Halfords Pro flexi-ratchet spanners?

[embee]

I could do with some flexi-head ratchet spanners, anyone had experience of the Halfords Pro ones?

I actually did a reserve/collect on some the other week when Halfords had a 15% discount offer, only to turn up at the store and they couldn't find any!

They have a set currently at £30 which covers everything I would want, I could spend a lot more for Britool or Blue-point Snappy ones but is there any point? I'm not using them a lot, just those annoying awkward occasions, the other Hal-Pro stuff I've had has been good, just wondered about the flexi bit. Advice welcome.

[the_lone_wolf]

I've have them - they feel well put together and they have a lifetime warranty - but iirc this doesn't cover the moving parts

Still, Halfords have been very good when I've taken a couple of bits back, without a receipt...

Halfords pro stuff is good kit in my experience, used their ratchet spanners many times and would highly reccomend, I know my Dad has the flexi-head ones as well, not had much call to use them myself to be honest but they seem solid enough and he likes em.

I have a Halfords set. Haven't had any problems with them to date. Strong enough to do any job I want on the bike. The Pro stuff has a lifetime guarantee anyway.

[tigersaw]

I have a set of the flexi head 5 degree ones, but not double ended, the single ended ones, code 282046-0 they are currently £80 but they hit the sale at £40 every few weeks. They are very good.

[Swin]

I'll keep an eye out - I've been looking in there for the 24mm ratchet spanner and it's never in stock in my local one.
My dad's very kind and lets me look at his though - even though he won't let me borrow it!

[Sid Squid]

If you do get them only make sparing use of them and only where really needed - I have heard several reports of the mechansim letting go at quite modest torques. Age and use do not seem to be the overriding factors.
I don't doubt Halfords' willingness to do the decent thing should you present them with a broken one, but that will be too late for your knuckles.

To be entirely fair this applies to any brand of ratchet spanner.

[embee]

That's a good point well made.

I wonder what make the broken ones were though, there are loads of unbranded (and therefore from China, India or similar) sets on fleabay which must do the rounds and get abused.

I'd only use a ratchet (including a socket set ratchet handle) for relatively low torque applications. I've had a couple of instances recently with brake calipers on cars where they use patchlok bolts and you can't get a socket directly on them without removing other stuff (handbrake cable brackets, dampers etc). Loosen off with a ring spanner, but then need a ratchet to wind them out 10 or 15 turns against the patch. It can be worked round but that's the perfect application.

It's not life and death stuff, I'm just pondering whether to pay the extra for Blue-point Snap-ons, I can get a similar set for a bit over twice the price of Hal-pro, or will it be overkill? The upside would of course be that Snappies fetch very good prices used on fleabay if I did decide they weren't needed in future (but I do hoard these things). I've got a few pretty old imperial Snappy ratchet spanners, the built-up ones, and they do feel bomb-proof. Are the new ones as good as they used to be?

Hmmm.

i got the flexi-head combo ratchet spanners for £24 quid. Good set and took a bashing today and asked for more.

Even if the moving parts break you can sometimes still take them back and they will refund because they just see lifetime guarentee and give it.

To me unless you really use them day in day out then i wouldn't bother.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by embee

I wonder what make the broken ones were though,

They're the Halfords ones in question.

Originally Posted by embee

I'd only use a ratchet (including a socket set ratchet handle) for relatively low torque applications.

Now that's good advice - I see ratchets abused so often and frankly it worries me how people lean on them. That's what breaker bars are for.