Chicago Pneumatic Air Ratchet Wrenches
Eight pneumatic ratchet models in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 in. drive. An air ratchet does what a socket wrench does, faster, in the same tight space — low-profile head, reversible in the palm, no battery to charge. From the $133 CP886 to the heavy-duty CP7830H.
The short version
Buy by drive size and duty: 1/4 in. (CP824, CP825C, CP826, CP9426) for interior, trim, and electronics fasteners; 3/8 in. for engine-bay and bracket work; 1/2 in. (CP886, CP828, CP7829, CP7830H) for suspension and driveline. The CP7830H has the highest breakaway at 90 ft-lb. All eight are in the ratchet wrenches category; when the fastener is seized, reach for an impact wrench instead. Questions — 1-888-883-5144.
Chicago Pneumatic Air Ratchets, 1/4 to 1/2 in. Drive
Every model CP builds, cheapest to strongest — pick the drive size that matches your sockets and the clearance you fight most.
The whole ratchet line
Air ratchets shine where impact guns cannot fit and hand ratchets take too long: bell housings, engine bays, interior brackets. Composite housings keep the light models near 1 lb; the CP7829 and CP7830H add sealed heads and higher breakaway for fleet duty.
3/8 & 1/2 in. Drive · Value
50 ft-lb loosening
The value pick when a bay needs several ratchets at once.
Drive size
1/4 in. Drive
12 ft-lb loosening
Small-fastener work — interior trim, panels, electronics assembly.
Drive size
1/4 & 3/8 in. Drive · Composite
26 ft-lb loosening
Composite housing keeps weight down for overhead and extended work.
Drive size
3/8 & 1/2 in. Drive
52 ft-lb loosening
General service-bay ratchet for engine-bay and undercar fasteners.
Drive size
1/4 & 3/8 in. Drive · Composite
26 ft-lb loosening
Light composite body for precision work in tight interior spaces.
Drive size
3/8 & 1/2 in. Drive · Heavy Duty
70 ft-lb loosening
Heavier-duty ratchet for fleet and truck fastener work.
Drive size
1/4 & 3/8 in. Drive
16 ft-lb loosening
Fine control on small fasteners you do not want to shear.
Drive size
3/8 & 1/2 in. Drive · Top of Line
90 ft-lb loosening
The strongest breakaway in the CP ratchet line.
Drive size
Air Ratchets — Common Questions
What is an air ratchet used for?
The same jobs as a hand socket wrench — running fasteners in and out — but powered, so a bolt that takes thirty wrist strokes spins out in seconds. The head profile stays low enough for engine bays, bell housings, and interior brackets where an impact gun physically will not fit. Final torque still comes from your hand or a torque wrench: an air ratchet is a speed tool, not a breakaway tool.
Air ratchet or impact wrench?
Different jobs. The ratchet is for access and speed on cooperative fasteners; the impact wrench is for breakaway force on seized ones. A 1/2 in. air ratchet tops out around 90 ft-lb of loosening torque — a 1/2 in. impact gun delivers five to ten times that. Most bays own both and grab whichever the fastener demands.
How much torque does an air ratchet have?
The CP line runs from 12 ft-lb of loosening torque on the 1/4 in. CP824 to 90 ft-lb on the CP7830H. That is enough to spin out most engine-bay and bracket fasteners once cracked loose, and little enough that you will not shear small bolts. Free speeds run 150-300 rpm — the point is controlled speed, not violence.
How much air does an air ratchet need?
Around 3-4 CFM at 90 psi in typical intermittent use — almost any shop compressor keeps up, and even a modest portable will run one. Exact figures are on each product page. Keep the tool oiled through the inlet; a drop of air-tool oil a day is the cheapest life insurance a ratchet gets.
Which CP air ratchet should I buy first?
For a general service bay, the 3/8 in. CP828 or the value CP886 covers the most fasteners for the least money. Add a 1/4 in. (CP824 or CP825C) if you do interior or electronics work, and step to the CP7829 or CP7830H when truck and fleet fasteners are the daily diet. At these prices many shops simply buy a pair.
Need Help Picking an Air Ratchet?
All eight CP ratchet models are stocked in Denver. Call for drive-size advice or volume pricing for a whole shop.