Williams B-B52A Ratchet

[Hiball]

Williams B-B52A Ratchet Woot.

After purchasing some Williams USA stuff lately and being happy with the fit and finish, I was browsing my Local Pawn Shop today and run across a New Williams B52-A ratchet. He was asking $21 which i didnt think was a bad price but after inspecting it and really digging the fine tooth ratchet Mechanism so i offered $15 and we setteled on $18. I believe its a 72 tooth and this one is a 3/8" drive. It looks real similar to a older one i had but this one is held together by a single allen head, where the last one used a screw in cover plate. Comments?

 

[woody 73]

Hiball I am so jealous what a great price...I bought the same one today only brand new for $38.00 dollars. They dont make them like that today!

 

[Hiball]

Hiball I am so jealous what a great price...I bought the same one today only brand new for $38.00 dollars. They dont make them like that today!

I didnt know they didnt make this style anymore, My pawn guy purchased a bunch of Ratchets from the Local Snap on guy, So he says, buth he also tried to tell me Snap on Manufactured Armstong tools. He has a bunch of Armstrong ratchets, Mainly 36 tooth and some williams. This was the only one he had of this style. He has a slug of Armstrong Ratchets including some round head and Pear head all around the 20-25 dollar range, He must have bought them cheap.

 

[tonydanzah]

Hiball I am so jealous what a great price...I bought the same one today only brand new for $38.00 dollars. They dont make them like that today!

your right, the ratchets they make today are better!

 

[back2class]

your right, the ratchets they make today are better!

Agree 100%

 

[Hiball]

your right, the ratchets they make today are better!

Well i just sold a Williams set with a New Ratchet and it looked Similar to Snap on's older tooth ratchets, Is there something wrong with the older Williams Style? Specifically this model? Curious now that 2 people have come in and said the newer ones where better.

Btw, It appears they still offer this Ratchet in there current Tool book.

 

[64merc]

I think it's a very nice ratchet. I found a broken one for $1 a couple of years ago and put in a rebuild kit. I haven't used it much, but it seems very strong and it has a really nice fine tooth action IMO.

 

[back2class]

Well i just sold a Williams set with a New Ratchet and it looked Similar to Snap on's older tooth ratchets, Is there something wrong with the older Williams Style? Specifically this model? Curious now that 2 people have come in and said the newer ones where better.

Btw, It appears they still offer this Ratchet in there current Tool book.

Nothing wrong at all. They are good tools. Just newer ratchets, Williams included seem to fail alot less and feel much better when using. I believe improvements in design and metalurgy(sp) account for this. Like most wel made items they have improved over the decades.

 

[Hiball]

Nothing wrong at all. They are good tools. Just newer ratchets, Williams included seem to fail alot less and feel much better when using. I believe improvements in design and metalurgy(sp) account for this. Like most wel made items they have improved over the decades.

Ic, I suppose that is true for some tool companies, But I owned some Older Ratchets mainly Sk and i know ive Abused them and they still are ticking today. I was mistaken, I thought this ratchet was discountinued but it is in fact still available thru williams and very similar to the older B-52 except for the cover plate fastener. Thanks for Info on the Wright socket set, Ill be looking forward to receiving it.

 

[64merc]

Ic, I suppose that is true for some tool companies, But I owned some Older Ratchets mainly Sk and i know ive Abused them and they still are ticking today. I was mistaken, I thought this ratchet was discountinued but it is in fact still available thru williams and very similar to the older B-52 except for the cover plate fastener. Thanks for Info on the Wright socket set, Ill be looking forward to receiving it.

I agree, a lot of my older tools work better than my newer ones.

Also, I think the main difference between the old B-52 and new B-52A is that the B-52 had 2 pawls (IIRC) and the new one has only one.

 

[Tool Pants]

I have a B-52. The one you have to unscrew a lock ring to take it apart. I have not taken it apart yet, but I assume it is a dual pawl because my S-52 is a dual pawl.

Take the B-52A apart. I want to see how many pawls there are.

 

[Hiball]

I have a B-52. The one you have to unscrew a lock ring to take it apart. I have not taken it apart yet, but I assume it is a dual pawl because my S-52 is a dual pawl.

Take the B-52A apart. I want to see how many pawls there are.

Hope your happy now i have to figure out how to get this thing back together, LOL. I put it together once and it didnt work.

PS. I figured it out that *** on the selector switch as to go inside the Spring Wire. It works regardless.

 

[sk farmer]

the heart shaped spring needs to fit between the bump or hook on the botom of the cap and the ratchet body. sit the cap down off set of the center. slide it toward the center hooking the loop on the spring and then pop it in place and put the screw in. it looks more like the facom than an old williams to me.

 

[Hiball]

the heart shaped spring needs to fit between the bump or hook on the botom of the cap and the ratchet body. sit the cap down off set of the center. slide it toward the center hooking the loop on the spring and then pop it in place and put the screw in. it looks more like the facom than an old williams to me.

Yeah, i got it. Thanks. Its not a OLD williams, This is the current Model they still sell.

 

[48548]

Everyone and their brother are all using that design, toptul, facom, genius, snap on-tk860, sk, and on and on.... I wonder if the patent ran out or something... How many other people need to copy that design? Can't they all make something themselves and make it as good or better than a dual 80 design? I am all for not reinventing the wheel, but the design is good, but not the best I have ever used. Now we need to get cornwell, mac, proto and matco to start using it, then what have we got? All the same ratchets with different qualities in handles and the metal they use... Sorry this isn't my thread, but I am tired of seeing companies all use the same design, can't they be original or is this because they are all made in the same over seas factory?

 

[Hiball]

Everyone and their brother are all using that design, toptul, facom, genius, snap on-tk860, sk, and on and on.... I wonder if the patent ran out or something... How many other people need to copy that design? Can't they all make something themselves and make it as good or better than a dual 80 design? I am all for not reinventing the wheel, but the design is good, but not the best I have ever used. Now we need to get cornwell, mac, proto and matco to start using it, then what have we got? All the same ratchets with different qualities in handles and the metal they use... Sorry this isn't my thread, but I am tired of seeing companies all use the same design, can't they be original or is this because they are all made in the same over seas factory?

Dunno? This is the first ratchet of this kind that ive ever taken apart. Ive seen pics on here showing similar if not the same design. The US patent number is US 5921158, I couldnt find who it was originally patented to, but it said it original date of patent was in 99 and it runs out in 2017. So.. I suppose we will be seing this design for a good while.

 

[Bart Simpson]

I just looked it up in my older Williams # 313 catalog.
It shows this as a "new" item.
Specs:

" Double pawl design with 80 teeth action provides a 4 1/2 Degree ratcheting angle."

FYI repair kit is part # B-52ARK in case you ever need it.

I figured it was the same internally as a Snap On F872 but they are 72 teeth and were the finest tooth round head ones made by snappy till they just came out with the 100 roto head ratchet.

Is there a Snap On date code on it ?

 

[tonydanzah]

what do the guts of a dual 80 look like?

 

[Bart Simpson]

what do the guts of a dual 80 look like?

Nothing like this round head ratchet.
There is the gear with two pawls below it with a spring in between them.
Do a search there are pics on this site

 

[BUBJEL]

I found an old Williams b-52 ratchet last year; Its my favorite ratchet in my small collection; including my new Snap-On dual 80. Any other old ratchet's that is this smooth for me to hunt down.

 

[bushhawg73]

Very nice score. I picked up a little 1/4 NAPA round head ratchet a few weeks back. Really nice and smooth action, paid 8 bucks. It was like brand new.

I just noticed your signature line. "Made in the USA? Its Wright thing, You Dual 80 boys wouldnt Understand". For what it is worth I have a dual 80 that is plainly marked "USA" just below the word Snap on.

 

[Hiball]

I just noticed your signature line. "Made in the USA? Its Wright thing, You Dual 80 boys wouldnt Understand". For what it is worth I have a dual 80 that is plainly marked "USA" just below the word Snap on.

LOL, You must have gotten one of the early ones before Snap On's COO Legal department got on board. JK... I Do like the Dual 80 ratchets, I just dont like not seeing the USA stamp on any of the current ones. I fear there must be something there hiding.

 

[bushhawg73]

I just dont like not seeing the USA stamp on any of the current ones. I fear there must be something there hiding.

You are probably right Hiball. I have two dual 80's, one with the USA stamp and one without.

 

[Bart Simpson]

Hiball Is there a Snap On date code on it ?

 

[A29]

I got this Williams ratchet from my grandpa about 20 years ago. It is 15" long and I use it like a breakover bar. Heck for stout.