You’ve promised to get the job done within 24 hours. All you need to do is just tight up some bolts after the final touch. But it seems, even after 28 hours of total effort, you’re just halfway there.
Feels like a sweaty wave running down through the neck? Don’t worry; it’s still in the imagination world.
But what if it was happening for real and just because you chose the wrong wrench? Well, when it’s about socket wrench Vs ratchet, and you go with the wrong one, the next thing you’ll see coming is the speed curve of your work going down fast.
So what about getting a clear comparison of both of them? After all, isn’t it what you need so that you can pick up your right one without regretting it? Let’s get started then.
Socket Wrench
Yes, we know what you’re thinking. Aren’t they clearly meant to do the same job? Well, yes, they do. But aren’t cycles too made to take us from one place to another? Then why do you use the car for? To reach there faster! The same thing goes for ratchet and socket wrench too.
Basically, a socket wrench comes with the option to use interchangeable heads that are quite convenient to switch, which we call sockets by the way. This wrench can be used on almost any nuts and bolts, depending on the size of the socket you’re using. It sounds like a day saver, doesn’t it?
Generally, they’re considered as one of the finest tools used for engine and component repairing. As they come with a certain set of sockets, it’s tough to mess up the job with it.
Moreover, if you’re missing the feature of the reversing, then the socket wrenches can pull that off too. But we ain’t going to make you feel bored with the details yet as we’re saving it for the next segment.
Ratchet Wrench
We’ve already told you earlier that the function of a socket and ratcheting wrench is actually the same. But what makes the ratchet wrench different is an unchangeable head with ratcheting pawls within. And yes, it has another open-end head, too, on the other side.
The wrench allows the user to spin it in one direction. But whenever you’ll feel like you need some rotation in the opposite direction, all you have to do is flip it on the other side.
Comparison: Socket Wrench vs Ratchet
How can you even call it a comparison if you can’t even find out what is differentiating them from each other? Well, let us handle that part. Though Socket Wrench and Ratchet are made to do the same thing, they’ve got their differences too.
So, when you’re planning to pick one of them, then it’s better to know which one can serve you better will all those nuts and bolts. Enough with the chit-chat. Let’s jump into the comparison then?
Ease of Usage
No matter how awesome a tool looks in the first place, if it gives you a hard time while using it, you can count it as something closer to a waste. Now the question is which one is more convenient when it comes to actual application.
Well, the socket wrench is probably going to win the lap this time. Because when you’ll be handling tasks in a rush, you might not have any time to waste in finding the right sized wrench. So, if you’re trying to look for the perfect-sized ratchet at that time, there’s a high chance of you losing some precious minutes there.
But if you go with the socket wrench, all you need to do is pick the right socket from the set and add it to the wrench. The whole process might take a few seconds, but we bet you’ve got that much time in your hand.
Portability
In a general sense, non-of them are hard to carry. But to be honest, this is the part that we call “tricky.” That’s because they both are easy and hard to carry at the same time. Didn’t get it?
Well, when you’re certain about the size of the bolt that you’re going to handle in any other place, you can simply put the ratchet wrench for that size in your bag. Once you get the job done, simply put it back in place. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
But if there’s any chance of you dealing with a variety there, then you better get the socket wrench as carrying the entire set of wrenches is a bit hard. Moreover, if you compare a set of wrenches and a single one, we guess you can easily understand where it’s all going.
Storage
Have you ever seen a complete set of ratchet wrenches? Just Google it if you haven’t. The first thing you’ll probably see is a ton of different wrenches synchronized on the basis of their size.
Another thing that you’ll probably notice is they’re kept in a wider area. That can be a table or a board on the wall too. That’s because the right size is hard to find when you’re throwing all of them in a box. This means you’re going to need a wider space to store them if you like to keep them synchronized.
But when it comes to the socket wrench, they’re prone to eat up less of your space. Keeping them in a small bag or box will be more than enough to keep it all together. And sockets? You won’t have to struggle too much to find them out. By the way, try not to lose them.
Versatility
Wait a minute! Are you waiting to see a difference here too? Then we better not disappoint you. If you’ve got a ratchet on your hand, the only thing you can do with it is tightening up a bolt or nut.
But when what you’re holding is a socket wrench, then doesn’t matter you wish for a wrench or a screwdriver, you’re going to get both of them.
Price
Isn’t it the first thing you think of right after feeling the need for a new wrench in your garage? Now the question is which one is going to dig a deeper hole in your pocket.
If we start with the ratchet, the single one might not hurt your pocket that much. But when you’ll go for the set, you need to be ready to spend some thick bucks to get a complete one. The good side of this wrench is you can get them with different varieties on wrench number, and the price will vary on the basis of that.
Now comes the socket one. Well, calling it ‘all in one’ won’t be anything wrong as you can use them anytime just with the change of socket. If you go for the full set, it’ll cost a bit high but not as much as the entire set of a ratchet wrench. So, it looks like socket wrench won this round too.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Socket Wrench vs Ratchet
Indeed they’re different than each other. But come on! We all know they’re designed for kind of the same job, and they’ve got their own pros and cons too. So, if we start to focus on the bright side each of them has something common and better to offer. Want to know what they are? Check them out below.
By the way, these are meant to make it easier for you to make the decision in case you need a clear view of the good and bad sides of both.
Socket Wrench
It’s time to check out what the socket wrench got in its list of pros and cons. But before we jump there, let us tell you first that socket wrenches come with almost every advantage you can get from a ratchet wrench.
Pros
- The sockets are what we call the major advantage of the socket wrench. As it comes with a set of sockets, you can change them instantly within a few blinks of your eye.
- Having a better grip is indeed another good aspect of the socket wrench. We ain’t saying the other wrenches are any less. But for maximizing the precision, this kind of grip is really helpful.
- Socket wrenches literally cover the entire bolt while tightening it. So, there’s zero chance of you slipping there. As it doesn’t slip, getting the work done within a short time gets much easier.
- It eliminates the hazard of spinning in one direction only. With the lever on the top, you won’t even have to take out the wrench and still can rotate in any direction you want.
- Unlike the other wrenches, if you’ll have to deal with different sized bolts and nuts, you won’t have to buy the entire wrench. All you need to do is buy the socket only.
Cons
- As the sockets are part of the set and they’re a high chance of you losing them if you don’t keep them organized.
- You can’t measure how much pressure you’re putting in as for some sensitive machines that part matters the most.
Ratchet Wrench
Let’s get started with the ratchet first. After all, this one stepped into the game earlier.
Pros
- Unlike the traditional wrench, the last thing you’ll have to take a headache on is removing and resetting the wrench again and again. We bet you find it as a perfect source of irritation when you have to waste tons of time on just one bolt or nut.
- Not all the size of the nuts and bolts is going to be the same. That’s why ratchet wrenches come with a variety of 6 and 12-point heads. So, rather than getting confused there, all you need to do is just pick the right one.
- At a glance, you probably have started to imaging that there’s nothing that a socket wrench can’t pull off like the ratchet. Well, in that case, you probably haven’t noticed the tighter spaces that a right-sized ratchet can reach. All thanks go to its thinner profile for making it possible.
- Some of the ratcheting wrenches come with a flex head. So, when you need to put the force from a different angle, that’s not going to be a problem.
Cons
- The first thing that might piss you off is the larger diameter. When you’re trying to fix up a bolt where the ceiling isn’t high enough from the bolt, then diameter might make the job a bit tougher.
- It comes with a possibility where the bolts might slip off while tightening them, especially those with no extra edge.
- You’ll have to buy an entire wrench if the existing one doesn’t fit your bolts and nuts.
- Most of them can spin in one way only.
Final Words
You’re not a new player in the game, and you know much the right tool can influence the accuracy of the whole job even when you go for comparison on socket wrench Vs ratchet, you still will have to pick the one that will get you the most of it.
Now you know almost everything you need on your information list to go for one of these wrenches. So, it’s your time to decide which one you’d like to have to tighten up all those bolts and nuts.
Related Post – How to Use a Ratchet Wrench
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