Chris Adams
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,117
I picked up a Craftsman ratchet today, 3/8, part number 44833 a fully polished professional extra long handle.
The finish is very nice, smooth chrome.
It has quick release, something I like.
Even had a good review on their web site.
It has a plastic shift lever, something I wasn’t too crazy about but was willing to live with.
The bad news, it works better one way than the other.
After a half-hour of playing with it the ratchet had begun to make a lighter click when turning it to tighten.
Good strong clicking on loosen, but weak click on tighten. That’s with no load, just a socket held in one hand to provide drag.
It would also double catch a few times on first lock up, sort of a bump.
Popped it open and had a look. When you toggle it one way the rocker gets a good angle and bites the gears as they come back against it. The other way, it sort of sags back, barely making contact. If you were moving fast on a bolt it would be hit or miss.
Took it the rest of the way down and can’t find any burrs or other imperfections that could cause this.
It would appear the rocker is ‘less than perfect’.
Gonna return it to Sears tomorrow, but have not decided if I’m going to bother to get another one. Still want a long handle 3/8, but maybe not a Sears.
To make it worse, while messing with this I decided to clean up my old (1985) 43784 Craftsman 3/8 ratchet.
I found the socket retaining ball is CRACKED!
It’s about broken in two but still holding together.
Dang. It’s seen more or less constant light use since new, and has worked with no complaint or problems before today.
And I’m sure when I take it back they won’t have a kit, they will just offer me a new plastic selector… Probably no better than the 44833 I will be returning.
This ain’t my week for ratchets.
The finish is very nice, smooth chrome.
It has quick release, something I like.
Even had a good review on their web site.
It has a plastic shift lever, something I wasn’t too crazy about but was willing to live with.
The bad news, it works better one way than the other.
After a half-hour of playing with it the ratchet had begun to make a lighter click when turning it to tighten.
Good strong clicking on loosen, but weak click on tighten. That’s with no load, just a socket held in one hand to provide drag.
It would also double catch a few times on first lock up, sort of a bump.
Popped it open and had a look. When you toggle it one way the rocker gets a good angle and bites the gears as they come back against it. The other way, it sort of sags back, barely making contact. If you were moving fast on a bolt it would be hit or miss.
Took it the rest of the way down and can’t find any burrs or other imperfections that could cause this.
It would appear the rocker is ‘less than perfect’.
Gonna return it to Sears tomorrow, but have not decided if I’m going to bother to get another one. Still want a long handle 3/8, but maybe not a Sears.
To make it worse, while messing with this I decided to clean up my old (1985) 43784 Craftsman 3/8 ratchet.
I found the socket retaining ball is CRACKED!
It’s about broken in two but still holding together.
Dang. It’s seen more or less constant light use since new, and has worked with no complaint or problems before today.
And I’m sure when I take it back they won’t have a kit, they will just offer me a new plastic selector… Probably no better than the 44833 I will be returning.
This ain’t my week for ratchets.
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