Kinda confused me there I don't cater to any brand other than what works without damaging the product. I don't buy much these days unless it strike my fancy and think I need it or do need it. Lol
CK5
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Best Ratchet ever made?
- Thread starter Chief Brody
- Start date
Kinda confused me there I don't cater to any brand other than what works without damaging the product. I don't buy much these days unless it strike my fancy and think I need it or do need it. Lol
Any of the Snap-on 80 tooth technology ratchets are what you want.
I'm in the same range without a tool truck anymore..
my one mechanic bud down the road, keeps offering to send the Mac guy to me, but I keep putting em off..
I've certainly spent enough over the yr's... I'm not real happy with my 19.2 Mac cordless stuff... awesome.. seriously awesome right angle drill.. and I'm an authority in my biz.. trust me.. I actually bought a second one as a backup.. but the NiCad Mac 19.2 stuff is like $130 a battery! and I thought snappy bats sucked!!!
so when my last bat dies, the 2, right angle drill's I own will become sh*t in short order when the one good NiCad battery left fails....
I gotta say, since I'm on a tool rant...
I'm not overly pleased with my Makita ion bats/ I haven't owned any new.. but the 3 used ones I've had, all have failed...
my one mechanic bud down the road, keeps offering to send the Mac guy to me, but I keep putting em off..
I've certainly spent enough over the yr's... I'm not real happy with my 19.2 Mac cordless stuff... awesome.. seriously awesome right angle drill.. and I'm an authority in my biz.. trust me.. I actually bought a second one as a backup.. but the NiCad Mac 19.2 stuff is like $130 a battery! and I thought snappy bats sucked!!!
so when my last bat dies, the 2, right angle drill's I own will become sh*t in short order when the one good NiCad battery left fails....
I gotta say, since I'm on a tool rant...
I'm not overly pleased with my Makita ion bats/ I haven't owned any new.. but the 3 used ones I've had, all have failed...
For guys like me who don't wrench for a living, there is a perception that the truck tools are an elite product....and you see pro mechanics using them...
Just like I know that a Martin or Taylor acoustic guitar is an elite instrument, and while I am not James Taylor I certainly can tell the difference in playing my Taylor as opposed to the Ibanez I used to own.
I can tell a difference in the texture of a ribeye steak versus a flank steak.
Maybe you don't always "get what you pay for"...and maybe it is just placebo effect, I'm not a brand snob, but I do like quality...that said I usually end up with HF tools that do the job...
Maybe it's all just hype...there was time when Craftsman was good and you weren't afraid to brag about them...even if it is used....I think I will own an F80...it will be the nicest tool in my toolbox...with the exception of a couple of 45 year old wrenches that have my Dad's initials carved into them...which are the same as my own...I like using those wrenches...and it is all mental...
Just like I know that a Martin or Taylor acoustic guitar is an elite instrument, and while I am not James Taylor I certainly can tell the difference in playing my Taylor as opposed to the Ibanez I used to own.
I can tell a difference in the texture of a ribeye steak versus a flank steak.
Maybe you don't always "get what you pay for"...and maybe it is just placebo effect, I'm not a brand snob, but I do like quality...that said I usually end up with HF tools that do the job...
Maybe it's all just hype...there was time when Craftsman was good and you weren't afraid to brag about them...even if it is used....I think I will own an F80...it will be the nicest tool in my toolbox...with the exception of a couple of 45 year old wrenches that have my Dad's initials carved into them...which are the same as my own...I like using those wrenches...and it is all mental...
Chief those tools with your dads name engraved on them are priceless dude, I've got some too and still use them and are better than today's tools. I use my dad's safety wire pliers daily at work.
Since you asked what was the best- not the most economical, rational, easiest to find, etc- the answer was in post #8, and I think Scott said it somewhere, too. But I'll throw it out again a hundred posts later; Get the Snappy 80 tooth and be set for a lifetime of at home wrenching. That's my 2¢
Harbor Freight ratchets are probably better than Craftsmen ratchets. Those things are pure ****.
Martin
Martin
andyblack
Registered Loser
You can feel the difference when you work the ratchet on a Snap On. When you turn the Crapsman it's like the teeth just aren't that strong. You can feel it.
Chief, if I could recommend one Snappy ratchet for a hobby-ist type like yourself, it would be the FX80. Long handle for leverage, flex head that locks in place to make a good standard long handle or flex head style cause sometimes (but not all the time) you need that handle offset for clearance.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682323&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
The next one in line would be a nice shorty straight handle like the F80. A good standard shorty ratchet to have in the box.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682323&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
These are the 2 I probably use the most and will probably get you through 90% of anything you would need to do for maintenance or repairs.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682323&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
The next one in line would be a nice shorty straight handle like the F80. A good standard shorty ratchet to have in the box.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=682323&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog
These are the 2 I probably use the most and will probably get you through 90% of anything you would need to do for maintenance or repairs.
Just spit coffee all over my keyboard after seeing those prices 
Just spit coffee all over my keyboard after seeing those prices
.....Keyboard replacement: 1/3 the cost of a new snapy
Ryoken, when one of those NiCads goes bad, let me know. You can box it up and send it to me.
There is a local battery place down here that I buy all my automotive batteries from, because I can get exactly what I want.
They also have a side line rebuilding NiCad and NiMH battery packs for various tools.
They carry most all size cells, and have the spot welder to attach the tabs and stitch together the packs.
They have rebuilt several packs for me and they have all been equal to or in many cases better than original.
They don't touch Lithiums, because of liability though. Wish they did.
And just for the record, I think this is the best Ratchet ever made........
Yeah, I know its spelled Ratched, but I couldn't resist........
There is a local battery place down here that I buy all my automotive batteries from, because I can get exactly what I want.
They also have a side line rebuilding NiCad and NiMH battery packs for various tools.
They carry most all size cells, and have the spot welder to attach the tabs and stitch together the packs.
They have rebuilt several packs for me and they have all been equal to or in many cases better than original.
They don't touch Lithiums, because of liability though. Wish they did.
And just for the record, I think this is the best Ratchet ever made........
Yeah, I know its spelled Ratched, but I couldn't resist........
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sheesh, few bourbons in me last night...... 
the thing about those mac 19.2's is the only place you can get it is thru mac at 130.... you never see that stuff up on eghey and such...
the Makita lithiums disappointed me tho.. granted they where used, and who knows the prior life... I can't really make a judgement till I buy a new one and see how that does...
I looked at the vids for rebuilding bats... just seemed by the time you bought parts and did it, I'd be better off working a couple hr's to buy a new one...
but I can buy 2 new bats for the cost of a Snappy ratched....
the thing about those mac 19.2's is the only place you can get it is thru mac at 130.... you never see that stuff up on eghey and such...
the Makita lithiums disappointed me tho.. granted they where used, and who knows the prior life... I can't really make a judgement till I buy a new one and see how that does...
I looked at the vids for rebuilding bats... just seemed by the time you bought parts and did it, I'd be better off working a couple hr's to buy a new one...
but I can buy 2 new bats for the cost of a Snappy ratched....
Curious to see what you learn on new batteries.
Cordless tools and batteries are something that i've stuck to new with, but in your situation wanting ever available tool, it make sense for you to pick up some of the tools used.
all of it has been used... the tools have been fine.. other than not being crazy about the impacts 2 way trigger... miss my old snappy/separate reversing button...
the impact came with a bat.. it died after 2 chargings... than I bought a pair of used ones for $70.. they held up for a bit than sh*t the bed...
I'm sure i'll get good service life from a new one... it just kinda irked me in a, "my luck" kinda thing...
the impact came with a bat.. it died after 2 chargings... than I bought a pair of used ones for $70.. they held up for a bit than sh*t the bed...
I'm sure i'll get good service life from a new one... it just kinda irked me in a, "my luck" kinda thing...
all of it has been used... the tools have been fine.. other than not being crazy about the impacts 2 way trigger... miss my old snappy/separate reversing button...
the impact came with a bat.. it died after 2 chargings... than I bought a pair of used ones for $70.. they held up for a bit than sh*t the bed...
I'm sure i'll get good service life from a new one... it just kinda irked me in a, "my luck" kinda thing...
The small impact or the big one?
I don't like the 2 way rocker on my big one.
yeah, the 1/2.. that's the only one I have... I think the dewalt and Waukee are the same setup...
Have you had better luck with the other 1/2" impacts?
This one is my first one, and really, i'm not overly impressed.
I don't use it much though.
never used the dewalt or Waukee, but I imagine they are very comparable to the Makita..... I ran an 18v snappy for about 12 yrs... the older model...
hands down, blows the other ones away as far as I'm concerned... I know powerwise others compare, yada, yada.... this has come up before in here... but the snappy is way more compact, lighter and tougher... it blows away this Makita no doubt in my mind.. and I'm betting the dewalt and waukee are virtually identical to the Makita..
i'll take take pics of mine.. still works great, just have no bats anymore.. and it has been freakin abused, dunked under water in bilges more times I can count, ripped 100's of motors apart, etc.
but as with all things Snappy, it's 3x's the cost of the other 3 manny's..
hands down, blows the other ones away as far as I'm concerned... I know powerwise others compare, yada, yada.... this has come up before in here... but the snappy is way more compact, lighter and tougher... it blows away this Makita no doubt in my mind.. and I'm betting the dewalt and waukee are virtually identical to the Makita..
i'll take take pics of mine.. still works great, just have no bats anymore..
and it has been freakin abused, dunked under water in bilges more times I can count, ripped 100's of motors apart, etc.but as with all things Snappy, it's 3x's the cost of the other 3 manny's..
andyblack
Registered Loser
I heard those 18 volt Snap Ons develop 350 lb. ft. of torque or something crazy like that. Makes removing stuff that won't hold still much easier.
