drive plates of a hydraulic torque wrench cartridge are thickened for extended surface contact with three pawls and a direct contact with the piston rod . the drive plates are held together and are additionally stiffened by dowel pins and shoulder screws . snap pins are axially slide able and spring loaded connecting the piston rod with the drive plates in an easily disengage able fashion . three pawls are arrayed in a pitch adjusted with respect to the ratchet teeth pitch in correspondence with an elastic deformation of the drive plates for a balanced force transfer across them . the pawl - tooth interfaces are also in an outward opening angle preventing them from snapping free under load .