Over at the GJ forum, it has been reported that some Snap-on dealers have started carrying a new 3/8″ gearless ratchet, model FZERO. It’s a round-head ratchet, which makes it slightly larger than teardrop-shaped ratchets, but the gearless mechanism should allow for finer and smoother ratcheting.
Grigg provided a few pics and an initial review. His Snap-on dealer only had one ratchet in stock that he’s holding onto for demo purposes, but more are on order.
The sticker price is said to be $180.
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Snap-on hasn’t made any announcements, and the new ratchet hasn’t appeared on their website yet, but if it’s in dealers’ hands more news should be forthcoming.
If you’re looking for a very fine-toothed ratchet at a lower price, Gearwrench’s 120XP 120-position ratchets have proven to be great performers.
Jerry
I have a fearless ratchet from another maker, and I can attest that it is extremely smooth. One thing, however, is that it still takes a bit of swing to ‘lock’ the mechanism, so that it really won’t work with less ‘swing’ than the GearWrench fine tooth ratchet. The one I have uses a Hilliard type system, and perhaps Snap-On has an improved version, but if it is like the one I have, the advantage is more of smoothness of operation than shorter swing arc.
Allen
I like teardrop styles mainly for the direction selector, which method will the new style use ?
harry
$180 for a standard length 3/8 ratchet is insane even for snap on. MAC came out with their gearless version several years ago and their round head was just as fat as the one pictured here. I’m not sure how much of a hot seller it will be. The ratchet market is flooded with several high tooth count ratchets ranging from 60-120 tooth actions. MAC is coming out with US made 90 tooth ratchets soon. I think more people may opt for cordless ratchets instead of gearless ones at that price.
SteveR
Harry–I would echo most of what you say; I don’t think Snap-on knows the meaning of the word “insane” with respect to pricing. It’s almost as if they try to price things for the buyer to prove he can spend any amount of money for his tools and not be fazed by the asking price. I understand dealers even play one mechanic off another in shops to see who can buy the newest, biggest and most expensive storage units, and for what? To see who can be in debt the longest? The tools themselves are great (the ones they actually make, not the re-branded ones); I just have problems with the way they market them. One has to question the added utility gained by having a 90-/120-tooth or “gearless” ratcheting mechanism (here comes the Economics lecture), as opposed to the a 60- or 72-tooth ratchet already in their arsenal. You must also justify the extra money spent on another ratchet as opposed to putting food in your child’s stomach, shoes on their feet or money into their college fund (that’s the “opportunities foregone” part of the equation).
Stuart
I understand that opportunity cost is a factor here, but consider the other side of things. Let’s say a tech is paid per job. They have a 60-tooth ratchet and come across a trapped or tight-access fastener that they just cannot turn because the swing arc, even at 6°, is too wide. They then have to waste time finding a better tool or better way around the issue. Wasted time = money and opportunities lost.
I don’t know enough about this ratchet yet to tell you if it’s any good, or whether it’s better than some of the other ratchets in Snap-on and other brands’ lineups.
One shouldn’t go into debt just to have the latest and greatest tools.
Like other truck-based distribution brands, Snap-on prices all include a service premium to support door-to-door service and few-questions-asked replacement policies.
Time = money, and so there are huge benefits to auto and aerospace techs that can get on-the-spot tool purchases and replacements. There are reasons for certain users to buy tools off the Snap-on truck vs. other industrial brands where they would need to send a socket or other tool in for replacement by mail.
Snap-on prices are high, and yes even inflated, but they’re not the only option. Mac Tools has (had?) gearless ratchets as well, although their product catalog only mentions 3/8″ stubby and 1/2″ flex models.
SteveR
Stuart–I’m sorry if my response sounded like a rant; it wasn’t meant to. I’ve bought a fair amount of Snap-on tools since 1987; the ratchets and sockets are among the best available. I’ve purchased about half off the website, and half from a dealer’s truck. I wasn’t a shop mechanic, just a guy who wanted to own better tools than were available locally. The prices seemed high to me then, and still do. Franchisees set their own prices, so they occasionally offer a better price than the company if merchandise isn’t moving. The guy I dealt with in Denver tended to follow the pricing list. They do that because they usually sell tools “on the cuff” to professional techs. Sometimes those guys can’t pay their bills or get canned, and then the dealer has to act as his own collection agency. Higher prices overall help offset the poor credit risks that are part of his business, as well as operating his truck.
In the days before the Internet and overnight shipping, franchisees had a captive audience; obviously, things have changed. A dealer may not have a needed tool on any given day, and his distribution center may not have it either, although they’ll work with you to get one. The only answer may be overnight service from corporate headquarters in Kenosha, Wisconsin (at your expense).
Having said all that, my point is that folks should buy tools responsibly. Owning the latest version of a tool won’t make you a better craftsman or DIYer; that comes from attitude about your work and the knowledge/experience you bring to the job at hand. That includes using workarounds (a ratchet extension, a longer or shorter wrench, penetrating fluids, an impact driver or a heat source) to break lose stuck fasteners, or whatever the problem may be.
Stuart
I completely agree about how pro’s and even DIYers should purchase tools responsibly.
There are times when one has to throw money at a problem, and other times when time and effort are better spent. Often, the best results are achieved when a balance between the two are reached.
joe
Isn’t that a dewalt patent? I’ve seen that in all of dewalt drill driver transmissions that connect to the output shaft.
Monte
Thats how the spindle lock of drills look like
joe
I am only familiar with two brands…dewalt and Milwaukee…and 100% sure milwaukee does not use this very same thing although relating to it. IOW, they use different shapes instead of pins hence I believe avoiding patent issues.
But now that I remember snap-on merged with dewalt to make cordless tools…so I can imagine how they can get away with this….only speculating things. I just don’t like when people rob other peoples ideas and make them their own…that’s all 🙂
I don’t know what other brands “locking” mechanism looks like though…I believe festool (from looking at pictures) uses some type of pins too but they look different than dewalts (to avoid patent issues i’m guessing).
Jack
I have a couple of the aforementioned Macs (Radians), not a bad ratchet, but not great either, just a good workable ratchet. Its basically a sprag or one way bearing, like in an automatic transmission. On the Mac, you have to push the socket plug through the ratchet head to change direction, I wonder if the Snap-On is the same?
Bruce
I get a little tired of people who seem to think they need to tell others to “buy responsibly”. I use my tools for a living. I don’t have to have Snap On tools to do my job, nor will they make me a good mechanic. I like my Snap On tools for a variety of reasons, and if I am going to use something all day long, I prefer to get what I like.
victor
I agree with Bruce iam also a professional mechanic and use tools every day from super duty fords to class 8 trucks and I buy what I want and what works for me as for example Cornwell Mac Matco Snapon great tools designed for heavy daily use you get what you pay for in life no matter what it may be