Air ratchet repair?

[Beanwood]

As some of you may have seen last month, @angellonewolf kindly let me have the poorly air ratchet he had.
The problem with it being a lack of power. When air is applied, it would turn the ratchet head, but not with any degree of torque (You could easily stall it by holding with your fingers.)

I have taken it apart and cleaned/oiled it, paying particular attention to the vanes - which now sit/move freely in their sockets, but the problem remains as before. These appear to be rediculously simple devices - so I'm surprised I can't see what is causing it to operate ineffectively.

Does anyone have any suggestion for things to check/next steps to fix it please?

 

[8ob]

I wouldn't expect too much from one of these, they are more of a nut runner than anything else.

Bob

 

[Bornfree]

Does it have a filter screen in the inlet port?

 

[roofman]

As some of you may have seen last month, @angellonewolf kindly let me have the poorly air ratchet he had.
The problem with it being a lack of power. When air is applied, it would turn the ratchet head, but not with any degree of torque (You could easily stall it by holding with your fingers.)

I have taken it apart and cleaned/oiled it, paying particular attention to the vanes - which now sit/move freely in their sockets, but the problem remains as before. These appear to be rediculously simple devices - so I'm surprised I can't see what is causing it to operate ineffectively.

Does anyone have any suggestion for things to check/next steps to fix it please?

Did you lap the vane tips in or just clean and put them back?...had the same problem on a small die grinder and i run the tips over a bit of fine emery on a flat plate, like night and day the way it runs now

 

[Beanwood]

Thanks - I didn't lap the tips as they looked good- just cleaned up the sides so they sat nicely. I shall give that a go next.

 

[tom2207]

Does it have a filter screen in the inlet port?

and / or the exhaust too , they can really mess things about

 

[Moose McAlpine]

I wouldn't expect too much from one of these, they are more of a nut runner than anything else.

Bob

I used to have an Ingersoll-Rand ½" one that was a certified knuckle smasher.

(I gave it to a friend with stronger knuckles than mine.)

 

[Beanwood]

Does it have a filter screen in the inlet port?

and / or the exhaust too , they can really mess things about

Nothing in the inlet apart from a load of gunk (Which I've cleaned out). Couldn't see anything in the exhaust port - but there's pleanty of airflow when it's running.

 

[tom2207]

Nothing in the inlet apart from a load of gunk (Which I've cleaned out). Couldn't see anything in the exhaust port - but there's pleanty of airflow when it's running.

its only a bit of wire wool that works as a silencer , but it can mess you about lots

what can happen is that the vanes wear , and they look good , but as they are not as long there isnt as much left in the rotor slot , so instead of working like vanes the angle they sit at changes , and the work a bit like windscreen wiper blades and work as wedges and performance goes down hill accordingly .

 

[Beanwood]

its only a bit of wire wool that works as a silencer , but it can mess you about lots

what can happen is that the vanes wear , and they look good , but as they are not as long there isnt as much left in the rotor slot , so instead of working like vanes the angle they sit at changes , and the work a bit like windscreen wiper blades and work as wedges and performance goes down hill accordingly .

This is a well used tool - so there's every chance they're worn. Without anything to compare it to (And no spec I can find) , it's impossible to say. When they're seated, they sit 'just' proud, which looks right - so I don't really want to splash out £25 on the off chance....

 

[tom2207]

This is a well used tool - so there's every chance they're worn. Without anything to compare it to (And no spec I can find) , it's impossible to say. When they're seated, they sit 'just' proud, which looks right - so I don't really want to splash out £25 on the off chance....

nope ,,, and its nearly impossible to make your own .

 

[brightspark]

bin it i see loads at auto jumbles and theres a reason for them being there . not worth bothering with

 

[Beanwood]

bin it i see loads at auto jumbles and theres a reason for them being there . not worth bothering with

It's probably headed that way - and it was gifted to me on that basis - but I may as well try to learn something along the way... Silly thing is - even if I get it working, it's unlikely to see much use..

 

[R Kraft]

It has been a long time since I had one of those, but it seems to me that they use a planetary gear reduction.
The problem sounds like drag, in the first stages of the gear reduction.