Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Rebuilding a ratchet

Randy, if you end up looking for a used one in Pawn shops and such, and run into one branded NAPA, and is an older ratchet, they are good ones. I have a 1/2 inch drive one that I have mistreated since around 1980, and it is still going strong. I have used more cheater pipe on it than should be used on a ratchet without a problem, and it has been out in the rain more than a good tool should be. A few squirts of oil once in a while, and it is good to go. miles

Are Armstrong ratchets the ones with the left right button that is three or four concentric circles?

No, this ratchet has a lever you flip back and forth for on/off. I found one similar (best I could tell by the pic and info) to mine and they wanted $131.00 for it at MSC Direct.

Anyway, I took mine apart, as gunzo suggested, and found that a small sliver of metal had worn off the backside of the big toothed piece and had gotten into the teeth and locked up the ratchet. I gave it a good cleaning, put it back together, and it seems to work fine. Time will tell.

Thanks.
Broke a spring (if I recall) on one of my grandfather's quarter inches, but couldn't remember the brand. Most of his stuff was good quality tho.

When I was working in the auto dealers for about 30 years I bought snap on tools. if you had a problem they would fix it for free.. my ratchet of 30 years still works like it did when I bought it.. cost more than the other supposed to be good ones but I never had to buy a new one.... its all in if you buy the best you will get the best...

Frugal enough to be satisfied with something as long as it works properly, I am still using a Bausch & Lomb Zoom 60 bought in 1971 when I first moved to the Yukon. It has endured plenty of bumps and bruises, and also spent some time under the muddy Stewart River during a Spring bear hunting trip. That occasion required a complete disassembly and cleaning in camp that night. It certainly looks its age, but still reads bullet holes at 200 meters and counts growth rings on sheep horns.

About two months ago, I replaced the transmission on our clothes washing machine with one found for the cost of the travel to the local dump and about two hours of my time. That little effort save us about $600. Two days ago, I Jiffy-Sewed an old pair of jeans before I went fishing and trolled up a nice lake trout for dinner. My 40+ years old Kelty pack frame and bag is going into the mountains on the 17th of this month on a younger back than mine, but will do just fine.

Not difficult at all for me to understand the desire to fix that ratchet. Unfortunately, the throw-away-and-replace paradigm has become so entrenched in our culture that repair is becoming a lost path to perfectly good use of appliances, tools, and other equipment.

Ted

Randy. thanks to your initiative, the wrench is working again. But, then, it was your initiative to find parts for a very good older tool that caused this thread. Well understood - I have some very old Craftsman, Williams, etc quality tools that I would rather repair than replace. - if I can - and have done so a few times. I sure do admire your initiative and willing attitude, and your willingness to wade into this morass of personalities to express your good request.

In doing so, you help highlight the differences between a self-responsible gentleman who has initiative and some confidence in the knowledge and good will of others - for those who seemingly have neither soon rise to reveal themselves.

P,S If that one breaks again and you can't get it fixed, LMK and I'll send you a good old one from here.

Gear wrench also sells matco ratchets. When mine seized up, my Mac dealer rebuilt it since its the same manufacturer

Paul, thanks for the offer, but hopefully, I got it fixed. Got my fingers crossed anyway!

Joel, I didn't know that Gearwrench sold Matco stuff.... thanks for the info.

Here are a bunch of tool nuts,https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=4

Someone will know for sure about the interchangeability. Armstrong was a quality industrial brand. Gone now

Mark..... some of them remind me of this statement, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." And then some are just 'stirring the ol pot'.

Is it faster to Phoenix or by bus?
Depends on if you walk or carry a Armstrong ratchet

You're not missing any screws. They're just a little loose!

It is a reminder of Nurse Ratchet.