Your Current Favorite 3/8th drive Ratchet ?

[Astro14]

I know I’ve complained about the initial quality of the S-K* but now that it’s broken in, it’s a good tool. I reach for it often. Relatively fine tooth. Easy to clean.

*When I first got it, it would jam, and not ratchet. S-K sent me new “guts” and they did the same thing. When I applied reasonable torque, it would jam, and not ratchet. In desperation, I chucked an extension in a big drill, and just ran the drill for several minutes in each direction so that the ratchet was “ratcheting”. Then flushed it out with brake cleaner and re-oiled. It worked well ever since. I don’t know what was hanging up, causing the pawl to stick, but running that drill fixed it.

 

[lbhsbz]

I started my professional career back in the late 90s at a body shop and the first thing I bought off the snap on truck was a hard handle swivel head ratchet. I've owned hundred of ratchets, and this is my favorite. I've had a few soft handle Snap-On swivel heads but they were very easy to break for some reason....maybe because they're an inch longer and there is some extra leverage?....I doubt it but it's the only real difference. I've never had to rebuild this one. I bought another one (with a later green handle...don't like it as much) on eBay but it doesn't feel right like the original even though it's pretty much the exact same thing. I rarely use it and I've broken it twice.

I've got a handful of the Crescent and Pittsburg brand swivel ratchets to keep in the truck / boat / random tool go bags that I seem to have everwhere, and they work, but nothing feels right like the OG snappy hard handle.

 

[burbguy82]

I always reach for this, my Harbor Freight swivel head. Appears to be "loosely" based on the Snap-On design at a much more attractive price and with easy socket ejection.

View attachment 320782

i have an ICON 3\8 and a Pitts 1\4 inch, they are pretty nice. Especially for the money

 

[DCDG]

Depends what I’m getting myself into

 

[NYEngineer]

One of my friends from work was going to Japan. I asked if he thought he could get me a Nepros ratchet cheaper there than here. He said for sure! I WANTED a 1/4” drive flex head. He brought back a 3/8” fixed. Whatever. Still a really nice tool Saved forty bucks

 

[crashz]

The extendable Hobo Freight ratchet usually gets the first go, because it can extend and collapse easily. I'm also actively trying to break it, with little success. The rubberized plastic handle broke off at the very bottom, but this hasn't affected its function or comfort of use.

While I want to buy and use US made tools, its hard to justify a $300 ratchet that only gets used by a home mechanic. Especially when HF sells a competing product that is 1/20th the price.

HF torque wrenches are another thing entirely and I have actually thrown mine out. That's a big step for a cheapskate like me.

 

[KE7JFF]

I have a Kobalt 3/8 drive that is pretty good to me. My other favorite is the dual 3/8 and 1/4 drive telescoping handle model from Harbor Freight, that has saved me a few times!

 

[Fair enough]

I never found myself criticizing the few Tone I have, actually reach for them. The other is SK USA, which now are made from imported material. A year or so ago they weren’t. End of an era but plenty nice used ones on ebay I was on a buying mode awhile back and got some mint ones. I can see why they were so popular.
Ultimately though it’s Wright, can’t afford Snap On.

 

[dedonderosa]

my modified ICON 1/4" FLEX head ratchet to 3/8" using Tekton internals. absolutely loving this


Before on left after on right

 

[tired]

my modified ICON 1/4" FLEX head ratchet to 3/8" using Tekton internals. absolutely loving this


Before on left after on right
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How much did that cost you all in?

 

[dedonderosa]

got the ratchet on sale for $29 and the tekton 3/8 anvil you need is $9.00

and all you literally need to swap over is the 3/8" anvil itself that's it.

https://www.tekton.com/3-8-inch-drive-small-body-service-kit-srh9x014

 

[JeffKeryk]

my modified ICON 1/4" FLEX head ratchet to 3/8" using Tekton internals. absolutely loving this


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Here's mine; get's a ton of use!

 

[Professor Gascan]

I had to replace a frozen caliper on my aunt's car this past weekend and I can't recommend the Diehard 3/8 flex head ratchet from Advance Auto enough.

It's a good length to give you leverage without being too unwieldy, has a nice tight flex joint, and really low back drag. For 30-ish bucks it's a very nice ratchet.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Ko-ken anything. Koken regular 3/8 ratchet with a fixed handle and a stubby flex head body 1/4 with 3/8 anvil. Between those two I can do 99% of stuff on the car.*

 

[Donald]

That would be a 1/2 ratchet.

 

[KenshinHimura]

Wright is my preference for round ratchets. If im looking at pear head styles, then i am looking at Williams. Anything that is imported would be Koken

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Wright is my preference for round ratchets. If im looking at pear head styles, then i am looking at Williams. Anything that is imported would be Koken

I love wright wrenches and use them but its ko-ken ratchets for me all day long for passenger car work.

 

[NYEngineer]

got the ratchet on sale for $29 and the tekton 3/8 anvil you need is $9.00

and all you literally need to swap over is the 3/8" anvil itself that's it.

https://www.tekton.com/3-8-inch-drive-small-body-service-kit-srh9x014

View attachment 328607

I just did four of these. I built two for my son and I and now my dad and my brother each want one. I guess Tekton builds these ratchets for HF. The parts are I dentical.

 

[Tempest1]

I have been picking up some of the newer style Gearwrench 120XP ratchets and am loving them so far. Very little back drag (especially after getting some lube in them), small head, and they run smooth. The 120 positions really come in handy with the 1/4" in tight spaces.

 

[Trav]

I just did four of these. I built two for my son and I and now my dad and my brother each want one. I guess Tekton builds these ratchets for HF. The parts are I dentical.

View attachment 334474

Both are made by Infar in Taiwan.