Williams.
Ratcheting Wrenches - which styles do you use?
- Thread starter The Critic
- Start date
I have basic, normal length, straight head, non-ratcheting Gearwrenchs.
I only use them professionally for a couple specific jobs and the ones I use modified for those jobs.
Not sure why but I've never really gotten used to ratcheting wrenches. I'll either grab a standard wrench or a socket.
I only use them professionally for a couple specific jobs and the ones I use modified for those jobs.
Not sure why but I've never really gotten used to ratcheting wrenches. I'll either grab a standard wrench or a socket.
They are great in tight spaces where there's no room for a socket. A good example is fan bolts on an old Chevy, where you're dealing with a fan clutch and shroud. Also, spark plugs that are close to header tubes.Not sure why but I've never really gotten used to ratcheting wrenches. I'll either grab a standard wrench or a socket.
I really like my old Craftsman wrenches. Wish I would have had the foresight to fill out my sets.
Whoever made mine (~2010) did a good job. They're thin, strong, fit well, and the finish is perfect.
I have some older sets of Gearwrench and Craftsman ones. The one set of GW ones are flex heads and the other sets are not and they are the short versions and have held up fine. The Craftsman ones are not flex heads and I have not really used them much.
I recently bought a set of metric and Sae Duratech extra-long ratcheting flex head wrenches. I guess time will tell how they hold up.
I recently bought a set of metric and Sae Duratech extra-long ratcheting flex head wrenches. I guess time will tell how they hold up.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
I need to get some long ones. Right now I’ve just got stubby, regular length fixed head and regular length flex head. All Gearwrench brand. None of my tool truck guys have the Mountain wrenches so maybe after I pay vacation off then I’ll get the Icon or Mountain brand.
I would buy the Icon, easy in store lifetime warranty.
***? Cops didn't squeeze the Pawn Shop to just give them to you and then throw some stones at the POS that pawned them? (Should have at least given you their information so you could thank them)
I never filled out a police report. I sat on hold and got shuffled around for hours so I gave up.
When I took it up with the pawn shop - the initials engraved into the wrenches " didnt match my name" ....lol.
I've gone by "Dave Sampson" my whole life, and one can find me on linked in today as that.
Not " William David Sampson" thats on my license. My dad was "Bill", I was Dave.
As a DIY tool minimalist, the flex head style fills a niche of "something different" vs. my other combo wrenches. I seldom use them, but they have gotten me out of a few pickles where other tools would not fit. I like to have a few adapters to make them more versatile :
In watching younger people work today its interesting to see how many dont use a flex ratchet like I was taught as a kid. More like observed once and went - oh cool.
The part they miss is flipping the assembly all the way up after cracking the fastener and using it as a "high speed" long bolt removal tool.
I dont see guys use speed handles like I did either. Leaning into them to crack,
All the kids use battery tools now and they can really get stuff done quicker than the old man here as long as they got their battery tech, take that away I can smoke most of them on standard tools.
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I hear ya on the younger generation techs. I still run air tools primarily. I do love my ratchet wrenches and flex head ratchets too
Long Icon that went on sale a few months ago.
I have several different flavors of ratcheting wrenches but i mostly use my quinn 8mm and 10mm and the toolrock 13,14,15mm swivels. I have the nice icon set and a set or few of gearwrench. The pittsburgh set ive had 2 bad sets out of the box and gave up.
I have an old set of pre China Craftsman I have had for 20+ years and recently I got me a nice ICON set, stubby, opposable, ratcheting wrenches, both SAE and Metric no skip.
I chose the stubby as the go to size since I feel as though they are most versatile.
Some no-name Chinese ones that my mother in law gave me for Christmas ~15 years ago. I never use them.
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2022
- Messages
- 225
I have GearWrench and they work decent. If they act up I soak them in transmission fluid and they free up. I also have a set of Matco long wrenches. They are 12 pt box on one end and the other ratchets. I don’t put too much torque on any of them. Final tightening is done with a standard box wrench. Same with breaking bolts loose.
Sold my USA made Proto splines
Sold my Snap-Ons (although they were my #1 choice due to the slim head). I thought I’d never sell them but I rarely grab them now.
Sold my Williams (same as BluePoint). Fantastic function but ratcheting side is too fat.
Proto (Taiwan made) reverse ratcheting which basically are the same as the later Blackhawks.
Icon reverse ratcheting - these look almost identical to the Taiwan Protos but are longer and are likely made in the same factory
Icon XL spline drive flex set with added K Tools larger 21/22, 24/25 sizes (rebrand of a lot of others like Mountain). I wish these were standard 12 point instead of splines but they are handy, and I’m not willing to pay 800 for the Snap-On set.
Icon stubby flex head ratcheting.
I usually grab for sockets when I can except with suspension work where I prefer the wrenches.
The reason I like the Icon (or rebrands) is that the ratcheting heads are in general a bit smaller than all other competitor designs other than Snap-On. Smaller than Gearwrench and Tekton. Smaller than Capri/Olsa
Sold my Snap-Ons (although they were my #1 choice due to the slim head). I thought I’d never sell them but I rarely grab them now.
Sold my Williams (same as BluePoint). Fantastic function but ratcheting side is too fat.
Proto (Taiwan made) reverse ratcheting which basically are the same as the later Blackhawks.
Icon reverse ratcheting - these look almost identical to the Taiwan Protos but are longer and are likely made in the same factory
Icon XL spline drive flex set with added K Tools larger 21/22, 24/25 sizes (rebrand of a lot of others like Mountain). I wish these were standard 12 point instead of splines but they are handy, and I’m not willing to pay 800 for the Snap-On set.
Icon stubby flex head ratcheting.
I usually grab for sockets when I can except with suspension work where I prefer the wrenches.
The reason I like the Icon (or rebrands) is that the ratcheting heads are in general a bit smaller than all other competitor designs other than Snap-On. Smaller than Gearwrench and Tekton. Smaller than Capri/Olsa
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