Stuck Socket Set Ball Catch

[GrahamGKD]

Hi Folks,

Anyone got any ideas how to free the ball catch on this 1/4" drive ratchet - it is from a set I inherited from my dad. I think I need to get it apart but I can’t see how it was put together - do they peen around the ball after it is inserted and before the square is hardened?


It is a Halfords set and I noticed earlier that Halfords do service kits for their ratchets. I've just been to buy one but, despite all the reassuring words in the spec, the ratchet part with the square drive doesn’t fit.

 

[Agrismith]

Does the release button go up and down as it should??

 

[GrahamGKD]

The whole thing just seems to be solid, including the ball which is stuck in?

 

[500e]

If you bought a repair kit take it all back & ask for the correct one

 

[GrahamGKD]

I will take the repair kit back for a refund and try as you suggest but I strongly suspect this ratchet is now obsolete and unsupported.

 

[e5c0rt.mk1]

Ive got a 200 piece halfords tool kit, and love it except the ratchets, the ratchet mechanism is good except the bit you are trying to fix.
I lengthened the part you push to release the socket on my 1/2" ratchet
I have had my 1/4" ratchet replaced because the sockets kept falling off, as the ball wasn't coming back out.

To get the pin and ball out i just, tapped the pin, from the socket end, until the ball popped out, then just put it back together and tapped the ball back in.

If it is a advanced tool just take it back and get it changed

 

[500e]

Take sandwiches & suggest you will wait till they have it sorted

 

[GrahamGKD]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I’ve got some movement by tapping the other end of the release button, as suggested (the end visible in the picture), and then repeatedly tapping it back and fore. It is still not happy but maybe now it is moving a soak in thin oil overnight might help – we shall see.

When I went to Halfords earlier I took the ratchet with me and the guy there assured me the parts I bought would fit! I can’t see I would get it replaced under warranty as I have no receipt. In any case, I would rather fix this one if I can.

E5sc0rt.mk1 – did you manage to get the whole thing apart to lengthen the button – if so how did you go about that?

 

[e5c0rt.mk1]

I just hit the end you can see in your picture with a hammer and small punch until the ball came out and then the button slid out.

I then lengthend the button, put it back in the ratchet and tapped the ball back into its hole with a hammer, its been like that for over a year now and had alot of use, and its still working great.

 

[MCKDAVID]

try soaking the whole ratchet in diesel or such like overnight to see if it frees up, maybe just stuck.. costs nothing to try.

 

[GrahamGKD]

I just hit the end you can see in your picture with a hammer and small punch until the ball came out and then the button slid out.

I then lengthend the button, put it back in the ratchet and tapped the ball back into its hole with a hammer, its been like that for over a year now and had alot of use, and its still working great.

Great - Thanks for that - your disassembly method worked a treat. I am in the process of making a new longer button part to replace my one which is a bit manky. I guess I might as well source a brand new 1/8" ball bearing before I put it all back together. I will keep you posted.

 

[GrahamGKD]

I made a new one of these:

Rather than turn down that 3mm spindle from solid bar I drilled the thick end and brazed a length of 3mm rod into it. It went back together fine with a new ball bearing and the release mechanism works a treat now.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

 

[GrahamGKD]

Nice little bonus at the end of this story - I bought the service kit (mentioned in the first post) with 15% off but when I took it back just now the nice lady refunded me the full price, even though I gave her my original receipt?!