Busted Craftsman Ratcheting Combo Wrench

[TheClaw]

I've got a set of these Craftsman ratcheting combo wrenches. The 8mm decided not to ratchet anymore. The center piece spins fine, except in both ways.

Yeah, yeah, lifetime warranty. Except you can only replace ONE wrench and they don't sell them individually. At least at the ACE Store I checked.

If you know of a way to get a replacement, please share. Otherwise I'm looking for info on how to fix it? Yeah, another long shot.

 

[Wrench97]

What do you mean you can replace only one wrench?
Did Ace have a suggestion?
If not they should be breaking open a set to replace the defect.
Is there a Lowes near you?

 

[4xdog]

I have four sets of those -- two mm versions and two inch versions. I use 'em all the time!

The first set I got was marked, like yours, "Craftsman". When the Sears service center/outlet not far from me living in Saint Louis at the time had the same wrenches (now marked "Craftsman Industrial" I bought three more sets for something like $20each. One of my smarter moves...

They're marked $69.99 here, but they were considerably cheaper at the outlet center display.


Perhaps you could try going directly to SBD and seeing if they'd warranty it with the corresponding Craftsman V-series wrench (a FACOM original, well-made in Taiwan)? I have a set of these too, and they're quite nice -- boatloads cheaper than the FACOM-branded version.



Does Proto make a similar version? If so, it's probably still made in USA.

 

[designer485]

Go online and put in a request for warranty. I recently requested warranty on a single t20 torx T handle (that was bought about 20 years go). I wanted to see what they said. So my surprise, they ended sending me a full set replacement. The folks on the other end of the customer service email were very accommodating. Send it in and see what they say.

Send in a photo and estimate the purchase date if you don't know exactly. When one section asked for a receipt, I uploaded a photo of the "Made in USA" on the back as proof of the lifetime warranty.

 

[neophyte]

I've got a set of these Craftsman ratcheting combo wrenches. The 8mm decided not to ratchet anymore. The center piece spins fine, except in both ways.

Yeah, yeah, lifetime warranty. Except you can only replace ONE wrench and they don't sell them individually. At least at the ACE Store I checked.

If you know of a way to get a replacement, please share. Otherwise I'm looking for info on how to fix it? Yeah, another long shot.

Is/was this one of the Danaher/Armstrong/USA Gearwench made wrenches?
Also, if you have some marvel mystery oil, maybe dip the wrench in case something inside is just stuck.

 

[drmarkr]

Love Ace, but their Craftsman warranty process is a PITA Here in Tucson, even Ace employees send you to Lowes, which is utterly simple.

In your case they would pull an 8 out of the set and be done with it.

 

[Shitbox]

This may or may not help but, I had a couple Gearwrench reversible combos that would lock up and not ratchet or they’d reverse on their own, shot a few squirts of Kroil into the gap of the ratchet head, let it soak for a day and oiled them with some gun oil, worked them for a few minutes and they freed up and decided to work like they were supposed to. Got ham fisted on them to see if they would work or fail. They’re still working correctly a month later. I did warranty them but the replacements were 2” longer than the set I had so figured I’d try to avoid looking at stuff that would piss me off.

 

[TheClaw]

Is/was this one of the Danaher/Armstrong/USA Gearwench made wrenches?
Also, if you have some marvel mystery oil, maybe dip the wrench in case something inside is just stuck.

I can mix up some ATF and acetone, I might even have some laying around already pre-mixed, and let it soak for a little while, see if that works.

Otherwise I can go to Lowe's.

Many thanks for all of the suggestions.

 

[dnschmidt]

Is gas free where you live? You've gone to Ace you're going to Lowes and Amazon has a replacement for $5.00 https://www.amazon.com/Jaeger-90-To...-Hardened/dp/B0F7NXP833/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here's reality: WARRANTEES MEAN NOTHING.

 

[rust in the eye]

Call the SBD Craftsman warranty #. I've dealt with them 2, maybe 3 times and was never disappointed.

 

[rust in the eye]

What do you mean you can replace only one wrench?
Did Ace have a suggestion?
If not they should be breaking open a set to replace the defect.
Is there a Lowes near you?

Agreed, but. Ace stores are independent franchises. The cost of that now unsaleable set comes out of their pocket. Unless THEY send in the defective tool for replacement themselves. Meanwhile they sit on unsellable stock and the potential for the replacement not to match.
I see why they resist, don't agree but understand. They choose to sell a legacy brand which works both ways.

 

[TheClaw]

Is gas free where you live? You've gone to Ace you're going to Lowes and Amazon has a replacement for $5.00 https://www.amazon.com/Jaeger-90-To...-Hardened/dp/B0F7NXP833/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here's reality: WARRANTEES MEAN NOTHING.

For $6 I'll just order a replacement. It's been a while, I did not see that last time I searched. Thanks.

 

[dyermullet]

You can request warranty through the craftsman website.

 

[whateg01]

Craftsman website is easy to use. The only part I had trouble with was purchase date. Best guess was good enough. Except for a cancelled shipment due to low stock and having to email about it, no issues and the replacement ratchet showed up a few days later.

I get sometimes we want to do stuff in person but I don't understand why people are scared to use the web when it makes life easier

 

[Rogue_Ryder]

The replacement is going to be Indian or Chinese trash. What's your time worth?

This is almost an equivalent:

Pardon Our Interruption...

$10+S&H on eBay
A lot of the Old Craftsman ratcheting wrenches were the same as Armstrong.

 

[E46 Tony]

The replacement is going to be Indian or Chinese trash. What's your time worth?

This is almost an equivalent:

Pardon Our Interruption...

$10+S&H on eBay
A lot of the Old Craftsman ratcheting wrenches were the same as Armstrong.

Jaeger is Chinese but not half bad. I bought the reversible and flex heads a couple of years ago mostly for the large sizes in the sets and they're decent. Not as smooth as my Blackhawks or Icons but perfectly usable.

 

[Steve_P]

The replacement is going to be Indian or Chinese trash. What's your time worth?

This is almost an equivalent:

Pardon Our Interruption...

$10+S&H on eBay
A lot of the Old Craftsman ratcheting wrenches were the same as Armstrong.

The position of the box end in that picture doesn't actually help the "USA quality" argument; it looks far worse than the Gearwrench China made wrenches I've seen.

 

[dyermullet]

If my set of tools started out as a matching set I like to try to keep them matching. So I can understand trying to find an inkind replacement. I would be okay with the brand stamping being different if it was the same tool. I would buy the Amazon linked above and also try to return my broken one on craftsman website. If the replacement from craftsman is different model you will still have the inkind Jaeger to complete the set.

 

[finn]

SBD bought Craftsman 9 years ago. There was a lot of discussion about warranty at the time, and some issues were reported during the transition period, but here we are nine years later, and by almost all accounts the system seems to be working with few hitches.

Lowes works, the telephone number works, and the website works.
That’s pretty remarkable, since we’re talking about tools that are ten to probably forty or more years old, and mostly purchased at bargain basement prices.

And you don’t even have to chase down a tool truck.

 

[cherrybomb]

Is gas free where you live? You've gone to Ace you're going to Lowes and Amazon has a replacement for $5.00 https://www.amazon.com/Jaeger-90-To...-Hardened/dp/B0F7NXP833/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here's reality: WARRANTEES MEAN NOTHING.

Totally agree,sometimes it pays to evaluate the situation, how often you use this particular tool,can you wait a day or week to get an replacement?In my case,graduating from the school of hard knocks,my tools don't always brand match,but I've learned sometimes buying once,cry once.

 

[TheClaw]

So, the other day I sent a message to Sears through their warranty site. I got an email response yesterday asking for additional details, like my full name. Waiting to see what they do.

 

[whateg01]

So, the other day I sent a message to Sears through their warranty site. I got an email response yesterday asking for additional details, like my full name. Waiting to see what they do.

They won't do anything until you give them your name.

Did you not fill out the warranty form? It's almost like it exists just for this sort of thing. Smh

 

[Callelle]

So, the other day I sent a message to Sears through their warranty site. I got an email response yesterday asking for additional details, like my full name. Waiting to see what they do.

Why are you bothering to anything through Sears rather than just dealing with warranty right from Craftsman's website?

 

[T45]

So, the other day I sent a message to Sears through their warranty site. I got an email response yesterday asking for additional details, like my full name. Waiting to see what they do.

They're maybe probably going to dox you and add you to a list...

 

[finn]

It’s doubtful he actually contacted Sears. Craftsman warranty is handled through SBD, and has been since Sears declared Bankruptcy. The SBD purchase included warranty obligations.

 

[whateg01]

It’s doubtful he actually contacted Sears. Craftsman warranty is handled through SBD, and has been since Sears declared Bankruptcy. The SBD purchase included warranty obligations.

He could have contacted Sears. There's still a Sears.com. of course, the likelihood of this getting resolved that way is pretty low.

 

[cody1325]

After getting the run around at Lowe's, I started just emailing Craftsman and having them handle it. They typically would just send me whatever broke (which, coincidentally, has been all SBD-era stuff aside from one 1/4 ratchet I found broken).

 

[TheClaw]

Look what arrived by UPS today.

A little puny vs the original, still got one nonetheless.

 

[mikey03]

Is gas free where you live? You've gone to Ace you're going to Lowes and Amazon has a replacement for $5.00 https://www.amazon.com/Jaeger-90-To...-Hardened/dp/B0F7NXP833/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here's reality: WARRANTEES MEAN NOTHING.

Man I know some people that will drive 2 hours each way to save $20 on shipping I don’t get it

 

[whateg01]

Look what arrived by UPS today.

A little puny vs the original, still got one nonetheless.

A wrench is a wrench, I suppose, but does that meet the qualifications of a lobster claw?

 

[Ohio Andy]

Man I know some people that will drive 2 hours each way to save $20 on shipping I don’t get it

For some people it is often part of the game / fun.

I knew people that would make a 4+ hour drive (from Detroit area to Columbus Ohio), stay at a hotel, then drive home just to shop at a specific Mall for the experience.

 

[mikey03]

For some people it is often part of the game / fun.

I knew people that would make a 4+ hour drive (from Detroit area to Columbus Ohio), stay at a hotel, then drive home just to shop at a specific Mall for the experience.

Damn I never been to Ohio is there some real special mall in Columbus?

 

[Ohio Andy]

Damn I never been to Ohio is there some real special mall in Columbus?

My opinion is no, but they do have a couple of nice ones.

Ironically, that mall no longer exists in the same form. First people wanted insure malls (it was indoors) then outdoor became the thing and that mall tried to become an outdoor mall.

It blew my mind when they told me. I think it was called the French market.

The previous "nice" malls are mostly gone replaced with things further out.

But if you make it out, hit me up and I will feed you.

 

[retDAC]

Man I know some people that will drive 2 hours each way to save $20 on shipping I don’t get it

I might do something like that to go somewhere and look at tools.

 

[cherrybomb]

Look what arrived by UPS today.

A little puny vs the original, still got one nonetheless.

Looks like you got some closure! I'm at the age I don't have the patience to chase,I just bought a Mac short ratcheting wrench ,the size I use often off their website,buy once,cry once.Your problem brings back old memories of Sears,buy a wrench,break a wrench,take it back,new one,no questions asked