Can anyone recommend a make (and place to buy) of ratchet spanner?
This kind of thing;
(I need to get a very poorly located bolt on the TVR undone, and I'm damned if I can do it with a standard open-ended, and neither a ring spanner, adjustable or a socket will fit.)
Not much help now probably but Lidl had superb sets - ratchet rings at both ends - for about a tenner. High polish finish and low friction ratchets. The sort others sell for three times that. Straight type with no offsets. My local store still had some left recently - I'll have a look tomorrow if you'd like. But ratchet spanners will rarely fit where an open ender won't. By nature they are more bulky where they fit round the bolt head.
Combination spanners ring one end, open the other, both the same size, are usually the best bet for where a bolt head is tight to something. Halfords do a good range and sell them individually. They don't have an vertical offset like normal ring spanners.
The Halfords 'wobble' head ratchet spanners get good reviews everywhere. Usual price is around £80, they are a little overpriced at that, though they do have a lifetime guarantee. However, they regularly come up at half price, at least twice a year they are on offer at £40.
They are real good quality, and excellent for getting at those nuts that are pretty much inaccessible with a socket. Alan.
In message , Huge writes
Would a double ended box spanner do? Starter motor holding bolts/nuts succumb to this: once you have extended the problem you can usually bodge a conventional socket onto the small end of the box.
regards
>
You got a TVR, you can afford quality tools.
(and according to TVR's reputation, you'll need 'em)
I needed ratchet spanners in a hurry, a couple of years ago to sort out a problem on my sister's Citroen Activa (the world's most astonishingly complex hydraulics).
Bought the Halfords pro range.
Really surprisingly good quality. In fact bought a 32mm deep socket last week, and again really nicely made.
Mine are ratchet/open-end combis, have taken really heavy loads - no fuss, and ratchet increment very small (useful where you can barely turn the spanner).
For a little more dosh the hinged end ones look like they'd be cool for even more difficult access.
I'm also a fan of Teng tools for their quality and price. Never broken a full-size socket no matter how abused. Did break a tiny micro- ratchet for screwdriver bits, but they replaced it under their "everlasting power" guarantee free of charge and no quibbles, when it was over 5 years old.
Screwfix do some Teng tools, otherwise lots of good ebay deals (I see a lot of good Facom deals on ebay too. Facom seem good at awkward access tools - no doubt a requirement driven by French car design).
If you need it today, halfords pro stuff is probably your best bet.
Sadly, the nearest Lidl is some way away and not very convenient.
================================================
The Lidl version are 'chunkier' than those from Halfords and the Maplin version even more so. If you think that a ratchet is essential go for the Halfords version.
You'd do better to look at different types of ring spanners, such as 'combi' 'cranked' 'stubby', 'S-shaped', all of which can give improved access depending on circumstances.
Cic.
Sadly not. There's only about 3/4" clearance above the head of the bolt (*). The problem is that the bolt is very stiff, and I can't get a big enough spanner in there to turn it. It's a 13mm, and my 13mm o/e spanner just comes off if I lean on it hard enough, and I'm worried about rounding off the bolt head.
(* It doesn't have to come out to do what I want - I only need to slacken it off a couple of turns, but the damn thing won't budge.)
And since I haven't bought any spanners for 30 years, I might as well treat myself!
If neither a ring spanner, adjustable or a socket will fit, how would a ratchet spanner fit?
You didn't say what size you needed, but Halfords do a wide range and the rings are quite slim as ratchet spanners go. I have one of these:
I'd say the Halfords Pro combination spanners the best bet. They are longer than the average ring or open ender. And beautifully made. Assuming you already have normal open end and ring spanners.
Hope so. Just ordered a set of the ratchet combos. Half price.
Have you looked at open ended ratchet spanners?
Bruce gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
It's not just "fit", though. Once the spanner is on, you've got to use the damn thing. An open-end or ring might well fit, but there may be insufficient angle to turn, remove, reposition. For an open-end, you need at least 60deg of "swing". For a bi-hex ring, you need 30deg.
On a ratchet, you need much less - the Halfrauds website suggests they're
72point ratchets, so 5deg swing.If they're the flex-heads, even better, because you can make sure the head is "square" to the fastener, reducing the risk of it slipping off.
Sure, the ultimate torque you can apply is less - you wouldn't catch me "linking" other spanners on, to increase the effective length, like I would with a normal non-ratchet. But, of course, that's irrelevant once you've got past the first "crack" of the fastener.
Ah. I was talking about the non ratchet combos. Is there clearance round the bolt head for the larger size of the ratchet?
Open end spanners are useless on tight fittings. They spring and round the head.
=================================================
They're not the same thing.
================================================
I think they're *12 point* ratchets, not *72 point*, unless we're looking at different sets. That would give a 'swing' of 30 degrees so no improvement on a standard ring spanner and possibly worse for having a bit of slack in the ratchet mechanism.
Cic.
Cicero gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Or misinterpreting.
The ratchet movement is very fine. I can easily believe 5deg - 72-point. I've also got a set of pikey Screwfix ratchet spanners, which are far, far coarser.
================================================
You're right - the ratchet has 72 clicks on the large sizes (just counted one) although I couldn't be bothered to check the smallest size. I see from some of the Q&A that the ratchet mechanism isn't covered by the 'Life time' guarantee which confirms my impression that these spanners, good as they are, are not really intended for breaking very tight nuts / bolts. It's for this reason that I've hardly used mine as they don't feel very strong. I also checked the Lidl set and they too have 72 point ratchet but may be stronger for being a bit more chunky.
I've also got a set of those pressed steel type which are so clumsy but handy for rough work like scaffolding clips.
Cic.
What size AF is the nut?
Dave
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.