Lubricating ratchets

[bones741]

Hey guys, so ordered up a few new(to me atleast) ratchets. A wright 3427- brand new, and 3 used sk's - 1/2" 42470 , 3/8 45170 , and a 1/4 40970. Was wondering what lubes you guys would recommend for them. Thanks!

 

[DBendr]

I get to do this twice in 15 seconds

 

[purplezr2]

I get to do this twice in 15 seconds

Thought the forum has a 60 second post delay....



I don't lube any ratchets. I never have an issue with them working fine.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Just a little dab of grease will keep them working for years.

 

[lightning02]

I grease my 1/2 and 3/8 drive but use oil on my 1/4 drive.... just what I like.

 

[rice rocket]

My Snap-On rebuild kit came with a packet of grease. Figured...why would they give you all this grease if they only wanted you to use a dab of it? So I emptied the whole packet into the head.

Turns out...bad idea.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Superlube as specified in my Snap On and My SK. Just a light coating, no need to fill the entire head.

I don't own any Wright ratchets

 

[d.mcfarland]

I grease my 1/2 and 3/8 drive but use oil on my 1/4 drive.... just what I like.

That's good advice but a high tooth count ratchet sometimes has issues with grease even in 3/8 and 1/2 drive. Something a little thinner might be better in my opinion. Those old course tooth ratchets love grease though!

 

[AceofSpad3s]

I just use Marvel Mystery in everything.

 

[DSLTRK]

SuperLube is great for every ratchet.. Unless its a floating pawl such as a Matco 88, CM thin profile, or proto Big Dawg series.

Those mentioned above will jamb with heavy grease.

 

[BFHtime]

I use Lucas engine oil additive non-synthetic. It makes a difference I can tell the ratchets that have been done, from that ones that did get it. I have used this to lube other things too.

This stuff is great, good in 100, 80, and 72 tooth ratchets.

 

[Superbec]

sometimes they fall in oil...

 

[anndel]

I used a light coating of Tri-flow synthetic grease on the heads of the Craftsman and Snap On ratchets I either regreased or rebuilt (CM ratchet). The first ratchet I packed the grease then found it was hard to turn so I took it apart again and cleaned it with Brake Clean. A light coat is all it needs.

 

[B_Bimmer]

sometimes they fall in oil...

Ha, that's my dad's method as well. Personally light grease in standard proto ratchets feels incredible. It also lasts forever, just like the ratchets themselves.

 

[B_Bimmer]

I use Lucas engine oil additive non-synthetic. It makes a difference I can tell the ratchets that have been done, from that ones that did get it. I have used this to lube other things too.

This stuff is great, good in 100, 80, and 72 tooth ratchets.

I'd like to try that, sounds like the perfect combination for higher tooth counts.

 

[wesst]

I have been really pleased with Lucas semi-synthetic engine assembly lube. I put it in all my ratchets, however I believe any lube that drips would be good!

 

[BK13]

Quantum Hot Sauce spinning reel oil.

 

[davethorik]

We have Lucas synthetic wheel bearing grease at work, I just took apart and cleaned my Snap-on SL710 put back together with the Lucas, it feels night and day better, smoother, more crisp. Time will tell if it dries up. A very, very small amount also benefitted the SK 1/4 thumb wheel ratchet I have, but my Bonney 3/4 round head does not like this grease at all, had to re-parts wash it, used a light coating of way lube. It now functions great.

 

[bones741]

well i got my 1/2" sk wrench in the mail today. was a little rougher than expected. went to the shed pulled it apart, and wd-40 the **** out of it, than brake clean. and a coating of ams oil 10-40 ( all i had in the shed), and it really smoothed it out. But monday ill bring it in to work and really clean it up better. i work at a John Deere dealer so i have access to a ton of lubes. i keep seeing people talk about permtex(?) engine assembly lube? ill have to see if we have a deere product like that and maybe just use that.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Permatex 81950 Ultra Slick Engine Assembly Lube

 

[Ramblin Man]

I took apart and cleaned one of my 936 Snap On's the other day. Went to get the Super Lube, and did not have any. I had some Napa synthetic lube there that is/was made for distributor cams inside of point type distributors. It looked close to Super Lube and works great.

Not hardly Dual 80 though.

 

[JJThrasher]

I use a couple drops of air tool oil.

 

[morgaj1]

My general rule of thumb:

Coarse tooth and roundhead ratchets - Superlube
Fine tooth - either Marvel Mystery Oil or Permatex Assembly Lube

 

[martin666]

All depends on the ratchet,I clean and lube my ratchets a few times a year. Ive had them all long enough that I know what works best in each one. Some get Super Lube, some light machine oil, others assembly lube. All depends on the ratchet, I have multiples of the same ratchet that I use different lubes in, dont know why, dont care, but they just like different lubes

 

[dwysywd]

I just use Marvel Mystery in everything.

[emoji106]


Regards,
Jeff

Sent from my bag phone...

 

[ecotec]

Super Lube or CRC Engine Assembly Lube.

 

[derosa]

Never heard of this till coming to this forum, does lubing them require disassembly or can they just be stuck in a can of lube? I've got a chain lube called prolink that is a penetrating film used on high end bicycles. Holds up really well in wet and mud, doesn't build up, or congeal and gets into really tight places. Seems dropping the heads of the ratchets in the stuff for an hour could do the job?

 

[TheMadMech]

Never even thought about lubing my ratchets but damned if i I'm not going to from now on. Which, specifically, super lube do you use?

 

[PJNJ]

Never even thought about lubing my ratchets but damned if i I'm not going to from now on. Which, specifically, super lube do you use?

Super lube, here's a link to it on Amazon -
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBH9HI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It's also sold at Harbor Freight. It doesn't work well in some ratchets like the older USA made Craftsman 60 tooth premium ratchets. I found that out the hard way after it started skipping and locking up. Had to clean it with Brake Cleaner and even then I had to soak it in MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) till it started working better. Whatever you put Super Lube into, don't pack the ratchet full of it. Instead just use a dab on the teeth and pawls. I usually also put some light oil or MMO in there on the other moving/rubbing parts.

 

[lightning02]

Never even thought about lubing my ratchets but damned if i I'm not going to from now on. Which, specifically, super lube do you use?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBH9HI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

you can buy it at HF as well.

 

[PJNJ]

Never heard of this till coming to this forum, does lubing them require disassembly or can they just be stuck in a can of lube? I've got a chain lube called prolink that is a penetrating film used on high end bicycles. Holds up really well in wet and mud, doesn't build up, or congeal and gets into really tight places. Seems dropping the heads of the ratchets in the stuff for an hour could do the job?

I just about always disassemble my ratchets to clean and lube them. But soaking them in MMO or light oil will probably work just fine in most situations.

Sometimes, however, there is no choice but to disassemble. I bought a couple of used ratchets last summer at a flea market, a 1/2 SK and a 3/8 Blackhawk. I got them cheap ($11 total) since they didn't work very well and were hard to change direction with the selector. When I took them apart, they were packed with a mixture of old, hard grease and dirt. After cleaning with brake cleaner and lubing with Super Lube and MMO, they work beautifully.