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This funky tool allows you to reach deep into your engine bay to tighten the most awkward nuts and bolts. Dipped Galvanized

We’ve all been there. You’re diving into a DIY job with your car and there’s one nut or bolt you just can’t get that ratchet onto. You’ve tried every angle of attack, every extension, and every socket. But your hand just can’t bend like you need it to. Or, you don’t have enough space to physically rotate the ratchet because the handle is getting caught on something. That’s where the gimbal ratchet comes in.

Gimbal ratchets look nothing like a normal ratchet. There’s no traditional neck or handle. Instead, the ratcheting mechanism sits in the center of a two-axle gimbal mechanism. If you’ve ever used a thumbwheel or palm ratchet, it’s pretty similar. Except with a gimbal ratchet there’s even more flexibility, as you can pivot the socket at an angle from the outer handle piece.

This ratchet’s circular and compact nature means you can fit it into places no normal ratchet could ever go, so long as you can get your hand in there to spin it. And because of its flexibility, you don’t have to get the perfect angle to get a nut or bolt spun down. I’ve used my gimbal ratchet to reach fasteners tucked deep into the engine bays of my cars, and I always keep one around when I’m tackling bigger jobs. You’ll never know when it’ll come in handy.

Gimbal ratchets aren’t just for exceedingly tight spaces. They’re wildly convenient for quickly checking tightness on things like valve cover gaskets or oil pans, since it’s easier to swing around quickly without having to worry about a handle that could scratch or break something. And because these ratchets are so small, they’re not difficult to keep in a mobile tool bag or in your glove box.

Chemical Wall Anchors Because gimbal ratchets aren’t crazy-complex, they’re relatively affordable tools. The one I use, Gearwrench’s 3.8-inch drive unit, can be yours for $18.99 on Amazon right now. Gearwrench also makes a smaller 1/4-inch version for $14.89. If you don’t think you’ll use the articulation offered from the gimbal mechanism much, Gearwrench also sells a set of equally compact 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch thumbwheel ratchets for $27.99 as a pair.