A few months back we reviewed TEKTON’s Composite Ratchets. While I reserve them mostly for situations where I don’t want to mar the working service, they are still going strong. TEKTON recently added some new specialty ratchets to their lineup, and as the 1 or 2 of you who have read my reviews know, I have a thing for ratchets. Everyone should have at least 4 in every dive size if you ask me. Each ratchet in my repertoire has a task for which it preferred. Everyone has their “go to” ratchet that they use more than all the others, but there are some situations where you need something a little different. TEKTONs new Extra Long Ratchets are among that special purpose class of tools. They aren’t something most of you are going to use daily, but they are certainly handy when you need them.
Available in both 3?8″ and 1?2″ drive, TEKTON boasts some pretty impressive specs on these. At 18″ long, the 3?8″ model is rated to 2340 inch lbs. (195 foot lbs.) of torque, which is plenty for a 3?8″. The 1?2″ measures 24″ and boasts a whopping 5850 inch lb. (488 ft. lb.) rating. As information, both ratchets exceed ANSI specs by 30%.
The feature set on the ratchets is nice. They have the same butter smooth 72 tooth gear that we liked on the composites which requires a mere 5 degrees of swing arc to operate. The quick release anvil makes attaching and removing sockets a snap, but more importantly, it ensures the socket doesn’t fall off during battle when you’ve got these beasts dipped deep into an engine bay or something because lets face it, if you’re working on something that requires an 18″ or 24″ ratchet to get to, retrieving a fallen socket is unlikely to be an easy task.
The other benefit to a ratchet this long is obviously leverage. An 18″ or 24″ handle offers significant mechanical advantage compared to a standard 7″- 9″ ratchet making them a go to tool for stubborn fasteners. The knurled handle provides a secure grip with oily/greasy hands and the smooth finish makes it comfortable to hold.
On the 3/8″ model, the knurled portion of the handle measures 4″. My hands are of average size, and while the grip length is sufficient for me, users with larger hands may wish it were a tad longer. This doesn’t affect the functionality of the tool, but I feel it is noteworthy regardless.
Whether you need the extra reach for engine pulleys, the middle shaft of a 54″ or 60″ mower deck, or anywhere else you find your arms a little short of, or you need the extra leverage for a stuck fastener, the Extra long ratchets are a nice addition to the TEKTON lineup. As always, they are backed by TEKTON’s hassle free, lifetime warranty, so you can wrench with confidence.
Great review Conductor!! THose are some nice ratchets, I have heard you can not go wrong with Tektons warranty, Keep up the great reviews!
For the record… I read your first review!
Thanks Brian. I guess I stand corrected, there are 3 of you, lol.
These are nice ratchets though. Manufacturers are typically pretty reluctant to publish ratchet tolerances so kudos to Tekton for that.
thats length of my sk breaker bar..tekton… one serious ratchet
at that length..bolt or nut will come loose or snap off.lol.
have few tekton tools never let me down..some cool color tekton
torque sticks use alot…good price to.
Travis–Another factor to consider when using a long-handled ratchet is what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re trying to break loose a rusted or otherwise frozen nut, you might be better off using a long combination wrench or a breaker bar (and don’t forget to use some penetrating oil, too). If it’s resisting coming loose, you can upsize your ratchet or breaker bar by one drive size (from 1/4″ to 3/8″, or from 3/8″ to 1/2″) for easier removal. Using the breaker bar removes the chance of accidentally stripping the ratcheting mechanism. You should think twice about using a “cheater bar” on a ratchet; you’re more likely to break it and void your warranty in the process. And if it’s a Craftsman ratchet, they’re going to replace an American-made ratchet with one made in China, so consider the outcome.
Great review. I need a long ratchet and may have to try this company out. I never heard of them before. Thank you, and Tools in Action for always increasing my tool knowledge.