Old style Craftman ratchet rebuild

[wantedabiggergarage]

I am rebuilding my old Craftsman ratchet that I received the kit for (THANKS), But I am having issues with holding the ball bearing down. All the bits of scrap I have are too flexible and allow the ball to move.

What all have you used? (wish I had a packing staple right now)

[charlie_nj]

I just did mine and used a piece of thin scrap which I had cut from a Harbor Freight 89 cent socket holder (I needed a short holder for a few crows foot wrenches). Just trimmed it to fit with snips. My ratchet was a V 43784 model and the key was to assemble the pawl and selector lever first using the scrap to hold the ball down, then insert the gear after securing the c-clip on the lever.

[J.A.F.E.]

Snap-on has a tool SPP744 which currently sells for $0.94.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/search.asp?partno=spp744&searchTrnsfr=true&search_type=Part&store=snapon-store

No image on the website but it is designed to retain the ball while the pawl is inserted. You could make something similar out of 0.025 or so shim stock. Merkava posted a pic in a thread a while back.

[billymade]

I started a thread earlier about the "official" tools that Craftsman and Snapon use for their pmts/techs; they make rebuilding ratchets allot easier!

http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff18/billymade/ratchettool1.jpg?t=1232852201
Craftsman tool

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n284/MACDRIVE/TOOLS/DSCN4182.jpg
Snapon tool

Check out this thread; more info!
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28902&highlight=ratchet+rebuild+tools&showall=1

[wantedabiggergarage]

I just did mine and used a piece of thin scrap which I had cut from a Harbor Freight 89 cent socket holder (I needed a short holder for a few crows foot wrenches). Just trimmed it to fit with snips. My ratchet was a V 43784 model and the key was to assemble the pawl and selector lever first using the scrap to hold the ball down, then insert the gear after securing the c-clip on the lever.


I will have to try that. I was doing it the other way around, and just kept getting frustrated after breaking a nail too far back, to where either the tool, or the ball bearing kept getting stuck under the broken section. Getting so frustrated trying to do things today (weather and neighbor issues), I thought this would be a good time to do it . (nope):lol_hitti

One of those days.

[Hoot]

What everyone else said: Get the Snap On tool. WELL worth the money..... $1.00 buys a LOT of peace of mind when it comes to that spring-loaded ball.

[wrenchr]

Please wear some safety glasses!!!!!!!!!

[wantedabiggergarage]

Sometimes you just have to walk away for a bit.

What I ended up trying to use yesterday, and what worked well today, is the pocket clip from a pen. I put the bearing on the spring, pressed it into the hole, and the pawl dropped right in, without removing the gear.

[64merc]

I have always struggled when trying to drop in the bearing, until I tried the SO tool. I had a chance to use it last week and I think I got it in 2 tries, versus probably 20 tries.

[billymade]

As the old saying going goes; it helps to have the "right tool for the job!" :)

[Bruce Lancaster]

I need one of those SO tools! It never even occurred to me that there was such a thing.
For improvisations...I have a favorite source for strong, springy stock for improvised small poking, prodding, and prying in small spaces: The steel bristles from the huge rotating brushes on street sweeping trucks. This stuff is extremely tough. It is flexible and spring but almost unbendable. You will find bits all over the place after the machine cleans an area. I have no serious measuring tools here at work, but I'd say the one in front of me is maybe .120 wide. I keep a few of the cleaner ones I find everywhere I might need a tool.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Couple of Snap-On questions while this is up: I note the SPP 744 is 1/4--3/8. Is there a bigger one as well?? Might as well go whole hog...
And is there a number for the similar widget for releasing tool chest drawer catches??
Tools for tools fixing tools! A new area of excess for my collection!

[J.A.F.E.]

Couple of Snap-On questions while this is up: I note the SPP 744 is 1/4--3/8. Is there a bigger one as well?? Might as well go whole hog...
And is there a number for the similar widget for releasing tool chest drawer catches??
Tools for tools fixing tools! A new area of excess for my collection!

My SO dealer did not have one and says the 1/2 drive version does not exist. Doesn't carve it in stone but a good enough answer for me. The 3/8 side would work for 1/2 but 1/2 has enough room behind the pawl for a small screwdriver, which is how the dealer does it.

[GT89mustang]

Snap-on has a tool SPP744 which currently sells for $0.94.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/search.asp?partno=spp744&searchTrnsfr=true&search_type=Part&store=snapon-store

No image on the website but it is designed to retain the ball while the pawl is inserted. You could make something similar out of 0.025 or so shim stock. Merkava posted a pic in a thread a while back.

Do they make one for 1/2 or 3/4 in ratchets? cant find anything on the website.