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Im looking for some advice on a good air ratchet to buy its been a hard battle trying to choose between 1/4 inch and 3/8 ich. Then from there its also hard deciding between a big heave one with lots of torque or a small less torquey one but gets into anywhere.
Im going to be working at a Chevy dealer as a line tech
What are some of the ones you guys have and like/dislike?
I need something that will hold up with everyday use
Price range is = less than Snap On
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I’m seeing more and more of my tool truck guys trying to sell air ratchets with more and more torque and I’ve gotten to the point where I’m content with less torque from mine. I find that no matter how much more torque it offers, I still need to lever my own muscle on the rusty and otherwise stubborn bolts anyway. Most every air ratchet I’ve ever owned has stood up to me and my excessive force for years before I wear it out. I finally broke the anvil on my favorite ¼” drive air ratchet after years and that was completely my own fault.
I’m not trying to be a torque Nazi, but if you look at the specs they throw around for any and every nut and bolt on a car, you find that most of them don’t need the full working torque potential of most air ratchets anyway. So it seems logical to me to just back off and consider that less is more. You’re doing bolt and bolt hole threads the courtesy of not getting so much stress they didn’t need to endure. You’re making it easier for yourself to break that nut or bolt loose if you ever need to take that same something apart again later. And then these air ratchets with less working torque usually come with a price tag that’s going to be easier on your wallet.
I’d actually suggest you invest in a ¼” drive and a 3/8″ drive air ratchet. For some of the nooks and crannies you’ll try to stuff any air ratchet into, the slimmer the profile, the better. One of each will have its benefits exclusive to their size and torque ratings.
Honestly, if you just wanted to go get a Craftsman air ratchet, get the 3/8″ professional series for about a hundred bucks. It’s still got a hefty torque rating and it’s a reliable ratchet. I’ve owned two of them. I beat the first one to death in about three years and when I started to wear out the second one, I just made it a backup ratchet and it’s saved the day a couple times when one of my expensive Mac air ratchets went in for warranty repairs. That Husky brand I’ve seen at Home Depot has also been a good brand for other people around me even in professional shop settings.
My hands down favorite for ¼” ratchets is the Mac AR249. What I’ve found with it is that no other ¼” air ratchet out there has a slimmer head design for the tight spots while still being an outrageously tough little bastard. The whole body of the ratchet actually has a nice smaller diameter with an overall length that, once again, makes it manageable in the tight spots. What I’ve seen of competitor air ratchets is that they might make theirs shorter in overall length, but they wind up being fatter in diameter and the heads are somewhat chunky to boot. The working torque tops out at 25 ft. lbs. and it’s sometimes too much for its size. I’ve cracked a couple thermostat housings with mine while tightening up the bolts. The drawbacks are it’s an expensive little bastard at $250 and it’s easy enough to break the aluminum housing at the threads. In all fairness, the only reason I know about that weak spot is because I’m a chronic klutz that keeps dropping mine. I have found that it’s not a difficult tool to repair and parts aren’t too expensive. I’ve replaced that housing body twice at $40 a pop and I’ve finally stopped dropping it so often. Like I said, I did finally break the anvil on it, but I’ve got parts on the way and it’s going to be a cheap fix again.
Hey man. I know you are talking about air ratchets but me and my coworkers at my shop have been really losing our shit over these electric impact tools we’ve been getting. I’ve got a Snap On 3/8 18V Monster Lithium Impact and it is easily my most used tool. Now I know you aren’t looking for snap on and I don’t blame you I paid way too much, but they were the only ones at the time who offered a 300 ft/lb breakaway torque rating. But I do know that ingersol rand is making some really nice thin decently priced electric impacts and ratchets from 1/4 3/8 and 1/2. If I can find a link online I will post it but the way I know about it is I talked to one of their marketing reps and the latest big sales convention here in Missouri.
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Most of the guys in our shop have the far72c from snap on. I have a far72b with a fresh rebuild, an ingersoll that idk the model number and an aircat in both the 3/8 and 1/4. By far I like my aircat the most because it’s quiet. Power wise they are about the same. It’s been about a year so far and I’m impressed. The far72c is much stronger. Though aircat offers a more badass model also. I just didn’t want to fork the 130$ for it lol.
I’m a line tech in a chevy dealer also. I beat the crap out of my stuff so I’m impressed. I use my 1/4 as much as my 3/8 so you will find the need for both.
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Ingersoll Rand R1120-K1 Electric Ratchet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FTGIE3U/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Lio7wbJWJ5DBW
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Ingersoll Rand R1130-K1 Electric Ratchet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FTGJ09M/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Hko7wbYZKE7FT
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Milwaukee also makes some top notch electric tools. Obviously it’s your choice on the matter but I’m really keen towards these electric tools. As I said before my electric impact is my most used tool and it really cuts my time and effort down for every job I do.
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Thank you guys for the responses I have looked into the mac ar249 but new is 300+ and not sure if i trust used air tools. Its a big price tag but I can clearly see that its a top of the line tool that gets used all day everyday. I might have to bite the bullet and grab one!
I at some point will look into electric but that would be for home use as the ones you posted are very heavy ar 4.7 lbs. is not ideal for continuous use. I do appreciate the information though
Oh forgot to mention, I absolutely do wish to have both 1/4 and 3/8 but my wallet only allows me to choose one at a time lol so im trying to pick the one that will multitask until I can grab another one..
I don’t know who told you $300+, but make them try again. It’s still not cheap at $255 either. See the pic below. If your tool truck guys are good people, let them know you need to work on the cheap and they’ll make an effort to let you know when it becomes a promo item. Right now, my Matco and my Mac guy are both selling me tools discounted from their tool shows. All of them have regular promotions and promo fliers and air ratchets of any kind always turn up on promo.
Thinking about which air ratchet you should buy first, the 3/8ths might be the better buy first. Especially if you’re going to be spending more time under the cars than under the hoods. Under the car is more rust and fasteners requiring more torque. Under the hood means more small fasteners holding down brackets for wiring harnesses, AC lines, air duct hose clamps, etc… Things you just don’t need 70 ft. lbs. of torque for.
http://www.amazon.com/AIRCAT-805-HT-Torque-Ratchet-Small/dp/B00UB1YHVG
This one will be my next buy…from aircat.
http://www.amazon.com/Aircat-ACR802R-8-Inch-Ratchet-Large/dp/B000OAHYKA
This is the current 3/8 I have from aircat. Won’t break the bank and is fairly powerful. And super quiet which is the sole reasoning I bought it. The power was just an extra. I have bad tininitus(ringing in the ears) at 23 and realize I need to start taking care of my ears a tad better. Lol
I love all my aircat products and they have yet to fall short of anything else snap on or matco in the shop. My buddies electric 1/2 snap on impact gun died three weeks ago just a month out of his one year warranty. I loaned him my 1150 aircat and he was super impressed with it. He was going to buy one if he couldn’t get snapon to warranty his gun lol.
He is very disappointed in his cordless ratchet from snap on he has though.
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