older generation ratchet rebuild kits; now available!

billymade · Dec 10, 2010

There was a older thread about the availability of a older generation ratchet rebuild kits.... was @ my old Sears and they confirmed this! Just thought that everyone would like to know this; your older ratchets can be rebuilt now!

The only downside I see is wether the metal used is up to par with the old stuff and the new parts are black oxide finish and not chrome! Aside from that; this is a good thing!

vintage-craftsman-tools-1-4-ratchet-wrench-oil-hole_180580838562.jpg

The ratchet I am referring to!

tweety652 · Dec 10, 2010

so....the old stuff will soon be of equal quality to their new stuff???? awww ****.

Farma11 · Dec 10, 2010

I think this is a good thing.

Skin · Dec 11, 2010

know if this includes the [good] roundheads?

tweety652 · Dec 11, 2010

i have one with "stainless" marked on the handle that i need rebuilt....i seriously doubt they'll have that kit...

Red Green · Dec 11, 2010

tweety652 said:
so....the old stuff will soon be of equal quality to their new stuff???? awww ****.

If your old one doesn't work then the new parts will be an improvement. I have a ratchet that is the last tool I own that was my grandfather's other than an old Mac saw. I will be happy with any of the parts to make it work again.

Even 11 · Dec 11, 2010

What ratchet do you have Red? I have a couple that I had searched long and hard to find kits for. I finally got linked to an EvilBay auction on a rusty old 1/2" dr Flex head junker that had good internals on it. It was guy with an amazing memory on Craftsmanclub who sent me an email out of the blue. I bought it, swapped the guts and exchanged the dead one for a shiny new one that I gave to my buddy who is just starting out. I do have a handful of parts sitting around to rebuild another CMan or 2 though....

-Dane

billymade · Dec 11, 2010

The only kits that they have brought back; are the ratchets that I have shown in the picture... AFAIK!

bonneyman · Dec 11, 2010

Those older series long-lever ratchets had several selector knobs, and different posts they attached to. Most of the new kits I've seen (on ebay, mostly) are the "baby rattle" levers like the one shown in the pic. And the pawlspawls with little tangs in them to interface with the knob.
Would be nice if they had some of the old D-post kits available - keep those vintage ratchets original.

4x4gearhead · Dec 11, 2010

that sounds sweet to me "V" part number ratchet rebuild kits will be sweet im sick of bringing craftsman ratchets in for warranty because while using it at home i broke the plastic selector...

volpster31 · Dec 11, 2010

billymade said:
There was a older thread about the availability of a older generation ratchet rebuild kits.... was @ my old Sears and they confirmed this! Just thought that everyone would like to know this; your older ratchets can be rebuilt now! The only downside I see is wether the metal used is up to par with the old stuff and the new parts are black oxide finish and not chrome! Aside from that; this is a good thing!

The ratchet I am referring to!

i just got a rebuild kit for that same ratchet..it took a 43434 which is the same kit for most of the new ratchets...a lot of models took that kit....im not sure if they are they coming out with older kits or your ratchet just happened to take the same kit as the new ratchets

bonneyman · Dec 11, 2010

volpster31 said:
i just got a rebuild kit for that same ratchet..it took a 43434 which is the same kit for most of the new ratchets...a lot of models took that kit....im not sure if they are they coming out with older kits or your ratchet just happened to take the same kit as the new ratchets

According to my list, kit # 43434 is for 3/8" figure-8 plate ratchets. This is a 1/4" (only 5 inches OAL) LLTD with a lo-profile (what I call a "baby rattle" style) selector.
You can make kit # 44783 work. It is a QR kit, but can be modified for non-QR ratchets by removing the QR button off the back of the gear. I've actually done this. Had 2 rats - one oil port was QR, another oil port -v- that wasn't. Modified the kit gear rather than drill a hole in the rat head. Worked fine in both.

6530 · Dec 12, 2010

Tag - great news!

jrodc455 · Dec 12, 2010

I work at Sears in the stockroom and I rebuild the ratchets, we started getting the kits for those ones in early November. We have em for 1/4" - 1/2" drive ratchets of that style. I think they say they're only for 44985 and such. But they can be made to work with older ones if you re-use some of the original parts. The springs were longer on some of the older models like that.

stricht8 · Dec 12, 2010

tweety652 said:
i have one with "stainless" marked on the handle that i need rebuilt....i seriously doubt they'll have that kit...

I thought that those stainless 1980's ratchets were worth some serious money.

bonneyman · Dec 12, 2010

jrodc455 said:
I work at Sears in the stockroom and I rebuild the ratchets, we started getting the kits for those ones in early November. We have em for 1/4" - 1/2" drive ratchets of that style. I think they say they're only for 44985 and such. But they can be made to work with older ones if you re-use some of the original parts. The springs were longer on some of the older models like that.

You can become real popular around here with a resume like that! :lol_hitti

jrodc455 · Dec 12, 2010

bonneyman said:
You can become real popular around here with a resume like that!

Ha yeah I reckon so.

tooldeloo · Dec 12, 2010

Thanks for the tip. I'll be off to Sears as soon as I can to check on the 3/8" kits.

tooldeloo · Dec 24, 2010

I was at a Sears in Dartmouth, MA, just a little while ago. I brought in two of my C-man 3/8" ratchets, a -V- 43784 straight handle and a -V- 42793 flex. Both of these have worn ratchet gears but otherwise are good condition.
I asked a clerk if they had rebuild kits--he originally said that he could exchange them, and I said "No,no, no; I was happy with these handles. But he was friendly and helpful and went off to get the kits.
He came back with two 43434 repair kits though. They were for newer model ratchets. I asked if they ever got repair kits in for the older ones, but he said that they didn't. I'll have to keep looking--I wonder if I'll get lucky somewhere else.

old salvage · Mar 28, 2011

tooldeloo said:
I was at a Sears in Dartmouth, MA, just a little while ago. I brought in two of my C-man 3/8" ratchets, a -V- 43784 straight handle and a -V- 42793 flex. Both of these have worn ratchet gears but otherwise are good condition.
I asked a clerk if they had rebuild kits--he originally said that he could exchange them, and I said "No,no, no; I was happy with these handles. But he was friendly and helpful and went off to get the kits.
He came back with two 43434 repair kits though. They were for newer model ratchets. I asked if they ever got repair kits in for the older ones, but he said that they didn't. I'll have to keep looking--I wonder if I'll get lucky somewhere else.

Same thing here. Not available. I was hopeful too.

Tool Pants · Mar 29, 2011

I need parts for the long lever ratchets

hofferwood · Mar 29, 2011

bonneyman said:
Those older series long-lever ratchets had several selector knobs, and different posts they attached to. Most of the new kits I've seen (on ebay, mostly) are the "baby rattle" levers like the one shown in the pic. And the pawlspawls with little tangs in them to interface with the knob.
Would be nice if they had some of the old D-post kits available - keep those vintage ratchets original.

This is what the back of the 1/2" reissue looks like, it's NOT plastic

Chuck

Lump · Mar 29, 2011

I want to watch this thread and learn what's up. I have several older Cman ratchets that need help.

mrholeshot · Mar 29, 2011

You can't even get a human at the cash register in my local sears so I can imagine how tough it would be to get a kit for a ratchet. It's so ghost town like in my store it seems it would encorage theft. I might try that out but they probabley have an automaitic weapon to shoot you as the security stips set of the detectors. Our Sears needs some serious help

bonneyman · Mar 29, 2011

As I've rebuilt a few C-man rats over the past year or so I've kept the old parts. (You never know when you might need one of those tiny parts!) The parts were replaced for obvious reasons (worn teeth, weak springs, etc), but maybe some of you guys could use something from my stash pile to get one of your tools working? If there's an interest, I can post what I have for you guys with vintage ratchets.

PSU Engineer · Mar 30, 2011

bonneyman said:
The parts were replaced for obvious reasons (worn teeth, weak springs, etc), but maybe some of you guys could use something from my stash pile to get one of your tools working?

You wouldn't happen to have an old 24tooth non-quick release, 3/8 main gear. They are rare as hen's teeth.

Thanks,

Tony

older generation ratchet rebuild kits; now available!

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