Author Topic: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart  (Read 1023 times)

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« on: December 27, 2022, 09:50:06 AM »
For all those Williams ratchet lovers with the O-ring retainer ring on the front and the pin selector, I'm posting this little tutorial so you don't ruin your ratchet like I did trying to figure it out.

If your ratchet looks like this, you'll need a spanner tool to remove the front ring. (I use a 2-pin tool from my bicycle tools box). That will permit removal of the gear assembly.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2022, 10:05:07 AM by bonneyman »

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2022, 09:54:35 AM »
The pin on the direction selection is a press fit. Grab it with a small vise grip (or equivalent) and pull it out. That will then allow you to rotate the retention screw (and it's connected pawl) enough to access the pin holding the pawl in. It's a free floating pin, but dirt and grease may make removal a bit of a chore. Soaking and a strong magnet should allow you to remove it - then the retention screw can be totally unscrewed out.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2022, 10:05:44 AM by bonneyman »

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2022, 09:56:05 AM »
That "hidden" pawl pin is the tricky part. Here is mine fully cleaned and with a replacement pin to show how it's oriented, and the ratchet fully disassembled.

Hope this helps!
« Last Edit: December 27, 2022, 10:06:53 AM by bonneyman »

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2022, 11:05:39 AM »
Wow, there's a lot more going on inside this ratchet than I expected,  thanks for the detailed post.
Always lookin' to learn

Offline slip knot

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2586
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2022, 02:39:22 PM »
Snap ring pliers make a pretty fair pin spanner in a pinch.

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2022, 04:32:41 PM »
I got this ratchet apart further thanks to the tutorial but as suspected when I originally lived it the other day it wasn't necessary.
I don't know if it was SK or whoever owned it before him, but I think somebody previously cleaned it.
It was basically spotless inside so I didn't even take the pawl and detent...ect out.

Always lookin' to learn

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #6 on: December 27, 2022, 05:54:07 PM »
Well now you know.

In a similar vein, those old Williams 1/2" and 3/8" rats with the ring on the back holding the gear assembly in also require a special "remover". Made one out of a 1" socket for the 1/2" ring, cut the square sections out with a dremel tool. I had buggered up the notches on the ratchet already, so, made the tool for the job. Snap on a 1/2" breaker bar - POOF! Done!

Now I should make a similar tool for both the 3/8" and 1/2" with undamaged notches.

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2022, 06:16:14 PM »
Thankfully I mostly just collect 1/4 ratchets with 3/8 and larger being something I generally only buy if I feel a need for it.
I almost bought one of the 3/8 superatchets with that ring, but I believe the seller wanted too much for it.

I believe if I had one I'd just be careful with a brass punch, but I do have a bunch of old cheapo Taiwan sockets around to modify into the tool of need be.
Always lookin' to learn

Offline fatfillup

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2542
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2022, 09:50:32 AM »
George, you get into them ratchets a ton deeper than I do.  I will pull the cover, remove the main gear, clean and put back together.  Too many parts to ding with going further then that.  If that makes them work good, they get a price tag, if not they go into a box for parts or auction

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2022, 11:12:13 AM »
Well Phil, about 15 years ago I seriously got into used tools. Figured maybe I should expand my knowledge and see just what else was out there. With ratchets, there were so many different brands, styles, an designs I started taking them apart - sometime destructively - to learn about them. I learned alot.
Discovered after many years that my S-K roundhead that I'd had for 30 years really was the best for me. But I'd done all this investigative work. So - with Noel's help and encouragement over at Tool Time - I posted all my photos with as much info that I could about them. And it took off! People really liked the thread, commented how much they'd learned, and asked me about other ratchets. Really took on a life of its own. Now I post the internal pics I've got when someone needs help - like this Williams.

The Williams roundheads are about the nicest fine tooth one I've found, and the old 1930's Herbrand pear heads are the smoothest coarse tooth (28 teeth) design.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2022, 07:58:42 PM by bonneyman »

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2022, 12:05:29 PM »
Do you know the model for the 1/4 herbrand of that era ?
I don't yet own a Herbrand because I hadn't settled on a model to look for, but that sounds like the one I should put on my list.


So far this Armstrong has been the smoothest coarse tooth ratchet I've experienced.

If there's a vintage ratchet out there that's supposed to be smoother, I gotta get one.
Always lookin' to learn

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2022, 02:33:06 PM »
Here's the Herbrand I mentioned. A 1/2" and a 3/8". Don't know about a 1/4"er (don't have one) but for only like 20 teeth they are very smooth.

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2022, 02:51:17 PM »
Alright thanks, I think I can identify the model now.

« Last Edit: December 28, 2022, 02:56:30 PM by hickory n Steel »
Always lookin' to learn

Offline hickory n Steel

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3286
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2022, 02:57:39 PM »
It looks Like I'll be an m10 if they made one back then, but they may not have been doing 1/4" drive when they were making those ratchets.

This reminds me though that I did actually have the later sliding button selector Herbrand M10 on my list,  that one and the similar Walden.
Always lookin' to learn

Offline bonneyman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3953
Re: Williams ratchet tutorial: How to get them apart
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2022, 07:55:41 PM »
It looks Like I'll be an m10 if they made one back then, but they may not have been doing 1/4" drive when they were making those ratchets.

This reminds me though that I did actually have the later sliding button selector Herbrand M10 on my list,  that one and the similar Walden.

That's right. IIRC, the sliding button model was right after my lever design in Alloy Artifacts.