Snap On Hard to Hard Handle Swapping

[sujoe]

I want to swap the Power Blue hard handle on my SHLFD80 (1/2" Dual 80 long flex) for a red hard handle. I plan on keeping the old Power Blue handle — it’s in pristine condition; red is just my favorite color.Do hard handles need the hot/boiling water treatment like the soft comfort grips, or can I just pry the old one off and hammer the new one on (like most people do with the classic hard handles)?

Thanks!

 

[Ohio Andy]

I want to swap the Power Blue hard handle on my SHLFD80 (1/2" Dual 80 long flex) for a red hard handle. I plan on keeping the old Power Blue handle — it’s in pristine condition; red is just my favorite color.Do hard handles need the hot/boiling water treatment like the soft comfort grips, or can I just pry the old one off and hammer the new one on (like most people do with the classic hard handles)?

Thanks!

Never seen it done on those, but on the screwdrivers they put it in a vise with rubber so you don't Mar anything and then you take an open-ended wrench that just fits over the steel bar and then you bang that with like a plastic or rubber mallet and it'll pop the handle right off.

I've never seen that done on a ratchet though, so your mileage may vary... And if the open end isn't the right size and if that handle flares out, you might scratch that up

Editing to say I googled it

To remove a Snap-On soft grip ratchet handle, use a heat source like boiling water or a heat gun to soften the old grip, then pull it off with a twisting motion. For the new grip, align the cutouts, slide it on, and use a rubber mallet to tap it into place until it is fully seated.

And I found a video where he pops one off, I did not watch all the way through just until he got it off

 

[sujoe]

Thanks for the suggestion! But this is for the comfort grip. I do not know if the boiling water will work with the hard handle.

 

[Ohio Andy]

Thanks for the suggestion! But this is for the comfort grip. I do not know if the boiling water will work with the hard handle.

Yeah I've only seen hard handles done on screwdrivers

If you find one on YouTube that explains it. Post a response. Curious

 

[stonesfan68]

I put them in a vise and use a pair of pry bars to remove the handle. I’ve also put the receiving tool in the freezer to shrink it down and make it easier to install the new handle.

 

[ricleh]

I use this tool for changing handles. It works on ratchets as well as screwdrivers.

 

[TheToolEnthusiast]

^^^ Ahh the old SPP1710

 

[rsanter]

When replacing the shanks, my SO guy used to grab the shank in the vise and use 2 prybars to pull the handle up off the shank

then used a rubber mallet to put it on the new shank

 

[lotus_esprit]

I have removed hard handles from Snap On ratchets with boiling water - they were brand new ratchets that I got cheap as they were an unpopular colour (titanium grey). I clamped the ratchets in a vice with alloy jaws and used my hands to yank them off. They were a lot harder to remove than the soft grips.

 

[Steve_P]

Ricleh wins with the real tool. I've only done a few screwdrivers, but as said to remove the handle it's basically:
put a large flat washer on the blade to protect the handle
clamp the blade in a vise with aluminum jaws (if necessary) so the handle is a just far enough above the jaws to fit in the pry bars
pry the handle up with two pry bars

To install, clamp the new blade and tap on the handle with your Snap On dead blow mallet.

 

[sujoe]

Just reporting back on my successful experience.I clamped the SHLFD80 in a vise using a pipe jaw (protected with a towel and paper). I grabbed a 25mm wrench and positioned the open-end around the ratchet bar, leaning it against the hard handle. I then used a rubber-faced hammer to gently tap the wrench open end to the opposite side. I delivered about 50 light taps until I could pull it out by hand. The result? The old handle showed no signs of damage at all—it looked as good as new.

 

[CoThG]

I use this tool for changing handles. It works on ratchets as well as screwdrivers.

^^^ Ahh the old SPP1710

Just got one myself. Works great. Already changed out three hard handled ratchets and one screwdriver.