Choosing yours
More than any other tool, a ratchet can last you a lifetime. Quality ratchets could be serviced inexpensively therefore should never degrade. Sockets are interchangeable because they are all standard. Buy the best ratchet you are able, even if you get inexpensive sockets to start out with.
Socket release
Sockets will be held onto the ratchet utilizing a bit of spring-loaded ball on the side of the square travel. After applying a whole lot of induce, I’ve often found sockets get stuck on the drive and the only path to have them off is to hammer the ratchet on the floor or even grip it in a vice. Top quality ratchets include a button on the back which effortlessly pushes off the socket when you are ready to release it.
1/4 in . – Used for smaller sockets and precision work. Valuable for dismantling individual parts on the bench.
3/8 inch – The middle sized, and for me, most readily useful size for standard use on a car. A 3/8″ drive can drive sockets of all sizes. It is big enough to apply a great deal of force, but not too big to match into tight spaces
1/2 inch – 1/2″ sockets are usually used for nuts and bolts from around 10mm and up. A 1/2″ drive socket can apply enough force to undo all nuts on an automobile.
There are also 3/4″ and 1″ ratchets 
but these are being used on trucks, tanks and commercial machinery.
Tooth count
Inside a ratchet there exists a toothed wheel which lets it freely rotate as you tighten the nut. Each simply click you hear is definitely a tooth passing the ratchet. The more tooth there are, the a lesser amount of movement is needed on the go back stroke. A ratchet with 75 teeth will work considerably faster when compared to a 32-tooth ratchet. Making substantial tooth-counts requires top quality engineering and manufacturing, so as a general guide the better top quality tools will have a higher tooth count.
Drive sizes
socket-drive-sizes
All ratchets accept sockets utilizing a square travel and mostly there are 3 sizes of drive. All around the Ratchets Wheel environment these sizes receive in inches – even when the sockets will be metric.