Oil, grease, gear lube?
Ratchet lube?
- Thread starter ledslinger
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The Matco guy just rebuilt mine. The rebuild kit came with a small tube of SAE 0 oil made by Redline.
I've been using #2 grease in my Snap-on ratchets for many years.
I use Permatex engine assembly lube.
^^^ what he said ^^^ Permatex 81950
+1 Super Lube. It is available at HF.
Whatever grease I have on hand is what is in my ratchets, usually valvoline synpower or red.
Kestas
Staff member
Just don't use a lube that is so thick, it impedes proper pawl engagement of the ratchet mechanism.
Where exactly do you apply the lube on a ratchet? Do you have to open it up? Seems sealed but I haven't really looked.
I like to accidentally drop mine in the used-oil pan when changing oil once a year. Stays REAL lubricated that way year-round.
A lot of guys use Permatex engine assembly lube (AKA: Red Lube of Love or RLL) on their ratchets but I stick with Super Lube. A tube costs less than $5 at Harbor Freight (USA made by the way..) and works well with coarse and fine tooth ratchets.
As mentioned above, it's also the factory lube for Snap-on. Pretty good endorsment right there...
As mentioned above, it's also the factory lube for Snap-on. Pretty good endorsment right there...
Disassemble, clean, dry. After that I've used whatever grease is on hand with good results. In my personal ratchets I used Valvoline Synpower (#2) grease, at my old job I used Mobilgrease XHP 222. Both work well, as would any old grease.
The difference in smoothness is excellent - it made Snap-off feel like Craftsman, Craftsman feel like SK and SK feel like Snap-on. I still have to wipe a bit of grease off now and then but I'm a weekend warrior at best.
My Snap-offs are only for light duty home/junkyard use; the Craftsman is 10 years old an still works like new. Better than new after a good cleaning & regreasing!
The difference in smoothness is excellent - it made Snap-off feel like Craftsman, Craftsman feel like SK and SK feel like Snap-on. I still have to wipe a bit of grease off now and then but I'm a weekend warrior at best.
My Snap-offs are only for light duty home/junkyard use; the Craftsman is 10 years old an still works like new. Better than new after a good cleaning & regreasing!
Originally Posted By: Moose016
Where exactly do you apply the lube on a ratchet? Do you have to open it up? Seems sealed but I haven't really looked.
Some have two screws. Some have a retaining ring.
I used to work around salt water, and after a few years the ratchets were sticky. Opening them, buffing off any rust, and greasing made them like new. Any grease or oil--your choice. If you work in the cold, use oil or very light grease.
Where exactly do you apply the lube on a ratchet? Do you have to open it up? Seems sealed but I haven't really looked.
Some have two screws. Some have a retaining ring.
I used to work around salt water, and after a few years the ratchets were sticky. Opening them, buffing off any rust, and greasing made them like new. Any grease or oil--your choice. If you work in the cold, use oil or very light grease.
Originally Posted By: Ken2
Originally Posted By: Moose016
Where exactly do you apply the lube on a ratchet? Do you have to open it up? Seems sealed but I haven't really looked.
Some have two screws. Some have a retaining ring.
I really only found 3 different variants:
1. Retaining plate on the back (lever side), usually held in by two countersunk cap head screws. Undo the two screws and push on the square drive to remove the innards - be careful not to lose the ball & spring.
2. Standard retaining ring. Requires retaining ring pliers to remove. Push everything out the front, being similarly careful not to lose the ball & spring. These were typical on pear-head type ratchet.
3. Spiral retaining ring. Pull one tab up with a screwdriver and work the ring out. All of the ones like this were round-head ratchets which have a completely integrated mechanism that fits in the ring gear teeth broached into the ratchet head, so it just pulls out in one go. No loose parts!
Originally Posted By: Moose016
Where exactly do you apply the lube on a ratchet? Do you have to open it up? Seems sealed but I haven't really looked.
Some have two screws. Some have a retaining ring.
I really only found 3 different variants:
1. Retaining plate on the back (lever side), usually held in by two countersunk cap head screws. Undo the two screws and push on the square drive to remove the innards - be careful not to lose the ball & spring.
2. Standard retaining ring. Requires retaining ring pliers to remove. Push everything out the front, being similarly careful not to lose the ball & spring. These were typical on pear-head type ratchet.
3. Spiral retaining ring. Pull one tab up with a screwdriver and work the ring out. All of the ones like this were round-head ratchets which have a completely integrated mechanism that fits in the ring gear teeth broached into the ratchet head, so it just pulls out in one go. No loose parts!
Originally Posted By: Chris Meutsch
I like to accidentally drop mine in the used-oil pan when changing oil once a year. Stays REAL lubricated that way year-round.
That's the method I use. I've found that there's something akin to magnetic attraction between a pan of fluid any any loose tools/parts in the immediate area.
I like to accidentally drop mine in the used-oil pan when changing oil once a year. Stays REAL lubricated that way year-round.
That's the method I use. I've found that there's something akin to magnetic attraction between a pan of fluid any any loose tools/parts in the immediate area.
I have used Amsoil grease. NLGI 2 of the moly or the GLC. I might try the Marine grease next time because it's NLGI 1 grade. I think that a 0 or a 1 grade might be better especially in colder weather.
I use an old coffee can half filled with ATF,it cleans and lubes them nice without taking them apart.I toss them in on friday after work and take them out on monday,let drip and wipe.No tooth failure since 1975 when i picked this up from an old timer.
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