AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
Well fortunately for me a guy on my other forum sent me one. It’s as good as new now.
Lubing old ratchets with C Clip retainer?
- Thread starter demarpaint
- Start date
JHZR2
Staff member
I suspect you bent it slightly. Might be able to get it back... maybe not. Might also be able to shim it tighter with foil or something...
Nice!
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
My ratchet is as good as new. Even threw in some Super Lube in the grey tube lol. Thanks to the awesome member on GJ that sent this to me.
You inspired me to buy an assortment of the clips in metric sizes. Thanks!View attachment 44285View attachment 44286
My ratchet is as good as new. Even threw in some Super Lube in the grey tube lol. Thanks to the awesome member on GJ that sent this to me.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
Yes i like mine now. And now since I greased it it’s not skipping like it was before which is the reason I had taken it apart to begin with.
All of mine are lubed and working as they should.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
That is good. They gave me the warranty replacement for this and the USA feels so much better. At least they have revised the China ones to not have rough edges like people were complaining about. But I still wouldn’t buy the China ones. The advantage is going thru Craftsman directly I didn’t have to return the old tools. I posted pictures of the new warranty replacements in the Craftsman USA vs China thread if you are interested also has Taiwan screwdrivers that they sent me too for warranty.
I'm thinking about a set of these.
When it comes to SAE vs metric retaining rings, there's a good chance they're all metric but some are labeled in inches (and called SAE) and others will be in mm. Retaining rings are like bearings, o-rings, etc -- very much standardized in sizing. In the case of ratchets, if it fits in the groove, it should work fine. They want to spring "open" as it is meaning they'll simply force themselves deeper into the groove anyway and nothing can go anywhere.
Yours are likely spinning because they're clean as well as the ratchet body is clean. Before, there was gunk and grime keeping it fixed in position a little more.
Yours are likely spinning because they're clean as well as the ratchet body is clean. Before, there was gunk and grime keeping it fixed in position a little more.
In the case of my ratchets the SAE clips clearly did not fit properly. I borrowed one from a duplicate ratchet I have and it fit perfectly, which leads me to believe, at least in the case of my ratchet I need a metric clip.
That's surprising. Was it the thickness that was off ? Even more surprising, it's an "old", made in USA tool that used metric hardware. How old, do you know ? Curious only.... If it's from the 80s or later, I'm not surprised it used metric actually.
Honestly I didn't notice the thickness as being the issue, it was the width being slightly off. The clip I tried from the other ratchet was literally a hair wider than the SAE clip from the local hardware store, just wide enough not to move around in the tool. I would think the tool in question was from the late 70's or early 80's, but that's a wild guess. Bottom line is I needed a metric clip.
HF has a retaining ring assortment kit for under $5
www.harborfreight.com
Internal Retaining Ring Assortment, 300 Piece
Amazing deals on this 300 Piece Internal Retaining Rings at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
I checked them out this morning. The website says SAE and Metric, however they're only SAE with no metric sizes, which is what I need. I was going to order them a while back from Amazon but didn't. I'll probably get them from Amazon. It's a wrench that was going to go into a travel tool box so I'm in no hurry.HF has a retaining ring assortment kit for under $5
Internal Retaining Ring Assortment, 300 Piece
Amazing deals on this 300 Piece Internal Retaining Rings at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
