Craftsman thin profile ratchet...

[astrodoggie3000]

I'm thinking of upgrading from my standard set, what's the general opinion on these? I wanna stay with Craftsman USA made, and these look real nice.

 

[back2class]

Not USA made anymore and well,,,,I only like them in 1/4" drive. I say there is better out there for the same money.

 

[astrodoggie3000]

They still have some USA made one on the shelf in my store, or i wouldn't buy them. I figure if they are pretty strong i won't bust one anytime soon.

 

[jjjrmx5]

If you can get a Thin profile USA COO set for $75 or so, do it.

I think they are very capable tools.


Not my "go to" ratchets at home ( and I really really liked the old USA C'man pear heads) but they are the best Sears offers these days outside of the ever hard to find Industrial pro set.

I bought my set of the thin profiles on a black friday whim years ago and they are too nice to part with.

If you find no love after the purchase, the US made units do seem to fetch a good resale value in most markets.

 

[Fedwrench]

Fairly thin heads for a quick release ratchet, crisp 60 tooth action, nice chrome, what's not to like?

They are a little on the heavy side. The 1/2 drive is short and heavy. The 1/2 is really the only dog in the set but, that's just me.. The 1/4 and 3/8 ratchets are good to go.

 

[olytdi]

I can't say I like their feel nearly as much as I like how they look. I often wonder how something so attractive can feel so clumsy. I'll keep trying to like them but end-up going to the cheaper squarer raised panel handles. 1/2" is the clumsiest and they get better as they get smaller.

 

[jjjrmx5]

I can't say I like their feel nearly as much as I like how they look. I often wonder how something so attractive can feel so clumsy. I'll keep trying to like them but end-up going to the cheaper squarer raised panel handles. 1/2" is the clumsiest and they get better as they get smaller.

I agree 100% including fedwrench.

The 1/4" drive is nice and the 3/8" quite acceptable.

The 1/2" is quite the clickitty-clackitty beast.

I doubt any C'man ratchet with USA COO will be better in the future, but it certainly not Snap-On territory. Well, unless you've used a S936 1/2" Snappy ratchet. Then it's a little smoother.

 

[pipsters]

I bought the 3 pc set for $55 a year ago. Didn't like them at first but now I really do. I would buy them again if you can get a good price, they are decent.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Very good ratchets

I use mine almost daily

 

[allinon72]

I have them and like them. Worth it to pick a set up before the USA ones are gone for good.

 

[kxxr]

I have them and like them and it does look like the USA ones will be gone soon, from Sears anyway. Be prepared to accept a China made substitute should you have to warranty it down the road.

 

[plinker]

I have a Napa & Gearwrench branded one's. They are nice ratchet's even if they are not US made anymore (Last I heard the newer thin pro's are Taiwan, RP's are china).

 

[geologist]

The new ones are made in Taiwan. I have a set that I got back after warrantying some damaged ratchets.

 

[Obie]

I really like mine, but I only use them at home, not at work. Still, if you can find a set of USA ones, ****** em up. Or, for a bit more money, maybe look into the Armstrong Maxx ratchets. Basically the same size, except the 1/4" and 3/8" are 88 tooth. And if one gets broken, it'll be replaced by an American made one, not an import.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

If one does break, you can elect to have it rebuilt or get a rebuild kit and rebuild it yourself. You do not have to exchange it for an overseas made one

 

[astrodoggie3000]

Do any other ratchets share the same guts? Maybe it can be rebuilt with some US made parts. Sad about not being US made anymore.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Do any other ratchets share the same guts? Maybe it can be rebuilt with some US made parts. Sad about not being US made anymore.

I don't think the thin profile ratchets share the same internals with other ratchets. I do know the chinese made(Raised panel) ratchets rebuild parts differ from older USA made ones.

I'll look into it

 

[TwoInch]

If one does break, you can elect to have it rebuilt or get a rebuild kit and rebuild it yourself. You do not have to exchange it for an overseas made one

where are you getting rebuild kits? the sears stores around here can not sell them to the public. you must exchange.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

where are you getting rebuild kits? the sears stores around here can not sell them to the public. you must exchange.

At any of the full line Sears in my area. I do not know if this applies to the hometown Sears.

Have you asked for a ratchet to be rebuilt? The ones around here will tag it for you and the PMT will rebuild it usually the next day or two.

 

[TwoInch]

At any of the full line Sears in my area. I do not know if this applies to the hometown Sears.

Have you asked for a ratchet to be rebuilt? The ones around here will tag it for you and the PMT will rebuild it usually the next day or two.

i have tried my full line, and the hardware/appliance stores here. but i have only asked for a rebuild kit. none offered to rebuild mine. they claimed to only exchange, although i did see the rack of rebuilts, so obviously they do rebuild them. maybe they didnt feel like dealing with me right then?

they also said i could take a rebuilt exchange, or get one off the shelf.

 

[bcradio]

When I went in to exchange my 1/2 thin profile ratchet at sears (sockets wouldn't stay on it because ball was broken), they told me they didn't rebuild fine tooth ratchets only standard ones. They grabbed a brand new one off the shelf to replace it.

Might vary at different stores though

 

[csmitty]

where are you getting rebuild kits? the sears stores around here can not sell them to the public. you must exchange.

My sears outlet had a bunch for %50 off at like $4. 1/2" might get a few just in case.

 

[bcradio]

My sears outlet had a bunch for %50 off at like $4. 1/2" might get a few just in case.

Are we talking thin profiles here or other?

 

[astrodoggie3000]

A ratchet for 4 dollars? I would buy the entire rack...

 

[plinker]

I think he's refering to repair kit's.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

When I went in to exchange my 1/2 thin profile ratchet at sears (sockets wouldn't stay on it because ball was broken), they told me they didn't rebuild fine tooth ratchets only standard ones. They grabbed a brand new one off the shelf to replace it.

Might vary at different stores though

I think it's more of an issue talking to somebody who knows something. This varies at Sears just like it varies everywhere else.

I came across an old v series ratchet(no model # stamped on it). It needed to be rebuilt but with no model number on it, it presented a problem. The PMT at Sears let me sit at his work bench and dig through his junk/parts bin untill I found the right parts to fix it. I noticed he had a couple of thin profile ratchets in his refurbished box--the one that goes up to the cash register for exchanges.

 

[98TJ]

There's a quality difference between the Taiwanese and American ratchets. The mechanisms in the American ratchets are smoother and quieter in operation. There are also slight differences in the head and mechanism dimensions. If I had my tools here I'd post images.

 

[csmitty]

Are we talking thin profiles here or other?

I'm assuming it was for the RP. Though they might fit the thin profiles. I only have a 1/4 think profile. love it.

 

[GMZ]

I like Wright Contour Grips.

 

[smothers33]

I like the thin profile but ratchets are one area where I think the higher end ratchets are well worth it. I think the difference between craftsman sockets and truckbrands sockets isn't big enough to warrant the price difference. The difference really isn't all that noticeable when taking off a bolt.(i know the fit is a little better with truckbrand sockets but not hundreds of dollars difference) But you will definitely see the difference in a craftsman ratchet vs a matco ratchet and that is worth the extra money in my opinion

 

[TwoInch]

There's a quality difference between the Taiwanese and American ratchets. The mechanisms in the American ratchets are smoother and quieter in operation. There are also slight differences in the head and mechanism dimensions. If I had my tools here I'd post images.

i bought the taiwan flex, bent handle 3/8 ratchet a while back, before i realized they were made in taiwan. i noticed another sears near me had the USA version NOS, so i took mine to swap for the USA version. ended up keeping the tai ratchet surprisingly. out of the 3 USA ratchets, my tai was the tightest by a long shot, and smoothest of the bunch, the chrome is bright, and it has a metal quick release and selector instead of the plastic like the USA version. I also have an ALLEN version of this ratchet which is USA, same story.

i dont know if my tai version is a fluke, but it seems to be a considerable improvement over the NOS USA ratchets i handled recently.

 

[billymade]

I noticed that as well; the Taiwan and Chinese (raised panel) ratchets seemed to look better and have better quality control, overall finish. The ratchet mechanisms design have been altered; whether they are less durable or weaker, IDK... time will tell. Some of the ratchets seemed to be lighter in weight; I wonder if the steel is a different composition of metals and of less density, in some way changed. I think the think profile head design; is very good but the ergonomics of the handle/body to be a poor design... lack balance, this is particularly the case with the 1/2" version (too bulky, overly heavy, too thick) but less so with the 1/4, 3/8. I always thought that the "Craftsman Professional Full Polish Ratchets"; had a nice finish, good body design but unfortunately had the same ratchet mechanism as the raised panel versions. I think a nice combo would be the full polish body with the 60 or 84 tooth design head; very rarely have I seem craftsman have a nice ergonomically designed ratchet.
Any Sears that is a corporate store; should be able to rebuild any currently shipping ratchet and in some cases, rebuild some non shipping versions (e.g. earlier raised panels previous gen to currently shipping version). If they do not have the kit in stock; you should request the PMT or hardware manager to order the kits in to get yours rebuilt; when I worked at Sears, I ordered these.. so they can be ordered (if they are still being produced). This would be a solution; if you want to keep your USA thin profile and are unwilling to take a "new" offshore version as a replacement.

 

[fourtythree]

I noticed that as well; the Taiwan and Chinese (raised panel) ratchets seemed to look better and have better quality control, overall finish.

Cant speak for the thin profile, but the Chinese RP ratchets at my store are all over the board with the fit and finish. Most of them have grooves on the outside of the ratchet from the machining process that you can run your fingernail through. Really unimpressed. The only thing they have going for them is the metal selector switch.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

I too have a couple of Taiwan ratchets--the 3/8 black industrial finish one that comes with the spline socket set and a long handle 3/8 polished handle one.

I've been using those lately and they seem to be well built ratchets.

 

[SMKS]

I will say the USA made thin-profile ratchets are pretty nice. But as others have mentioned, the 1/2" is super heavy and club-like. I don't use 1/2" drive that much, so I don't shell out big bucks for fancy 1/2" ratchets. I have a used Wright, a couple Japanese Truecraft and an old New Britain that work great and were super cheap.

There are some nice alternatives to Craftsman, though, if you want to support a companies that are actually continuing US tool production, rather than trying to find the pre-imported Craftsman tools. I actually don't mind Taiwanese tools, so don't think I'm a total import hater.

Here are a couple options in the same price range. I personally own both of these are they are great. The Wright is 82 tooth, BTW.

Wright 3490:
$25 at Harry Epstein. These are closeout stock. Mine was fine, but one or two people have posted that they had issues with one they bought.
$35 shipped from this ebay seller.

Armstrong 88 tooth:
1/4" drive $32
3/8" drive $37.50

 

[d_rock]

I'm not sure if I have the "thin ratchets" or not. There not the same as the old craftsmen ratchets, the design is more sleek and its polished. I use them at home and am actually starting to prefer them over my snap-on's at work because of the handle design. I think its super comfortable. Just don't know how well it would last in a shop.

 

[SMKS]

ratchet mechanisms design have been altered; whether they are less durable or weaker, IDK... time will tell.

I did a comparison between the USA and Chinese raised panel ratchets and the only differences in the mechanisms were cosmetic, from what I can see. The gears interchanged and worked with the opposite pawl.

The Chinese ratchet does have a different quick-release mechanism and I believe there is something different about the way the lever and pawl go together. I read someone post that the rebuild kits are different because of the lever/pawl setup, but I don't know that for sure.

Link to thread comparing USA and Chinese RP ratchets.

 

[TwoInch]

i cant speak for the china RP ratchets, but they look ugly as sin if you ask me, and i refuse to swap my ratchets for one. i did swap out a USA gear into my polished taiwan ratchet, and it worked fine. i dont know if that goes for the others, i know the polished has the same internals as the RP, at least the USA rp that is.

whats with them saying "always wear safety glasses" in big print? tacky as hell.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

whats with them saying "always wear safety glasses" in big print? tacky as hell.

With all the litigation in our society are you really surprised??

Somebody likely injured themselves, or some lawyer gave advise.

Kinda like the warning labels on lawnmowers telling you not to put your hands underneath the mower while it's running

IMO an attempt to defeat Darwinism

 

[TwoInch]

i guess.... seems over board to me. why not put "dont hit you head with this hammer" on every framing hammer made too. seems about the same level of idiotic to me.

safety glasses required when using a ratchet, or breaker bar? i think its a good idea to wear them when you are doing pretty much anything with tools for the most part, but i dont need a reminder stamped in to my ratchet or breaker bar handles. seems ludicrous to me.

now, an angle grinder having a sticker on it, makes sense