" ratchet with 72 teeth that I'll use as much as I can, but when you have to torque something.... this 3/4 drive ratchet extends to 40".

 

I am looking for a set of 3/4' drive sockets. Well, the set. Should do both SAE and Metric. I haven't made any sort of decisions yet. I haven't had a need yet.

 

I picked up a set of the 3/4 drive SAE sockets from Harbor Freight - the 8 socket set in a case. It has two sizes in there I need for my steering job. For the price it is decent. They have a lifetime warranty, also. If you break one - take it in to any HF store and they will swap it. They have metric sets also.

You may look on tooltopia.com. They have some cheap tools also. There may be a set on there that fits what you are looking for.

On a side note - I moved some wheels around today and used the big wrench I linked to above to break the lug nuts free. The wrench is officially a BEAST. it weighs a ton so it is a PITA to swing around, but man... it can give some leverage! When you put a lot of torque on a bolt/nut it "clicks" - almost like a clicker style torque wrench. I am not sure what that is all about. I had to reverse torque the wrench to get my socket free of the lug nuts (both loosening the nuts at the start and tightening when I was done). The ratchet mechanism works great, but you have to have a lot of room to swing the wrench to get it to the next gear tooth.

 

 

I get my aluminum from a metal recycle facility in town. They buy and sell. Last time I got bar stock from them I was shock surprised when the guy cut off my piece on a miter saw - with a wood cutting blade. I got to talking to him and the whole set up was a harbor freight special with one of their carbide tip blades. It cut through that bar stock like butter. Apparently the blades last longer than you would think cutting metal too. Hey, if it works it gets the job done.

 

So far the only things broken using the ratchet I got are bolts and nuts. Even after some serious torquing with a winch bowing the ratchet while fully extended. This thing is a beast!