Thank you for all of your timely and informative videos. I know that I'm not alone when I say that I watch all of them. I have been using some of my ratchets for 60 years thanks to the mantainance practices my Grandfather taught me.
Great video! I must be your first viewer of this video. Since it says that there have been no views, I have been greasing my ratchets since I worked for the Boeing Airplane Company back in the late 1960s. And IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. As to the 1/4" Craftsman ratchet, I found one of them under my manufactured home a few years ago, and it was frozen with rust. The model I have has a star wheel on the back of the ratchet that you can use to start screws, and on the side that the sockets connect to, there is a not a spring, but it is like a split ring, like a key ring, only flattened. That split ring can be removed to access the gears, which I did, and polished the rust off, and then packed the housing full of grease, and it works flawlessly. I also have t sockets sets 1/4" and 3/8" made by a company that used to be called "S K WAYNE" back in the 60s. the name is a bit different now, but I have been using those ratchets and sockets now for 54 years and counting now.
I got all four S-K ratchet sets back in the 1960s. Can't complain although the 3/4" drive flex handle broke the pin when excessive horse power was applied to it. Cut the head and thread off a 3/8ths grade 8 bolt and Loctite it in. Fixed.
@@41plymouthnut87 S-K has changed hands several times since the Wayne merger. In 2010 they went bankrupt and the brand was purchased by Ideal Industries. Ideal has reintroduced S-K as a premium hand tool brand and socket sets run several hundred dollars. I have some S-K tools that I acquired in the 70s to supplement my Craftsmans and I still have most of them. I would love a set of new S-K tools but just can't afford them. Recently I bought some vintage S-K sets on eBay. My most recent find is an almost complete 1/4" drive set in the original green box. In the 70s I would have paid about $25 for it. Today I had to spend $70. Love the simple design of the ratchets and the high quality of their manufacture. I also love how easy the old style round head ratchets are to disassemble, clean, and lubricate and if necessary, repair. I will be passing these old S-K tools (and the Craftsman that I still own) on to my sons-in-law and maybe even my grandchildren.
Good Idea. I've Been An Auto Mechanic For 49 Years. 33 Years In Dealers. Ratchets Are Made For Speed Not For Breaking Loose Or Tightening. That's Why If You Buy A Set Sockets Extensions swivel And BREAKER BAR. That's What The Breaker Is Used For. Breaking Loose And Tightening. Once Loose The Use The Ratchet. If You Do It That Way They Will Last As Long As Mine. I have A 3/8 Drive Craftsman Ratchet Since I Was 18 Years old And I'm Now 67 Years Old And it Still Works Like New. To Lube My Ratchets I've Always Once In A While Drop Them In A Coffee Can Over Night With Gear Oil. Even The Smallest Openings In The Ratchet Will Allow The Oil To get Inside. I Have Lots of Ratches Craftsman , Snapon , Blackhawk , Mac , Vulcan , And They Are OLD And All Still Work. If You Use A Tool For What it Was Truly Designed For it Will Lasttttttttttttttt.
Thanks Stephen, I do have a few Craftsman ratchets that were made in USA that I've had since I was 18 too! I should make a video on your suggestion about dipping them in gear oil overnight! have a good weekend!
"Your not going to go broke buying grease" Words to live by!! I've been doing this for years with my Craftsman ratchets, 35 years old and still working perfect.
My dad was a large engine tech and used all kinds of oil, mostly motor oil and wd40. I have them now and they are in great condition. They are 70-80 years old and no rust.
Well done donyboy73. If your using hand tools that means your either making or fixing or maintaining something. So why not maintain your ratchets. I use silicon grease for the pawls and operate my sealed and gearwrench stuff in a cup of ATF. Keeps everything slick!
In our farming operation, dirt and dust are our biggest problems. Our ratchet maintenance includes a complete disassembly and thorough solvent wash before any lubricant is added. Just be careful to contain the detent ball and spring when the reversing rocker is removed -- that pesky ball can fire out of the housing like a bullet.
Totally agree. Tools that get used day in and day out (mechanic by trade) do pick up dirt, grit and grime from the machines they are used on, and ratchets do need to be cleaned out occasionally and then re-lubricated. I treat them as I would any bearing assembly. I would never apply new grease to a bearing that is still filled with old dirty grease. If you are taking it apart anyway it's only a few extra minutes to clean it out first. An ultrasonic cleaner will do all the work for you!
Some Craftsman ratchets have a needle point lube hole. I wore out a Craftsman ratchet years ago and the tool salesman at Sears asked if I had ever lubed it. I asked how and he showed me. Then he handed me a new ratchet. Nice video. JoeB
I often give the ball bearing that holds the sockets on too a little greese. Just push it in with lithium on your finger and roll it if you can. Don't wait till it's hard to get sockets on and off.. Another great video Donneyboy.
Donny this is a good practice even if you don`t use your ratchets to make a living. It`s snowing like the dickens here today so I`m going to do this now.
I agree, i did the same to all my ratchets. Not only this will protect them from rust and wears, but it also makes them more quiet and more responsive. Some have a ring instead of screws but all can be taking a part and maintained, good video.
Great tip donyboy73. I have been an appliance repairman for 30+ years and never thought of this. I can't recall ever having one wear out or break, but it makes very good sense. Thanks for what you do!
Thanks for the tip.. I'm a small engine guy too.. and it's funny how we are busy maintaining people's blowers,trimmers and mowers I wonder how many of us doing this..
The craftsman ratchet looks like it has black flat spring retainer, like the old 3/8 ones. They peel off with a small screw driver :-) I have an old 3/8 japan made ratchet i bought in one of those 30 piece socket sets when i was a teenager in 1983 Ish. It's still working fine over 30 years later, i regularly washed it out and re-greased it. i used parafin or wd40 to wash the grease away, wd40 has been around for a long time.
Great video. I am gonna have to set aside some time to lube my ratchets. That's one thing I think of but then forget. Thanks for showing us how to care for our tools.
Good advice, Don. Easy to do and no doubt extends the life 10x's of even the cheapest ratchet. Your channel is one of my favorites on RU-vid. I've used a lot of your advice. Thanks!
Ratchets should never be greased. You can find that information from the manufacturers. Ratched maintenance consist of: 1. Disassembly and thorough clean in kerosene or parts washer solvent. 2. Lubricate with a light machinery oil such as gun oil and re-assemble. 3. Subsequent lubrication can be done without disassembly. The reason not to use grease is that grease will build up with dirt and cause the pawls to ride higher in the teeth which could result in tips of teeth breaking off ruining your ratchet., also the tolerances (which can be quite fine with higher end tools) were derived with a light oil lubricant in mind. Certainly maintain your ratchets, it will prolong their life and make them more pleasant to use, but use the right lubricant.
Hey D B, What a great tip!👍🏻👍🏻 I have some ratchets that are 50 years old, never thought about maintaining, will do it later today. I thank you and my ratchets thank you!✌🏻️
I always lubricate my ratchets and I also use spray clear grease on my pliers because if they aren't used in a while they start to seize up. It does make your tools last longer I have a over 20 year old Snap on ratchet that is still in good working order.
Good Morning DB73, I buy those cheeper wratches, and oil them when they feel like a binding sensation. I use none of my tools for a living. All good points here as always. Don't forget to Make those screws DB73 tight, LOL... With my luck, I would open a ratchet and a Gazillion tinny Ball bearings would spring out on to the floor :-(
Hi love your show. I would like to see you rebuild a Hydro pump for zero turns like on encores or something like it. If you have how can I find it. Thanks keep up the great work.
Great advice... an old uncle of mine use to boil grease to liquify it and the pour it into bearings and things.. when the grease cooled down it solidified again... old timers did this all the time to grease bearings
If a thick Grease solidified the ratchetIng mechanism might not operate very well especially in small ratchets. Think about how well red lithium grease protects bearings. That grease holds up well to extreme pressures and stays on things forever. I'm guessing it won't solidify over time or behave badly in cold weather.
@@randywl8925 back in the day mechanis stripped down bearings and the rebuilt them not like now we just replace. Boiling grease really works to allow it to run. I must do a video on it. RU-vid is a great platform for sharing and learning
Snap on ratchets are my favorite also. They cost a lot but they are the smoothest ratchets around. You can email snap on and they will send you a rebuild kit for the ratchet if you need one
My favorite 1/4 drive ratchet is an 88 tooth Matco. I also have a Snap-on, an S-K, and several Crapsman. Shoutout for the Wiha screwdriver, they're my favorite small drivers and my favorite 1/4 hex bits.
@@martinblouin3639 I never bash somebody's personal preference, unless it's Milwaukee or Harbor Freight. Milwaukee is no longer a US company. They are entirely chinese owned, designed and manufactured. Harbor Freight is passive aggressive, and their stuff isn't worth saving money to risk your life or health.
I got one of my dad’s(RIP) old craftsman 1/2 drive. It has a grease fitting on top. But I did what you did in the video. But I used a all purpose grease from my grease gun. After getting the screws off I packed it. After seeing this I like the lithium grease. Can I get a degreaser and clean it up? Or should I just leave it?
I have disassembled, cleaned, and oiled my craftsman usa ratchets every few years since buying them new over 20 years ago. The ratchet action is noticably better afterwards. I lost the 1/4" ball bearing last time. Had to google a while to find Craftsman's specs on ball diameter so i could buy more.
I'm a mechanic and at work I have 17 Snap On ratchets from 1/4 to 3/4 , I greased 1 of them several years ago and since then that ratchet has been impossible to keep those screws tight ..
I disassemble my ratchets every couple of years and lubricate them with a product called Super Lube. I have been using that stuff for decades and the only times my ratchets have failed are when I lent them to my son-in-law. I used to have a policy that if he needed something, all he had to do was take it from my toolbox. My only rules were to treat them right and put them back when he was done. Well, he managed to break a vintage, 1/4" drive, Made in USA, Craftsman, ratchet. How do you break a 1/4" drive ratchet? I don't know, but I bought that ratchet in the 70s when I was first learning to work on cars. It almost made me cry. I took it to Lowes to get a ratchet repair kit and guess what? They don't carry them. I'm not even sure they still make them, because the Craftsman brand is now owned by Stanley and are made in China. I got Lowes to replace the broken ratchet, but it's not Made in USA. I keep thinking I should have tried harder to find a NOS vintage repair kit. But that's all in the past. Also, one time he borrowed my 13mm combination wrench. I went over to his house and tripped over a bump in the dirt. I looked down, and there was my wrench, sticking up out of the driveway! I was appalled! Naturally, I have rescinded my original policy, and my toolbox is locked for the first time in over 20 years. I'm just glad I never lost the keys.
I'm from the school that if the ratchet or assembly is assembled from parts, then those parts HAVE to come apart someway. Like sealed bearings, you can remove the seal and grease them.
That was a good idea I never though about it and bearings go dry and humidity to it is like you said and it is cheep cheep insurance and what 1 cent worth of grease and 5 minutes of your time versus buying a new snap on Tool 🤔🤔🤔🤔
Hey Donyboy, I know this will sound silly, but can you show a video how to restring a Pull Handle with rope, Rotary #25-11330. It has a center piece that comes out of handle, that the rope goes through, but when you tie a knot, it won't let you put it back in handle.
No matter how hard I try, I always end up getting caught in the rain working on stuff. Or I step inside and a storm will come thru and my tools and ratchet get wet. For me this is a must.
I remove the drive gear and lube the inside of the housing. This is what’s worn in my ratchets and Snap-on won’t warranty it because it’s considered normal wear. When they refuse warranty because the housing is worn point out that the chrome is peeling off and they will warranty it then. I love their tools but not their warranty.
If you want the proper OEM lube used in Snap On ratchets, you can buy it from GM, it’s called Super Lube p/n # 12371287, it’s synthetic with ptfe in it. Same as Snap On, different label and about 10.00 a tube, more suitable than white lithium with better properties.
I grease my cheap ratchets right away if I buy cheap tools, my quality ratchets I grease every few years. It's worth it for longevity and smoother operation. The craftsman might have a retainer ring as well as some of the cheaper ratchets. Chinese ratchets are junk but can last years if greased right away.
I haven't had to fix a ratchet in a long time but yes,the older craftsman ratchets had a snap ring. I believe the repair kit came with a tiny grease tube.
