BF Deal: Ryobi 18v 3/8" drive Ratchet Kit P344 P118B P189

[mccutter]

BF Deal: Ryobi 18v 3/8" drive Ratchet P344, with charger P118B and 1.5Ah 18v battery P189.

Picked this set up online for $89 from Home Depot. Ratchet alone was $79 so for another $10 with free shipping I got a "trickle" charger and lightweight "baby" battery along with it. I've had a need for a battery-op ratchet and this fit the bill. HF had a Bauer (or whatever) with skinny battery for $100ish and Milky and Dewey have their own sans battery for $150ish? Price was a bit of a factor as I am already vested in Ryobi "ONE+" 18v batteries. (about a dozen...)

Seems to work OK but I don't have anything to test the torque yet. Trigger is variable which is nice. Lawyer switch that locks the paddle can be turned to "unlocked"--a necessity. Head can be rotated in four 90^ positions. Came with a 3" extension which stores near the battery in a well-designed hole complete with friction rollers to keep the extension in place. Has a spot for a hook near the battery not that I'll be hanging it from my belt... About the only drawback is the honkin' big battery but I don't think it will pose any more issue than an air hose would... The battery also helps it stand upright as a counter-balance.

Speaking of batteries, I've been buying a 2-pack of 4Ah every BF for the past several years. The last two years I bought the 2-pack of black batteries for $80/2 but just now noticed they are called "Lithium" vs "Lithium+"... I always felt they didn't seem "right" so this years 2-pack is going back... The old bait and switch... I missed a 2-pack of 6Ah "Lithium+" for $130 online "cyber-Monday". Put them in my cart, went back an hour later to purchase and they had sold out... Not that I need them, really...

[digr]

link

[mccutter]

I had a small need for the ratchet so I tested it on a couple nuts I needed to tighten. Couldn't really torque them down because the application did not call for it.

Right off the bat I noticed a somewhat major shortcoming and that is that the battery offsets toward the paddle. So tightening a bolt on a flat surface would require the included extension to approach it at 90^. Sure, you can rotate the head position, but the paddle will move in relation to the head so if you rotate the head 180^ for battery clearance, you are pressing the paddle with your palm instead of squeezing with your fingers.

I put it next to my good ol' Chicago Pneumatic 3/8" that I used to use every day back in the wrench-turning days. Note the exhaust towards the head and easy-spin direction knob. The paddle allowed feathering of rotation but many a time it also got wedged on in a tight location jamming my knuckles into the radiator or other sharpness! Have to use the other hand to unplug the air hose to get my hand out... Good times!

CP is next to some extensions I will probably return ($10). They are not anything I can't replicate with adapter and extension already...

PS: that is a leash that pops in the battery hole to hang the ratchet with...

Also shown is another CP, but this is a HF "Central Pneumatics" 1/4". The "on-off" air switch is dead and it was a cheapy that lasted a month or so. I also have a cheapy HF 3/8" that spins as soon as you plug in the air hose...

Note the difference between the sizes of heads. The Ryobi head has been turned 90^. Ryobi also makes a 1/4" drive version of the ratchet although I'm not sure if it comes with an extension. The head size appears the same. I have 90 days to return it so that will give me time to thrash it to see if it will last 30 years like the CP has...

[digr]

Can't you just rotate the head?

[MetalWolf]

Originally Posted by mccutter

I had a small need for the ratchet so I tested it on a couple nuts I needed to tighten. Couldn't really torque them down because the application did not call for it.

Right off the bat I noticed a somewhat major shortcoming and that is that the battery offsets toward the paddle. So tightening a bolt on a flat surface would require the included extension to approach it at 90^. Sure, you can rotate the head position, but the paddle will move in relation to the head so if you rotate the head 180^ for battery clearance, you are pressing the paddle with your palm instead of squeezing with your fingers.

I put it next to my good ol' Chicago Pneumatic 3/8" that I used to use every day back in the wrench-turning days. Note the exhaust towards the head and easy-spin direction knob. The paddle allowed feathering of rotation but many a time it also got wedged on in a tight location jamming my knuckles into the radiator or other sharpness! Have to use the other hand to unplug the air hose to get my hand out... Good times!

CP is next to some extensions I will probably return ($10). They are not anything I can't replicate with adapter and extension already...

PS: that is a leash that pops in the battery hole to hang the ratchet with...

Also shown is another CP, but this is a HF "Central Pneumatics" 1/4". The "on-off" air switch is dead and it was a cheapy that lasted a month or so. I also have a cheapy HF 3/8" that spins as soon as you plug in the air hose...

Note the difference between the sizes of heads. The Ryobi head has been turned 90^. Ryobi also makes a 1/4" drive version of the ratchet although I'm not sure if it comes with an extension. The head size appears the same. I have 90 days to return it so that will give me time to thrash it to see if it will last 30 years like the CP has...

I'll have to look at the pair I bought from Orileys ( Impact and ratch) been good to me both 3/8" and very compact " No battery" in the way of how you use it they were 49 and 69 bucks... com in handy for small engine and other automotive uses... and the battery seems to last a few days pending how heavy a use but also has a quick charger usually 30min to 1 hour depending on how dead ya run it... and are an off the wall brand was a bit skeptical about them but turned out to be very useful... but I'm not looking to break head bolts, lug nuts or, tranny bolts with them either...

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by digr

Can't you just rotate the head?

Yes, but it puts the paddle in an unorthodox location. I'm used to the paddle being on the side where the socket is... I'm nit-picking here but have other tools such as a right-angle drill where the battery pivots instead of the head.

They do have this Husky "Special Buy" for $60. LINK My attraction with the Ryobi is I already have a bunch of batteries for it with at least a few being somewhat fully charged all the time. Pop a battery in and go to work...

[Mooney1el]

Just as an FYI, I ordered the two pack of 4 ah, Lithium One +, batteries this morning for local pick-up, $79. I picked them up about two hours later and they were as advertised: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P145/306703572

[MetalWolf]

Hers are the links to the ones u picked up they are 12v but last several days use unless really hard use...

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...tt0002/5687998

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...e+impact&pos=2

Both are decent and compact and have plenty of power
and my son bought this one and I was surprised it brakes heavy bolts loose on transmission bell housing bolts and motor mounts even rod cap bolts on 454 chevy engine we tor down.
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...e+impact&pos=0

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by Mooney1el

Just as an FYI, I ordered the two pack of 4 ah, Lithium One +, batteries this morning for local pick-up, $79. I picked them up about two hours later and they were as advertised: https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-18...P145/306703572

Those were the "bait and switch" black housing I mentioned above. Not that I've had ANY problems with them, nor do I have any testing type of info on them, but something MUST be different if they list 2 different 4Ah styles.

In other Black Friday purchasing, I got this breaker bar set for $20. I haven't decided if I will be returning them yet... My main issue is: Look at the size of the box they shipped them in! Holy Minimum Wage, Batman! And because it was just "floating" in the box amidst some packing paper, it still bent a corner of the package...

PS: keep in mind I ordered a number of items and was perfectly fine with them all shipping at the same time...

Expect corporate waste like this to continue as long as there are lock-downs and yet there are continued calls for higher minimum wage. All the "worthy" workers are sitting on their ass collecting unemployment probably working somewhere under the table... I know in my neck of the woods there are PLENTY of jobs out there--seriously!

[mccutter]

My local store did not have these and they are not available online. They will tell you store availability online if you enter your zipcode or similar. I happened to be passing by a store in my travels today that I knew had them. I thought they were all worth the $10 each they are getting for them. I suggest you pick up some for yourself or as gifts.

The pick tools and scrapers are decent and the handles are comfortable. The packaging was a little tough to get into...

The tie downs I chose instead of a $6 or $7 4-pack they had in orange. I have plenty of those. PLUS they came with a carry bag which is what sold me! The only downfall is they were screwed to the cardboard with some #3PH (on other side) thumbscrews. The screws left sharp holes in the buckles that will need to be addressed. Glass half-full the screws are 1/4-20 knurled and have many uses so they gotta be worth a buck or two...

The headlamps are Christmas gifts early to the younguns'.

Still waiting on a couple Husky wrench racks for $15.

In related tool investments today, I picked up the Lisle trim tool to complement my 30+ yo Snappy. Made in US (still)... GearWrench tool truck happened to pop in for another guy so I supported the little guy. Tool was $18.