Am I going to hell?

[Aqua-Andy]

Short story, I really like my new Cman China made ratchet! For those of you that are not two disgusted and want to read further here is the long version. I have a long handle 3/8" drive flex head RP ratchet in my toolbox at work. I don't know the history of this tool as I am not the first person to be issued this toolbox. Well a few weeks ago I was repairing a machine and was admittedly abusing the ratchet and a few teeth in the head broke. Last friday I brought the ratchet and a few other tools home and the wife and I took a trip to Sears to warranty them. I was hoping to just get a rebuild kit and keep the US made ratchet but they had no kits or rebuilt ratchets to choose from. So off to the ratchet aisle to pick out a sparkling new Chinese made tool to replace my old ratchet. One week later I will say this is a very nice tool! The selector lever and socket release button are metal not plastic and the ratchet action is very smooth. I would say the back drag is as light as my dual 80 ratchets. I know everyone here hates the new Cman ratchets, am I missing something? Yes the China thing ***** but the tool it self is not that bad.

 

[Skin]

Everyone hated the USA made 36 tooth raised panels with plastic selectors. They were a ratchet made to be as cheap as possible, pure garbage and were prone to self reversing when under load which means injuries. When they went to China they actually improved the design of the mechanism (rebuild kits would not interchange) and the forgings got cleaner.

They've since been replaced by a 75(?) tooth model which sounds like what you got. Hasn't really been any information about them here that I've read.

The 60 tooth full polish were nice, no reason to offshore them but they moved production to Taiwan. Still a good ratchet.

 

[2oolhound]

I don't know if you're going to hell but the place you're dealing with is 4000 miles past it.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

This is a 36 tooth ratchet. The self reversing thing I keep hearing about, is it when using extensions and breaking fasteners loose? If it is my 36 tooth SnapOn ratchets do the same thing, it is just a nature of the design. When doing transmissions in trucks breaking bellhousing bolts loose with a 24" extension the ratchet would always self reverse. Other than that I have never had a a ratchet self reverse, Cman or others.

 

[Skin]

Its not reversing after the sudden shock of a fastener busting loose, a lot of ratchets do that. Its a loaded ratchet and the pawl would jump then your fist would smash something since you're still trying to loosen. So lets say you needed 300 foot pounds to remove a bolt, you'd be applying pressure to the Cman ratchet then all of a sudden at 225 foot pounds the pawl would kick over. That's what I mean.

For the record this didn't start happening until they really made the raised panel ratchets the junk they did up until they offshored them. The old USA ones with all metal components were fine.

 

[gdocktor3]

I bought an 84 tooth ratchet a week ago and said the same exact thing. It actually has the same design as the maxx 88, minus 4 teeth, and a quick release. I absolutely love it.

 

[drink]

I'm thinking it is possibly the way you hold a ratchet that might cause the gear box to reverse directions. You guys are the first people I can remember reading about that have praised the Chinese Craftsman ratchets. I have not tried them so far but my USA ratchets are still doing okay.

 

[gdocktor3]

I'm thinking it is possibly the way you hold a ratchet that might cause the gear box to reverse directions. You guys are the first people I can remember reading about that have praised the Chinese Craftsman ratchets. I have not tried them so far but my USA ratchets are still doing okay.

I had been waiting for a deal on a dual 80 with a quick release to come around on eBay, but it just isn't going to happen. I was in Sears and saw the 84 low profile on sale for $20 so I decided to give it a shot and return it if I don't like it. I've only briefly used it so far, but I am shocked at how smooth it is. There is no back lash or drag what so ever. All of my other Cman ratchets have that blank spot where it is not in contact with the gears for a degree or two. I hate that. You should give one a try next time you see them on sale. The qr button is almost flush with the head and the gear selector is thin and recessed as well. The ratchet over all is light, well balanced and the handle is an odd shape. but very comfortable. The only Cman ratchets I like as much as this one are my old tri wing round heads. I am very Pro USA and avoid Chinese stuff when I can, but this scores a 10.

 

[winlinmac]

Your new replacement ratchet was designed by Apple's Tools Division in California and assembled in China using "global components." Lets put it that way.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you find a tool that you like, fits your hand and gets the job done, there's nothing wrong with that.

Heck, my go to ratchet is the stubby full polish Cman. It seems to fit in my hand perfectly.

 

[LB-1911]

If you are go prepared....
http://www.gotohellmi.com/


2016
Craftsman Ratchet Repair Kit Reference
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5507840#post5507840

 

[pendragon1998]

Thanks for thst very useful link!

 

[Bill Anderson]

Short story, I really like my new Cman China made ratchet! For those of you that are not two disgusted and want to read further here is the long version. I have a long handle 3/8" drive flex head RP ratchet in my toolbox at work. I don't know the history of this tool as I am not the first person to be issued this toolbox. Well a few weeks ago I was repairing a machine and was admittedly abusing the ratchet and a few teeth in the head broke. Last friday I brought the ratchet and a few other tools home and the wife and I took a trip to Sears to warranty them. I was hoping to just get a rebuild kit and keep the US made ratchet but they had no kits or rebuilt ratchets to choose from. So off to the ratchet aisle to pick out a sparkling new Chinese made tool to replace my old ratchet. One week later I will say this is a very nice tool! The selector lever and socket release button are metal not plastic and the ratchet action is very smooth. I would say the back drag is as light as my dual 80 ratchets. I know everyone here hates the new Cman ratchets, am I missing something? Yes the China thing ***** but the tool it self is not that bad.

Yes! . Repent now! Lol

 

[sberry]

This is the deal,,, if you look solely at the tool the Cman is as good as it was since pre 1980, its cheaper and a better value and they actually fixed some issues with the socket. The ratchet is junk, the rest of it works. That much is pretty much a fact, the whole rest of a zillion threads and 10X as many posts is about how people feel about it,,,,, totally separate issue.

 

[zendriver]

Whenever I get a substandard product - from any company, that is made in China, or Mexico, I blame the company, not China or Mexico.

The Company alone, is responsible for the design and quality. Sears tools made in Colorado, surely had a quality control dept. If the Chinese supplier does not have one, that is their fault, for not ensuring that there is one and it functions properly.

BTW, we are already in hell.