Ratchets without balls

[coolmercury]

This is a serious post, but I'm willing to bet some of the comments will be off color.  I have over 500 ratchets and have seen thousands, and some of them were missing balls.  However, none except the two I'm showing had the hole all the way through the drive.  Obviously the ratchet cannot have a ball if the hole is all the way through.  So, is such a ratchet attached to something else and pinned to that unit with a roll pin or whatever?  The ratchets shown are the 3/4" drive Walden I just received which is designed to be attached to something and an SK 1/2" drive I have had in my junk draw for some years not knowing what to do with it. The holes in both are 1/4", comments.

[muddy]

Designed for using retaining pins like these. Can't say I've seen it in 1/2" though.





Sent from the twisted mind of the Mudman

[fatfillup]

Have never seen them in 1/2 inch either.  Often in 3/4 and usually 1"
I have seen some ratchets that will have a plug pressed in on the opposite side of the ball, always figured the hole was tapered to allow sliding the ball in, then spring and they press the plug in, but that is a guess

[coolmercury]

Well, even an old dog can learn new tricks.  I was not aware of the use of retaining pins.  Thanks!

[J.A.F.E.]

I have seen ratchets with sockets permanently pinned like construction/scaffold ratchets or dedicated to certain functions. Snap-on even made a black oxide 1/4 drive with a long torx sockett pinned on for Corvette T-tops.

[fatfillup]

I have seen ratchets with sockets permanently pinned like construction/scaffold ratchets or dedicated to certain functions. Snap-on even made a black oxide 1/4 drive with a long torx sockett pinned on for Corvette T-tops.

You are correct,  I have one somewhere