Random Ratchet Question

[NateDogg]

I'm a autobody apprentice and i'm taking advantage of the 50% discount from Mac tools. I'm going to buy a 1/2" Ratchet. My question is how many teeth should the ratchet have 30, 45 or 72? I take it you wouldn't want to apply to much torque to the 72 tooth ratchet? or should 72 be able to hold up against a bit of torque, like removing and installing boxes and bumpers on trucks possibly with rusted bolts?

Then again i haven't used the 1/2" ratchet i have right now to many times yet. And i'll probably also buy a 1/2" breaker bar. I just want to make sure that if i end up applying a little bit of force to a 72 tooth 1/2" ratchet that i wont end up stripping all the teeth in the thing.

Thanks, for the input.
Nate

[silver_echo]

for bolts in that environment, start with any of those ratchets(the 72 will work better in tight spaces as it will have a smaller angle required), then try the breaker bar, then get out the acetylene and impact tools(trust me, i broke a 1/2" breaker bar this summer on a CV axle castle nut[stupid honda])... besides, any of those ratchets will have a lifetime warranty...

[bobselectric]

i thought this was going to be a "lefty,loosey, righty, tighty" question

[yaris-me]

IMO 72 would be better in the long run. Breaker bars are a license to break. If there's room try a rubber mallet.:thumbsup:

[Shroomster]

the less teeth the more torque can be applied. the more teeth the greater the precision.

it's not that it will slip/miss a tooth eventually it's just that with more teeth comes more degrees of swing. Go with the 45*


on a side note I'd say stay away from Mac plier sets, as you might not know that Stanley owns Mac and most everything is either stanley made (china) or blackhawk now. plus the plier set I have the rust preventativ coating didn't even try to do its job.

[bronsin]

I must have five or six half in drive ratchets in my tool box. Some of them 40 years old. Any one of them I grab does the job just fine. I almost never have to fish out the fine toothed ones.

[yaris-me]

I must have five or six half in drive ratchets in my tool box. Some of them 40 years old. Any one of them I grab does the job just fine. I almost never have to fish out the fine toothed ones.

Key words here, "almost never." That doesn't mean never, but sometimes.:biggrin:

[bronsin]

Key words here, "almost never." That doesn't mean never, but sometimes.:biggrin:

How about like twice in 25 years? Better to have a wobble extension and universal joint. Use those several times a year!