Hell froze over yesterday....

[eschoendorff]

A while ago, Wilbilt sent me one of these pesky little buggers:

Thing was hangin' up and giving Will a hell of a time. Walked in to Sears yesterday and the young guy behind the register went back with me to the ratchets and handed me one of these:

So far, so good. So, maybe the answer is to go to Sears in an urban area late in the day on a Saturday. i dunno.


Oh, and Will, you're not getting your ratchet back

 

[bmwpower]

I guess that is an upgrade. Not a Companion, right? Looks similar.
I added some grease to mine raised panel and it actually works better now.

If I could just keep from using it with a metal pipe to crack nuts, I shouldn't have a problem.

 

[chad s]

I guess that is an upgrade. Not a Companion, right? Looks similar.
I added some grease to mine raised panel and it actually works better now.

If I could just keep from using it with a metal pipe to crack nuts, I shouldn't have a problem.

I bet the Taiwaneese Companions are nicer than the raised panel craftsman ratchets! At least the handles feel nicer in your hand.

 

[billymade]

It is a more expensive ratchet; it is called the "full polish"! The problem is the head is still the same Danaher design, which I have come to detest and the damn selector is plastic! Again, fine tooth in the new thin profile or old school fine tooth is the way to go in the craftsman line, IMHO!

 

[jimvannoy]

I guess that is an upgrade. Not a Companion, right? Looks similar.
I added some grease to mine raised panel and it actually works better now.

If I could just keep from using it with a metal pipe to crack nuts, I shouldn't have a problem.

I did the same thing a year or two ago. Took a bad plain jane ratchet in to exchange. There was a older lady working in the tool dept. Told her I wanted to exchange the ratchet. We walk over to the peg board and can't find one like it so she says just another one that you like. I said no problem and walked out with a real nice one.....

 

[Uncle Buck]

I got my 3/8" round head fine tooth from Sears years ago when one of their cheapies took a dump on me. At the time the RHFT was the best quality ratchet they sold. I like free upgrades!

 

[Lightning]

No quality ratchet should contain plastic parts. That is really cheap.

 

[Stuey]

Is there any way that you could take it apart to show us the insides? If the guts are the same as in the raised panel ones, the polished handle is only a distraction.

 

[Merkava_4]

The problem is the head is still the same Danaher design, which I have come to detest and the damn selector is plastic!

Yeah ... I still can't understand why they use plastic for the selectors. I wonder what would actually happen if Danaher tried to make a high end tool.

 

[wrenchr]

Is there any way that you could take it apart to show us the insides? If the guts are the same as in the raised panel ones, the polished handle is only a distraction.

They are the same, 100% possitive!

 

[Jiffycake]

The selectors aren't plastic.. I have three of these ratchets.

 

[eschoendorff]

They are the same, 100% possitive!

He's right. But I can still take some side-by-side pics tomorrow if you'd like.

Then old ratchet was a raised panel, the new one is a Craftsman Pro full polish.

I am wondering if the guts are not the problem... but differences in machining the insides of teh ratchet handles? Just a though....

 

[MAD]

The selectors aren't plastic.. I have three of these ratchets.

The older ones have metal selectors, they are plastic now.

 

[Crasen]

I have used a Craftsman 3/8" raised panel ratchet everyday for the past few years. If you use it as it is intended to be used it will be fine. If you put a cheater bar on it, or hang on it thats a different story. Even though I have hung on mine many times and it has held up so far.

 

[wrenchr]

I have used a Craftsman 3/8" raised panel ratchet everyday for the past few years. If you use it as it is intended to be used it will be fine. If you put a cheater bar on it, or hang on it thats a different story. Even though I have hung on mine many times and it has held up so far.

The problem with them is when it jumps out of direction and you bust the **** out of your knuckles, hence their nic name "knuckle Busters".

 

[wrenchr]

Kobalt ratchets will exchange with the craftsman same with matco, with the exception of the quick release.

 

[MAD]

He's right. But I can still take some side-by-side pics tomorrow if you'd like.

Then old ratchet was a raised panel, the new one is a Craftsman Pro full polish.

I am wondering if the guts are not the problem... but differences in machining the insides of teh ratchet handles? Just a though....

I think that eschoendorff is right. The really crappy ones tend to **** brand new. Most of the really nasty ones I have seen are the standard length 3/8" drive models but I have played with some full polish ones in the store that were a bit sloppy too. I think the hole for the selector may be off center on some of them because some work better in one direction. They are not all that way but enough bad ones are out there lately that one might get that impression. This ratchet design is not my favorite but they are decent when they are put together well. I never saw any bad ones until Danaher moved the ratchet production from the Moore Drop Forging plant to the South in search of cheap labor.

 

[PowderKeg]

Kobalt ratchets will exchange with the craftsman same with matco, with the exception of the quick release.

And throw in NAPA, Allen, K-D, and almost certainly that elusive Borg-ish ratchet from S-K...

 

[eschoendorff]

Kobalt ratchets will exchange with the craftsman same with matco, with the exception of the quick release.

Which makes me again wonder if the real differences are in the machining of the ratchet head.

 

[64merc]

I think that eschoendorff is right. The really crappy ones tend to **** brand new. Most of the really nasty ones I have seen are the standard length 3/8" drive models but I have played with some full polish ones in the store that were a bit sloppy too. I think the hole for the selector may be off center on some of them because some work better in one direction. They are not all that way but enough bad ones are out there lately that one might get that impression. This ratchet design is not my favorite but they are decent when they are put together well. I never saw any bad ones until Danaher moved the ratchet production from the Moore Drop Forging plant to the South in search of cheap labor.

I agree, the ratchet design is fine. It may not be top of the line but it works. Nobody claimed about the older models like they do about the new models, so I think it's the machining that is to blame. I have a 3/8" raised panel that is about 10 years old and it was my go to ratchet for like 2 or 3 years without a problem. I also have one that is probably 30 years that my grandfather used and it still works great today. The metal selector is worn down to a copper color but it still works like new (well, actually smoother).

 

[MAD]

I also have one that is probably 30 years that my grandfather used and it still works great today. The metal selector is worn down to a copper color but it still works like new (well, actually smoother).

If it is 30 years old it is actually a different design even though the ratchets are similar looking.

 

[64merc]

If it is 30 years old it is actually a different design even though the ratchets are similar looking.

True, I think the older one has less teeth. I'll have to compare them side by side one day. I'm glad someone was actually paying attention. I wonder sometimes ya know.

I guess what I meant was that the basic concept was the same. The ratchet still relies on the gear meshing just right with the pawl. I think the newer models slip more because the machining tolerances are more lax than they used to be. And no, I don't think it has anything to do with the plastic selector levers. I hate them too but they're not the problem if you use the ratchet correctly.

 

[Stuey]

The raised panel versions that I have are clunky, and coarse. Mine are now reserved for "beat on with a mallet" applications when my breaker bars are in danger of being damaged.

 

[speed bump]

Yeah ... I still can't understand why they use plastic for the selectors. I wonder what would actually happen if Danaher tried to make a high end tool.

Ask SO why they do that as well.

 

[CatfishXpress]

I've got a Craftsman full polish in 1/2" drive, its held up well to abuse, and its much smoother than the newer raised panel ones.

I also have a pre-Danaher Craftsman raised panel that belonged to my dad that is a very sweet ratchet. It was his go to ratchet for years, it doesn't get much use now days because I don't want to run the risk of breaking it. It has many memories associated with it.

 

[Coach James]

So incompetent Southern labor is to blame for bad Craftsman ratchets?

Coach

 

[CatfishXpress]

So incompetent Southern labor is to blame for bad Craftsman ratchets?

Coach

I would say the accountants at Sears are to blame for bad Craftsman ratchets. Danaher good produce better ratchets for them if they were willing to pay the price.

 

[kartracer55]

Clearly, the solution to all of your sears problems are to send the tools to me, so I can warranty them with the cashier who likes me at the local store. Funny part about it though, is that the cashier is a dude

But I got the prybars cheap as hell that one time hahaha

 

[foul_ball]

Clearly, the solution to all of your sears problems are to send the tools to me, so I can warranty them with the cashier who likes me at the local store. Funny part about it though, is that the cashier is a dude

But I got the prybars cheap as hell that one time hahaha

nice placement of the "wtf?" face

 

[MAD]

So incompetent Southern labor is to blame for bad Craftsman ratchets?

Coach

Poor management by Danaher and lack of oversight by Sears are to blame for bad Craftsman ratchets from what I can see.