I picked up a cheap 1/4" air ratchet today to see if a 1/4" air ratchet has a place in my toolbox. After working with it all evening, I'm sold on it. That little ratchet made quick work loosening and snugging up the primarily 10mm and 12mm bolts used throughout our Honda's engine bay. Getting into places that I couldn't swing a wrench and zipping a bolt out was such a luxury. What was nice was how the ratchet snugged down low-torque bolts about perfectly on the first try. All that saved quite a bit of time and my energy. So the cheapy has a place in my toolbox alongside the 1/4" sockets.
1/4 inch Air Ratchet - I'm Sold
- Thread starter sciphi
- Start date
Do you mind to post a little more info about this 1/4" air ratchet ? Do you need an air compressor to use it ?
Brand, model#, cost, where to buy ?
Brand, model#, cost, where to buy ?
Battery powered is the way to go. Air power tools have their place, but a 1/4 ratchet???? Lol
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Do you mind to post a little more info about this 1/4" air ratchet ? Do you need an air compressor to use it ?
Brand, model#, cost, where to buy ?
Yes, a compressor is a requirement for use. I have a 30 gallon compressor that kicked on occasionally. A smaller compressor would kick on more often.
The ratchet itself is nothing spectacular. Just a bargain-bin Harbor Freight 1/4" air ratchet that seemed to work in the store and got a healthy dose of air tool oil in the air motor and on the head when it came home. It sure worked well for the $15 I spent on it.
A stubby ratchet with a swivel on the end would seem to be the ticket for getting into confined areas. A swivel fitting for the ratchet is on the shopping list. Likely a better ratchet is as well!
Do you mind to post a little more info about this 1/4" air ratchet ? Do you need an air compressor to use it ?
Brand, model#, cost, where to buy ?
Yes, a compressor is a requirement for use. I have a 30 gallon compressor that kicked on occasionally. A smaller compressor would kick on more often.
The ratchet itself is nothing spectacular. Just a bargain-bin Harbor Freight 1/4" air ratchet that seemed to work in the store and got a healthy dose of air tool oil in the air motor and on the head when it came home. It sure worked well for the $15 I spent on it.
A stubby ratchet with a swivel on the end would seem to be the ticket for getting into confined areas. A swivel fitting for the ratchet is on the shopping list. Likely a better ratchet is as well!
Originally Posted By: hansj3
The stubby 1/4 air ratchets are awesome for dash work too. Not having to run a greasy air line in a car to dodash work is huge
Beat me to it. I had a 1/4" air ratchet and impact on whip hoses to keep those Lincolns clean. They were only used on interiors and stayed relatively clean.
The stubby 1/4 air ratchets are awesome for dash work too. Not having to run a greasy air line in a car to dodash work is huge
Beat me to it. I had a 1/4" air ratchet and impact on whip hoses to keep those Lincolns clean. They were only used on interiors and stayed relatively clean.
Thanks sciphi,
I don't have air compressor so this type of ratchet does not fit my need. Probably a small battery powered ratchet is better for me.
I don't have air compressor so this type of ratchet does not fit my need. Probably a small battery powered ratchet is better for me.
I have this one, very useful for belts and valve covers. Made in Japan
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
Originally Posted By: WeenieHutJr
I have this one, very useful for belts and valve covers. Made in Japan
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
That's a good looking tool. What I want is a CV Universal Joint for my sockets.
I have this one, very useful for belts and valve covers. Made in Japan
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
That's a good looking tool. What I want is a CV Universal Joint for my sockets.
Originally Posted By: WeenieHutJr
I have this one, very useful for belts and valve covers. Made in Japan
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
That was my next purchase if I decided I liked using the tool. A cheap one proved that it has quite a bit of value, so next up is one that's faster and quieter. The cheapy I have is a screamer. Earplugs were a necessity when it was spinning.
I have this one, very useful for belts and valve covers. Made in Japan
http://amzn.com/B000LQOD3I
That was my next purchase if I decided I liked using the tool. A cheap one proved that it has quite a bit of value, so next up is one that's faster and quieter. The cheapy I have is a screamer. Earplugs were a necessity when it was spinning.
That is one of big advantages of cordless tools and what sold me on the mid size cordless impact, no air hose to drag through the interior when taking the seats, seat belts, etc out. I can see the small 1/4 cordless being super useful for dash work.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
I have never even touched a 1/4 impact seems useless to me as my old shop you couldn’t use power or air tools on dashes because people were over torquing things. I don’t even own any 1/4 impact sockets or 1/4 impact guns or impact ratchets.
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Cordless tools are so awesome for dash work. I have 2 1/4 inch impacts so that I can leave one on each side of the trans tunnel when I am doing a dash job. Couple that with a long neck cordless ratchet for harder to get bolts. I did a Jeep liberty heater core last week and made a comment to my Dad that I wished we had the current cordless tools back when we were doing taurus heater cores and Dode Truck/Chrysler minivan evaporator cores on a daily basis
No one ever said anything about impacts. The discussion is about air ratchets. Not all air ratchets are impact ratchets.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
You’re going to have to explain please? I’ve never heard of a power or air tool that wasn’t an impact.
WHat rock are you living under?
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
None that I know of lol. Is their really power or air tools that aren’t impacts? I don’t see how that could be I hardly own any cordless tools I prefer air just for the power and noise.
Yah, there is. Air ratchets generally arent, though impacting ratchets are available. Electric ratchets usually are not impacting, head size takes away some of the usefullness
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
Wow I had no idea nobody ever told me that. I appreciate the information.
I know just how you feel, doing the heater core or evaperator on some cars was a real pain without cordless tools. Cordless have not replaced the air tools for me but they have sure bridged a huge void.
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