SILVERPLATE
Well-known member
Thought I would share my 3/8 drive Champion Plug – Master II rachet. It was made in the USA and shows part number CT451. I bought it new in the 1960’s, still works great.
Champion Spark Plug Rachet
- Thread starter SILVERPLATE
- Start date
old salvage
Well-known member
Nice looking tool.
I wonder who made it.
I wonder who made it.
Uncle Buck
Banned
I bet New Brittan tool
lbgradwell
Well-known member
NB would be my guess too...
J.A.F.E.
Well-known member
I had a Champion ratchet from the mid 70's. Looked more like a SO but had the same bent handle and flex head design. Wish I still had it but it, and all my other tools at the time, got stolen.
~Steve
~Steve
PowderKeg
Well-known member
I've got the straight handled Plug-Master (not II) version - has the Luther Kilness/New Britain Machine patent # on it.
billymade
Well-known member
I ran into one of those ratchets at my local pawn shop; problem was, the head was so floppy, it wasn't usable! I really could use a ratchet like that; I keep looking for a used Snapon but I don't see them on the used market much, for some reason...
speed bump
Well-known member
Almost bought two of those for $45 on ebay awhile ago just becuase I wanted a NB style bent handle.
You have to watch out for Powederkeg though I was all set to buy Nissians NBs as soon as he posted them but powder beat me to it.
You have to watch out for Powederkeg though I was all set to buy Nissians NBs as soon as he posted them but powder beat me to it.
lbgradwell
Well-known member
Well, you don't acquire a a vast collection of vintage ratchets by waiting on the sidelines!
Seems like one ratchet most techs hang onto... you might start seeing some now that they have a dual 80 bent handle version. Some guys upgrading, etc. I know a couple of techs who actually leave one of these on top of their box they use it so often. Its their "go to" style of ratchet. I dunno personal preference I guess.
krusty the clown
Member Emeritus
you may want to watch this one then.......
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Vint...ryZ43993QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
PowderKeg
Well-known member
But I only snatched up one
- don't have enough storage room for long handled ratchets, yet....caper
Well-known member
Bought one of these champions at a flea market this summer for ten bucks in really good shape-I like it!
Astro 350
Member
I have a CT451 and a CT900. Any idea where to get repair kits? I think I have a straight handled one some where. I got the 451 in the late 6o's and the 900 in the early 80's, I think. Something about the mists of time.
Paladin
Well-known member
Nice ratchet! I need one of those!
MAD
Well-known member
I have an old 1/4" drive MAC round head ratchet that I am pretty sure is a New Britain made piece. I recently called MAC because it needs a kit. The rebuild kit is still available, but is on back-order until March. So apparently, some NB compatible repair kits are still being made.
You might also find a repair kit that fits at a NAPA store that has been around for a long time.
You might also find a repair kit that fits at a NAPA store that has been around for a long time.
Astro 350
Member
Astro 350 back again. Found another Champion ratchet in the back of my spare tool box. It is a Plug-Master CT1000. All 3 have different thumb turns and the 1000 has a knurled ring to turn the ratchet without moving the handle.The 1000 has no patent no's.
Junkman
Well-known member
Re: Champion Spark Plug Ratchet
Has anyone found the matching sockets that they came with? I have a ratchet, but it has been so long since I last saw it, I have to believe that someone borrowed it, and never returned it..
Has anyone found the matching sockets that they came with? I have a ratchet, but it has been so long since I last saw it, I have to believe that someone borrowed it, and never returned it..
Astro 350
Member
Astro 350 again, No sockets but more poop.The CT451 is the only one of the three that I have that has a patent no. The first one--2981389 was by Luther E Kilness 25 Apr 1961 and the second no 3383962 was by John V Harris 21 May 1968. Both of these were assigned to New Britain Machine.
There is a site called Free Patents On Line that I found, that I entered the no's and came up with this info. Even patent drawings. Very cool.
I still think I have a straight handled turkey somewhere.
Still want repair kits.
Be good.
There is a site called Free Patents On Line that I found, that I entered the no's and came up with this info. Even patent drawings. Very cool.
I still think I have a straight handled turkey somewhere.
Still want repair kits.
Be good.
rsanter
Well-known member
my dad has one of those and for years it was my favorite ratchet.
I would swipe it from him if I thought I could get away with it. I am sure he would notice its gone as it is a prefered ratchet to him as well
that thing has held up to lots of use and held up way better than the Cman ratchets
bob
I would swipe it from him if I thought I could get away with it. I am sure he would notice its gone as it is a prefered ratchet to him as well
that thing has held up to lots of use and held up way better than the Cman ratchets
bob
fatfillup
Well-known member
Is this one of the sockets of which you speak?
Champion Plug Mate 13/16 CT-901`Spark Plug Use only USA
Came in a box of tools I bought. Man's father was a mechanic and passed away couple of years back. Lot of older stuff.
Notice the thin walls
Champion Plug Mate 13/16 CT-901`Spark Plug Use only USA
Came in a box of tools I bought. Man's father was a mechanic and passed away couple of years back. Lot of older stuff.
Notice the thin walls
Junkman
Well-known member
Re: Champion Spark Plug Ratchet
That be the one. It also has a rubber insert that holds the top of the plug. There were 3 sizes available. I think that there was also a swivel plug socket, but I will need to check my old box to find it. One more thing to do when the snow melts...
That be the one. It also has a rubber insert that holds the top of the plug. There were 3 sizes available. I think that there was also a swivel plug socket, but I will need to check my old box to find it. One more thing to do when the snow melts...
niss
Well-known member
I have the same one from my grandpa, I will post pics soon. Anyone know where I can get a repair kit for it? The flex head won't (but I can probably free it by soaking in WD40) and the ratcheting mechanism just spins.
Thanks!
Thanks!
I don't know about a rebuild kit, but I'd start by either soaking it in transmission fluid for a while (maybe a trans fluid/acetone mix, which I have heard might work better) or disassembling it and cleaning it by hand. If the mechanism is just spinning, I'd guess that the little ball is frozen in its bore and the spring behind it can't pop it out. I am working on unfreezing just such a frozen ball on a ratchet of mine. Trans fluid, other penetrants, time, and maybe some careful hammering are your friends.
It is amazing, though, how a dirty ratchet can feel like a broken ratchet.
Last edited:
billymade
Well-known member
I used transmission fluid on a pawn shop NB version; it works fine now... not broken just full of **** and hadn't been used or lubed for a long time! X2 ****** fluid!
niss
Well-known member
Thanks!
It turns out mine is the Plugmaster not the 2 (CT-900) I soaked it in WD40 and pulled the head off. There are no springs inside. Does anyone have a pic of what the guts would look like for a ratchet whos head looks like this:
I dont know if it is missing parts, there is just the solid round piece with part of it cogged.
Thanks for the help!
It turns out mine is the Plugmaster not the 2 (CT-900) I soaked it in WD40 and pulled the head off. There are no springs inside. Does anyone have a pic of what the guts would look like for a ratchet whos head looks like this:
I dont know if it is missing parts, there is just the solid round piece with part of it cogged.
Thanks for the help!
The pic is too tiny to see much, but basically all the ratchets I have had apart will have a spring somewhere. The gear selector relies upon a ball bearing, behind which is a spring that makes the bearing keep pressure on the selector as it engages the teeth. Your ratchet just spinning with no resistance suggests the bearing or spring are frozen or missing. Can you take a pic if you have it opened up?
vssjim
ALLIANCE MEMBER
The Kellstrom airplane tool people were selling one style of the ratchet not too long ago. I have one head kit but it only fits one style of this ratchet so I would have to know which part number you have to see if this part number would fit it. I bought it from a now defunced part warehouse that had Champion plugs for so long they had lots of tools still but that was in the late eightes and they have been gone along time. The kit I have is a CT-905 it is for the newest style which has the flat scalloped direction changer this will not fit the older style New Britian ratchet. If you need the older style kit look on Ebay for NOS New Britian/Blackhawk ratchets as they show up alot.
vssjim
ALLIANCE MEMBER
They never had a swivel socket but the early model 13/16 socket were magnetic sockets. The later ones were rubber inserts. The sizes they sold were 5/8, 3/4, 13/16 and 7/8. They still sell the 7/8 magnetic sockets for aviation use.
niss
Well-known member
Ok,
Here's my ratchet.
Everything has loosened up a bit, the gear rocker on the spinner can move now but it doesn't snap back, it just rocks. And the flex head just flops around, is there anything I can do about this? Can I pull them apart further and change springs? Like I said earlier, I found this ratchet in my grandfathers tools and would really like to be able to use it.
Thanks!
Here's my ratchet.
Everything has loosened up a bit, the gear rocker on the spinner can move now but it doesn't snap back, it just rocks. And the flex head just flops around, is there anything I can do about this? Can I pull them apart further and change springs? Like I said earlier, I found this ratchet in my grandfathers tools and would really like to be able to use it.
Thanks!
niss
Well-known member
BumpBumpBump
niss
Well-known member
I took Bulls advice and let her soak in some ATF for a while, then took a hammer & a pin punch and loosened her up.
The rocker was all wonky because the selector was not turning. Once I freed it up everything worked great.
I also picked up a replacement spring at Brafasco, everything is awesome!
My only concern is that the pin holding the head on the neck will slide out. Any recommendations?
Thanks guys!
The rocker was all wonky because the selector was not turning. Once I freed it up everything worked great.
I also picked up a replacement spring at Brafasco, everything is awesome!
My only concern is that the pin holding the head on the neck will slide out. Any recommendations?
Thanks guys!
Dude, I am so stoked that you got it all freed up! So awesome to revive an old tool like that...congrats! Now you'll know what to do with any other frozen stuff, too
What if you were to epoxy the pin in place after you have the ratchet all lubed up and working to your satisfaction? Not sure if that'd be considered a hack move or not, but it would not be apparent to anyone that it had been done. Not sure if you could pound the pin out later with a punch if you needed to service the ratchet, but how strong can epoxy be?
What if you were to epoxy the pin in place after you have the ratchet all lubed up and working to your satisfaction? Not sure if that'd be considered a hack move or not, but it would not be apparent to anyone that it had been done. Not sure if you could pound the pin out later with a punch if you needed to service the ratchet, but how strong can epoxy be?
caper
Well-known member
You could peen the pin to expand it a bit so it won't slide out.
