How to Use a Ratchet Wrench | Useful Guidelines for Car Lovers

Ratchet wrenches are effective tools that have ratcheting devices in it. It is a female driver part that is fixed with fasteners to help in the easy rotation. Ratchet wrenches allow you to work with great ease, especially in tight areas. The purpose of this type of wrench is to tighten, readjust, remove, and loosen bolts, nuts, screws, and even mechanical caps and casings without changing the wrench position. In a Garage, you should keep different basic tools like, toque wrenches, ratchet wrench, screwdrivers, torx bits for doing all types of maintenance job. To help you learn how to use a ratchet wrench, an explanation of every single step is given in the upcoming part.

How to Use a Ratchet Wrench

1. Socket Selection

The ratchet sockets are available in many sizes. You have to choose the right air ratchet that suits your working requirements. For instance, the socket diameter is smaller than it should be; it will fail to hold the fastener. This is why experts recommend that selection of sockets is of utmost importance because, without its proper selection, you cannot fulfil your task.

2. Attachment with Ratchet

For most of the work, around 10-14 sockets can serve the purpose. You have to attach all of them with the ratchet. The drive square of sockets and ratchet must be the same. If they do not fit well, you can use an adaptor to attach them properly. It is also possible that you buy the one in which this connection is already there and you do not need to do this step at all.

3. Selection of Rotation Direction

The start-shape of the socket backside controls the direction of the ratchet wrench. You can lock this direction as per requirements. This means that either set it to move clockwise or anticlockwise. As it is quite effective for both left- and right-hand users, keep in mind that the direction has to be according to that. Otherwise, you cannot complete the task.

4. Socket Placement

You have to buy the socket wrench that has a lock feature in it. This is because sometimes the socket and ratchets have loose attachment and they may fall off. However, if the lock button is there, you can completely control the ratchet movement all the time. After this, the socket is ready to tighten or loosen the nuts. You need to place it properly over the nut to avoid slipping it away. This mistake can cause injury, so be very careful.

5. Turning the Fastener

This is the step where real work begins. The ratchet uses one direction movement to rotate the nuts. For instance, you move it from up to down, this will not allow any nut movement. This is how magical the ratchet wrenches are, and that is now working with them is so easy. You need to continue with this step till the finishing point of loosening or fastening all the nuts.

6. Turn off the Lock

At the start, the socket has a lock for proper use. But at this point, you need to turn off the lock of your socket. It is a safety measure that is very important. You have to do it after completing your work. Without doing it, you will not be able to detach the socket from the wrench. So, ever skip or ignore this point at all.

7. Remove the Socket

As you go through all the above steps quite successfully, this is the time to open the socket. If you are using average quality ratchets, then the removal of the socket will require more force than usual. Push a little from an angle, and this will hopefully do the job for you. After this, the driver square will come out. However, in case you are using a high-end ratchet, instead of driver square, you will observe the release of a spring.

8. Finalization

Before you think about getting a ratchet wrench for your personal or professional use, learn what a ratchet tool is and its working principle. You have to learn every step of its use. This learning is important to take care of the tool, and that is how it will last for a long time. In the end, when everything is complete, remove, and clean the ratchet wrench to store at a safe place. You will observe that the durability of this equipment will be more than your expectations.

Precautionary Measures While Using Ratchet Wrench

You have learned the uses of a ratchet wrench, but that is not enough at all. You need to also learn the precautionary measures during doing maintenance job. They will help you keep yourself safe from injury, and protect the tool from damage.

Following are some of the cautions you need to consider while using this equipment:

● Always avoid the use of ratchet wrenches that are broken. It can prove to be very dangerous and risky for the user.

● The socket size is of great importance so always buy the perfect fit for the wrench.

● Never use an old wrench. Its material may be torn out with time, so never take the risk of using such a tool.

● The pressure you put on the handling range needs to be average. Never put more than enough force on it.

● Do not skip the instructional manual that comes with the tool. You have to reach all the guidelines and follow them completely.

● Add oil into the machine now and then. The gear and bearings will work properly with this precautionary measure.

Conclusion

We hope that now you have thorough knowledge about how to use a ratchet wrench. Even though you are not a professional, basic information about these wrenches is always useful. You need this tool from time to time, so never mind if you learn in detail about how to use a ratchet. With this, you will be able to serve your problems very well.