Stubbys – To Ratchet or Not to Rachet

[James O’Hara]

I am in need of a set of good stubby aka midget wrenches. As most of you know I am a diesel tech. I am wondering if ratcheting is a good idea or bad idea for stubby wrenches. I am also wondering about brands and would appreciate stories about quality and reasons for ratcheting over non-ratcheting.

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[Mike]

I’ve been using a set of Blue Point Stubbys for somewhere around 7 or 8 years, the part # of the set starts with BOERMS. So the real testament to their quality is that I frequently use them combined with a 3 foot pry bar to break things loose that are in very confined spaces. I do this with the open end of a 17 or 18mm on the tube nuts that attach steering lines to the rack. I also do it with the ratcheting box end regularly as well on normal bolt heads. Things I can’t break loose with a foot long wrench because of stuff in the way, I can pretty easily do by putting the stubby on it and using the pry bar to turn in that first bit of the way to break it loose (there always seems to be a sturdy fulcrum with a few inches of the end of the wrench. I’ve also never had one slip off, round a bolt head, or break while doing this, even with ratcheting box end being a 12 point.

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