Tool Review: Snap-on Extra-Long 3/8” Drive Ratchet
The Snap-on Extra-Long 3/8" Drive Ratchet, No. FLL80, provides technicians with access to difficult-to-reach fasteners and tight-access areas where a 1/2" drive won't fit. The 17-1/2" long ratchet reaches 7" longer than the company's long handled ratchet. The Dual 80 ratchet design features an 80-tooth gear with dual pawls, which engage seven teeth at all times. The sealed head keeps lubricants in, and contaminants out, which can lead to a longer tool life. This product also comes in a soft grip version (No. FHLL80).
The review
When additional torque or access to a restricted space was needed, both Lou Fort, lead technician at K.A.R.S. Inc. in Huntingburg, Ind., and Phil Fournier, owner of Phil’s Auto Clinic in Hemet, Calif., found the Snap-on Extra-Long 3/8” Drive Ratchet made work effortless.
“I like the 3/8” drive, the high tooth count and extra length of the handle,” Fort says, also noting that changing the direction of the ratcheting mechanism is done with ease. “Having a cushioned grip takes some of the strain and pain out of my hand when really pulling hard. The grip also provides a better hold with oily hands.”
“The extra-long handle and very precise, super-fine ratchet allows one to access very tight bolts, etc., that otherwise would require disassembly to get to,” Fournier adds.
Fournier says the tool, which requires no set-up, is easy to use. “However, the extra-long handle makes it impractical for some applications where a normal length ratchet or flex head is preferable,” he says. “It is not a ratchet for every application. It is more of a specialty tool for those very tight fasteners in inconvenient locations.”
Fournier used the tool to remove cooler line fittings from a radiator in a 5.3L Chevy pickup. “There is no room between the fan shroud and the air filter box to click a conventional ratchet. Plus, the threads have Loctite on them, which makes them very hard to remove,” he explains. “This tool is just the thing for that kind of application.”
“Ditto for the timing belt tensioner on a PT Cruiser where there is just no room to get an impact wrench in the tight space, and the fasteners tend to be very tight,” Fournier adds. “The long handle, coupled with the need to move the handle only a very few degrees to get another click on the ratchet, is very handy.”
Fort says he employed the easy-to-use tool on brake work and servicing the accessory drive belt. “With the FHLL80, I am able to break caliper stand hardware loose that I had previously been using a 1/2" drive for. The length of the handle has also shown it’s worth working with automatic belt tensioners.”
Fort has owned the FLL80 since it was first introduced but appreciated the Comfort Grip on the FHLL80, noting it adds about a 1/2” to the overall length. Fournier has used a shorter version of this tool, but says the FHLL80 has “a good deal more torque.”
“This is an excellent tool for the applications requiring lots of torque in a very tight space,” Fournier says. “It is a great tool for a limited number of jobs. The handle is too long so as to be clumsy for typical work not requiring the added torque. I don’t use it on every job.”
For the jobs that require extra leverage, the Snap-on Extra-Long 3/8” Drive Ratchet drew rave reviews. “The FHLL80 ratchet has saved me time on several jobs due to its long handle and Dual 80 tooth gear head,” says Fort. “The Dual 80 tooth head takes on the extra load given to it from its 17-1/2” long handle with ease.”
