How To Clean and Rebuild a Ratchet [Guide]

Even though ratchets only have a few moving parts and are made from durable steel, they still require regular maintenance to operate reliably and at peak performance.

For most ratchets, maintenance just means breaking them down to clean and apply a suitable lubricant. Well-worn or broken ratchets, however, require a bit more attention – or even new parts. Whatever the case, the entire process is easy and can be done with a few basic tools.

To demonstrate, I’ll use a vintage Craftsman ratchet I recently purchased online. This ratchet is around 50 years old and has seen better days, for sure. It also uses a similar mechanism to many modern ratchets so it should look a lot like whatever ratchet you use. As such, I think it’s a perfect candidate for a guide like this.

First, let’s talk about how often you need to clean and rebuild a ratchet. Then we’ll inspect ours, break it down, clean it, replace any parts if necessary, and put it all back together.

How Often Should You Clean And Rebuild Your Ratchet?

The beauty of a simple hand tool like a ratchet is that it doesn’t have to be thoroughly cleaned or rebuilt very often. As long as you do basic maintenance and don’t abuse the tool, it can last years without needing a tear down – especially if used infrequently.

If you use a ratchet daily or in extremely dusty, dirty conditions, the intervals will be smaller. In this case, it’s best to clean your ratchet on a yearly, or, perhaps, monthly basis depending on the situation.

Lubricants commonly used in ratchets will dry out and degrade over time. If your ratchet becomes difficult to operate or clunky, this may be a good indication that it needs to be rebuilt.

What You’ll Need

Instructions

1. Inspect The Ratchet

   The first thing I do is inspect the outside of the ratchet, making note of any worn-out or broken parts. The most common things I check for are a broken or damaged selector switch, anvil, or ball detent. I also look for heavy rust that may inhibit operation. After that, I check functionality by turning the anvil and flipping the selector switch.

   In the case of this ratchet, everything appears well-worn and dirty but overall functional. There is some flaking chrome on the handle and significant grease build up. There is also some surface rust but nothing that interferes with how the ratchet works or that would make it difficult to disassemble. I’ll spray some penetrating fluid around the anvil and selector switch for extra insurance.

   The anvil is hard to turn and clunky and the selector switch is difficult to actuate. This tells me that the ratchet is not properly lubricated and there may be caked up and hardened grease inside that prevents everything from moving freely. But, to understand exactly what is going on inside, I will need to disassemble the ratchet.

2. Disassemble The Ratchet

   Manufacturers use several methods to enclose the head of their ratchets. Some use screws to hold the bottom plate on, while others use one of several types of clips to hold everything together. This ratchet uses a simple clip to hold the backing plate on and a second clip to hold the selector switch in place.

   Starting with the backing plate, I use a pair of needle nose pliers to compress the clip and pull up exposing the inside of the ratchet. From here, I simply remove the anvil and gear in one piece.

   For the selector switch, I, again, compress the clip and pull up. With the selector switch removed, we can see a single pawl, ball bearing, and detent spring inside. These are carefully removed making sure not to lose the ball bearing or spring, which are under pressure.

   With everything removed, I can see right away that there is significant amount of dried grease build up inside the ratchet and on the parts, themselves. It appears that this ratchet may have been taken apart to be lubricated, but it has been a long time, and, in all likelihood, if I did not spray penetrating fluid on the ratchet, it would be totally dry. This can be remedied with a little cleaning and new lubricant, so no big deal.

   Now, I want to inspect each component separately, so I think it’s an opportune time to lay them out and look at them closely.

3. Clean The Ratchet

   There are a lot of different cleaning agents and tools that can be used to clean a ratchet. But to keep things simple I’ll use a combination of warm water and dish soap along with a stiff-bristle brush to do most of the cleaning. I’ll also use a small bore brush and pick to get in all the crevices and remove any stubborn buildup.

   The first thing I like to do is place all the parts in the soap solution and keep them in there as I work. I find doing this helps to break up any dirt or grease, making them easier to clean.

   Beginning with the ratchet body, I’ll give it a through scrub with the brush paying special attention to the logo and part number stamp where grime likes to hide. In this case, I’m able to get everything clean with the brush. If there was excessive build up, however, I would use a pick or a more aggressive solvent, like break cleaner, to get the job done.

   Next, I’ll turn my attention to the ratchet head and clean it in the same way I cleaned the body. For small crevices, I’ll use the bore brush to ensure I get all the grime removed. I’ll also pay special attention to the detent hole, which can become clogged with dirt and grease. The other small parts are cleaned the same way.

4. Reassemble The Ratchet

   Now that everything is thoroughly cleaned and we’ve determined that all components are in good working order, we’re ready to put everything back together. The process is the reverse of disassembly.

   The main thing we have to worry about when assembling our ratchet is that everything is properly lubricated. Lubrication will ensure everything works smoothly and protects against premature wear.

   The type of lubricant you use will largely depend on the tooth count of your ratchet. A low tooth count ratchet, like this Craftsman, can tolerate a thicker lubricant. As such, I’ll be using a synthetic lubricant called Super Lube. For finer tooth count ratchets, a thin machine oil is generally recommended. Before assembly, I’ll coat each component in a thin layer of lubricant.

   The first assembly step is to insert the spring into the hole and balance the ball bearing on top. While carefully pushing down the ball bearing and spring, I’ll insert the pawl. Using a pair of needle nose pliers, I’ll compress the spring around the selector switch and carefully put it in place, making sure it is seated properly

   Next, I’ll insert the anvil and gear. Using the needle nose pliers I’ll compress the retention spring around the backing plate and carefully put it in place as well. Finally, I’ll make sure everything is working properly by spinning the ratchet in both directions.

How To Clean And Rebuild A Round-Head Ratchet

There are a lot of reasons why round-head ratchets are popular. By design, they are compact and have low swing-arc. They’re also extremely tough and reliable. While they share many components with their pear-head cousins, they operate in a slightly different way.

With a round-head ratchet, the gear is broached into the ratchet head itself. The mechanism inside functions as a selector switch and quick release (if equipped). It houses the pawl (or pawls) that allow the ratchet to turn in one direction or the other. It also integrates the anvil, to which you attach sockets.

The ratchet pictured here uses a clip to secure the mechanism. Once removed, the mechanism comes out in one piece and can be further disassembled or cleaned as is. Since this ratchet is in good condition, I will not be disassembling it any further.

The methods for cleaning and lubricating a round-head ratchet are exactly the same as a pear-head ratchet. I’ll soak the components in a cleaning solution, give them a good scrub, dry them, lubricate the internal components and reassemble. Finally, I’ll give it a functions check and I’m all set.

Tips For Keeping Your Ratchet Clean And Operating Reliably

• Wipe down your ratchet after each use
• Regularly apply a spray lubricant, like WD-40, to prevent rust and provide extra cleaning power
• Use an appropriately sized ratchet for your fasteners to avoid damage
• Use a breaker bar or impact wrench for really tough bolts
• Don’t abuse your ratchet – it’s not a hammer