billymade
Well-known member
Sweet! If you put the kit in; a "rebuild/autopsy" pics would be cool and how it ended up turning out for you, as well! Inquiring minds want to know!
Easco 73111 1/2 in ratchet
- Thread starter davestlouis
- Start date
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davestlouis
Well-known member
I had already tossed the "dead" gut kit and was unable to find it in the trash can. The circlip rides in the gut kit, with a raised rim around it to locate the circlip. Several chunks of the "ridge" around the circlip had sheared off. The reverse lever had sign of an impact, likely from a hammer blow, and my suspicion is that the impact caused the thin "ridge" to split off. It actually worked OK but I wondered what would happen if I really applied a lot of torque.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
The new guts feel nice, are a nice tight fit in the head and seem A-OK. Now the guts in the 3/8 ratchet seem to have a loose fit in the head, at least compared to this "new" 1/2in unit.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
The 3/8 doesn't skip or act weird, but I can wiggle the drive tang and the whole assembly moves visibly in the head.
Yup, I've found that with this style of ratchet the assembly always get loose with age. I found one that was not broken, but it was so worn and wiggled so much that it would skip when heavy torque was applied. I think this is the only weak link to the design.
billymade
Well-known member
I guess get a kit for your 3/8" and rebuild that next! 
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davestlouis
Well-known member
The fresh gut kit makes all the difference in the world in the way it feels. The semi-gloss black tang, thumb wheel and reverse lever make it look like an almost-new ratchet too. Now I need to find a 1/4 in specimen...dammit, here we go again, another orphan brand that I'll start looking for in pawnshops.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
In the interim, I waded through the Sears website and ordered a 1/4in Craftsman fine tooth, $14.99 + shipping, wound up at $22ish.
billymade
Well-known member
Cool, when you get it; let us know if you think there are quality differences; between the vintage stuff and the new...
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davestlouis
Well-known member
For a proper comparo I'd need a 1/4in vintage Easco...anybody want to sell me one?
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davestlouis
Well-known member
Ordered a gut kit for the 72-1109 today, 2 local NAPA stores had them in stock, but one was 100 miles away, the other 40+ miles. I had them transfer it to my local store, I'll have it Wednesday by lunch time. Still looking for a 1/4in model.
billymade
Well-known member
For future reference; if you order anything online on their computer (in a Sears store) through "store to web", shipping is free!
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davestlouis
Well-known member
Thanks Billymade, I wasn't aware of that. As a rule, anything I buy at Sears is an on-sale or clearance impulse buy. I've never tried to order online from them prior to this.
billymade
Well-known member
Those particular ratchets that you are interested in; are only availible through sears.com or by calling the Craftsman catalog.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
It would appear that the KD version does exist, with the same part # as the old Easco. I left an email for KD Tool asking about availability of the item. Same head, different handle than the Sears item.
Yeah, you're right, I just realized that they share the same number as well. Very strange....
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davestlouis
Well-known member
If it does exist and is available for sale as a KD I'll buy one in each size, just for giggles.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
Rolando, take a look at the other thread pertaining to these ratchets, all 3 sizes are still in NAPA's 2006-07 catalog, with parts numbers listed.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
If prior experience is a guide, the NAPA tools will likely be marked as NAPA, with those short, alphanumeric model #s embossed(NM-47, as an example). I have a 1/2 inch NAPA pearhead ratchet with no identifying Danaher markings, just NAPA and the part #.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
Checked at NAPA when I picked up the gut kit for the 3/8 ratchet...several stores in IL and MO show that they have these ratchets in stock, and can be trans-shipped to my local store in 24-48 hours. They are indeed marked as NAPA, with the round shank on the handle, but no raised teardrop panel like the old Easco would have had. They cost more than the Sears variant though, they get $34.99 for the 3/8 ratchet, for example.
billymade
Well-known member
I thought NAPA tools had a lifetime warranty; wouldn't they give you a kit or new one for free? They have given me a free warranty ratchet at my local NAPA; for the low line import NAPA tools they sell.... am I right?
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davestlouis
Well-known member
The old one was marked Easco, so presumably it didn't come from a NAPA store in the first place. It also wasn't broken, just worn enough that the guts wiggled more than I was happy with.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
The 1/4 inch came from Sears today, marked U.S.A.-KX-43187. It feels pretty notchy but it also looks like it isn't lubricated. This one is small enough that I'm leary of taking it apart, so I'm just going to dip it in ATF and see if that "greases the skids" and makes it feel any different.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
I didn't want to waste a quart of ATF so I just poured Hoppe's #9 gun oil all over the head and let it seep through.
paramudduck
Well-known member
#9 or 3 in 1 oil will both do the job. A good greasing will last longest tho.
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davestlouis
Well-known member
I don't mind cleaning/re-lubricating the ratchets periodically, it's therapeutic for me. I do wonder what heavier grease does in cold weather though...my tools are in an unheated garage and it gets pretty chilly here in the winter.