mac ratchet lube

[bayoutoolguy]

just bought a 3/8 dr. flex head red hard handle, im assuming 30 tooth ratchet, off the truck. I like the action, although its nothing like a dual 80. Should I lube it or not? I have a tube of Super lube laying around, and i also have some Federal Mogul Sealed Power assembly lube. Or should I go with permatex RLL? Will it shorten the life of the gear with no lube?

 

[Brownsfan]

For what it's worth I own more ratchets than I would ever need. And I have NEVER once lubed a ratchet. I have only ever had to warranty one ratchet since 1996. That was the standard craftsman rasied panel ratchet. It was a 3/8 that I destroyed using a cheater bar taking a seatbelt bolt out. I was actually going to buy one to replace it but the nice old guy at sears years ago insisted I warranty it. We got to talking and I told him why I was buying it. He said son the warranty is there even for those who abuse them.

 

[Farmall450]

For what it's worth I own more ratchets than I would ever need. And I have NEVER once lubed a ratchet. I have only ever had to warranty one ratchet since 1996. That was the standard craftsman rasied panel ratchet. It was a 3/8 that I destroyed using a cheater bar taking a seatbelt bolt out. I was actually going to buy one to replace it but the nice old guy at sears years ago insisted I warranty it. We got to talking and I told him why I was buying it. He said son the warranty is there even for those who abuse them.

I highly advise lube...

 

[stratman977]

Those mac coarse tooth ratchets really smooth out when you fill em full of lube. I got a long 3/8 with the red hard handle thats one of my favorites. I use white assembly grease that I got at NAPA in mine.

Some ratchets hate grease. I lubed my cornwell jr72 the same way and I thought I broke it cause it would not ratchet and it kept reversing the selector. After taking it apart several times and finding nothign wrong I eventually cleaned it and re-assembled and it was like new again.

 

[Bouchard93]

correct me if ,I am wrong but don't most u guys lube them for smoother work order? and then has a no brainer lube has to help last longer?

 

[ganymede]

. .....
Some ratchets hate grease. I lubed my cornwell jr72 the same way and I thought I broke it cause it would not ratchet and it kept reversing the selector. After taking it apart several times and finding nothign wrong I eventually cleaned it and re-assembled and it was like new again.

Cornwell 30 tooth pear heads are that way too. They have a soft spring in them. Almost as smooth as Proto. They (at least mine anyway ) don't even like oil that's too thick.

 

[ganymede]

correct me if ,I am wrong but don't most u guys lube them for smoother work order? and then has a no brainer lube has to help last longer?

Can only speak for myself. I oil them to increase life. To me a tool is not to get a job done. It is to get jobS done. The more you take care of em the more they do.

 

[CWP1616L]

I have three MAC 30 tooth ratchets, all 3/8 drive. Without going into all the boring details about all of the different oils and greases that I've tried, let me assure you that they prefer the red Permatex assembly lube more than any other kind of lube.

 

[zakmartin]

I use Mobil 1 synthetic grease on all my ratchets. I don't pack them like they're wheel bearings; just a daub here and there. I re-lube every couple of years and I've never had a ratchet go bad on me. I like how the Mobil 1 synthetic doesn't drip out like some of the other grease does. The stuff's expensive, but it works.

Oh, don't use a ratchet with a cheater bar... that's what breaker bars are for.

 

[DTB]

I have three MAC 30 tooth ratchets, all 3/8 drive. Without going into all the boring details about all of the different oils and greases that I've tried, let me assure you that they prefer the red Permatex assembly lube more than any other kind of lube.

I have a 30T Proto Spinflex.I think I will try some of that in it and see how it does.

 

[wafrederick]

The repair kits say use 30 weight oil in the instructions

 

[CWP1616L]

I have a 30T Proto Spinflex.I think I will try some of that in it and see how it does.

Don't be afraid to drench it. You can use as much as you want because the ratchet will bleed out the excess and what's left over is the perfect amount.

 

[genevabuck]

I have been using MAC ratchets since about 1987. About once a year I spray penetrating oil on the openings. Haven't had one fail yet.

 

[skruft]

I also use one kind or another of liquid synthetic lube. I have taken heads apart and regreased them only when I used rebuild kits and when I have bought old ratchets that had solidified grease.

 

[AMC31B]

I prefer superlube grease for my ratchets. Unlike most greases, it is very smooth and soft, not sticky and tacky. The superlube never dries out, seperates or hardens like regular greases do. Use a small acid brush or 1/2" model brush to brush a thin layer all over everything inside the ratchet.

I have also tried fluid film, corrosion x, and dupont multipurpose teflon lube which are all oil based lubes. I think the fluid film worked the best out of them but it does smell a little and will bleed out if the head of your ratchets get above 80 degrees or so. Fluid film is a lanolin based lube that never oxidizes, seperates or evaporates so it should lube your ratchet for years.

 

[CWP1616L]

I prefer superlube grease for my ratchets.

I do too, but not in MAC ratchets.

 

[rusty65]

I use synthetic caliper grease in my MAC ratchets and Cornwell ratchets and that seems to work just fine for them.


Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory.

 

[CWP1616L]

I use synthetic caliper grease in my MAC ratchets and Cornwell ratchets and that seems to work just fine for them.

What kind of synthetic caliper grease?

 

[rusty65]

What kind of synthetic caliper grease?

The caliper grease I use is made by versa chem and the name of it is synthetic caliper grease and brake quiet. The real reason I use it besides that it works decent is that I have 4 containers of it that I pulled from a old tool box I bought used.


Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory.

 

[wrenched87]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't tool trucks warranty there ratchets. I've never greased them but if they fail which is rare its a free rebuild.

 

[CWP1616L]

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't tool trucks warranty there ratchets. I've never greased them but if they fail which is rare its a free rebuild.

That's fine if you can tolerate the sound of an un-lubed ratchet. I can't stand it, so I lube my ratchets. I even go so far as to pick a specific lube to match the sound I want.

 

[matt1977]

I just shoot a bit of fluid film in any openings of the ratchet. Can't say enough about that stuff, I use it on my car, my tools, and just about anything around the house.

 

[joebachor]

lube it. mac wants straight 30w in their ratchets and that's what I use. I use super lube in my sealed head snap on rats and marvel mystery oil in my matco 88s. in ratchets that don't have a manufacturer recommendation I use break free clp gun oil.

 

[rick carpenter]

For what it's worth I own more ratchets than I would ever need. And I have NEVER once lubed a ratchet. I have only ever had to warranty one ratchet since 1996. That was the standard craftsman rasied panel ratchet. It was a 3/8 that I destroyed using a cheater bar taking a seatbelt bolt out. I was actually going to buy one to replace it but the nice old guy at sears years ago insisted I warranty it. We got to talking and I told him why I was buying it. He said son the warranty is there even for those who abuse them.

I'm no Nostradamus, but this is what I see happening here, Brownsfan...

GarageJournal > NSA > SearsRoebuck > DOJ > FBI breaking in your door > Offshore renditioning > Gitmo. Sorry dude, you're toast!