Picked up an old Craftsman Boxhead Ratchet, need some help

[DaveInPhilly]

Howdy folks, I picked up an old box of tools that had an old box head ratchet. I cleaned up the ratchet and greased it with the Super Lube I use on my regular ratchets.

First problem, how do I get the pawl out? The selecter switch seems fixed in place. It now spins nicely but it skips teeth. Since everything looked good when I took it apart, my guess is the spring is the culprit.

Second, after I cleaned it up I noticed that the oil ball is missing. The hole looks right down to the gear. Is this a fatal fault or is there something I can do to replace the ball or maybe just plug the hole?

She's not going to win any beauty pageants, but I thought she'd make a decent oil change ratchet. If I being the ratchet in to Sears will they actually have a rebuild kit for something this old, or will they just try to give me a new Chinese wrench?

 

[3baygarage]

You must mean the Moore made ratchet. I don't know of any kits for those old box heads being available. The lever is peened on like you said and won't come off. As far as the oil hole, can try plugging it maybe.

Check the teeth for wear.

If it is the spring, maybe one from another old kit would work but probably not worth the cost. I'd say find an ugly donor ratchet if you were restoring a nice one.

 

[lordabraxis]

Howdy folks, I picked up an old box of tools that had an old box head ratchet. I cleaned up the ratchet and greased it with the Super Lube I use on my regular ratchets.

First problem, how do I get the pawl out? The selecter switch seems fixed in place. It now spins nicely but it skips teeth. Since everything looked good when I took it apart, my guess is the spring is the culprit.

Second, after I cleaned it up I noticed that the oil ball is missing. The hole looks right down to the gear. Is this a fatal fault or is there something I can do to replace the ball or maybe just plug the hole?

She's not going to win any beauty pageants, but I thought she'd make a decent oil change ratchet. If I being the ratchet in to Sears will they actually have a rebuild kit for something this old, or will they just try to give me a new Chinese wrench?

Do you got a picture of the ratchet and the insides?

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

box it up, pm me your address, i'll be down for it this weekend

Play with the screws that hold the plate on. Sometimes you can over tighten them which won't allow the levers to move against the plates. But also make sure the springs are still sitting in there right.

Find a donor ball bearing and tap it in. Some of the Sears around here will let you dig through the old stuff for parts if you ask the right person nicely.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

Sorry for the quality, I took this after I first cleaned it up. I'll take a pic on the inside tonight.

How do you get at the ball/spring if the lever doesn't come out?

 

[bonneyman]

Here's a pic of the Moore Drop Forge ratchet internals.

As has been stated above, the selector lever is peened on to the pawl shaft. You'll have to carefully grind away a little and carefully punch it out. (Leave enough to re-peen it when you re-assemble). Then you can access the ball and spring, which can probably be replaced with commonly available substitutes. I use bicycle ball bearings and springs from old ball point pens myself.

 

[z1kzonly]

I also have some old Craftsman tools. I believe I went to Sears 20 or so yrs ago and got a re-build kit for this old ratchet. I don't like this ratchet, too course of a gear. It's just a collectible for me.

And any Craftsman guys put an age on the ratchet wrenchs?
I love them, use em all the time. Keep them lubed.
I know they are Pre-1972.

I have been posting some J H Williams picks on another board.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

I was able to spin the pawl 180 degrees thought I might get the ball out, but I soon realized there is no ball. Its actually some kind of pin...so that didn't work. Thinking this may just be a warranty item.

 

[CNGsaves]

Dude, you're not thinking of "warranty exchange" of cool old C-Man ratchet for Chinacom are you ??

Do NOT do that. Someone else on GJ will fix it.

Welcome to GJ in any regard. Update your GJ Profile with City / State.

 

[KnurledNut]

Update your GJ Profile with City / State.

Doesnt his user name already identify that?



Dave, did it work okay (less the lubricant) before you opened it up?

 

[CNGsaves]

Don't know for sure . . . could have girlfriend named Philly ??

Also OP could be obstetrician for horses . . ??

 

[an Automotive Technician]

Picture

 

[DaveInPhilly]

Dave, did it work okay (less the lubricant) before you opened it up?

Nope, couldn't really get it to turn at all. It was packed with crud.

Dude, you're not thinking of "warranty exchange" of cool old C-Man ratchet for Chinacom are you ??

I was... until I read your post. Are these old ratchets really worth that much effort?

I'll try to take some better pictures later, but I'm not sure they would add to what's already posted above.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

They are a bit stronger, but courser, and look cooler than their modern counterparts when working right.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

I was thinking, is there a cleaner that would be safe to dunk this in for a while? I wonder if there is still crud in places I can't reach. I also wonder in the Super Lube might be too thick, if this thing was initially intended to be oiled.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Go to Autozone, pick up a quart of Evaporust. Works great. I pack mine with Lucas Red + Tacky, the thicker bearing grease actually quiets down the click coarse ratchets make.

 

[vertguy]

Another vote for Evapo-Rust as it has proven invaluable with my DP restoration along with an old bike that is underway now.

 

[404]

I was thinking, is there a cleaner that would be safe to dunk this in for a while? I wonder if there is still crud in places I can't reach. I also wonder in the Super Lube might be too thick, if this thing was initially intended to be oiled.

Mineral Spirits or Naptha

In paint section at big box stores.

 

[PowderKeg]

I was able to spin the pawl 180 degrees thought I might get the ball out, but I soon realized there is no ball. Its actually some kind of pin...so that didn't work. Thinking this may just be a warranty item.

A pin and not a ball bearing? Now that's something I've never seen in any Moore Drop Forge sourced ratchet. Wonder if someone else had it apart before and lost the bearing, replacing it with whatever was handy. Is the end that protrudes against the pawl rounded over or fairly squared off? If not heavily rounded, I'd think the sharper edges would interfere with getting any sort of smooth ratcheting action out of it (not that these were overly smooth to begin with).

No real value $$$-wise, but it's an old warhorse that's survived quite a few decades. Would be a shame to just chuck it in the smelting furnace without at least trying to save it. If you ultimately dump it, I'll gladly pay the postage for the gear and screws - got one that needs them.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

Its hard to get a picture of it, but you can see it relatively well here:

 

[mikebaker1129]

No real value $$$-wise, but it's an old warhorse that's survived quite a few decades. Would be a shame to just chuck it in the smelting furnace without at least trying to save it. If you ultimately dump it, I'll gladly pay the postage for the gear and screws - got one that needs them.[/QUOTE]

This ^
I have breathed life into a few old Wiliams workhorses S52's and an S53.

 

[PowderKeg]

Its hard to get a picture of it, but you can see it relatively well here:

Huh, it does look like more of a pin doesn't it? Or is the spring so packed with gunk that it just blends in with the ball? Looking at a few of mine, the ball isn't exposed near as much as that with the pawl rotated 180 degrees. If the gear looks good and the pawl isn't chipped or has a really sloppy fit, then about the only other culprit could be the pawl spring.

I was thinking, is there a cleaner that would be safe to dunk this in for a while? I wonder if there is still crud in places I can't reach. I also wonder in the Super Lube might be too thick, if this thing was initially intended to be oiled.

Mineral Spirits or Naptha

In paint section at big box stores.

I've had some luck with recovering other ratchets with the same style of peened-on lever to the pawl just by soaking for awhile in a some type of de-greaser (some here swear by ATF fluid for cleaning and lube) and working it repeatedly to (hopefully) flush out some gunk. I've been surprised at how much gunk and rust can be found in some ratchets that the pawl, spring, and ball can be easily removed. They were greatly improved after a thorough cleaning and fresh lube. I'd go the soaking route first before taking a file or grinder to the lever.

As coarse as these ratchets are, don't worry about using a heavier lube instead of a light oil, although dried-up grease is a major culprit of old ratchet malfunctions. Also wouldn't worry about the hole in the top unless you're going to regularly use it in a really gritty hostile environment - you just might need clean it a time or two if it gets dunked. This style isn't exactly sealed even with the oil hole filled.

 

[DaveInPhilly]

I'm pretty sure it's the spring now. If I hold the selecter lever in place the ratchet doesn't skip, if I let go and work it until it skips I can see that the lever has moved closer to center. I picked up since mineral spirits today. I'll let it soak and then pack it with grease and she how she does.

 

[PowderKeg]

I'm pretty sure it's the spring now. If I hold the selecter lever in place the ratchet doesn't skip, if I let go and work it until it skips I can see that the lever has moved closer to center. I picked up since mineral spirits today. I'll let it soak and then pack it with grease and she how she does.

One last word of caution, don't literally "pack" it with grease (like a wheel bearing), just give the parts a healthy coat. Too much grease can be just as bad as too little, or the old crusted-up, dried-out, jammin'-up-the-works grease your trying to clean out...