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Sept 18, 2011 16:16:58 GMT
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Ratchet spanners - a blessing and yet also a curse - who else has started loosening a nut in a confined space with one, only to find the spanner won't come off, and the hearstopping moment you realise that the only way to do it back up is to take the spanner off and flip it over.... which you can't do..  arghhhh! Note to self.... buy new ratchet spanners with the flicky reverse lever thing! |
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Sept 18, 2011 16:19:39 GMT
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The problem is that the ones with the flicky reverse lever thingy seem to be pretty poor quality with a very course ratchet. My heart has never stopped, thankfully  |
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring. |
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Sept 18, 2011 16:25:41 GMT
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I've only recently got a set, SWMBO brought them me, a full set to do one job, a bit crazy but i've become adicted to them since!
I never thought of that situation happening! Good call, i guess i'll have to make sure before i start using em!
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10mpg
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,253
Club RR Member Number: 204
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Sept 18, 2011 16:27:59 GMT
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Buy the Teng ones, almost indestructible, and have a little lever to reverse them, nice fine ratchet too...
mine have done 8 years of pro use with no ill effects...
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The Internet, like all tools, if used improperly, can make a complete bo**cks of even the simplest jobs...
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Sept 18, 2011 16:30:38 GMT
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Teng eh? I'll keep an eye out  |
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...proper medallion man chest wig motoring. |
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col
Part of things
wut
Posts: 190
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Sept 18, 2011 16:32:31 GMT
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i made the mistake of getting a set of cheap aldi retchets......half of the mechs broke on the first use. never had the trapped problem though, i'll watch out for it.
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ade36
Part of things
Posts: 509
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Sept 18, 2011 16:52:12 GMT
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I do love a good ratchet spanner. Never looked back since I 'aquired' my set from work!
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Sept 18, 2011 16:56:17 GMT
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i love my halfords ratchet spanners, i wont leave home without them, in fact i got doubles so i can carry some in the 150piece kit and 3 or 4 in me call out box i allways carry with me |
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R.I.P photobucket
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Sept 18, 2011 16:56:31 GMT
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I got a set made my Torq, set you back £60 but there a good quality and you just flip the spanner back to front, whatever way you need to do things.
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1992 Sierra XR4x4
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Fungus
Part of things
Posts: 960
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Sept 18, 2011 17:00:07 GMT
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Couldn't live without my halfords set, never broken one either.
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col
Part of things
wut
Posts: 190
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Sept 18, 2011 17:12:53 GMT
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the halfords pro sets have replaceable ratchets too incase they break (not a single one yet) . thats a nice touch.
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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Sept 18, 2011 17:12:54 GMT
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I use mine all the time! I've only noticed one difficulty, as the head is wider they don't always fit in the recess around a nut or bolt I'm after... which is quite common on a mini! lol
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Sept 18, 2011 17:51:57 GMT
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I have the Snap-on off set reversible and the double angle reversible and they are great, but as Ryannnnn said, the thicker end sometimes causes access problems, apart from that all good |
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Sept 18, 2011 18:00:26 GMT
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1992 190E 2.0 - first car, currently being driven by the wife.
1989 500SEC
1968 W115 4.2 V8
2000 CL500
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,824
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Sept 18, 2011 20:02:45 GMT
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I witnessed the ratchet F-ckup of all time when I was an apprentice, working on a MOD tamker, the dockies were given the job of changing a liner on a big diesel engine, 4ft dia liners, our came a giant ratchet, the type you flip over and push the drive thru to reverse, well the dockie wound one of the liner bolts out with this ratchetin the most awkward place you could imagine, only to find the bolt would not come outwith the ratchet on the top of the bolt, thread was about 4" and they were buggered, ended up torching off the bolt head to save the ratchet, only to find there were no spare bolts available, whoops,
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Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style.
Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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crazymonkey
Posted a lot
ummm....what was I doing again???
Posts: 1,981
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Sept 18, 2011 20:16:06 GMT
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Ive only got one of those cheap halfords sets, but the ratchet is actually pretty good, used it on some (very) tough bolts and its still going strong a year later. not bad for a £20 set including screwdrivers and all)
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whoever said dogs were man's best friend....obviously never heard of cable ties
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,256
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Sept 18, 2011 20:20:13 GMT
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I have come close to such instances (I.e coming to the end of a thread with no room left for the spanner to come off, but so far I have been fine . The biggest issue with ratchet IMO is the size of their spanner heads but then you do not get something for nothing. On most jobs however, they do make life much easier. For cracking the bolt off and final loosening/removal I tend to use a plain spanner come to think of it . An alternative to the ratchet spanner (where studs/stangely shaped bolts) are involved is Halford's Through socket set (AKA Vortex). In many an instance they have come in very handy. Only issue with them really is the fact that the sockets are a little thick in terms of wall size compared to their conventional Pro Sockets (which to my surprise are thinner than Facom equivalents). Still have not snapped a socket mind you (yet...). |
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Last Edit: Sept 18, 2011 20:24:04 GMT by ChasR
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Sept 18, 2011 20:37:14 GMT
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Ive got one ratchet spanner... Its the ever usuable 13/14mm with flicky over thingys... Teng tools and works bloody well... Its old too but it is brilliant. I remember using a piece of scaffold bar on the end of it once to get a stubborn nut undone and its still fine.  Excellent things.. Other than that i just use a mix of stubby sockets and spanners. |
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Sept 18, 2011 23:50:49 GMT
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A good few years ago, Halfords did twin-headed ratchet spanners. A total of 4 sizes per ratchet, with two ratchets in the set = 2 ratchets, 8 sizes!!
Originally a rather silly £40-ish, but they went obsolete, so me and the manager got a set each for a FIVER!
Good quality pieces of kit, undone many a tough bolt!
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You're like a crazy backyard genius! |
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Sept 19, 2011 0:21:59 GMT
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A good few years ago, Halfords did twin-headed ratchet spanners. A total of 4 sizes per ratchet, with two ratchets in the set = 2 ratchets, 8 sizes!! Originally a rather silly £40-ish, but they went obsolete, so me and the manager got a set each for a FIVER! Good quality pieces of kit, undone many a tough bolt! I have a set of those, as well as two sets of the conventional ones. Brilliant items - I wish I had got more tbh. I am very much a heavy user of them, barely use normal spanners any more. I look after mine and never abuse them though as I've got normal spanners for that, and I don't want to have to replace the ratchet ones! I do pity mechanics from bygone times, what must they have suffered with no ratchets of any kinds, no angle grinders, no drills... I do try and only use old tools on my vintage car, just to get a feel of it, but doing it all day would just aggravate me! |
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arghhhh!
