Mystery Snap-On Ratchet

[MaddogXJ]

Hello All!

Looking for some help, I bought a tool collection and within in it was a 1/2" drive Snap-On Ratchet from the late 70s / early 80s. Unfortunately that is all I can determine, what has me confused is the handle. It seems like maybe it is a two piece handle because there is a hole right below the ratchet head and the handle shaft isn't round like most. Additionally the previous owner didn't help because it appears they cut the bottom of the handle off to machine a groove into it which one can only guess what that is for.

Please review the photos and let me know your best guess as to what this ratchet originally was!...I can only hope it is super rare or maybe just super modified, haha.

Thanks!

 

[Tools4Me]

Welcome to GJ Maddog.

The ratchet head was originally part of a clicker style torque wrench. That's what the shafts look like at the end, and the hole in the shaft is for the steel pin that goes through the torque wrench's tubular body and holds the head in place.

 

[MaddogXJ]

Thank you Tools4Me! 100% see it now by looking at this random Google image. Guessing the torque wrench broke but the previous owner didn't feel like doing a warranty claim or throwing away a good ratchet either!

 

[T VETTE]

So it looks like you now have half a tool in your collection.

 

[MaddogXJ]

Yeah not 100% sure what to do with it, maybe buy a broken Snap-on ratchet from the same era and move the internals over. Did see a few sites saying Snap-On doesn't make rebuild kits for old ratchets anymore but not sure how true that is. Could use it as is but the handle isn't very comfortable as one may guess by looking at it.

 

[flippin]

Find a Snap-On hard handle screwdriver etc and fabricate your own frankestein ratchet. May need to use epoxy given the absence of any flutes on the shaft.

 

[rancherbill]

Take it to a Snappy dealer and tell him mice in your tool box at it. See if there are repair parts.

 

[MaddogXJ]

Hmm, now you have me thinking! I quickly searched Ebay and broken Snap-On tools are hard to find but a random Snap-On handle isn't. Mice ate it, not sure how well that will work.