Milwaukee recently gave us a sneak peek at some new hand tools that they will be launching soon. Among the new releases was this 12-piece 3/8″ drive pivoting-head ratchet and socket set.
Milwaukee designed this set with contractors and tradesmen in mind, and only include the sockets and accessories these users might regularly need.
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In other words, the new Milwaukee ratchet and sockets aren’t aimed at automotive, aerospace, or industrial users, at least not as the prime focus.
The set comes with a pivoting head ratchet, Milwaukee’s new proprietary square-end 6 point sockets, a 6″ extension, and 2 adapters.
The new sockets’ square end allows you to use an adjustable wrench in tight quarters or when you need more torque, and helps to prevent the socket from rolling away when you put it down. Milwaukee also says the design has an “optimized geometry to reduce stripping and breaking.”
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The sockets have their sizes hard-stamped into two of the opposing faces. They chose stamping rather than etching because the stamped markings will still be readable after years of use and abuse.
The swivel ratchet head is quite small for a 3/8″ drive.
Here you can see the size of the ratchet head compared to a US quarter. The head will swivel over 180°, and an adjustment screw allows users to tweak the tension to their liking.
The benefit of a swivel ratchet is that you can use it inline, also called nutdriver or screwdriver mode, for quick turning, and then quickly pivot the handle to use it for final tightening (or initial loosening). So you get high speed and high torque, in one tool.
The ratchet features a round plastic over-molded handle with recesses for the classic Milwaukee logo and part numbers.
The 1/4″ hex bit socket has a hole for the ratchet’s ball detent, giving it slightly better retention than otherwise.
We have been speculating as to the purpose of the large hole at the rear of the handle, and think it’s sized for a screwdriver shaft, in case more torque is needed with the tool in its inline “nutdriver” mode.
The 12 piece kit includes:
- 8 deep-well, 6 point sockets
- Insert bit adapter (no bits included)
- 3/8″ to 1/4″ drive adapter
- 6″ extension
- 3/8″ drive, pivoting-head ratchet
- Soft-sided carrying case
SAE Sizes: 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″, 9/16″, 5/8″, 11/16″, 3/4″
Metric Sizes: 10mm, 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, 15mm,17mm, 18mm, 19mm
The ratchet and socket sets will be available April 2017.
Price: $70 | SAE (48-22-9000) and Metric (48-22-9001) sets are sold separately
Here’s a short video I put together to get a better look at some of the features of the new Milwaukee ratchet set.
First Thoughts
While I can see the convenience of a custom case for this set, there are a few things about it that I don’t like.
The ratchet doesn’t fit easily into its assigned place in the case — it is really hard to get it to slide into the sleeve and I’ve given up on using the elastic loop. The extension on the other hand slides in and out of its holder easily, and its elastic loop keeps the extension from sliding around.
I also question how well the socket holder on the spine will keep the sockets in place. When I opened up my kit for the first time every single socket save the two adapters were loose inside the case.
Stuart’s Note: The socket holders are sewn in place, but the case is flexible enough to allow the sockets to rattle against each other when the case is shaken.
After using socket rails for storage, one thing I love about Milwaukee’s new square-ended sockets is how the stamped markings are all in line when stored on a rail. With many other sockets, the printing won’t line up, it’ll be off to one side or the other and really hard to read at a glance.
The ratchet seems light, and also somewhat top heavy. Stuart and I wondered how far the metal shaft of the ratchet extends into the plastic handle. If the steel handle continued all the way to the end, Milwaukee might have exposed it, as they did with their jobsite scissors.
Since neither of us are willing to cut the handle open – yet – we came up with the idea to use a high-powered magnet to test where the metal shaft ended. Looking at the photo just above, notice where the magnet is located – that is the farthest back on the handle it would go. If I tried to push it further, it would spring back, leading me to believe that this is where the shaft ended.
As a second test, I tried my metal detecting wand on the handle. As I passed it slowly over the end of handle it would start beeping when the edge got to about the “wau” in Milwaukee.
Why is it important how far the metal shaft extends into the handle? It probably doesn’t matter in most cases, but there could be cause of concern of you were to apply pressure to the end of the ratchet, such as with a screwdriver or cheater bar. If that part of the handle is only plastic, the handle might deform or break.
What kind of ratchet review would this be if we didn’t look inside?! I really did have a good reason; I wanted to count the number of teeth so that I could report the swing angle, which I found to be 5°. I got that number from counting 36 teeth per 180°, thus 72 teeth per 360°, which gives us 360°/72=5°.
I noticed that there is very little, if any, lubrication inside the head. This is obvious from just listening to the ratchet mechanism, but we had to be sure. My fingers were dry after taking it apart and there was no residue.
All in all, the fit and finish of the ratchet and sockets is very nice. I didn’t run into any imperfections or flash as I was handling the set or when I took apart the ratchet. It remains to be seen how well the new socket design will perform, but I really like the concept so far.
We’ve got test samples in-hand. What do you want to know?
james ouzts
looks kind of familiar
http://www.sears.com/gearwrench-2-pc-cushion-grip-roto-ratchet-set/p-00910172000P
Stuart
Yep. It does look like the Gearwrench Roto Ratchet https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/gearwrench-roto-ratchet/%3C/a%3E, but they’re not the only brand to have this style of flex/swivel ratchet.
JD
Yep, agree. They defiantly don’t seem to be OEM Milwaukee. Looks identical to the TEKTON swival head and many others. Wich is fine for the target buyer, tradesman, as you stated. For mechanical or heavy use probably not the most suitable option.
fred
I’m not a big fan of plastic handles for tools where there is grease and solvents involved (e.g. automotive repair) – but sockets do get use lots of other places.
While I’m not in the market – its nice to see that this is not entirely a “me-too” set and the square-end socket design is different.
Adam
No, not more Milwaukee tools I want, but really don’t need! I would prefer it in a hard case, maybe that will be an option.
That ratchet looks very similar to a Tekton one I bought during the holidays.
http://tekton.com/Sockets_and_Ratchets/Ratchets_and_Breaker_Bars/3-8-in-Drive-x-9-in-Swivel-Head-Ratchet
Man_With_Plan
Can you snap a picture of what the inside looks like i’m interested to see if it has a bolt stop?
Man_With_Plan
I mean inside the sockets.
fred
Sometimes a nut/hex bolt holding shoulder is hand to have as long as there is bolt clearance – other times it is preferable for the socket t be broached all the way up.
Nathan
uhm for the guy that needs something to keep with construction tools for that oh I need to turn this bolt by hand situation. ANd he’s not a plumber, nor and electrician (well maybe an electrician) and etc.
short of having the set of sockets that might go on his impact driver or ________ in the truck this might make a handy set to keep.
price is however too steep IMO and if I was that guy I’d have already bought just about anything else in the store for those purposes. Stopping short of buying HF crap.
justin
When listing the sizes included, you say 5/16″ twice. The first is probably 3/16″?
Stuart
Thanks!
5/16″ and 7/16″.
Caleb
Seems a little pricey, but i wouldn’t mind having this set in metric for some automotive needs. I would also imagine that the hole in the handle might be for drop prevention applications.
Harry
kind of surprised they didn’t opt for a quick release roto ratchet. I might have missed it but, is a shallow set going to be available too?
The square socket base is different.
Stuart
Milwaukee wouldn’t comment about their future plans.
But we can speculate.
I don’t think we’ll see shallow sockets until or unless they expand into mechanics tool market. Will they? I’m not sure, it would require huge investment into new territory, and would be very hard to gain ground from existing players.
Blythe M
For the intended applications I don’t mind it not having any lubrication, as it will only trap grime in the mechanism
Stuart
How would contaminants get in? Contaminants bad enough to not want stuck in grease are bad enough to not want inside the ratchet head, period.
If anything gets in there, it’s staying, grease or no grease.
skfarmer
i said it at the journal and i will say it here. i think it is a stupid idea to make an application for use with a an adjustable wrench. if you have a socket and a ratchet why use an adjustable wrench? to skin your knuckles? why not just use a hammer and a pipe wrench if you intend to use the wrong tool?
i could possibly see value in a hex shape like a spark plug socket or the hextension so that one could use a wrench or go through ratchet type system. looks to me like just another crappy gimmick. are you sure this is milwaukee and not a sears christmas/father’s day tool?
by the way, i own the hextension’s and while i can’t say i have used them with another wrench or drive tool they are nice extensions. well made, nice finish and the knurling and hex shape make them easier to grip and turn by hand. i don’t just bash every new idea. i backed that idea up with my pocket book.
Stuart
Using an adjustable wrench depends on the user. The flats are there if you need it, ignore them if you don’t.
You can simply consider them as an anti-roll feature.
What’s the harm in just ignoring that feature?
fred
I agree – it’s nice to have options – and be circumspect and smart enough to know when and if to use them. In this case – I’m not sure I see an application where this would be my choice even if the photo showed use with a box wrench instead of an adjustable as an option – but as you say – it’s easy to ignore.
Hang Fire
You can use an open-end wrench instead of an adjustable. Everyone should have some open end wrenches, either double open end or combination.
John
Seems like they shoulda put some knurling or at least some grippy texture on the square end. I could imagine if it got only slightly greasy (or even as shiny slick as it is) that an adjustable wrench would slide right off at the wrong moment.
Hang Fire
Large holes like that in handles of high torque tools lead to hand injuries, mostly broken fingers but also torn skin and dislocated thumbs. That’s why most tool do not have them.
chris parker
guys, amazon is having a 20% sale on the wera joker sets, and other great hand tools today only!..check it out!
firefly
It’s indeed a great deal! Thanks for the head up. I got both of the sets… They arrived yesterday. Beautiful packaging, look like a wine bottle… even smell good too 🙂
Dave
5/16 and 3/8 sockets…. I’ve 1/4″-drive sets for that.
Any set of 3/8″-drive sockets that doesn’t go to 15/16″will never be given consideration here, just like any 1/2″-drive set that doesn’t go to 1-1/8″.
And where’s the 16mm metric socket?
Plus a plastic-handled ratchet…
I’d rather have a set from Harbor Freight, and that ain’t say in’ much….at least there’s no plastic on those.
No thanks.
Mason Gennardo
https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-13101-8-Inch-6-Point-16-Inch/dp/B00RCYX4WI
Honestly for the money this set can’t be beat. It includes both SAE AND Metric.
RX9
Meh. Seeing Milwaukee and Dewalt make ratchet has not yielded exciting results. All I really see are bog-standard socket sets with no real advantages.
Right now, the most innovative automotive hand tools on the market are coming from brands like SK, GearWrench, Sunex, Vim Tool and E-Z red. These brands are pushing the envelope with smaller ratcheting angles and innovative ways of getting at hard-to-reach fasteners.
Stuart
Off topic, but if you stuck with one email address, instead of different gobbledygook each time, they’d be posted immediately instead of being caught up in the manual approval moderation box. =)
RX9
Sorry about that, man. I didn’t realize that you had to manually approve them.
I’m going to use one “email address” from now on, but it’s not functional.
Stuart
Not a big deal on my end, I go through the moderation panel a few times a day – I just didn’t want you to one day work out a lengthy reply and then get discouraged upon not seeing it immediately posted. Or worse – if you posted a few links from a new email address, the spam filter might take your comment straight to their spam box.
There are 171,803 spam comments waiting to be purged – I don’t even look in there anymore.
Greg
I love Milwaukee stuff. I will not be buying this though. Reason why? I absolutely hate with every part of my soul, incomplete tool kits. Is it really that hard for Milwaukee to include the 11mm socket as well? Seriously, I’ll pay a couple dollars more for it if that’s what it requires. It doesn’t matter who the manufacturer / brand is either. Complete tool kits or I don’t buy.
Dave
Does extension fit in handle hole to serve as a T-bar?
Stuart
Unfortunately, no. It’s more sized for a screwdriver shaft.
Garden hose
Seems pricey for what you get. Seems like your plain run of the mill Roto head with some square base sockets, which I find to be badass. I’m sure it’s the case, but I do hope the square corners maintain the diameter of the base of the socket.
I will say I’m just plain mad about the new toolboxes. My 70’s Snap On 27′ lower box and 80’s Proto 27″ upper and lower cost me a combined $100, but I really am going to have to talk myself out of upgrading! Everything is perfect!
Robert
I haven’t done anything up close and personal with the 4 “brands,” but aside from the grips, this Milwaukee appears very similar to the Gear Wrench, Tekton, and the ratchets at Harbor Freight. I have a Harbor Freight 1/4 inch, and I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference, again by sight alone, between it and this Milwaukee aside from the grips.
There’s a lot of private labeling these days. Some is above board, but a lot is slipped in under the table. I realize that there are occasional internal differences that aren’t immediately obvious, but sometimes they’re the exact same product. It wouldn’t surprise me if my Harbor Freight and this were one in the same.