Tell me about Snap-On ratchets
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From: Kingwood, Texas
Tell me about Snap-On ratchets All my tools are craftsman and while I like them very much I wish my ratchets had smoother action. You know...when you are in that tight spot and you can barely get it to click 1 click because you dont have very much movement on the handle. Or when you have a bolt untightened most of the way and your action on you ratchet is so tight is starts turning the bolt back in rather that clicking. Do the snap on tools or others have the problems I am describing to the same degree or do they do this less?
Launching!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 254
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From: Roanoke, Va.
I can tell a BIG differents between Snap-on, matco, and mac over craftsman and other brands like that. Their smooth and they do work alittle better in the was you explained. BUT they cost ALOT more, i have started out on craftsman and just slowly getting more and more snap-on when i have alittle extra money.
Snap-on owns. Ive never had a problem with the situtation you just described. Just be prepared to dish out A LOT of $$ for the snap-on. Snap-on is also 20x's stronger. I love thier tools...Pitty I cant afford them. Ill just continue using my neighbors. Might also want to look into Cornwell. Only thing I dont like about those is theres a little pin and hole you have to line up or the socket will always fall off. But its not too much of an inconvienence.
Teching In
Joined: May 2004
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Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2004
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i am a professional heavy duty suspension mechanic and i have nothing but craftsman and snap on tools. Now you can tell a huge diff between the craftsman and snap on ratchets. For a short amount of time snap on sold a gearless ratchet. i have all three 1/4 3/8 1/2 i have no idea how these work, but you need not turn it more than about 1 1/2 millimeters and it will ratchet. it is totally gearless and sealed to keep the bad stuff out. i paid about 295.00 for all three. and yes i am one of the people who spent alot on their snap on box and i have about 15k worth of tools in my box and about 7k in my roll around cart. if you can afford to buy and happen to find the snap on gearless ratchets, they are worth every penny.
Mike
Mike
I bought a set of Snap On ratchets to replace my Craftsmans awhile back and I can say that they are well worth the money even if you don't work on cars every day. The only thing I hate about mine is that they don't have a push button release and that can be a real bitch. I was changing rocker arms the other day and my fingers where all oily and I couldn't get the socket off the ratchet for the life of me. I had to go grab a set of pliers and use them to take the socket off every time. Kind of a pain when your in a hurry.
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TECH Addict
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Magee MS
I have a set of the Craftsman Polished Professional Ratchets and I PERSONALLY like them better than the few Snap-On or Mac ratchets that I have worked with. They ratchet very very smooth and strong as hell. I have had them for close to a year now and my 3/8 set outside in my yard for about a week and a half and I brought it back inside and I didn't even oil it and still works just as good as the day I bought it. I don't think I will ever buy a another ratchet.
Josh S.
Josh S.
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Elizabethton, TN
You can go to snap-on's website, go to the catalog, go to each ratchet and view things such as the dimensions, number of gear teeth, gear action degrees, etc. Things like the gear action are bsically telling you how far you need to turn the ratchet before you get it to "click" and engage another tooth. A small number here would mean it's not going to have a lot of play in it and in tight areas it's going to be easier to engage more teeth and make more turns of the fastener. They are a very "tight" feeling ratchet and don't have a lot of "slop" in them like you were describing about the craftsmen.
One of the few nice things in my tool collection are my Snap-On ratchets. They are tough, easy on the hands, and extremely, extremely heavy duty. I have a bad habit of using my 1/2" ratchet as a hammer. Works fine.
I currently have 1/2, 1/2 long handle, 3/8 and 1/4 drive snap-ons. Wouldn't trade em for anything. I use cheap sockets and stuff, the ratchets just make life easier.
Having said that, HF has a gearless ratchet that I have, and have used a few times. Dunno how it works, or how heavy duty it is, but it works, and is cheap.
Dope
I currently have 1/2, 1/2 long handle, 3/8 and 1/4 drive snap-ons. Wouldn't trade em for anything. I use cheap sockets and stuff, the ratchets just make life easier.
Having said that, HF has a gearless ratchet that I have, and have used a few times. Dunno how it works, or how heavy duty it is, but it works, and is cheap.
Dope
I myself have had all types of ratchets and found over the years as a automotive tech that snap-on makes the best ratchets hands down have used all brands and nothing holds up to them i thought craftsman pro ratchets would handle the use i put on a ratchet have broken three of them last one was replaced and i actually gave it away. use a lot of both snap-on and craftsman tools like both but found on a heavy use tool its best to have snap-on.
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2004
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Has anyone had experience with Matco ratchets?? I've been looking at the Matco ones with 60 teeth. 1/4 in drive Model numbers AFR8TM and AFR6LFTM and the 3/8 drive Model numbers BFR8TM and BFR12LFTM. How do they compare to the Snap on??
i have a Matco 3/8" long handle fine tooth ratchet, thats about 1 year old. As of last week, it's been rebuilt/replaced 3 times. The ratcheting mechanism keeps breaking and it freewheels in both directions. Not pleased at all.
Eric
Eric
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Wisconsin Der Hey
I agree, Snap-On ownes all. Only brand of tool i actually have, since I have access to a Snap-On dealer every week when he stops by the shop. All my ratches have the gripy handel too, which also kicks *** IMO. You can grip on to the tool when your hands are all greasy and nasty. Also can get more torque with a grip handle becasue you can put more pressure on it, without hurting your hand, or slipping off.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: NY
Originally Posted by fronzo
I agree, Snap-On ownes all. Only brand of tool i actually have, since I have access to a Snap-On dealer every week when he stops by the shop. All my ratches have the gripy handel too, which also kicks *** IMO. You can grip on to the tool when your hands are all greasy and nasty. Also can get more torque with a grip handle becasue you can put more pressure on it, without hurting your hand, or slipping off.
the damned snap-on dealer didn't come back for almost a month to the shop my bro works at. It's not even listed on the website, it's in the catalogs/books the dealer has.
I am really not happy with their rep. around here.
I have many different ratchets.
Although my favorite ones happen to be Snap On, Craftsman does have several different ratchets. The craftsman Ratchets I do have are different than what comes with most sets or what most of my friends have. It is the "fine toothed" ratchet. smaller movement required for each "click".
To answer the original post, Craftsman has thier "standard " ratchet, and then they also have a few other models, some which have already been mentioned in this thread.
Although my favorite ones happen to be Snap On, Craftsman does have several different ratchets. The craftsman Ratchets I do have are different than what comes with most sets or what most of my friends have. It is the "fine toothed" ratchet. smaller movement required for each "click".
To answer the original post, Craftsman has thier "standard " ratchet, and then they also have a few other models, some which have already been mentioned in this thread.
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14
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From: fort worth
tools i am not ******* snap on or craftsman, but id have to say that matco is the best in my opinion. i have used all three. craftsman is alright for the everyday guy, but snap on and matco are for the serious mechanic. i have own both and still do, but just recently my snap on ratchet broke, the handle broke in the middle, it was about three years old but damn, it shouldn't have broke. good thing is snap on said they would replace it with a new one.
i admit that is one good thing about all three, if they break they replace.
matco and sanp on do cost quite a bit more but imo well worth it.
i admit that is one good thing about all three, if they break they replace.
matco and sanp on do cost quite a bit more but imo well worth it.