1/4" Drive Ratchets and Sockets ect. Do you use them? Why?

[mckutzy]

Hey Merry Christmas and happy new year guys.
I got a GC for the princess auto the other day and went out and got some stuff.
I bought another (but new for me) 1/4" socket drive/ 1/4" hex tool bit bit combo ratchet wrench.
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Multi-drive/1-4-in-dr-Dual-Function-Ratchet-Driver/8356149.p

I think this is pretty cool, and another 1/4" ratchet I like to use. It also comes in handy for interior fixes on my car, as of late been doing many.

When I built my bike a few years ago, I almost used my 1/4" for all the assembly and reassembly for the motor stuff. I found the handiness a big asset.
Now I have 3/8" and 1/2" ratchets too, but I found for all the work I was doing, the small one was quite sufficient. I used the bigger ones for all the major tightening of the bolts though...

I do see alot of preferences for brands of tools( thats a given, like anything), but not too much mention of a specific drive of tool, like the 1/4" drive sockets.

With our smaller versions of motors we typically work on, what do you use on your motors? Do you use them?

 

[ML-TOYS]

90% of my work is done with 1/4 drive, it just seems more comfortable. Even when i was working in the body shop i used mainly 1/4 for remove and replace.

 

[dictionary6767]

I typically use 3/8 just easier I think

 

[Poboy kartman]

I just grab what's handy and works. Rarely use anything but my favorite 3/8 ratchet though and extensions.. Usually just use an adapter to go to 1/4 or 1/2" sockets.

 

[ak99]

I use 1/4" drive on small Nuts & Bolts ( eg: The Kart engine & pocket bikes)

The reasons: My 1/2" drive sockets go down to 8mm and 5/16, so anything smaller requires 1/4" drive. Also when tightening these small Nuts & Bolts it's easy to apply too much force with a 1/2" drive, especially when tightening bolts into alloy. The end result is either a snapped bolt or stripped thread.

I also have 3/8" drive, I haven't bothered with hex sockets though, this is just for my bit sockets ( torx, e torx & male hex)

 

[machinist@large]

I've got 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 3/4" drive sets, have used them all extensively; basically, what comes out of the tool box is usually the size that I think fits the job at hand best. That being said, when I was a road warrior, the 3/8" drive was the standard that road around in the box with all the wrenches (up to 1 1/4"; the big stuff has it's own box). After looking at the task at hand, some times a trip back to the van for the actual size set needed was all there was to it.

It comes down to two things; what you are working on, and what you prefer to use. As long as you are smart enough to recognize that a 1/4" drive cordless impact is really not the tool for final torquing the lug nuts on a deuce & half, you probably won't have any real problems....


Pat

 

[fowler]

I just have a 1 shifter
Does it all
Lol

I have 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and 1in in metric and imperial
Got ratchets in all to 1in
Then air rattle guns in all exept 1/4, 3/8
Then an electric rattle gun in 3/8 and 1/2
Most of my work is done in 3/4 and 1/2

But I find 1/4 stuff good on electrical components
I use 3/8 and 1/2 on my pickup

 

[OzFab]

Same here, if I can use 1/4" drive, I do. However, I currently don't have a 1/4" ratchet, mine started playing up a few years ago & finally bit the bullet a few months ago so I now use a 3/8" drive stumpy ratchet with an adaptor.

Funny story about my ratchet (well, not really); when I bought it (for $25) I was told it was covered by the famous "lifetime replacement warranty". When I tried to claim on said warranty I was told "the warranty doesn't cover normal wear & tear. You can buy a rebuild kit for $17". WHAT THE???

 

[fowler]

That would've sidcrome for u

Loads of storys like that

Have u ever tryed to claim in their new warrenty

Brought a 1/2 ratchet
Stripped out in about a month
Took it back and first they were like
We don't cover it because your in heavy industry
I called bull poo
They took it
U had no ratchet for a week
Then they gave me stir credit insufficient to buy a new one

Told them where to put their warrenty

Brought a snap on ratchet
The hard faceing chipped off
So I thought I'd try my luck
Sure enough no questions asked got a new body for it

Then I brought a hitachi electric rattle gun
Haven't used a rachet since
Lol

 

[rmm727]

That's one thing I don't like about Snap On. A ratchet breaks, they want to replace parts of it. I want an entirely new one.

 

[Oxymoron]

I use ¼" drive for my in/lb torque wrench.

I have ⅜" and ½" sets as well, but the ⅜" gets the most use of all.

 

[machinist@large]

Then I brought a hitachi electric rattle gun
Haven't used a rachet since
Lol

Oh, so you've gone over to the dark side, eh? As it may happen, about 25 years ago, I worked for a small machine shop that did repair machining for the local Caterpillar dealership; they sent us a ring carrier out of a dozer or something that someone had snapped 3 bolts off in, because the person in question couldn't seem to tell what direction the 1" drive impact they were using was set to turn.

Apparently, it was an older machine where they could still get the ring gear, but not the carrier. We got the bolts out, but they were righteously when we showed them how warped the mounting face was from bottoming the partially broken bolts into the blind mounting holes......

 

[fowler]

Well they were thick weren't they

The snap in truck cones to our work so there's no issue with replacing parts as the bloke does it in front of us in a few mins

I rekon it's stupid if they just throw the rachet away
The snap on ones are heavy built steel
It would be a shame if they just ditch it because the gear teeth are worn out

Edit
Also then the old blokes can be like the London street sweeper

Iv had this same broom for 10 yrs
It's only had 6 new heads and 3 new handles
Lol

 

[OzFab]

That would've sidcrome for u

I thought there was no swearing allowed here, I'll have to mention that one to Robert

I have only ever had 3 sidchrome tools in my life & they were given to me; all my tools are Kingchrome

 

[machinist@large]

The only Snap On ratchet and sockets I have left are the 1/2" drive set the thieves overlooked. Those are not going to work ever again. The work-a-day stuff I had in my road kit (which I still have) is Stanley, Stanley/Proto with some Taiwanese made stuff sold by a literally local importer; MIT (Michigan Industrial Tools).

I've also got some NAPA brand Evercraft stuff that's worked well over the years. Also, when I made the decision to pull all the high quality tools in my road kit home, I decided to give HF's hand tools a long, hard look. Apparently, they decided to get out of the bottom end of the market; all of their higher end socket sets are currently made in Taiwan, NOT main land China.

I'm liking what I'm seeing so far; since my current job is officially "All Tools Provided", I'm just using them for car and tractor repair; all I can say is that if i can take a Taiwanese socket made last year, slap it on a bolt on my US made 1955 Farmall, and it fits like a glove? I can throw a cheater pipe on the handle of the ratchet (1/2" drive) and the chrome plating on the working surfaces basically show zero wear?

The US stuff I've got left will probably live longer, but the Pittsburgh Pro stuff HF is now selling looks like it might be the real deal; lifetime warranty, no receipt needed. The only problem is that you have to make sure you're grabbing the correct grade of tool; just Pittsburgh grade is still cheap.

For comparison (for anyone else interested) the 1/2" set I have from HF is item #67990, Pittsburgh Pro series. The ratchet is heavy, and the workings seem to be tight; the breaker bar still looks like new, even after having a 4' pipe on the end with approx. 300lbs of me hanging off the end of it.

Take a look for yourselves, and make your own decisions...

 

[Rustydog2010]

1/4 is good for your delicates, also find I use it for my motorcross bike. Day to day at work I rarely use it. Only have Proto tools. Lifetime warranty, that is actually a half decent warranty like snap on, without the price tag. The old man has Stahlwillie, had it since he was an apprentice, 30 odd years of abuse. Still used to this day in the workshop at home.

Wanted to get a Cat torque wrench at one stage, until I tested a workmates one on our torque tester at work. It was a brand new 1/2 Cat torque wrench, it was way out of spec!

As they say buy decent tools and they'll last a lifetime.

 

[fowler]

No new torque wrench is within spec

They claim to be
But unless they were set then packed with in a few kilometres if u then they will be out

I got some Presision instrument ones a while back
Presision are the ones that cat and snap on re brand as their own

It was set in factory (USA I think)
Then throw dropped kicked and shuffled over to aus

Have u seen how they load cargo at the depots and air ports

I expected mine to be out so they were re calibrated at works expense
It was set and gasnt changed since
Been sent to be reset twice now and come back without adjustment

 

[fowler]

I thought there was no swearing allowed here, I'll have to mention that one to Robert

I have only ever had 3 sidchrome tools in my life & they were given to me; all my tools are Kingchrome

I'm not sure how (that's)
Got turned to (that would've)

Loving auto correct

 

[mckutzy]

I only have a few snap-on tools, a large impact socket I found on the road oneday, a while later a 1/2" long wrench near the same place. Then when I was doing the motor rebuilding, the snap-on guy was visiting the neighbor, I quickly ran over to get a wrench, then a few of the other guys followed and bought a few other things. I did get a few other wrenches and a good wire cutter from the guy, all those have lifetime warranty.

The guy said that alot of the dealers will just do the replacement of the bits on a ratchet and not the whole tool. Were we worked he said that his personal preferance is just give a new tool(like a ratchet, within reason). The customer payed a good amount of money so just give it to him.
At the time I didnt have much money but I did get those $30(each) wrenches. The customer/sales Ideals was a big seller on that one.

Canadian tire( Now as you guessed it...Crappy tire) use to(sorta still does now) have good warranties on there mastercraft brand tools. They were decent tools to work with. They like everyone crapped out on production of the good stuff, have to pay a great deal more and get less.
Now they get into a big tuff about trying to return a wrench or ratchet, ect....."well it looks like it was used as a hammer, or a hammer on it" .... no man its like 20 years old it finally broke...

I heard it all from them, so sad. Even the higher-up people there don't appreciate what they sell.

 

[OzFab]

I'm not sure how (that's)
Got turned to (that would've)

Loving auto correct

I was referring to the word "Sidchrome" I never have & never will but a sidchrome tool as long as I live...