Harbor Freight 1/2" Drive Extendable Ratchet Disassembled (w/Pics)

[996GT2]

I use a 3/8" drive ratchet for most things, so I didn't want to spend a good chunk of change on a high end 1/2" drive ratchet. I was pretty excited when I came across this extendable 1/2" ratchet at Harbor Freight and decided to give it a try. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised at the build quality of this thing! I had pretty low expectations going in, but this ratchet is definitely on par with the Craftsman and Kobalt ratchets I've taken apart in the past.

To start with, this ratchet weighs a solid 2 pounds! It adjusts in 6 positions from 12" to 17", and can double as a breaker bar on the long end. It's advertised as being capable of handling up to 400 ft-lbs and has a lifetime warranty.

MSRP is $15, and I think it's a steal at that price. It's made in Taiwan, not China, and the construction is very similar to my Kobalt ratchets which were also made in Taiwan. The HF one is 72-tooth, just like my Kobalt 3/8" ratchet. I have a sneaking suspicion that they may be made by the same OEM.

Here are some shots of the internals. Mine didn't come lubricated on the inside, so I gave it a light coating of lubricant. But even with that slight oversight, I have to say this is one of the gems at HF.

Link: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-extendable-ratchet-98831.html

 

[yhelothar]

I love my HF ratchet as well as their breaker bar and torque wrench.

 

[Gillbot]

I have plenty of HF tools, some are hot or miss but for the cost I'm extremely satisfied with all my purchases there so far. Good read, thanks.

 

[sontakke]

this ratchet weighs a solid 2 pounds!

Is that a pro or con? I have a similar Stanely http://www.walmart.com/ip/14146063 ratchet but due to its weight, it does not really feel well balanced. Also the teeth count is pretty coarse.

 

[master_shake_]

internals look very asian.

but in my experience that is not a bad thing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I love my HF ratchet as well as their breaker bar and torque wrench.

It's pretty hard to fuck up a breaker bar.

I had a HF heavy duty torque wrenche but ended up returning it and buying a CDI torque wrench I found on sale. CDI makes Snap-On torque wrenches and it came with a calibration certificate which the HF one did not. Plus it was only about $60 more.

 

[Elganja]

I'm a huge fan of harbor freight... I have a local store now too, that makes things a breeze when I need to pick up a tool

 

[iamwiz82]

They will be having 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 torque wrenches on sale on BF for $10.

 

[Raizinman]

I've found Harbor Freight tools fantastic for the home mechanic. But when used everyday as in a mechanics job, they did not hold up well enough. Wrenches would be off a hair and occasionally slip, impact sockets would occasionally crack, etc. Again, for the occasional user at home, they are great tools and come with a great price. For the professional who depend on tools for their living need something better.

 

[Triumph]

NOTHING beats HF toolboxes for anywhere close to the price. I have the 56" HF toolbox at work, and really like it. The quality is easily better than anything that Craftsman sells, including their joke of a "professional" line. I would put the HF 56" and 40" toolboxes on par with entry level snap ons or mac boxes, for about a third of the price.

 

[NoCreativity]

NOTHING beats HF toolboxes for anywhere close to the price. I have the 56" HF toolbox at work, and really like it. The quality is easily better than anything that Craftsman sells, including their joke of a "professional" line. I would put the HF 56" and 40" toolboxes on par with entry level snap ons or mac boxes, for about a third of the price.

Truth. I got a 5-drawer tool cart that's built like a tank. It was half the price of anything comparable anywhere else.

 

[twinrider1]

Hit and miss. On some good forum feedback, I tried one of their composite ratchets. It's awesome in cold weather because it doesn't freeze your hand like a metal ratche. I think it was $8! It works.

 

[sontakke]

I personally do NOT trust the certificate which comes with a torque wrench. I much prefer to run my own ballpark test to make sure that the torque wrench is not giving completely bogus number. There are multiple ways of doing that. You can compare two wrenches against each other or set up weights and arm or use weighing scale or use the digital torque block.

If you are going to do that before trusting the torque wrench, it does not matter whether it is gold plated Snap-On or throw-way $10 HF one.

By the way, there are ample examples of newbies trusting their fancy torque wrench and stripping bolts; mostly because they either missed feeling the click or worse do not understand the difference between inch-lb vs foot-lb measurement units.

 

[Jimzz]

NOTHING beats HF toolboxes for anywhere close to the price. I have the 56" HF toolbox at work, and really like it. The quality is easily better than anything that Craftsman sells, including their joke of a "professional" line. I would put the HF 56" and 40" toolboxes on par with entry level snap ons or mac boxes, for about a third of the price.

Yep I have a HF cabinet myself. Thick metal, good ball bearing slides, and rolls well. Best bang for your buck tool cabinet out there.

http://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-13-drawer-glossy-red-industrial-roller-cabinet-68784.html

 

[Vetterin]

They will be having 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 torque wrenches on sale on BF for $10.

If you get their coupons you will find that they sell them for $10 almost monthly.

 

[yhelothar]

I personally do NOT trust the certificate which comes with a torque wrench. I much prefer to run my own ballpark test to make sure that the torque wrench is not giving completely bogus number. There are multiple ways of doing that. You can compare two wrenches against each other or set up weights and arm or use weighing scale or use the digital torque block.

If you are going to do that before trusting the torque wrench, it does not matter whether it is gold plated Snap-On or throw-way $10 HF one.

By the way, there are ample examples of newbies trusting their fancy torque wrench and stripping bolts; mostly because they either missed feeling the click or worse do not understand the difference between inch-lb vs foot-lb measurement units.

Many have tested the HF Torque Wrench and it has earned a reputation for being accurate. http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_1304_torque_wrench_testing/

 

[CraKaJaX]

As long as we're on the topic of HF, has anyone had any experience with their C-clamps? I haven't been to the store to see how well-built they are, but changed out my rear brakes this past weekend and it's definitely time for a replacement clamp!

 

[JulesMaximus]

I personally do NOT trust the certificate which comes with a torque wrench. I much prefer to run my own ballpark test to make sure that the torque wrench is not giving completely bogus number. There are multiple ways of doing that. You can compare two wrenches against each other or set up weights and arm or use weighing scale or use the digital torque block.

If you are going to do that before trusting the torque wrench, it does not matter whether it is gold plated Snap-On or throw-way $10 HF one.

By the way, there are ample examples of newbies trusting their fancy torque wrench and stripping bolts; mostly because they either missed feeling the click or worse do not understand the difference between inch-lb vs foot-lb measurement units.

That is not the fault of the torque wrench. And I do know the difference between inch-lbs and ft-lbs. I've never stripped a bolt while torqueing a fastener.

Was the HF torque wrench acceptable? Probably.

Did I trust it enough to use on critical engine parts on my Ducati? Nope.

 

[jlee]

It's pretty hard to fuck up a breaker bar.

You say that, but I've broken two in one day.

 

[exdeath]

You say that, but I've broken two in one day.

Bro you're not supposed to use a 3 foot pipe on them.

 

[PottedMeat]

As long as we're on the topic of HF, has anyone had any experience with their C-clamps? I haven't been to the store to see how well-built they are, but changed out my rear brakes this past weekend and it's definitely time for a replacement clamp!

i don't like them. i bought a 4" one and the fixed jaw was tilted slightly - so whatever you put on there was more likely to slip off. i'm sure i could find a better one if i looked through the pile. i had a deep throat c-clamp and the frame cracked after very little pressure was applied. seemed like there were a lot of defects in the iron.

 

[jlee]

Bro you're not supposed to use a 3 foot pipe on them.

I wasn't! It was at least 8 feet. :awe:

 

[JulesMaximus]

I wasn't! It was at least 8 feet. :awe:

Yeah, that would do it. :biggrin:

 

[schmuckley]

Dem Chinese forced prison labor toolz iz good sometimes!

 

[sontakke]

Was the HF torque wrench acceptable? Probably.

Did I trust it enough to use on critical engine parts on my Ducati? Nope.

The point was you should NOT trust the Snap On either without doing your own rough verification.