Professional_Tool_And_Equipment_News_December_2019 - 40

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

SP Air

Low Profile Hex Bit Driver
With its low-profile head and quiet operation,
the reviewer says this tool is a winner.
by Kayla Oschmann, Assistant Editor

The SP Air Low Profile Hex Bit Driver, No. SP-7250H,
features a sealed flat head with low profile for use in tight
areas. The driver can be used with any 1/4" drive bit and
has an easy-to-use thumb lever for forward and reverse,
allowing for one-handed operation. It also features a
patented 360-degree rotating rear air exhaust deflector
and 360-degree swivel air inlet. The hex bit driver has an
overall length of 8" and weighs 1.5 lbs. It uses 2.5 cfm,
and has a free speed of 290 rpm and a maximum of 25
ft-lbs of torque.
Circle 169 on card, or enter at "e-inquiry" on
VehicleServicePros.com

THE REVIEW:

B

eing able to fit an air ratchet into tight spaces where
one would normally have
to use a hand ratchet is a huge time
saver, says tool reviewer Phil Fournier,
owner of Phil's Auto Clinic in Hemet,
California. Fournier tested out the
SP Air Low Profile Hex Bit Driver, No.
SP-7250H, and said that with the head
of the ratchet being so flat, "you can't
beat the fact that it will fit in spots no
other [air] ratchet fits."
In addition to the low-profile head,
Fournier also liked the tool's speed adjustment mechanism, reverse lever, and quiet
noise level, especially for being an air tool.
"I have never seen a speed adjustment that works as well as this one
does," Fournier says. "It is way better
than trying to use the trigger as a throttle. You can dial it down to a very slow
speed, which is really useful when
driving screws."
The position of the reverse lever is
often a compromise between ease of use
and the tendency to accidentally change

40

PTEN

DECEMBER 2019

the direction while trying to get into a
tight place - a situation that is highly
frustrating, Fournier notes.
"The design of this ratchet is a good
compromise," he says. "It is easy to actuate, but [the lever is] placed well enough
that accidental reversal is fairly unlikely."
As for noise, Fournier found the
SP-7250H to be "extremely quiet." The
California-based shop owner adds he
has reviewed other ratchets, including
SP Air ratchets, and places this one "at
the complete other end of the spectrum
for noise." Fournier mentions that while
he was expecting the tool to have an earsplitting noise that is common of air tools,
the Low Profile Hex Bit Driver was actually "a world apart, almost equaling the
noise level of a battery powered unit."
At Phil's Auto Clinic, Fournier and
his team of technicians work a lot on
hybrid vehicles. One case where the
SP-7250H Low Profile Hex Bit Driver
came in handy was during the service
of a third generation Toyota Prius. The
vehicle had failed head gaskets at unprec-

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edented levels. Instead of having to pull
the engine out to get to the head gasket,
this tool allowed the team to keep the
engine in place and still access what
they needed.
Fournier notes the "skinny head" of
the tool really helps when working in
tight spaces, such as in the case above
where they would have otherwise had
to have taken the engine out, saving
technicians time.
The tool comes with a small manual with simple instructions, though
Fournier notes it is very easy to use and
has self-explanatory controls.
He also added the price of the tool is
in the ballpark of pricing for other air
ratchets; plus, it has a high-quality external appearance and good life expectancy,
making it an excellent deal.
Fournier enjoyed the SP Air Low
Profile Hex Bit Driver, especially its
small profile.
"This tool is just about perfect as is," he
says. "I can't think of a single thing that I
would change."
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Professional_Tool_And_Equipment_News_December_2019

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