The ProfileĪt first glance, you might think all flex head ratchets feature a similar design. And don’t be afraid to check customer reviews and testimonials to get a better idea about the effective lifetime of your new purchase. How do you avoid this issue and purchase a strong ratchet? We recommend finding ratchets where there isn’t much “play” in the head right out of the box. That head is what makes the tool so versatile, but it also makes the tool a bit vulnerable. With flex head ratchets, the answer is simple: the weak spot is usually the flexible head. To figure out the answer, you must determine the “weak point” of the tool in question. One question you should always have about a new tool: how easily will it break? We often talk about “durability” when we review tools. It gives you additional versatility and additional options for all of your future projects. Honestly, even if you don’t have immediate plans to work within tight spaces, we recommend a flex head ratchet with 72-teeth. This is better in tight spaces and just easier to use in general.
And this means that the ratcheting arc has been cut in half to 5 degrees. Many of the ratchets we reviewed have 72 teeth instead of 36. While that is not bad, that arc may be a bit too big when you are working in really tight spaces. This meant that when you used the tool, you had a 10-degree ratcheting arc. Throughout the years, most traditional socket wrenches featured 36 teeth. But what is this all about, and why is the number of ratchets very important for you when using this tool? Several of the ratchets we reviewed featured 72 teeth and 5-degree arcs. In other words, it’s entirely possible for you to find a “sweet spot” between weight and durability, giving you the best of both worlds. But durability is largely a matter of the construction quality and the materials used rather than weight. Why do so many handymen go for heavier ratchets? There is a myth that a ratchet must be heavy to be durable. But after you work with this tool in your hand all day, the tool that is nearly twice as heavy is going to cause worse fatigue than the lighter tool. And if you’ve never worked with flex head ratchets before, you may not realize how important the weight really is.įor example, you might not think there is much of a difference between a 9-ounce ratchet and a 16-ounce ratchet. Our reviews often touched on the weight of the ratchets in question. But certain ratchet features are going to affect the performance, and we’ve got a breakdown of those features in our guide.
#Snap on ratchet wrench set upgrade#
Long story short? Any ratchet will be an upgrade over a basic wrench. If you’re going to be working with a lot of sockets, then a good ratchet is a real game-changer. With such a tool, you fasten it into place and then can tighten or loosen to your satisfaction without having to frequently remove and replace the tool. The main feature is simply that ratchets will save you a lot of time and effort. Therefore, whether you need a ratchet or not mostly comes down to whether you want or need the special features that ratchets have to offer. Chances are that you have plenty of wrenches kicking around your garage. On the most basic level, wrenches and ratchets are designed to accomplish the same tasks. But first, you need to answer a very fundamental question: do you really need a ratchet? And once we answer your remaining questions, you’ll know everything you need to know to find and buy the ratchet you’ve been waiting for! Do I Really Need a Ratchet?įiguring out the kind of ratchet you need is often a matter of figuring out what your needs really are. This guide gives you a solid overview into what you want (and what you don’t want) when it comes to these ratchets. That’s why we put together the definitive flex head ratchet buyer’s guide!
But you may not be ready to make a purchase yet because you still have questions. Hopefully, our in-depth reviews have given you additional insight into the world of flex head ratchets. Buyer’s Guide – Purchasing the Best Flex Head Ratchet
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