Willaims Superratchet Disassembled

[DadsTools]

I have the 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and a long handle 1/2. I bought them new, a long time ago. They click kind of loud and probably need some lube but operate smoothly. This tutorial confirms what I have heard before and I dread the thought of opening them. There are no spare parts, from what I hear. Parts often go to a parallel universe when I take things apart. I guess I could soak it in oil but I am not sure it is an improvement or necessary. I wonder what Williams lubed them with. If I had it apart I would use Super Lube too. Isn't that what Snap On recomnends for their ratchets?


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I've disassembled, cleaned and re-lubed lots of ratchets, including the Williams. When it comes to these kinds of round heads with the drop-in cores that house the pawls, parts don't fly when you're just removing the core. All the trouble with losing parts comes from trying to take the cores apart. But honestly, I have yet to find one where disassembling the core was necessary. As long as there's no broken core parts--and with one of these old Williams, if you do have broken core parts, you're done anyway--all you need to do is remove the core and soak it thoroughly with WD-40, which is an effective solvent and will soften any gunk. Then spray it really well with Gum-out parts cleaner. Clean the inside of the head and other parts the same way. Soaking the parts in some kind of lubricant like oil or ATF is not going to cut grease like these two solvents.

Once dry, I lightly oil the critical core junctions. I typically use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil in one of those needle oilers. If you want super-slick, try G96 gunsmith oil--this stuff is amazing and crazy slick, but pricier. Be sure to work the oil down into the spring channel. Don't use so much that it's dripping off the core when you're done.

To grease the teeth, I use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Lube on the 1/4" drives or on really fine tooth ratchets. These lubes are designed to protect small gears and other parts through tens of thousands of cycles beyond what you'll ever put on a ratchet. For the 1/2 drives or coarse tooth I do use the Super Lube. This will do the job superbly without unnecessarily risking parts entry into other dimensions by trying to take the core apart.

That's my method.

 

[alinc100]

I've disassembled, cleaned and re-lubed lots of ratchets, including the Williams. When it comes to these kinds of round heads with the drop-in cores that house the pawls, parts don't fly when you're just removing the core. All the trouble with losing parts comes from trying to take the cores apart. But honestly, I have yet to find one where disassembling the core was necessary. As long as there's no broken core parts--and with one of these old Williams, if you do have broken core parts, you're done anyway--all you need to do is remove the core and soak it thoroughly with WD-40, which is an effective solvent and will soften any gunk. Then spray it really well with Gum-out parts cleaner. Clean the inside of the head and other parts the same way. Soaking the parts in some kind of lubricant like oil or ATF is not going to cut grease like these two solvents.

Once dry, I lightly oil the critical core junctions. I typically use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil in one of those needle oilers. If you want super-slick, try G96 gunsmith oil--this stuff is amazing and crazy slick, but pricier. Be sure to work the oil down into the spring channel. Don't use so much that it's dripping off the core when you're done.

To grease the teeth, I use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Lube on the 1/4" drives or on really fine tooth ratchets. These lubes are designed to protect small gears and other parts through tens of thousands of cycles beyond what you'll ever put on a ratchet. For the 1/2 drives or coarse tooth I do use the Super Lube. This will do the job superbly without unnecessarily risking parts entry into other dimensions by trying to take the core apart.

That's my method.

So if I am reading this correctly the core of the 52 series ratchets WILL stay together and can be removed for a cleaning /re-lube without parts flying out? I've been hesitant to take apart a 52 series ratchet for fear of not being able to reassemble. This thread ,having been resurrected ,has been most informative.

 

[DadsTools]

So if I am reading this correctly the core of the 52 series ratchets WILL stay together and can be removed for a cleaning /re-lube without parts flying out? I've been hesitant to take apart a 52 series ratchet for fear of not being able to reassemble. This thread ,having been resurrected ,has been most informative.

Correct. All the little balls and springs are held in the cores beneath the pawls. They won't come out unless you try to remove the pawls out of the core by pushing those thick pins out. I've never personally encountered a situation where removing the pawls was really necessary to effectively clean and re-lube any such round head. Doesn't mean you might someday encounter one that someone dipped in molasses or something screwy like that where taking the whole thing apart is required (I never have). But just old lube, grease and dirt? Nada.

Now if there's a part like the core housing or a pawl that's actually broken into pieces and is only being held together by being contained inside the head, removing the core will cause pieces to fly. But as I said before, if that was the case, you're going to need a replacement core anyway. And it will almost certainly show signs that something's amiss inside by the defective way it would operate before disassembly.

 

[6PTsocket]

I've disassembled, cleaned and re-lubed lots of ratchets, including the Williams. When it comes to these kinds of round heads with the drop-in cores that house the pawls, parts don't fly when you're just removing the core. All the trouble with losing parts comes from trying to take the cores apart. But honestly, I have yet to find one where disassembling the core was necessary. As long as there's no broken core parts--and with one of these old Williams, if you do have broken core parts, you're done anyway--all you need to do is remove the core and soak it thoroughly with WD-40, which is an effective solvent and will soften any gunk. Then spray it really well with Gum-out parts cleaner. Clean the inside of the head and other parts the same way. Soaking the parts in some kind of lubricant like oil or ATF is not going to cut grease like these two solvents.

Once dry, I lightly oil the critical core junctions. I typically use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil in one of those needle oilers. If you want super-slick, try G96 gunsmith oil--this stuff is amazing and crazy slick, but pricier. Be sure to work the oil down into the spring channel. Don't use so much that it's dripping off the core when you're done.

To grease the teeth, I use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Lube on the 1/4" drives or on really fine tooth ratchets. These lubes are designed to protect small gears and other parts through tens of thousands of cycles beyond what you'll ever put on a ratchet. For the 1/2 drives or coarse tooth I do use the Super Lube. This will do the job superbly without unnecessarily risking parts entry into other dimensions by trying to take the core apart.

That's my method.

Thanks a lot. I did not realize I could just pop the core, flush, clean and lube without launching springs and balls into space.

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[Lucky13don]

I've disassembled, cleaned and re-lubed lots of ratchets, including the Williams. When it comes to these kinds of round heads with the drop-in cores that house the pawls, parts don't fly when you're just removing the core. All the trouble with losing parts comes from trying to take the cores apart. But honestly, I have yet to find one where disassembling the core was necessary. As long as there's no broken core parts--and with one of these old Williams, if you do have broken core parts, you're done anyway--all you need to do is remove the core and soak it thoroughly with WD-40, which is an effective solvent and will soften any gunk. Then spray it really well with Gum-out parts cleaner. Clean the inside of the head and other parts the same way. Soaking the parts in some kind of lubricant like oil or ATF is not going to cut grease like these two solvents.

Once dry, I lightly oil the critical core junctions. I typically use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil in one of those needle oilers. If you want super-slick, try G96 gunsmith oil--this stuff is amazing and crazy slick, but pricier. Be sure to work the oil down into the spring channel. Don't use so much that it's dripping off the core when you're done.

To grease the teeth, I use Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Lube on the 1/4" drives or on really fine tooth ratchets. These lubes are designed to protect small gears and other parts through tens of thousands of cycles beyond what you'll ever put on a ratchet. For the 1/2 drives or coarse tooth I do use the Super Lube. This will do the job superbly without unnecessarily risking parts entry into other dimensions by trying to take the core apart.

That's my method.

Thanks for the insight.might have to pull it and clean her up a bit

 

[DadsTools]

Yes. Look at the 2nd photo in the OP's original post. That's the core assembly. Notice it's not disintegrating before our eyes. As long as you don't try to take the assembly apart, it will stay together like that. Read OP's description again of disassembling the core so you know what NOT to do if you want the core to remain assembled.