Need Disass'y Help with Penens, SK Ratchets

[Bolster]

Mebbe ratchets are above my IQ, but I need help again...trying to open, clean, and lube these two old dogs that belonged to my dad. The 3/8 drive is a Penens, which has a single hole below the square drive...is that the key to opening it?

The 1/2 drive is an older S-K, and below the square drive you can see the ends of what appear to be a retaining spring inside a rectangular notch or broach. The spring appears to be in a shape similar to the greek letter omega, and you can see the "legs" or "ears" of the spring in this rectangular notch. I tried to squeeze the ends of this spring together, hoping the head would pop out, but no dice.

Ideas?...

 

[Uncle Buck]

The SK has a snap ring just below the drive in that recess.

I think if you take a pin punch and stick it in that hole on the other ratchet and tap the punch counterclockwise with a hammer you will find the little plate may unscrew. If that is not so there might be a spring clip of sorts that surrounds the peremiter of the cover plate on the back side of the head. If you are not doing this with them clamped in a vise I would suggest doing that as well. It always makes these jobs a bit easier.

 

[old salvage]

That Penens looks like its held together with one of those circular springs on the drive plug side.
If so, you find the end of it and pry it outward and upward moving around its length.

the sk will be easier to open if you put it in 'nuetral' first then squeeze the retaining spring and push the guts out.

 

[64merc]

Penens: There appears to be one of those round spring clip thingies holding things together. Use a small screwdriver or pick and remove it. There should be a little notch at the end of it to aid you.

SK: Yes, you are supposed to just squeeze the clip together and pop the assembly out. You can use pliers or a small screwdriver. In my experience, these are extremely difficult to remove if there is gunk in and around the clip. I recommend that you spray that thing really well with a penetrating oil of your choice first, and then try again.

 

[Uncle Buck]

the sk will be easier to open if you put it in 'nuetral' first then squeeze the retaining spring and push the guts out.

Thank you, taught me something there!

 

[Bolster]

Better photo of heads...

 

[Uncle Buck]

I think if you turn the Pennens on it's side you might notice the circular clip mentioned a bit easier. If you look at about the 5:30 position on the outer ring of the Pennens there is a spot that looks like the place where you grab hold of that clip

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

The Penens is a really easy one. Takes about 5 seconds to get this one apart.

It is just a circular clip as stated above. I got it out with a dental pick. It is a one piece unit that just slides right out. The version I own is a 1/2 drive.

I know this because I just lubed my Penens the other day

-BWP

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

Here are some pics of my Penens...

-BWP

 

[vssjim]

They call those Spiral-locks on the Penens

 

[64merc]

Bolster, did you ever get them open?

 

[Bolster]

50% success... left photo is Penens, right photo is SK...

Penens opened just like y'all said it does...I did not see the spiral "spring" until you folks pointed it out to me, then all was easy. I couldn't see the spring, staring at the ratchet in my hand, but Hholmberg could see it in a photo! Cleaned, lubed, and reassembled, very nice, thank you! (Wow you can pack a lot of lube in that one, there's lots of space!) I wonder what that drilled recess is for, just under the drive lug...to fake you out re: how to open??

SK is still locked shut. Cleaned out the recess area, ratchet in neutral, can get a very fine needle nose pliers on either side of the 'ears' of the retaining spring, even a little simultaneous tapping/pressing from the selector side, but cannot get the assembly to come forward and out (I'm assuming the assembly comes out in the direction of the drive lug side, not selector side). I don't think I'm able to apply enough pressure on that spring to get it to retract fully. Pliers slip off at about 50% compression, every time. Will see if I can find a better tool...

 

[64merc]

50% success... left photo is Penens, right photo is SK...

Penens opened just like y'all said it does...I did not see the spiral "spring" until you folks pointed it out to me, then all was easy. Cleaned, lubed, and reassembled, very nice, thank you! (Wow you can pack a lot of lube in that one, there's lots of space!)

SK is still locked shut. Cleaned out the recess area, ratchet in neutral, can get a very fine needle nose pliers on either side of the 'ears' of the retaining spring, even a little simultaneous tapping/pressing from the selector side, but cannot get the assembly to come forward and out (I'm assuming the assembly comes out in the direction of the drive side, not selector side). I don't think I'm able to apply enough pressure on that spring to get it to retract fully. Pliers slip off at about 50% compression, every time. Will see if I can find a better tool...

Let me tell ya, I'm right there with you with that SK. They can be a real pain to get open sometimes. I have given up on them before. It is extremely difficult to get good pressure using pliers. Try using a small/medium sized screwdriver and compressing each side of the clip independently from side to side (don't stab yourself!). Doing this, you will loosen things up a bit. You may even get it compressed enough to remove it. Worst case, try compressing it using a screwdriver on each side of the clip while it is in a vise. You might need a helper to knock it out a bit.

That's all I can think of to do.

 

[Bolster]

I'm basically using your screwdriver technique, but placing nail sets on either side of the spring ears, to help compress the spring. (The nail sets are a lttle thicker so compress a little more). I'm going to let it sit under this new tension awhile to see if the spring gets a little looser and easier to compress.

I know exactly what you mean when you say 'dont stab yourself.' Already I have had that premonition several times, and am being very careful.

At one point I had the assembly just a little out because the springs ears were staying compressed together by themselves. And, the ratchet seized up. That freaked me out so I knocked it back in place to see if the ratchet still worked (it did) so I will try again later.

Whew, this is a difficult one.

 

[old salvage]

S (I'm assuming the assembly comes out in the direction of the drive lug side, not selector side). I don't think I'm able to apply enough pressure on that spring to get it to retract fully. Pliers slip off at about 50% compression, every time. Will see if I can find a better tool...

Yes thats the right way. You're doing right by putting it in a vise too.
With pliers squeezing the ring and ratchet still in neutral, try jiggling the drive plug while pulling it. Sometimes that works.

 

[64merc]

Yes thats the right way. You're doing right by putting it in a vise too.
With pliers squeezing the ring and ratchet still in neutral, try jiggling the drive plug while pulling it. Sometimes that works.

Yeah, I can't feel too sorry for Bolster since I've been down the same road before without the benefit of a vise.

 

[old salvage]

Yeah, I can't feel too sorry for Bolster since I've been down the same road before without the benefit of a vise.

I did a few of em before I figured it out.
I've also had the drive plug assembly slip out of my hands, tumble to the gritty dusty floor of my shed and roll around after having completely dis-assembled , cleaned it, relubed it and reassembled it. At the time i was fuming but now its just funny.
Dont worry Bolster you'll get it out eventually.