[updated:LAST EDITED ON 06-Jan-03 AT 09:16 AM (EST)]I know that the quality of different brands of tools has been brought up on here more than a few times, but I'm bring it up again anyway.

I've been looking at getting a long-handled 1/2" ratchet, and I would like to get the absolute strongest one on the market - something that will handle at least 300 ft-lbs of torque, preferably more like 400. I know those numbers are a bit optimistic, so I'll probably just end up getting the strongest one I can find. Oh, and cost isn't an issue - so I'm considering professional tools like S-K, Matco, MAC, Proto, Snap-On, and that sort of thing.

Is anyone here aware of any magazine or lab that has done torque tests on various brands of ratchets? I don't really care about the polish of the finish or anything like that, the only thing that matters to me is how much torque I can apply before it breaks. It seems like *someone* out there must have done a test, and determined the breaking strength of the different brands - it would be easy to do - but I've searched a bit and can't seem to find one.

I suppose I should consider Craftsman, but not too long ago I snapped the head right off my Craftsman 1/2" breaker bar - and I wasn't even using a cheater bar or anything like that. If I can destroy the breaker bar with my bare hands, that doesn't make me very confident in the ratchets. They did give me a new one, but I don't trust it enough to use it - I use my 3/4" drive Allen breaker bar instead. When that one breaks, I'll have to go to a 1" drive.

I've had pretty good luck with the S-K ratchet I picked up a few years back - haven't broken it yet, but it's got a really short handle so I can't get much torque on it. I priced a new long-handle S-K, and it isn't too bad (about $50) - plus a few local stores actually sell them, as opposed to Snap-On where it's a pain to get stuff replaced when you break it. I'd get a Snap-On, but only if I felt it was stronger than an S-K...and having owned both I'm not sure.

Anyway, I'm wandering off the topic - any opinions, or anybody know someone that has done a comparison test?

Thanks much,

LK

 

Yes, there is a magazine that does comparison tests, it is called something like American Tool, I use to get it. I forget the exact name. They cover mostly construction and wood working tools. Though they do comparisons of hand tools too. Last magazine I had compared things like degrees or ARC, strength, water and salt test. etc.

Snap-On, at least at one time, did publish nominal strengths of their stuff in their paper catalog. Unfortunately, I threw mine out when I moved and just use the WEB now. Maybe someone would be kind enough to look at their catalog.

FWIW: something like GSF936 with a 17 inch handle might fit the bill. Snap-On stuff is built a lot tougher than most. As for breaking the breaker bar, I did that too. It is hard to believe, but, the Husky 1/2 breaker bar they sell at Home Depot is better (thicker at the head/pin) built and longer than the Craftsman.

 

Years ago I had a 351M that had seized up and I needed to unbolt the torque converter to pull the engine. I used a JH Williams 1/2 drive ratchet with 6 feet of cheater pipe to turn the engine via the harmonic balancer bolt and the ratchet held up.

From then on whenever I come across old Williams tools at yard sales etc I'll buy them.

 

If your really going to be jumping on something to get alot of torque then use a breaker bar. While you may just need alot of torque ratchets teeth can strip. In our high school auto shop if we have something we really need to get off we have a 1/2 drive 15" breaker bar that we use to loosen the bolts or nuts with.

 

What kind of heavy duty stuff are you working on? I couldn't imagine a Craftsman breaker bar breaking very easily. I use nothing but craftsman handtools because they are well made, most in the U.S., and have the lifetime warranty. I've used a four foot cheater bar on my 1/2" Craftsman wratchet and have not broken it yet. (knock on wood) Aside from contacting the manufacturer of each 1/2" ratchet for that info, I'd try your local tractor supply store to see what brand of ratchets they use/sell. Also, many manufacturers have a specific "Industrial Use Only" line of tools, that might be what your looking for.

 

Thanks for the tips!

Like I said in my original post, I do actually have a heavy breaker bar I use for breaking loose really tough fasteners - but I want a good 1/2" ratchet that I can trust not to break (if I'm using it without any pipe or anything on the handle, of course).

The 1/2" drive Craftsman broke when I was trying to remove the old hitch ball from my farm truck - I wasn't using an extension on it at the time, though I was putting quite a bit of force on it. There were other times that I used a pipe over the handle (we always called it a "persuader"), so that might have weakened it to the point it'd break easily - I usually checked for cracks afterward, but sometimes they aren't that easy to see. The times that I abused it the most were working on suspensions (as others have mentioned) or removing the front halfshafts on my old AMC Eagles - the Eagles had a large outer retaining nut, which was finethread and a royal pain in the butt to remove. I usually had to use a 4 foot pipe and literally jump on the end of it to remove them - if I merely stood on the end of the pipe it would hold me up off the ground. I was a bit lighter back then, but that's still a lot of torque. I usually heated the nut with a torch first, because you had to make sure to get them off without breaking the end off the shaft - which was pretty expensive to fix, as you'd have to either get a new shaft or disassemble the Rzeppa joint and replace that outer piece (which was, of course, the most expensive part).

I wonder if the front halfshafts on my new F150 will be as difficult to remove? I hope not, or better yet I hope I don't have to find out! I've never had the front end apart on one of the new IFS trucks, and I wonder what kind of setup they use nowadays.

On another note, I was looking through Snap-On's website, and found sockets and adapters to use on a 2 1/2" drive impact wrench! I didn't know they made such a thing, and I'd love to see the wrench that turns them - it must cost a small fortune. The sockets have a list price over $1,000 each - that's each, and the only size they have that isn't a special order is 3 1/8" (the rest probably cost even more). I talked to a co-worker who used to work for Continental (Teledyne) building tanks and such, and he said even they didn't have tools remotely that size - the biggest they went was 1" drive. Perhaps they use them for ships, or bridges, or the big mining trucks?

LK

 

Hi all, I have used alot of ratchets over the years. One of the best is the FINE TOOTH CRAFTSMAN 1/2" ratchet. Their regular ratchet you get in their toolsets are not very strong. I have had my fine tooth one for 22 years, it has had counless breaker bars stuck on the end. The longest was 4 foot that I was using to turn off 12 1 3/8" nuts off, they were rusted so tight that they welded themselves each time i stopped turning to get another bite. I have replaced the corse thread Craftsman ratchets twice, but never the fine tooth one. The only way to get one is to order it, they do not stock it in the stores, I don't think. Good Luck.

 

I agree with stumpy2. The fine tooth Craftsman is the best. It uses opposed pawls that lock into the internal teeth of the rachet head compared to most other rachets which only have one pawl which jams the gear in the rachet head to one side.

I have used almost every rachet brand made and wore out or broke a lot of them.

If you have a local dealer that carries K-D tools (Easco/K-D) you will find that the rachet head is identical to the fine tooth Craftsman which I had thought that Sears had discontinued.


On your other note check out Ingersoll Rand air tools.

Tool suppliers like Snap-On & Mac Tools do not make the air tools that they sell.

 

300-400ft pounds? By hand? With 1/2" drive tools? Okay.

 

I demolished an SK swivel head ratchet one time, and took it to Home Depot. They traded it for a brand new Husky 1/2" swivel head long handle ratchet. I went back, put a cheater bar on it, and proceeded to break the end off of a cv shaft. I have had the same breaker bar/ratchet for 5 years now, and it works great. HD will replace any lifetime warranty tool for free, and their stuff is pretty good. Their chrome wrenches look identicle to Snap-Off's.

 

Geez. I think it's not a matter of getting a stronger tool, it's a matter of using the right one. I wouldn't let anybody try to remove a 2" ball (rusted, as always) with a 1/2" of ANY brand in my garage. That's what the 1" breakers & ratchets are for.

With that said, I never was fond of Craftsman, but I came to one realization, all of the modern ratchets I know of have plastic guts, adn all break about equally easily. So, I decided to go with Craftsman for one reason, convienience.

It's a heck of a lot easier to get to a Sears where I am than it is to try and flag down the damn SK or Crap On truck.
Besides, I also see the cost factor, the last I looked, Snap On's pricing was freaking ridiculous.

Now, back in the day, when they all still made quality tools, it was all about the SK's and Snap On.. Couldn't klll em.

 

Might I suggest moving up the line and get some 3/4" wrenches. With torque like you have in those arms I hope we never have to arm wrestle!! Using the correct tool for the job instead of abusing a lesser tool should make the job easier. After all you never use a Ranger to haul a load that a SD would be better suited for. Just my $.02.

 

Reminds me of a guy I used to work for....he was a former Cat mechanic and still had his tools. So one day we were putting together a tool kit for a company truck and he threw in a 3/4" ratchet handle from his tool box along with some sockets so I could change a tire if I got a flat. The ratchet handle was bent about 20 degrees by the head. He said, "I guess I leaned on that one a little one time." And I believe it, too, he is about 6'4" and 300 or so lb.

He always said of the heavy vehicle business, it is easy except for everything you touch is heavy. Now that I do it myself, I see what he means. Problem is, I am only 6 foot and 165 lb... But I work alone so most of the time I have no option but to suck it up and lift whatever it is. 130 lb batteries for instance, mounted at shoulder height....glad I won't have to do that for a while again

Well I have rambled again but I like doing that....

Birken

 

I ended up getting an S-K ratchet - since several of the local stores keep them in stock, it'll be easy to replace if it ever does break (the local S-K dealer is actually closer than the nearest Sears). The Sears people couldn't find out anything about the fine-tooth Craftsman ratchet - so either they don't make them anymore or the salespeople are clueless. Having had problems with this particular Sears in the past, I'd put my money on them being clueless.

I'll let you guys know how the S-K ratchet holds up - it was about $68, more expensive than a Craftsman but not nearly as expensive as something like Snap-On.

As far as the other comments go, as I've said before I use my 3/4" breaker bar to remove the really stubborn bolts - I just wanted a 1/2" ratchet that was strong enough for most "normal" use. If I really have to put 300 or 400 ft-lbs on it, I would switch to something else - the goal is to have a decent safety margin. But, if I only have one ratchet with me it's nice to know that I'll have one that'll do the job.

As far as the arm strength thing goes, I think my big problem is more that I'm stubborn and not smart enough to know when to give up.

LK