Socket retainer on Craftsman Ratchet?

[Captain Spaulding]

Sentimental value so you understand.

The ball doesn’t always come out to hold the socket on, but it does occasionally. Working under the dash on my boat yesterday and dropped an 11/32 socket that hit me in the teeth. Sounded and felt like an explosion!

Is there any way to repair it? I’ve soaked it in solvent and WD-40 with no luck. Seems then that it is mechanical, but there doesn’t appear to be a way to take the actual socket drive apart.

 

[4xdog]

If you poke at the ball while looking close at it, does it act spring-loaded? It should. Try a different solvent, including something water-based, like SuperClean (the purple stuff), because it might be gummed up with something that was originally water based.

If you have an ultrasonic bath, take the ratchet apart and clean the toothed wheel in various cleaners/solvents using the ultrasonic to significantly help the process.

Generally, the ratchet mechanism inside the handle is considered a wear-out item. It's always possible to find a decent donor from another used ratchet for notalot, or to get a NOS kit on eBay (or sometimes from folks here) for a little more. That's assuming, of course, that your sentimental value is on the handle, not the internals.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

If you poke at the ball while looking close at it, does it act spring-loaded? It should. Try a different solvent, including something water-based, like SuperClean (the purple stuff), because it might be gummed up with something that was originally water based.

If you have an ultrasonic bath, take the ratchet apart and clean the toothed wheel in various cleaners/solvents using the ultrasonic to significantly help the process.

Generally, the ratchet mechanism inside the handle is considered a wear-out item. It's always possible to find a decent donor from another used ratchet for notalot, or to get a NOS kit on eBay (or sometimes from folks here) for a little more. That's assuming, of course, that your sentimental value is on the handle, not the internals.

Sometimes it pops up, sometimes it doesn’t. At times it feels like grit, but I’ve flushed it a lot.

Absent a way to get inside and fix it, I’ll swap the mechanism. Just hate part swapping if there is a repair possibility.

 

[4xdog]

Sometimes it pops up, sometimes it doesn’t. At times it feels like grit, but I’ve flushed it a lot...

Have you tried water yet? Who knows what might have gotten in there -- something like BBQ sauce would probably gum up the works pretty well.

What organic solvents did you try beyond WD-40?

 

[bonneyman]

You might have to extract the ball and inspect the spring/hole. Drill a small hole in the opposite side of the anvil, and drive the ball out. Then you can inspect, do what's necessary, then reinstall the ball and new spring. Alot of work but worth it for a sentimental tool.

 

[WWheeler]

Craftsman USA 43185 1/4 dr repair kit $10+$5 s/h will make it work like new again

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[Captain Spaulding]

Have you tried water yet? Who knows what might have gotten in there -- something like BBQ sauce would probably gum up the works pretty well.

What organic solvents did you try beyond WD-40?

Tried mineral spirits and acetone.

 

[4xdog]

That's a pretty good mix of organic solvents to try -- the right ones, I'd say. I might also try isopropyl alcohol -- sometimes the polarity of IPA will get at things those other two nonpolar solvents won't.

Is there any sign, or chance, of corrosion? Evapo-Rust on the internal wheel might help in that case, although it will also remove a black oxide finish, too.

 

[Nutria]

Gotta mention Kroil, the magical shop elixir.

 

[ForrestT]

Generally, I have had good luck with brake parts cleaner, but wear safety glasses.

 

[Zeus36]

Disassemble and put the drive section with the spring loaded ball into an ultrasonic bath. If no ultrasonic available, boil it in an old tin can or similar container. This will dissolve anything water soluble and liquefy most greases. Put the drive section in a vise with jaw protectors with the ball facing up. Use Denatured alcohol, IPA or Kroil. You could also use a 50/50 mix of acetone and transmission fluid. Flood the ball, spring and recess while using something to depress the ball. Bump the ball and spring rapidly. Use compressed air and a fine nozzle aimed at the ball recess while bumping the ball and spring. Safety glasses and faceshield for this. The compressed air will blast out any debris and your solvent. Once there is no more aerosolization visible from the ball, spring and recess, add a drop of oil and depress the ball. If the spring is still not returning the ball 100 percent, then use the rebuild kit from post #6.

 

[RTM]

I was gonna post a simplified version of Zeus' explanation, need to depress the ball while cleaning and rinsing and flushing, to get the **** out, not just re liquified.

 

[genog]

Is there a socket release button on the back?
Or did the buttons occur after the -v- series ratchets?

In any event, I've never had a ball that remained stuck after a good drenching in Kroil.

Maybe keep pushing the ball in and out with a pair of channel locks while squirting your favorite solvent (Kroil) in the gap?
Always seems to work...

I like the boiling idea above

 

[WWheeler]

Is there a socket release button on the back?
Or did the buttons occur after the -v- series ratchets?

In any event, I've never had a ball that remained stuck after a good drenching in Kroil?

Maybe keep pushing the ball in and out with a pair of channel locks while squirting your favorite solvent in the gap?
Always seems to work...

I like the boiling idea above

Yes, the Craftsman 43185 is a quick release 1/4" dr ratchet.

I would disassemble the ratchet and soak the anvil / Quick Release assembly in ATF or an ATF / Acetone mix or the like and work the QR button over and over, but if after 5 minutes of that failing I'd just bite the bullet and put a new kit in it if the ratchet held any sort of 'Sentimental value' to me as the OP says.

 

[webscrounger]

Repair kit - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2661464650.../kafPeLcOBAj8rxj7frFm/5Bk=|tkp:Bk9SR5yI0LbTYQ

 

[Grokew]

Is there a socket release button on the back?
Or did the buttons occur after the -v- series ratchets?

In any event, I've never had a ball that remained stuck after a good drenching in Kroil.

Maybe keep pushing the ball in and out with a pair of channel locks while squirting your favorite solvent (Kroil) in the gap?
Always seems to work...

I like the boiling idea

Not channellocks, those can chew it up. Pliers wrench if he has a pair, it would require less effort, and no bite marks on the black coating.

 

[genog]

Not channellocks, those can chew it up. Pliers wrench if he has a pair, it would require less effort, and no bite marks on the black coating.

Nah
He only needs the ball to go in and out a few times
Not going to crush it
I've done this many times, never chewed anything up

 

[wrenchr]

I might have a spare lying around.

 

[WWheeler]

Nah
He only needs the ball to go in and out a few times
Not going to crush it
I've done this many times, never chewed anything up

It's a quick release ratchet. There is no spring directly behind the detent ball. Trying to force it in is liable to break the damn ratchet (if it isn't already broke and sorta sounds like it already was).

The spring is in the assembly directly under the button and the button is a shaft that when depressed moves a tapered groove behind the ball so it can go in and let go of the socket. When you let off the button the tapered groove moves up and the thicker part at the end of the shaft forces the ball out and holds it there. That tapered groove can and will get boogered up over a long time or even get a crack or break of that shaft there (especially if you are trying to force the detent ball back in with pliers or whatnot), and this is a ratchet that is more than a couple decades old (perhaps 4, 5,6, or more). That's why at least until recently thanks to Sears' woes they had rebuild kits available for them, now limited to places like ebay.

If the detent ball on this type ratchet is giving you issues your best bet is to put a kit in it, or retire it / replace it.

The kit is super easy to replace. Use some needle nose to squeeze the circle clip (don't lose it) and the assembly falls out in one piece. Put it back in reverse.

There's also a pawl with a spring and detent ball behind it that also comes in the kit that you could choose to replace also. to get to it you have to remove another wire circle clip under the lever. You'll need something really thin (small flat head, piece of sheet metal, etc) to hold the detent ball back in while installing the pawl, and do it in a box or gallon bag or something to catch when it gets away from you, because it will.

 

[ecotec]

Have you disassembled it? These ratchets are made to easily disassemble.

I do not put any ratchets in my “good” ratchet drawer until they have been disassembled and lubed.

 

[genog]

The question that we have on our hands -is the ratchet broken or just stuck?

Most all of us will try to loosen that darn detent ball first.
Good advise has been given on how to do that.

Now if we booger up the mechanism figuring out that the ratchet is broke,
and it is indeed broke....
Then we need that rebuild kit anyway

But, I don't advocate using excessive force
We all learned not to force things
I am confident that most of us know how to use our tools properly and have sufficient know-how to determine if a mechanical problem exists with that ratchet

Hey, maybe a little heat on that ball might loosen up the crud behind it
key phrase - a little heat (heat gun perhaps)
I do not advocate using a Blow Torch

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Have you disassembled it? These ratchets are made to easily disassemble.

I do not put any ratchets in my “good” ratchet drawer until they have been disassembled and lubed.

Had it apart a couple of times. First time a year or so ago when I assumed the problem was dirt or lack of lube. Worked when I put it back together, but next time I used it I dropped a socket.

Considering steaming it or boiling it after another round of solvent. Close to ordering the rebuild kit.

 

[Shelbylex]

? Soak in ATF for a week to let a hard piece of grease dissolve?

 

[Captain Spaulding]

After a repeat soaking with no improvement, I bit the bullet and bought a rebuild kit. All is good.

Upon getting a little more aggressive with poking around with the old assembly, it appears the retainer is no longer round. It seems like a chip in the ball more than wear, but either way I can easily see it being a problem.

 

[ForrestT]

After a repeat soaking with no improvement, I bit the bullet and bought a rebuild kit. All is good.

Upon getting a little more aggressive with poking around with the old assembly, it appears the retainer is no longer round. It seems like a chip in the ball more than wear, but either way I can easily see it being a problem.

I find if you like a certain ratchet that it’s always worth saving them. I just bought 2 SK DT-80 kits today to upgrade/save 2 SK ratchets I have. I could stick with the kits that are in them, but I like fresh, no wobble ratchets.