I have the 1/4" too. Great little ratchet. I have the 88 tooth in 3/8 and it's very nice as well.
Gearwrench 120XP ratchet review
BLUF: This has replaced my high end Snap-on and Matco ratchets at work!
The rest of the story:
I think these are innovative enough to do a review of; they aren't your typical ratchet!
I found out about these on Amazon when I was doing a little window shopping and, putting together a "Metric tool box," grabbed a 1/4" drive one.
Well, it was nice enough that I now have a Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet in my metric box and the Gearwrench ratchet at work! The thing is incredible.
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It feels as solid as a rock and has a lifetime warranty, but that's pretty standard for all but the worst ratchets now days. What sets it apart from my other ratchets at work or home, (which formerly included a Matco 88, a Snap-on sealed unit and an old Craftsman chunk) is the fact that even the "Fine tooth," ones I had had either 72 or presumably 88 teeth on them.
This has, as the name implies, 120! And you can feel it. It's a huge difference. It's been exceptionally handy working on a POS Volkswagen Jetta I had to swap turbos on, as that has some VERY tight spots to get into.
You may think all the teeth compromise strength, but I dont think so. Instead of having a mechanism with a true 120 teeth, it has a pair of pawls that each are as strong as a 60 tooth unit.
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Oddly enough, the 1/4" Gearwrench is thinner than my Snap-on 1/4" so it's not only got more teeth (so less handle movement is required to turn a fastener), it can get into more places as well!
On top of all of that, you don't have to pay tool truck prices for it and wait for a warranty guy if something DOES break.
I liked the small ratchet enough that I went out and bought the 3/8" drive unit to go into the same metric tool box I was putting together. To test out it's strength, I used it to break free some suspension fasteners on a Wrangler I changed out control arm bushings on. I'd typically use a 1/2" impact to spin these off, but I used the 120XP and a strategically placed floor jack to break torque on the arms, which is around 150 Ftlbs.
No problems at all and the mechanism is still as smooth as can be after all of that abuse. Even the handle is unscarred from the bare floor jack pressing up on it.
If you're in the market for a new ratchet handle, this is very much worth a look. Everything else you have will start gathering dust when you pick this thing up.
This thing is the best $20.oo I've spent in years!
The rest of the story:
I think these are innovative enough to do a review of; they aren't your typical ratchet!
I found out about these on Amazon when I was doing a little window shopping and, putting together a "Metric tool box," grabbed a 1/4" drive one.
Well, it was nice enough that I now have a Snap-On 1/4" drive ratchet in my metric box and the Gearwrench ratchet at work! The thing is incredible.
It feels as solid as a rock and has a lifetime warranty, but that's pretty standard for all but the worst ratchets now days. What sets it apart from my other ratchets at work or home, (which formerly included a Matco 88, a Snap-on sealed unit and an old Craftsman chunk) is the fact that even the "Fine tooth," ones I had had either 72 or presumably 88 teeth on them.
This has, as the name implies, 120! And you can feel it. It's a huge difference. It's been exceptionally handy working on a POS Volkswagen Jetta I had to swap turbos on, as that has some VERY tight spots to get into.
You may think all the teeth compromise strength, but I dont think so. Instead of having a mechanism with a true 120 teeth, it has a pair of pawls that each are as strong as a 60 tooth unit.
Oddly enough, the 1/4" Gearwrench is thinner than my Snap-on 1/4" so it's not only got more teeth (so less handle movement is required to turn a fastener), it can get into more places as well!
On top of all of that, you don't have to pay tool truck prices for it and wait for a warranty guy if something DOES break.
I liked the small ratchet enough that I went out and bought the 3/8" drive unit to go into the same metric tool box I was putting together. To test out it's strength, I used it to break free some suspension fasteners on a Wrangler I changed out control arm bushings on. I'd typically use a 1/2" impact to spin these off, but I used the 120XP and a strategically placed floor jack to break torque on the arms, which is around 150 Ftlbs.
No problems at all and the mechanism is still as smooth as can be after all of that abuse. Even the handle is unscarred from the bare floor jack pressing up on it.
If you're in the market for a new ratchet handle, this is very much worth a look. Everything else you have will start gathering dust when you pick this thing up.
This thing is the best $20.oo I've spent in years!
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