Halfords Professional tools

[Big G]

Hello all

I had a few tools for Christmas off the relatives and bought myself a tool chest to keep them all in. My mum bought me a 1/2" and 3/8" ratchet from Halfords professional range. The 1/2" ratchet is super and couldn't fault it, but the 3/8" one is a little troublesome.

If you're familiar with the mk4 golf you'll know behind the door card is a inner skin which is secured to the actual door with short 10mm bolts. Hardly mega torque on those! After undoing 2 with my brand new ratchet I noticed the mechanism on it was locked up solid. like it had become a breaker bar lol. It wouldn't turn either way and the directional 'switch' was stuck solid too. After using it in the do up rotation it free'd the mech up and normal operation resumed. But this locked up once again undoing the next 10mm bolt.

I returned this to the store on the Saturday and I was told I'd need to buy the £4.99 ratchet repair kit. I was somewhat gobsmacked that I was being told I needed to spend another £5er to repair the ratchet I'd used once. After speaking with the manager though he informed the sales assistant it was in fact covered for 12months so a straight swap out was done with a new piece from the cabinet. This one promptly locked up undoing a 13mm bolt yesterday...

Does anyone else use their tools and had any problems? I have the spanners, ratchet spanners and sockets and think they are great quality, yet this 1 3/8" ratchet seems a nightmare. Maybe it was a bad batch?

[davegt3]

im a truck and plant mechanic and i use a lot of halfords ratchets etc and have never had a problem

[Pops]

Had my own garage from 95 to 2000 and found the halfords prof range excellent..Did hear they use cheap manufacture these days though, Sign of the times maybe

[Big G]

I love their tools generally. the spanners I have look and feel very much like the snap on ones I've used in the past (not mine though).

It might just be a bad batch or something. it's like the direction switch bit is maybe moving too far and jamming up the cog?

[davegt3]

i no there new etc but have you tried putting some oil on the ratchet mechanism?

[Big G]

it's packed with grease at the moment

[racingdwarf]

Halfords stuff pro stuff used to be sykes pickvant(spelling?) that was ok from what I heard,maybe its a copy from china these days? Take it back,if your not happy ask for your money back and go buy a draper one,I have had draper rachets for years working on tractors so not the best enviroment and they are working fine...and there cheep....and look like snapon

[Big G]

yeah I'll be taking it back shortly when I get time

[matthew]

I've got the full range of ratchets and tourqe wrenches and have had no problem, I to have a mk4 golf and used 3/8 ratchet to to get the inner skin off to get to the door lock mechanism (nightmare of a job), I have had them for a while now though so was from a different batch.

[Col]

I have had a lot of halfrauds pro tools in the past and have found them superb. They used to have a lifetime guarantee on them. Is this not the case anymore?

[Big G]

yeah the lifetime still stands. the tool just keeps failing on 1st use that's all. I have no problem with anything else they sell. just these 3/8" ratchets seem to be problematic.

[MikePimlott]

We have a Halfords discount card and we all have a massive prof socket set each. Owned them for about 3 years now without a problem, and they was lifetime guarantee anyway.

Dont buy their screwdrivers though lol

[colmo]

Originally Posted by Big G

I returned this to the store on the Saturday and I was told I'd need to buy the £4.99 ratchet repair kit. I was somewhat gobsmacked that I was being told I needed to spend another £5er to repair the ratchet I'd used once. After speaking with the manager though he informed the sales assistant it was in fact covered for 12months so a straight swap out was done with a new piece from the cabinet. This one promptly locked up undoing a 13mm bolt yesterday...

Stunning that anyone working in retail, even a menial shop bod, doesn't know the Sale of Goods Act.