Rebuilding Craftsmen "V" selector ratchet 1/2

[scottybk]

Hi all,

Rookie ratchet rebuilder here. Working on an old 1/2 drive Craftsmen "V" series ratchet with the chrome "V" shaped selector lever. This website says it is circa 1959:

http://alloy-artifacts.org/craftsman-maker-v.html#v-shaped

Grandpa was a farmer and the ratchet was very dirty and stiff. I had a hell of a time getting the thing apart- I ended up destroying the large snap ring that holds the geared sprocket in- it took 2.5 hours of prying, tapping and fiddling until the washer-type ring holding in the sprocket FINALLY popped off. But I had no trouble getting the selector level to pop off.

Of course, the ball bearing shot out and is lost in action. I also bent the little spring badly the goes down into the handle. I cleaned out the entire interior and sprocket with Aerokroil and then WD-40 and may now Superlube it all before reassembly. It was filthy inside with dirt and old petrified oil, etc.

Anyone know if they make a rebuild kit for these old ratchets? All I need is the large snap ring and the spring and ball bearing (would a BB be a good substitute- they looked about the same size). Also I assume the snap ring can be gotten from a hardware store. So it seems like the spring would be the only real "specialty" part.

Thanks for any tips/help. I saw in another thread about using a dab of grease to hold the BB to the spring and plan to do that for reassmenbly.

 

[four.cycle]

snap ring should be easy to find at any decent hardware store.
if you've got an 'Ace Hardware' around you, see if they might have the ball bearing in their 'Hillman' bulk hardware section.
it is possible they may have the tiny spring as well.

I have to wonder if it's possible that the itty-bitty spring that goes in behind the check ball on a Briggs & Stratton "Pulsa-Prime" carburetor (in the primer circuit) might be an acceptable substitute: B&S # 494409
shown as item #913 HERE:
http://www.partstree.com/parts/brig...engine-rewind-starter/carburetor-fuel-supply/
that may well be wishful thinking on my part. might be too weak to perform in a ratchet.

 

[jakemac]

No, these are not standard snap rings. You won't find one at a hardware store. The rebuild kits are no longer available, unfortunately. A spring clip from another older kit may work, but I'm not sure. If you do find a rebuild kit, it should be kit #4498. They stopped making them a few decades ago. Occasionally they show up on ebay, but you pay through the nose (assuming you beat another desperate buyer to it). Your best bet would be to find a donor ratchet at a yard sale or flea market.

The teardrop ratchets with the Butterfly selector were available from 1959-approx. 1963.

 

[scottybk]

thanks- just bought kit 4498 from an ebay seller with lots of old kits for $16.98 and free shipping.

 

[scottybk]

Just finished the rebuild of the flying "V" aka "butterfly' 1/2 ratchet!

I bought the #4498 rebuild kit from an ebay seller with a lot of N.O.S. rebuild kits for sale. Kit had new sprocket, new snap rings, ball bearing, spring and all other needed parts. The kit itself seemed to be about 40 years old! Everything was written in English on the directions lol.

I used a dab of grease on the spring to hold the ball bearing somewhat in place for reassembly.

To depress the ball/spring while inserting the pawl, I cut an 8 inch length off a wire coat hanger, then hammered/pounded one end of the wire almost flat. Worked like a charm- I don't see how any "screwdriver" could ever accomplish this job (and I tried several tiny jewler's screwdrivers before making my coat hanger "tool" lol). It's def. a very tricky job.

She works like brand new now. Nice feeling to "rescue" a 50+ year old American made tool

I'll post some pics once my phone charges up

 

[Gear Wolf]

Good for you! You should show us the final results when you get the chance!

 

[Model A Fan]

Any results on the repair photos?