No More Craftsman Ratchet Replacement??

[muibubbles]

I've always been given a refurbished one.

+1.. i thought it was known and common for a long time..?

 

[onewaydave]

Happened to me in 1997 in Memphis. Took the busted one in and was given my choice out of a box of rebuilds.

Dave.

 

[adamsredlines]

While I wouldnt be upset about getting a rebuild, all my replacements I've taken in have been pulled off the shelf with brand new ones (3 cities...Indianapolic, Cincy and Waco).

Funny how different the stores are.

 

[TravisT]

I remember back in the 90's the Sears near my house started doing this. I would find ways around them rebuilding them to get a whole new one. In hindsight, I wish I would have let them rebuild some of them, because they were older, better built ratchets. Some of the replacements have not been anywhere near the quality of the older ones.

Now all the ratchets I own with the exception of a 1/4" ratchet are snap-on. When they break, they get rebuilt and given back to you.

I was told that Sears used to take all of the "broken" tools and melted them down to make saw blades. Not sure the truth of this, but with them not taking in broken tools anymore, I wonder what they are making the saw blades out of?

 

[Lomotil]

I was told that Sears used to take all of the "broken" tools and melted them down to make saw blades. Not sure the truth of this, but with them not taking in broken tools anymore, I wonder what they are making the saw blades out of?

Recycled children's braces.

Naaaah, but seriously, I remember taking in a 1/4" drive ratchet in for replacement, and the clerk handed me a refurb from behind the counter that looked as if it had been left on the Interstate for a week, then sent back to be re-chromed.

Don't get me wrong, the chrome was nice on it, but it looked like the surface of the Moon, but with chrome.

Ended up picking up a different one from her rack of rebuilt rats. Haven't had a problem yet, but was still surprised to see such a poorly pitted ratchet handle re-chromed.

 

[98TJ]

I have a full-polish set and the regular old raised-panel set.

If I took a raised panel in and they offered a refurb, no big deal.

But if I took in my full-polish and they wanted to replace it with something else, I'd ask for the rebuilt kit and rebuild it myself. I paid a higher price for the nicer ratchets and would like to keep that ratchet in my possession.

 

[CD1]

I would only accept a rebuild kit on any of my Craftsman ratchets.

Only my 3/8 flex has ever needed rebuilding and I believe just once in the more than 30+ years since I purchased it.

There seems to be alot of disparity about Sears policies with tool warranty and replacement on this forum.

Besides a rebuilt ratchet, I have only warrantied a few screwdrivers.

None of my wrenches, sockets or other Craftsman tools have broken or needed to be warrantied.

Most of my Craftsman tools are USA made from two to three decades ago, that I purchased new.

I even have some Craftsman sockets/tools from my Grandfather that are from pre/post WWII.

 

[thdavemac]

I have been using Craftsman flex head rachets for for over 30 yrs .. if tools used properly, you rarely need to replace a "lifetime" guaranteed tool, but it does happen .. I have had my rachets replaced maybe twice .. now I have 5 rachets in need of "replacement". A "wornout" tool is not worth rebuilding unless you barely use them. I use mine everyday hence why I have 5 that are in need of replacement, not rebuilt. I let them pile up and was going to have them all replaced when the last one failed and that has finally happened, I seen this forum and decided to chime in. a rebuilt tool is still a worn out tool. "If" Craftsman (Sears) tells me I cannot have a new tool then then i am done with Craftsman period, I didn't pay for a lifetime guaranteed tool to be rebuilt inside a worn out housing or weak handle .. I value my hands more then that. Just some advice from an ASE master technician, take it or leave it. Depending on how frequently you use your tools you don't want to have to worry about slamming your knuckles into something because your brand new "rebuilt" tool is in a worn out casing built from the checkout guy. HTH

 

[BarryWells]

I went to Sears last night and the saleman at the tool counter was wearing rubber gloves. My wife and I thought it was creepy that a salesman had rubber gloves on. I picked out some socket storage magnets and checked out. The salesman was rebuilding Craftsman ratchets. I asked him why he was doing that and he told me "Sears is not replacing ratchets anymore. In this economy it is cheaper for Sears to rebuild them." I told the salesman that was the only reason to buy Craftsman and I would no longer buy their tools.

This upsets me. Has anybody else heard this?

Yeah. Snap-On drivers do that on a daily basis so don't buy any of those either

 

[mudflap]

Oh..the good old days....lol. I bet now alot of people wish they could go back to 2011 and have a zit squisher rebuild their Cman ratchet at the counter....lol.

 

[Outlawmws]

I don't think you got the memo Dave. Sears sold the Craftsman name, and for the most part is gone themselves...

Ace and other stores still sell Craftsman. No clue if they still honor the warranty?

Resurrecting a thread nine years dead as well?

As to the resurrecting of an old gripe about Sears rebuilding - they started doing that many decades ago. you would have to negotiate with the individual store on rebuild or replace. The practice I hated was the store closest to me EXCHANGED RATCHETS, Which meant that if you had say a RHFT, you might not on exchange... (or if yours was in nice cosmetic condition, the one you got might not be...

But again, its all a moot point at this stage..