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Need Help fixing a FACOM ratchet

T

tawhite

Active member
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
34
I'm a longtime lurker who never posted until today. I need help fixing a ratchet. I had never seen a Facom tool until today. I'm at a friend's and he asks me to look a ratchet for him. A Facom J161 3/8" ratchet. He said it worked great for years and then got "stiff." He took it apart and cleaned out some "yellow grease" and put it back together. Didn't ratchet.

We took it apart. I'm no tool expert, but I have taken apart and cleaned/oiled a few ratchets in my life. I couldn't get this. Seven parts: the ratchet body, a torx screw, a small disk that fits under the screw and indicates which way to turn the ratchet, the ratchet aduster (flat piece with one pin on the underside), the piece the socket fits on that goes into the body, a pawl, and a spring. The pawl piece is half-moon shaped and not symmetric (one side flat - one side radiused). Tried it both ways. No luck. The pin on the underside of the ratchet adjuster must work with the spring to switch from forward to reverse. But I couldn't get it in twenty minutes of trying.

Anybody with experience with these? Any help would be appreciated.

Terry
 
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E

eschoendorff

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Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
8,991
Location
Michigan
I have a 1/4" drive FACOM that I had apart once, but I don't remember much about it. Maybe post some pics?

Also...back when SK was owned by FACOM the warranty issues were easy - just send it to SK.

Now... if it were me, I would get a hold of Ultimate Garage (they are a huge FACOM dealer) and see if they can help you out...


http://www.ultimategarage.com/shop/contact_us.php
 
F

Fedwrench

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Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
14,952
Location
Valley of the sun
Remove the screw the holds the ratchet together. Apply a couple drops of loctite to the threads. reassemble, Tightening the srcew slowly while checking the ratcheting action. stop when the ratcheting action feels good and there isn't any play in the head. Do not overtighten or the ratchet won't ratchet.
The flat side of the pawl goes against the smooth side of the gear with the teeth out. The legs of the heart shaped spring go into the hole in the pawl. The pin on the underside of the ratchet top goes into the loop of the heart shaped spring to change direction. I'm doing this from memory.:thumbup:
 
E

eschoendorff

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Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
8,991
Location
Michigan
Fedwrench said:
Remove the screw the holds the ratchet together. Apply a couple drops of loctite to the threads. reassemble, Tightening the srcew slowly while checking the ratcheting action. stop when the ratcheting action feels good and there isn't any play in the head. Do not overtighten or the ratchet won't ratchet.
The flat side of the pawl goes against the smooth side of the gear with the teeth out. The legs of the heart shaped spring go into the hole in the pawl. The pin on the underside of the ratchet top goes into the loop of the heart shaped spring to change direction. I'm doing this from memory.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

I learned something new today :thumbup::beer:
 
J

Jononon

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
1,636
eschoendorff said:
I learned something new today :thumbup::beer:
Click to expand...

I saw something I'd done before written up with a clarity I wouldn't have managed even if I'd gone out to get my notes :thumbup: :beer:

Although 'stiffness' can be simply down to the grease drying out, if you're still having any trouble, Terry, it may be that the spring has bent. It'll withstand a gentle tweak, but if it's obviously out of shape you'll need a rebuild kit. The PN is J.161RN, it lists at $15 (equivalent), but I'm afraid I don't know a US source.

http://www.mdmetric.com/ or ultimategarage are probably your best bet.
 
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T

tawhite

Active member
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
34
Thanks Fedwrench. I wasn't putting the pin inside the heart shape of the spring. You are also right that you certainly can't tighten the Torx screw down very much. That ratchet does have a nice action though. Don't know if I like the way you reverse direction (I'm used to levers), but it seems well made.

Saw my second Facom ratchet. Friend also has a 1/2" ratchet. Not a palm control. Just a plain looking ratchet. John said that the plastic grip on that one was very cheap and always felt sticky so he cut if off.

Thanks again,
Terry
 
M

Merkava_4

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Joined
Dec 26, 2007
Messages
14,518
Location
Clovis, CA.
Fedwrench said:
Remove the screw the holds the ratchet together. Apply a couple drops of loctite to the threads. reassemble, Tightening the srcew slowly while checking the ratcheting action. stop when the ratcheting action feels good and there isn't any play in the head. Do not overtighten or the ratchet won't ratchet.
The flat side of the pawl goes against the smooth side of the gear with the teeth out. The legs of the heart shaped spring go into the hole in the pawl. The pin on the underside of the ratchet top goes into the loop of the heart shaped spring to change direction. I'm doing this from memory.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

Freaking impressive!!! :bowdown:
 
U

ultgar

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
1,119
Location
New Jersey
Fedwrench said:
The pin on the underside of the ratchet top goes into the loop of the heart shaped spring to change direction. :
Click to expand...

This is very important....unless there is tension on the spring, the teeth on the pawl will bind with the teeth on the ratchet body.

Also, the factory grease has a tendency to harden with age and causes the ratchet to slip. Remove this grease and use a light machine or penetrating oil to lubricate the mechanism.

The Facom palm control (fine tooth) ratchets are great....SK and Proto now use the ratchet heads in their own tools without the rubber grip. Periodic oiling and cleaning is recommended. SD
 
6

64merc

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Messages
2,816
Location
Texas
I've never taken apart a palm control ratchet but the Williams B-52A I just rebuilt the other day sounds very similar. Looking at the parts separately it doesn't look like it would be very strong but it is. The little dinky spring is especially deceiving.
 
T

The collector

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2022
Messages
218
tawhite said:
I'm a longtime lurker who never posted until today. I need help fixing a ratchet. I had never seen a Facom tool until today. I'm at a friend's and he asks me to look a ratchet for him. A Facom J161 3/8" ratchet. He said it worked great for years and then got "stiff." He took it apart and cleaned out some "yellow grease" and put it back together. Didn't ratchet.

We took it apart. I'm no tool expert, but I have taken apart and cleaned/oiled a few ratchets in my life. I couldn't get this. Seven parts: the ratchet body, a torx screw, a small disk that fits under the screw and indicates which way to turn the ratchet, the ratchet aduster (flat piece with one pin on the underside), the piece the socket fits on that goes into the body, a pawl, and a spring. The pawl piece is half-moon shaped and not symmetric (one side flat - one side radiused). Tried it both ways. No luck. The pin on the underside of the ratchet adjuster must work with the spring to switch from forward to reverse. But I couldn't get it in twenty minutes of trying.

Anybody with experience with these? Any help would be appreciated.

Terry
Click to expand...
I have a few heart spring design williams royndheads not my favorite ratchets they bind randomly if you put anything but straight up and down pressure on them they always keep trucking but teeth are to fine I think...
 
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