ratchet recommendations

[alanjuggler]

alright chaps,

recently knackered my stanley 'microtough' ratchet 1/2" and managed to lose my halfords 1/2" ratchet - fine tooth thing & I could do with a nice set of 1/2, 3/8 & 1/4 ratchets since my others are starting to show wear on the mechanisms too.

I like the normal 'pear drop' shape type ratchet, quick release buttons for preference - usually I'd just pop to halfords & get their 'pro' stuff since it's lasted rather well for me previously but I'm not averse to spending money on tools so want to find out if the big names are worth the investment - snap on / facom etc or if there's any of the other manufacturers that are worth the buy.

if anyone's got any reviews or suggestions, that'd be good - I'm what you'd call probably the heaviest side of DIY use, so not after scrimping but not wanting to waste money on big names either if they're not going to perform.

cheers

[Mark]

I would only buy Snap On etc if I used it everyday. For hobbiests/casual users the Halfords stuff is more than upto it.

[turbonutter]

snap on is bloody good. expensive but they repair under warranty

[Jonny Wilkinson]

I'd consider Teng, US Pro or Laser.

I liked the old Halfords ratchets but not been impressed with the latest ones I've bought from them.

[MEL]

Sealey pro here, replaced 2 ratchets no questions asked out of warranty - they weren't being used as intended and 1 had hammer imprints on the arm/handle

The halfrauds pro stuff seems to old up well

[alanjuggler]

I'd consider Teng, US Pro or Laser.

I liked the old Halfords ratchets but not been impressed with the latest ones I've bought from them.

I've heard that from other people too - mine are around 8 years old and the one I've recently managed to lose hasn't even appreciably worn the mechanism.

I'd seen the sealey pro stuff and they looked good - how painful was it to claim on the warranty, did you do it with sealey direct?

[MEL]

Direct with sealey, the rep put up a bit of a fight with the 1 covered in hammer marks (1/2") saying that's not what they are designed for but he gave in after much pestering (in person with the area sales rep) and showing him my halfords pro ratchet spanner withstood the same treatment and still worked fine

The 2nd (3/8") I went back to Toolbase iirc which is where it was purchased and they replaced with no issues - the direction switch fell out about 2 months out of warranty

Personally halfords are less likely to replace broken items so I only have thier ratchet spanners now as I got them as a gift

[xR33]

I've got Snap-On stuff but it is so bloody expensive - £90 for a 1/2 ratchet was the last thing I bought a few years ago . But, stop any Snap-On van and they'll replace it for you (assuming they have one). Having said that, the last tools I bought were Halfords Snap-On lookalikes and TBH, they were cheap enough that even if they decided NOT to replace them, I'd still but them again .

[Rochester]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-AK6...item1c10b36c6f

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOCKET-SET...item1c115f7419

Sealey go-through Socket sets.
One of the best tool purchases I have made in the last five or six years. Particularly the 14mm socket in the smaller size set.
The one single tool that makes fitting and removing the back end nuts on an S13 exhaust manifold a matter of fifteen minutes or so (10 to get the washer on and nut started) as opposed to three hours.
Brilliant.

Even better than above: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Socket-Set...item2c5d6365a0 Both sets and all sizes in one discount package !

[munkul]

I hate sealey with a passion, Ive had lots of bad experiences with them.

I like the old red/black britool ratchets, indistructable, nice mechanism and lifetime warrenty (same deal as snap-on, you take it to a dealer and they will replace it!)
The Facom palmdrive ratchets are even nicer to use - even lighter, and can get in tighter spaces - but the twist mechanism can slip sometimes, so you have to be careful. I still like it enough though.
Teng make good tools but never been keen on their ratchet design.
Mac and King Dick make lovely gear, but again its up there with Snap-on prices.
The blue-point ratchets and sockets are nice (I have a spare 3/" service set) but I get the feeling that its no better than many other brands. Still, same lifetime warrenty by the snap-on man!

The halfords pro stuff is nice, but heavy.

Strangely enough, my favourite ratchet ever is a 3/8" Clarke Pro one.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...t-polypropylen

Most clarke pro stuff is garbage but I'd have another one of these in a heartbeat, if mine ever breaks! and they are cheap!

[zenkizero]

i heard the halfords pro stuff is fine but i had the basic halfords tool and it was trash. Bought a teng one of ebay and i like it, way better quality than what i had and doesnt jam

[Rochester]

I hate sealey with a passion, Ive had lots of bad experiences with them.

So have I, not a Sealey fanboi, would normally avoid their stuff.
However I saw these sockets in my local motormart and the design / way they work appealed. Hollow sockets where the thread can go right through the middle and out the other side, making it possible and easy to tighten nuts on studs and long threads like the alternator and power steering pump tensioners.
The short answer is that they work, and work well, plus the very small head size to the ratchet + the fact that it fits down onto and around the socket, rather than on top of the end of it (if you follow what I mean) means that you can get into very tight and confined spaces where you would either not be able to get a conventional socket on to the nut in the first place, or the diameter of the ratchet head would be too obstructive. Like our dear friend the lower back two exhaust manifold studs in absoute particular !.
I have to say that these sockets have been / are excellent and a knuckle saving lifesaver when you need 'em.
OK they're Sealey, but even a dog every now and then has its day...

[turbonutter]

i had a couple of teng ratchets. the shite themselves with a bit of pressure on them

[-ghost-]

Snap on is the only ones I'd go for. My 3/8 is a tad loose gripping but I think its down to extreme use and stupidness

[alanjuggler]

hmm, this has given me more to think about

set of 3 ratchets from halfords bought separately are £60 or I could get this, hmm, tough decision

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_255215

they *look* like the same ratchets as they sell separately, think I'd have to pop in to check.

I'd noticed the clarke ones and they seem pretty much identical to the other midrange ones around, was going to be popping in any way to have a look at the facom stuff, may as well check out those while I'm there.

the sealey 'through' design does appeal to a certain part of me but I have too much existing socketry to rely on that, so will need something more conventional in the first instance.

[green_rs13]

tbh id buy a snap on 1/4 drive and signet 3/8 and 1/2. the clarke ratchets are crap as its easy to knock the direction lever into neutral when in use.

[Jem]

I would only buy Snap On etc if I used it everyday. For hobbiests/casual users the Halfords stuff is more than upto it.

This

[Jonny Wilkinson]

hmm, this has given me more to think about

set of 3 ratchets from halfords bought separately are £60 or I could get this, hmm, tough decision

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_255215

they *look* like the same ratchets as they sell separately, think I'd have to pop in to check.

I wouldn't go with that TBH. I've seen it and its similar to the stuff I have now. The 1/4 drive broke the first itme I used it and none of it is the same quality as the original stuff.

This is a good 1/2 in set that I used had for about 12 years.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...k&iozone=PDPz1

I sold it to a mate when I "upgraded" to a 150-piece 1/2,3/8,1/4 in set that they don't do any more.

What I have now is a comprehensive set but the ratchets are poor (by comparison to the ones I used to have) and far too many of the sockets are 3/8 drive when you need 1/2 in to take the leverage to undo stubborn nuts.

Also, Britool, Facom and Stanley are all the same company since 2006.

[dow]

We have a few, and by far my favourite is the little 1/4 inch teng. Plastic handle doesn't freeze your hands off on a cold day and is comfortable, and direction changes easily. Not sure about the bigger ones. Might be an idea for the size you use the most to buy cheap and buy twice, then you've got a spare and can be real lazy by leaving one under the car while you use the other above bonnet or over by your workbench or whatever

[RSendout]

I bought the Halfords Professional eXtreme one recently and its great.
Nice tight ratchet (same number of teeth as Snap-On) and very well built.

This one