Craftsman thin profile ratchet...

[SMKS]

Are they the same, though? Because the GW 60t is still a sealed-head design with no quick-release, right?

I was under the assumption that the thin profile was not a GW design.

It's not a GearWrench design, the GW and Craftsman ratchets both use an Apex Tools design.

The Craftsman thin profile, Craftsman 84 tooth, Gearwrench 60 tooth, Gearwrench 84 tooth and a bunch of other ratchets all use a slightly modified version of the same Apex Tools mechanism. The Craftsman thin profile is a little different, as you noted, because it has a quick release, but it's the same general Apex design.

The GW 120 tooth is also in the same family, but has a couple other differences because it uses two pawls.

Here's a picture of the mechanism in an Armstrong 88 tooth ratchet:

 

[SMKS]

Here are pics of a GearWrench and the new Apex-made Husky ratchets. The Husky ratchets and the Craftsman thin profile are the only two versions I know of that have a quick release.

 

[carterbeauford]

^ ^ ^ Right tool for the job ??

What kind of torque you putting on little 1/4" drive ratchet on farm equipment with 7/16" socket ?? Why weren't you using 3/8" drive ratchet or even breaker bar if you "exploded thin profile 1/4" drive Craftsman ratchet" . . . any pictures??

7/32" sickle mower section bolts, 15ft/lbs torque at the most, the bolt will snap long before any ratchet should ever break.

I don't know what happened, I was torquing a nut and thought the bolt broke but I was left holding an empty ratchet body, found all the pieces except the selector and the pawl, maybe the pawl snapped. I was more pissed because I lost the socket, ratchets were on their way out but I had planned on keeping my Craftsman sockets.

might be able to find a USA thin profile at Ace.

 

[Brownsfan]

Last week when I was at the local Ace they had pretty much all USA made stock. I have all 3 drive sizes in the thin profiles but I really don't use them much. They came with the build a set modules. I got all the last USA ones at my local sears when they went on sale for50% off. I use the 1/4 the most though and it had been good.

 

[X1 Mike]

Not sure if it was covered but you can still get the USA made thin profile ratchets.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206718&highlight=craftsman+industrial

People seem to complain in this thread about the heft of the 1/2" and that is one of the reasons I like it. Even though it isn't that long it is a stout feeling SOB.

I had a 3/8" thin profile for over 10 years that I may have used a dozen times or so. I was working in the driveway and didn't want to set my soft handle Matco ratchet on the concrete so I started using the C-Man and no they are one of my favorites and I've added USA made 1/4" and 1/2" ratchets as well.

 

[carterbeauford]

Last week when I was at the local Ace they had pretty much all USA made stock.

my local Ace had an L-AA ratchet on the shelf. went to Sears and they offered me a new L-AA ratchet. I said no thanks, I wanted a repair kit, they offered to take it in the back and repair it, then came back 15 minutes later and gave me a repair kit. I said all I wanted all along was the repair kit. ratchet works like new now, I still don't trust them.