The End of Halfords tools?

[Farside]

Personally, I regard those who use ratchet spanners as primary break-loose devices as nothing short of ignorant savages.
Perhaps that goes back to when I first bought a ratchet spanner and was told in no uncertain terms that wasn't the way to use it, by someone who knew a lot more than me.
I respected that advice and had no cause to doubt it since.

 

[mtt.tr]

Personally, I regard those who use ratchet spanners as primary break-loose devices as nothing short of ignorant savages.
Perhaps that goes back to when I first bought a ratchet spanner and was told in no uncertain terms that wasn't the way to use it, by someone who knew a lot more than me.
I respected that advice and had no cause to doubt it since.

This begs the question "why do they sell long ratchet handles"

If a ratchet can't take the load generated by an individual pushing or pulling then it's incredibly dangerous.

Having watched a few load tests of them they seem to handle far in excess of what a person could produce.

 

[cocker]

Personally, I regard those who use ratchet spanners as primary break-loose devices as nothing short of ignorant savages.
Perhaps that goes back to when I first bought a ratchet spanner and was told in no uncertain terms that wasn't the way to use it, by someone who knew a lot more than me.
I respected that advice and had no cause to doubt it since.

That .
And the very real chance that it might get shoved where the sun don't shine !

 

[mtt.tr]

Interestingly found a snap-on video claiming 1/2" ratchets handle 300ft/lbs 400nm that's rather alot

 

[James1979]

Not wanting to teach folk to suck eggs, but spanners (ratchet or otherwise) and other torque tools like Allen keys are calculated lengths based on a standard person.

This is why they are different lengths. If the fastener was done up by a person with a spanner it will only ever be within a certain torque range, possibly a bit more to break it allowing for rust etc.

If it’s a high tensile fixing done up to a specific high torque with a torque wrench then fair enough but every day stuff i can’t see the problem.

I come across nuts daily that the only way to access them is with a flexi ratchet ring spanner

 

[Nick67GT]

I work on the theory of why wear it out needlessly when something cheaper and more robust will do the initial work. Still using a Kamasa 1/2" ratchet I bought aged 18 - 34 years ago.

+1 for the older Kamasa equipment.

All my Kamasa gear (well, 99.9%) is still in great condition - 45 years after buying it at the start of my apprenticeship.

The only thing that has been replaced under their ‘lifetime’ warranty was a pair of water pump pliers, which failed across the adjustment slot, purely down to me twisting them whilst trying to undo a large nut.

 

[Seadog]

I've a Kamala 3/8 and 1/4 drive socket set that's about 40 years old. Still doing sterling service.

 

[Ubique]

According to the Facom / MAC van salesman, most of the warranty exchange ratchet spanner problems are due to ingress of muck building up inside the ratchet, if they could make them serviceable like the hand ratchet heads, they would - it'd save them a fortune.
Where possible, I always release the torque with a fixed head spanner though.
Now, about these extra-long spanners, and how to use another combination spanner as a torque extension.....

BTW, anyone who works with 'E' bolts, these are a godsend, not managed to find a UK or even EU supplier though.

Buy Flex-Head Gear Ratchet Wrench Set 4Pc. E-Series Torx-r Online | T&E Tools TE-EW4

Buy Flex-Head Gear Ratchet Wrench Set 4Pc. E-Series Torx-r from Australian Online Car Parts. Shop for T&E Tools TE-EW4 4 Pieces, #EW0608 E6 x E8 6Pt Gear.

www.australianonlinecarparts.com.au

 

[mtt.tr]

According to the Facom / MAC van salesman, most of the warranty exchange ratchet spanner problems are due to ingress of muck building up inside the ratchet, if they could make them serviceable like the hand ratchet heads, they would - it'd save them a fortune.
Where possible, I always release the torque with a fixed head spanner though.
Now, about these extra-long spanners, and how to use another combination spanner as a torque extension.....

BTW, anyone who works with 'E' bolts, these are a godsend, not managed to find a UK or even EU supplier though.

Buy Flex-Head Gear Ratchet Wrench Set 4Pc. E-Series Torx-r Online | T&E Tools TE-EW4

Buy Flex-Head Gear Ratchet Wrench Set 4Pc. E-Series Torx-r from Australian Online Car Parts. Shop for T&E Tools TE-EW4 4 Pieces, #EW0608 E6 x E8 6Pt Gear.

www.australianonlinecarparts.com.au

That's a pretty awesome set.

I never considered how they make those spanners but thinking about it know I might have to dissect one to find out.

Swage them shut perfectly possible, but that would bugger the chrome. But to chrome after assembly wouldn't work either.

 

[8ob]

This begs the question "why do they sell long ratchet handles"

Its a bit like the sockets, never understood why you can buy 3/8" drive sockets as big as 24mm and 1/2" drive over 36mm. Try and undo a towbar bolt with a 3/8" drive 24mm socket/ratchet or a truck wheel nut with a 1/2" drive 33mm socket/ratchet combo and it will fail.

Bob

 

[Ubique]

Its a bit like the sockets, never understood why you can buy 3/8" drive sockets as big as 24mm and 1/2" drive over 36mm. Try and undo a towbar bolt with a 3/8" drive 24mm socket/ratchet or a truck wheel nut with a 1/2" drive 33mm socket/ratchet combo and it will fail.

Bob

Not everything is a nut or bolt plenty of sensors are 22 or 24mm hex but only a M8 or M10 thread for example. There are a lot of Alu. fixings that are quite large but low torque, Merc spark plugs are 23Nm, gearbox sumps are 8Nm +90, +90 deg. There are E14 & 16 bolts that are only 45Nm but with limited access a 3/8" socket is ideal.

 

[mtt.tr]

Its a bit like the sockets, never understood why you can buy 3/8" drive sockets as big as 24mm and 1/2" drive over 36mm. Try and undo a towbar bolt with a 3/8" drive 24mm socket/ratchet or a truck wheel nut with a 1/2" drive 33mm socket/ratchet combo and it will fail.

Bob

That I dont understand other than specialist stuff often glands and sensors, especially when they often say only use 3/8 up to 17 or 19mm

 

[sako243]

I bought the Halfords professional set after watching the guy at a local wheel alignment centre hanging his body weight off of a half inch ratchet

I can one up that. Just had to replace the Defender's trailing arm bushes. Put my Halfords (pre professional) 1/2" ratchet onto a 30mm socket, angles and access meant breaker bar wasn't going to work. Didn't have the strength so got an old P38 panhard rod that was a nice fit over it to lengthen it to 4ft and then an 8ft scaffolding pole and jumped on the end. Cracked the nut off and didn't break the ratchet.

Too many use ratchets to tighten and loosen fixings - it’s not what they are designed for, so they are very often abused, not used. Using a ratchet instead of a breaker bar is moronic, IMO - apart from my 1” Britool ratchet (without a piece of pipe on it) which will defeat me quite easily

Found quite often limited access means you can never get a breaker bar to line up nicely hence a ratchet is the only option.

 

[roofman]

Its a bit like the sockets, never understood why you can buy 3/8" drive sockets as big as 24mm and 1/2" drive over 36mm. Try and undo a towbar bolt with a 3/8" drive 24mm socket/ratchet or a truck wheel nut with a 1/2" drive 33mm socket/ratchet combo and it will fail.

Bob

I like watching guys on the 10mm sockets with an 1/2" drive and thinking "any minute now"

 

[Ubique]

...

Found quite often limited access means you can never get a breaker bar to line up nicely hence a ratchet is the only option.

These are not a perfect solution but work well where you can get them in, as do crowsfoot ring wrenches.

1/2" extension wrench | FACOM

www.facom.com

 

[knighty]

Personally, I regard those who use ratchet spanners as primary break-loose devices as nothing short of ignorant savages.

because...
I'm too busy to get something else
I've got other stuff to do and no time to go get something else
because I'm up a ladder / on a roof / wriggled inside something / too far away to justifie going to get something else

I try to take good care of my tools, especially the decent stuff, but they're there to be used

 

[MetalMonkey]

Its a bit like the sockets, never understood why you can buy 3/8" drive sockets as big as 24mm and 1/2" drive over 36mm. Try and undo a towbar bolt with a 3/8" drive 24mm socket/ratchet or a truck wheel nut with a 1/2" drive 33mm socket/ratchet combo and it will fail.

Bob

In a word. Access.

Sometimes you can crack it loose but you will be there all week getting it out, change to a smaller drive and it might just give you the extra clearance to make reasonable progress.
A godsend for when you encounter those "interesting" design decisions.

I like watching guys on the 10mm sockets with an 1/2" drive and thinking "any minute now"

I've actually used this to my advantage several times - seized M6 fasteners that are never going to shift.
Just snap them off with 1/2" drive 10mm socket, remove whatever it is you needed to, and drill them out later on the bench as necessary.

 

[500e]

Snap on flat refused to swap or fix my very expensive 1/4 drive ratchet, never abused or used on anything except small fasteners

Did a post mortem and I believe the ratchet assembly was poor quality from the start, it never felt as good as other ratchets tbh

The 1/2" Halfords Pro ratchet, that is over 20 years old, has been abused and abused, you can see where it has been used as a hammer many times has never needed repairing or replacing

Rimg UK head office, had the same sort of problem with van man refusing to change a10mm 3/8drive socket with chrome peel an other multi point worn on magnesium nuts.
Spoke to nice lady who said send them to me, had new by return of post

 

[Domdom]

In a word. Access.

Sometimes you can crack it loose but you will be there all week getting it out, change to a smaller drive and it might just give you the extra clearance to make reasonable progress.
A godsend for when you encounter those "interesting" design decisions.



I've actually used this to my advantage several times - seized M6 fasteners that are never going to shift.
Just snap them off with 1/2" drive 10mm socket, remove whatever it is you needed to, and drill them out later on the bench as necessary.

This and this.

90% of the time with the stuff I do there isn’t a lot of torque involved. Smaller ratchets are more convenient to use.

And I completely agree regarding some design decisions we see now. They do tend to assume that spanner guys have 3 elbows on each arm. Accessing a 13mm fastener often needs wobble extensions etc so 1/4” drive makes that a lot easier.

 

[James1979]

That's a pretty awesome set.

I never considered how they make those spanners but thinking about it know I might have to dissect one to find out.

Swage them shut perfectly possible, but that would bugger the chrome. But to chrome after assembly wouldn't work either.

Just to throw in the mix, I’ve a few sets of ‘normal’ ratchet spanners, but I’ve a ramp and roller set as well.

They are mega. They work in really fine increments as there’s no ratchet mech. It’s a dowel and wedge type affair. You won’t break that! It gets tighter the more torque you put on. More likely to snap the spanner.

I don’t know why mainstream manufacturers don’t offer them more.