Ratchet spanner question?

[IAmATeaf]

After replacing the AC condenser in my car last week I realised how much I need a set of ratcheting spanners so went off looking at a few reviews and found a couple where they insisted that it being reversible via switch/lever was a must. One guy even said as he tightened up in a tight spot it got to a point where he couldn't get the spanner out as it wasn't reversible so had to cut the spanner/bolt out.

I personally can't understand this as if you're tightening or loosening then surely the spanner can be clicked back on the ratchet so how would you end up in a situation where reversing it would have helped.

Sorry if this is a really daft question but my brain just cannot compute

 

[sambos1234]

If you're in a too tight of a spot you can't click it back because you've tightened a bit too much, if you reverse it you can loosen slightly and jiggle the spanner off.

 

[Amoeba]

Although I bet if it was so tight that it wouldn't click back on the ratchet, it also wouldn't let you flick the reverse lever

 

[Zack101]

It depends on the type of spanner, some you have to take off and turn over to reverse the direction which you can't do if there's no room to get the spanner off.

 

[andy_mk3]

I've used non-reversible ones as a mechanic for the past 4 years, I don't recall ever getting one stuck! Although I have used the reversible ones and they are better, especially if you can change the angle of it too.

Depends how much you want to pay for what you get.

 

[rodenal]

Ratchet spanners are great, especially the ones that give a little bit of angle adjustment but I have never, ever needed one that's reversible by switch. I just cant see how you could get into a situation where it was required unless it was the wrong tool to be using

 

[Matt82]

If you've got it stuck with the ratchet on tension, even if you have a flip reverse you still won't free it with the reverse.

 

[Zack101]

Ratchet spanners are great, especially the ones that give a little bit of angle adjustment but I have never, ever needed one that's reversible by switch. I just cant see how you could get into a situation where it was required unless it was the wrong tool to be using

Trust me it's quite possible, if for instance you are undoing a nut on an engine mounting and there is limited space to say a chassis leg. You can undo the nut so far but the spanner comes up against the chassis but isn't undone enough for the nut to come off. What you going to do? You cant do the nut back up again if you don't have a reverse switch. You just have to be aware that it can happen and be careful.

 

[Firestar_3x]

If you can get access to the back of the spaner then you hit it with a hammer to free it from the nut / bolt.

I've got all shapes of ratchet spanners: fixed heads, swivel, banana and they have all been fantastic couldn't live without them.

 

[ZG002]

Trust me it's quite possible, if for instance you are undoing a nut on an engine mounting and there is limited space to say a chassis leg. You can undo the nut so far but the spanner comes up against the chassis but isn't undone enough for the nut to come off. What you going to do? You cant do the nut back up again if you don't have a reverse switch. You just have to be aware that it can happen and be careful.

How not? if it's too lose to work the ratchet then you are doing the nut up again, if it's too tight then the ratchet will engage, confused.

 

[Zack101]

How not? if it's too lose to work the ratchet then you are doing the nut up again, if it's too tight then the ratchet will engage, confused.

Sorry my fault, not explaining it very well. I was talking about the benefit of having a reverse lever over one that you have to take off the nut and turn over to reverse the ratchet.

 

[Dr Who]

How not? if it's too lose to work the ratchet then you are doing the nut up again, if it's too tight then the ratchet will engage, confused.

Because you need to wind the nut back on to get the clearence to remove the spanner.

However, this situation should never arise, as if there is enough room for the spanner to go in, and the nut to come off, then you either continue to undo till the nut falls away leaving the nut and the spanner free, this is only ever a problem if the nut has a circular base so the spanner wont slide over the nut completely.

If it does then you just need to forward plan

 

[IAmATeaf]

I think I get the nut/spanner getting stuck, so it would all depend if the top of the nut had so little clearance that the extra height of the spanner on the nut would result it getting stuck before the nut came off.