Ratchet Repair and Cleaning

[GeorgeH]

I have a 1/4 drive and a 3/8 drive Craftsman ratchets that need to be taken apart and cleaned and re-lubed. How do I do this?
The 1/4 has the typical lever that changes direction, ont the top of the "head" it has a "hole" that has what appears to be like a ball bearing and seems to have a spring holding it up. On the back of the head it has a hole that goes allthe way through to where you put the socket on (May have parts missing??) . On the handle it says =Craftsman=. On the other side it says -FORGED IN U.S.A. -V-
U.S. PAT 3208318 CAN PAT 7578264967 .

The 3/8 is similar except there is no hole that goes all the way through, the lever is shaped like a "V" and pionts toward the top of the head, and on one side of the handle it says =FORGED IN U.S.A. ==V==. Everything else is just like the 1/4 ratchet.

 

[martell06]

take it to the closest sears and get a new one

 

[-lecroix-]

take it to the closest sears and get a new one

LOL ... they won't replace "dirty" ratchets dude ... only broken ones.

 

[mbatarga]

Wipe the exterior clean then stick both of them head down in some clean motor oil for a few hours. Pull them out rotate the ratchet mechanism in both directions for a few dozen spins. Then stick them back down in the oil. Repeat another time then set them down to have the extra oil drain out and wipe them off.

By the way, the "ball bearing and seems to have a spring" is where they can be lubricated. Used by pressing down on the ball and inserting a pin oiler and squirting. The above will take care of it.

 

[philw]

If they haven't been cleaned in years then it's a good idea to take them apart and clean the gunk out. I have a ratchet with the check ball head that was my grandfathers. When I took it apart it was caked with old oil/grease that had hardened. Take the screws out and seperate the pieces from the body but be careful to watch for any small parts. If I remember correctly there may be a small steel ball and spring which may come out. Clean everything and then oil everything and reassemble. I like to use a light oil like Singer sewing machine oil but others oils will work OK also. The hole through the drive sounds like it was an aircraft/HY-LOK ratchet---which I never knew Craftsman to make. Check out the link and see if it is similar in design.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...7&group_ID=108&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I'm not sure about the V lever style, If I remember correctly it may have a snap ring at the front which you take out to disassemble it. I have cleaned many different brands of ratchets and none of them have been very complicated. The biggest problem is keeping track of any small parts and having patience putting everything back together.

 

[rose jackets67]

These older Craftsman ratchets are excellent quality - If I were you I would NOT return them to Sears for the newer (inferior) plasic-switch ratchets. I'll go out to the garage and open up both a 1/4 and a 3/8 and snap some pics to put up here... They're super simple. Just don't remove the switch mechanism when you open it up - Just the covers and the round drive piece. Pics to follow in about 15 minutes.

adam

 

[rose jackets67]

1st the 3/8.

Lots of brake cleaner or WD40 on the gunk, then oil with 30w or 3in1.

 

[rose jackets67]

Same deal on the 1/4

If your 1/4 drive needs a rebuild kit and your local sears doesn't carry them, I have an extra you can have for the cost of shipping it from GA.

adam

 

[GeorgeH]

I plan on keeping these so I am not planning on returning them, they have more value to me than a new one ever would.
I just would like to give them a good cleaning and proper lube

 

[Krawlin98ZJ]

i like to pack mine full of grease it makes'em nice and smooth and seems to quiet the clicks a little

 

[eschoendorff]

All you gotta do is take them apart and clean all the parts up with some brake cleaner. Then reassemble and let the ratchet head soak in a cup of auto ****** fluid for a day or two. Good to go....


btw - this is NOT mean for the new sealed head ratchets like the new snap ons and the newest craftsman... they use a special grease

 

[MAD]

This list of Craftsman rebuild kits was posted on the Craftsman club site by Adam (who seems to account for about 3/4 of the content of that BBS)
If you can find someone in the Sears tool department that has a clue they will often just give you the kits. They used to have them in plain sight and sell them for 1 cent but I believe this is no longer the case. Many older model ratchet kits are no longer being supplied to the stores so if you have an older Craftsman ratchet that you like it is a good idea to find a kit for it before they are all gone. The quality level of the new standard ratchets has been pretty spotty (to put it kindly) so it is worth fixing your self rather than trading it in.

Ratchet Rebuild Kit List
February 12th, 2007 03:35 AMFebruary 12, 2007 Ratchet Rebuild Kit List


Here's the RRKL, as promised.


Ratchet Number Description Kit Number

1/4 inch:
44807 Teardrop Quick Release 43424
44812 Teardrop Quick Release, Fine Tooth 43424
43187 Round Head, Fine Tooth 43426
43174 Round Head 43425
43186 Teardrop Quick Release, Obsolete 43427
44994 Teardrop Quick Release, Thin Profile 43432

3/8 inch:
44813 Teardrop Quick Release, Full Polish 43434
44833 Teardrop Quick Release, Full Polish, Long 43434
44808 Teardrop Quick Release, Long 43434
44811 Teardrop Quick Release 43434
44815 Teardrop Quick Release, Flex 43434
44834 Teardrop Quick Release, Stubby 43434
44835 Teardrop Quick Release, Offset 43434
44836 Teardrop Quick Release, Flex Ergo 43434
44837 Teardrop Quick Release, Black Oxide 43434
43781 Round Head, Fine Tooth 43436
42794 Round Head, Fine Tooth Flex 43436
43175 Round Head 43435
43784 Teardrop Quick Release, Obsolete 43437
44593 Torque Wrench 44525
44594 Torque Wrench 44525
44596 Torque Wrench 44525
44995 Teardrop Quick Release, Thin Profile 43438

½ inch:
44814 Teardrop Quick Release, Full Polish 43444
44809 Teardrop Quick Release 43444
44816 Teardrop Quick Release, Flex 43444
44838 Teardrop Quick Release, Black Oxide 43444
44977 Round Head, Fine Tooth 43446
44983 Round Head, Fine Tooth Flex 43446
43176 Round Head 43445
44985 Teardrop Quick Release, Obsolete 43447
44595 Torque Wrench 43445
44597 Torque Wrench 43445
44996 Teardrop Quick Release, Thin Profile 43439

3/4 inch:
44804 Teardrop Quick Release 43449


I removed one errata from the source August 2004 list.

Obsolete has now been reclassified to no longer supported, see new Teardrops.

S-K is great about sending out ratchet repair and rebuild kits. I needed just a retaining clip for an S-K ratchet so I called S-K Hand Tool customer service. They sent me rebuild kits and repair kits to fit all of my S-K ratchets at no charge. I have yet to need the guts for an S-K ratchet, they are hard to kill.

 

[george4]

i like to pack mine full of grease it makes'em nice and smooth and seems to quiet the clicks a little

I use grease too but several replies here for light oil make me wonder what is used from the factory.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I use grease too but several replies here for light oil make me wonder what is used from the factory.

Older Cman ratchets, and most others that I am aware of were lubricated with light oil. Over time grease does setup hard, I have cleaned several old timers out that had hard nasty grease in them. With that said, I like thick grease, makes ratchets of any brand smooth as silk, besides, I know how to clean em out if they ever harden up.

 

[MAD]

The S-K ratchet repair kits come with a little tube of grease although I think the S-K ratchets used to come from the factory lubed with oil.

One thing I have found helpful with my Snap-on and older Craftsman ratchets is to clean between the gear teeth with a dental pick or a very small flat head screwdriver. The very ends of the teeth on some models have a tendency to chip off and imbed themselves and cause the ratchet to skip and slip. These very small chips are generally not a problem as long as you get them out of there. If a repair kit is not available or just not on hand this procedure will often get your ratchet ready for action again.

 

[Uncle Buck]

QUOTEOne thing I have found helpful with my Snap-on and older Craftsman ratchets is to clean between the gear teeth with a dental pick or a very small flat head screwdriver. The very ends of the teeth on some models have a tendency to chip off and imbed themselves and cause the ratchet to skip and slip. These very small chips are generally not a problem as long as you get them out of there. If a repair kit is not available or just not on hand this procedure will often get your ratchet ready for action again.[/QUOTE]


I usually find that the wire wheel on my bench grinder will clean most anything I need to clean on a ratchet. If gunk is hardened in the casting where the gut kit fits, usually an overnight soak in my partswash tank followed the next day with a shop rag and pic, screwdriver or the like will clean what my wire wheel cannot.

I get the general impression from many posts like this one that not many guys on this board have a wire wheel mounted on one side of their bench grinder. I find that a coarse stone on one side coupled with a wire wheel on the other satisfies most of my needs. I would say the wire wheel gets used probably six to one over the stone. You would be suprised how many things you will cleanup with a wire wheel. I am not speaking of the knotted type wire wheel either, but rather a stiff bristle, and one that generally costs less than $ 10.00 just a general purpose job. If you do not have at leeast one wire wheel set up this way you ought to try it, you may be astonished at what you are missing out on!

 

[eschoendorff]

I get the general impression from many posts like this one that not many guys on this board have a wire wheel mounted on one side of their bench grinder. I find that a coarse stone on one side coupled with a wire wheel on the other satisfies most of my needs. I would say the wire wheel gets used probably six to one over the stone. You would be suprised how many things you will cleanup with a wire wheel. I am not speaking of the knotted type wire wheel either, but rather a stiff bristle, and one that generally costs less than $ 10.00 just a general purpose job. If you do not have at leeast one wire wheel set up this way you ought to try it, you may be astonished at what you are missing out on!

I have two wire wheels set up - one is knotted for the tough stuff and another straight wire wheel. I use them all the time... and would also recommend that anyone who doesn't have one gets one.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I have two wire wheels set up - one is knotted for the tough stuff and another straight wire wheel. I use them all the time... and would also recommend that anyone who doesn't have one gets one.

Now you have me thinking that perhaps I should put a heavy duty knot wire wheel on my extra grinder. Or setup one grinder with coarse and fine wire wheels, and coarse and fine stones on my second grinder!

 

[Willy Victor]

This list of Craftsman rebuild kits was posted on the Craftsman club site by Adam (who seems to account for about 3/4 of the content of that BBS)
If you can find someone in the Sears tool department that has a clue they will often just give you the kits. They used to have them in plain sight and sell them for 1 cent but I believe this is no longer the case. Many older model ratchet kits are no longer being supplied to the stores so if you have an older Craftsman ratchet that you like it is a good idea to find a kit for it before they are all gone. The quality level of the new standard ratchets has been pretty spotty (to put it kindly) so it is worth fixing your self rather than trading it in.



S-K is great about sending out ratchet repair and rebuild kits. I needed just a retaining clip for an S-K ratchet so I called S-K Hand Tool customer service. They sent me rebuild kits and repair kits to fit all of my S-K ratchets at no charge. I have yet to need the guts for an S-K ratchet, they are hard to kill.

Mad I have several Craftsman ratchets that have no part no. on them, just a patent no. I have only had to replace the guts on a Craftsman Ratchet once in the last fifty years, took it back for a replacement and the guy gave me a re-build kit which was just as good as a new one to me. Sears has been bery bery good to me.


Willy

 

[eschoendorff]

Now you have me thinking that perhaps I should put a heavy duty knot wire wheel on my extra grinder. Or setup one grinder with coarse and fine wire wheels, and coarse and fine stones on my second grinder!

Yes, you should. Once you do it, you'll wonder how you got by without it!

 

[Nocturnal-G]

I just tried oiling my old Craftsman 44811 ratchet... I basically had some of this stuff:

http://www.singerco.com/accessories/detail/1435/singer-all-purpose-oil

I dripped it in, a bunch of black stuff came out. Now there is no black stuff, I figured it's good. It works smoother until I spin it too fast and it'll go from off to on and vice versa. Did I use too much? It's my first time doing this.

 

[fourtythree]

I like a thicker oil or grease on older, course tooth ratchets. I use bearing grease on my Craftsmans. Makes them smooth as butter.