The Craftsman 44985 Ratchet

[cruiser808]

This was Sears Craftsman basic workhorse ratchet from 1969 to the early 1990's. This was the old =V= design and almost every kid working on cars from me to all of you in this period of time must had some experience with it. My experience was always positive, but I'd like to hear from all of you. I think Sears should have never changed the design or the quality and should be selling it today just the same as years gone by, but that's just me. What do you think?

 

[ron350]

Those ratchets are OK but the 3/8 version did not have enough teeth. The 3/8 # 43784 has 23 teeth and the ½ # 44985 has 32 teeth.

 

[Honda 1]

Yes, the #44985, 1/2 in.drive ratchet is a good ratchet. I still have mine,over 30 years and use it! Love that loud click when you turn it!

 

[woody 73]

I like them very much mine is also over 30 years old and still going strong!

 

[Tool Pants]

I have one, and the one before it with the oiler that had a different part number.

But my 44985 is no longer "original." I bought a torque wrench at the flea market that had a bad gear and pawl. So I took the gear and pawl out of the ratchet and put it in the torque wrench. Then I went to Sears to get a kit for the ratchet, but it is discontinued. Adam of the Craftsman message board fame works at my local Sears. He took a traded in ratchet apart that had good parts, and I put them in my ratchet.

 

[TireTracks]

My dad has those, the 3/8 has the weakest spring that have ever see, i love it, it ratchets so nice and easy.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Who made these ratchets for Sears?

TheGrooveking

 

[MrRocket]

I love these ratchets. The ones with the oil ball. My 3/8 ratchet got sticky and rough turning so I traded it in on a new one...big mistake. I didn't know what I had and wish I would have kept it to repair. The other ones, 1/2 and 1/4" were stolen by a "friend" I let use them to work on his car. I would like model numbers for all of them( the ones with the oiler) so I can replace them someday if anyone has them, thanks.

 

[lauver]

cruiser808,

I have several of the old Long Lever ratchets from the mid 1960's and still use them. But, to be honest, once I discovered the RHFT ratchets, they became my go-to ratchets, and I've had them for almost as long.

I do agree with you that the quality of ratchets has gone down hill. Have you picked up any of the raised panel ratchets they're selling now? They're just chrome plated ****.

GrooveKing-- these ratchets were made by Moore Drop Forge, and later by Easco. And, Danaher is making them now, but the quality is long gone. It took Danaher a good 10 years to squeeze the quality out of these fine ratchets, but they finally go the job done when they closed the old Moore Drop forge facility down in 2005 and moved production to Texas and Arkansas. Danaher has also dropped all support for the vintage ratchets and no longer provide rebuild kits for these ratchets. Fortunately there are still NOS bebuild kits available on ebay and few other sites.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I believe the model #s were 43175 for the 1/4" (later replaced by 43186), 43784 for the 3/8", and as noted 44985 for the 1/2".

I have several versions of all three----one of them fell out of a speeding car in 1976 when I was out for a walk with my late father. We picked it up and I have been using it ever since. I took it apart for the first time last weekend to clean and oil it. It was clean as a whistle inside and looked like new.

 

[stratman977]

Oh wow old thread.

 

[ScottsGT]

I've got three of those (1/2") in the tool box that were replacements. They started locking up again as soon as I used them. Never even bothered to return them.

 

[Honda 1]

I still have my 1/2 drive ratchet. It still works great. I wish they still sold them and the repair kits as well.

 

[ArtDeco]

I picked up a stuck 3/8 drive a couple of weekends ago and it was amazing what a little air ratchet oil did. I didn't bother taking it apart yet before using.

 

[AndrewV]

Dead thread koolaid

I picked up a stuck 3/8 drive a couple of weekends ago and it was amazing what a little air ratchet oil did. I didn't bother taking it apart yet before using.

V series ratchets. Not the air ratches.
But air tool oil is a day to day thing. Keep the internals clean.

 

[ArtDeco]

Dead thread koolaid



V series ratchets. Not the air ratches.
But air tool oil is a day to day thing. Keep the internals clean.

Yup. Hand ratchet. I like to soak with air ratchet oil before I dip in ATf/acetone or something like that if it's stuck... it penetrates well enough

 

[lilredex]

A recent garage sale find.....82 piece set (#33582) from the early nineties, I believe. Pretty much like new condition.


forum image hosting

The listing was included inside.


adult photo sharing

 

[sonvolt]

I have my dad's 1/2 ratchets with the oil hole. Tough ratchet that one is.

 

[stage20]

I've got 2 of each drive. The 1/2s work the best. I've exchanged both my 1/4 before I knew better. One has a larger teardrop head than the other. I really don't like them. They still have upc tag when I swapped them. I use my matco or my hf composite. My dad has a pile of old cman ratchets and a few older protos that work better than anything new.

 

[Ponchoguy]

A recent garage sale find.....82 piece set (#33582) from the early nineties, I believe. Pretty much like new condition.


forum image hosting

The listing was included inside.


adult photo sharing

Older than the 1990's I'd say. It doesn't have "Hoffman Estates" on the Sears address...

 

[Ponchoguy]

I still have my 1/2 drive ratchet. It still works great. I wish they still sold them and the repair kits as well.

The kits turn up on Ebay now and then.....

 

[lilredex]

Older than the 1990's I'd say. It doesn't have "Hoffman Estates" on the Sears address...

The reason for the early nineties statement is the date on that sheet "8/91" right above the Adult Photo Sharing. But, then again, I am no Craftsman pro, only picked up a few things here and there over the years.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Might have been around the time of the change over. I'll have to look at some of my early 1990's Sears stuff to see what addresses are there.

 

[jonathan75]

I picked up a few old 3/8 Craftsman Ratchets during a exchange of some Chinese D-AC I had around. One has a oil hole on the top and another has a small circle where the oil hold should be. And the third one has no oil hole mark. I really wish when they put the re-build kit in they would keep the original selector switch that was metal and not use the plastic one in the kit. I put a rebuild kit in a old 1/4 I had and I used the original metal selector with no problem. But the instructions says to replace it so they do in the store.

Here are some pictures. I got a V, VF and VV. The VV has a small B stamped in it also.

 

[stage20]

What are the initials?

 

[jonathan75]

What are the initials?

Which initials are you asking about?

 

[Jim C.]

I got this Craftsman #44985 ratchet in a tool set that my dad bought for me back in the early 1980s. It came with the 3/8" drive and 1/4" drive versions. It has pretty much been my 1/2" drive "go to" ratchet for years. I replaced the guts on it several years ago because I stripped the gear while torquing down a lag bolt on a deck I was building in my backyard. Over the years, I've used this ratchet to restore a few old Corvettes and several old woodworking machines.

 

[MagnumForce]

I have several and they are as bad as the current raised panel.

 

[maddawg1952]

Ok call me whatever you want but I have 1 of most every ratchet 1/4" 3/8" or 1/2" that Craftsman offered for sale in my lifetime. I was born in 1952 I have 2 3/4" drives also 1 with the oil head and 1 without, they won't fit in that drawer.

 

[SweetD]

I have my Grandaddy's C-Man -V- ratchet set probably from early 80s or earlier. The ratchet is #43785 3/8th" drive. I have the rebuild kit for it and need to rebuild the guts as it is tweaked. I bought the rebuild kit on eBay and it's the kit for #43784 and #43785. The kit# is 43437, 3/8th" drive quick release.



Dave

P.S. - maddawg1952, that's an AWESOME ratchet collection!

 

[jonathan75]

Ok call me whatever you want but I have 1 of most every ratchet 1/4" 3/8" or 1/2" that Craftsman offered for sale in my lifetime. I was born in 1952 I have 2 3/4" drives also 1 with the oil head and 1 without, they won't fit in that drawer.

Cool collection. Can you take a better picture? It would cool to see them more clearly.

 

[Honda 1]

I have the 1/2 drive version and the wrench still works great. Also purchased with the wrench were the "V" series sockets and they have held up fine for over 30 years.

 

[Cdstahlman]

I have complete sets of craftsman ratchets 1/4 to 1/2" from the old V box head ratchets up to the most modern usa made ones, as well as snap on ratchets from the 30s or 40s to the present dual 80s.

I've went a little overboard and have compiled enough to have at least three full 30" ish tool boxes (top and bottom) filled with complete sets in each of all one would need...

I'm currently looking for a 12 step program to enroll in, haha


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[maddawg1952]

The fluorescent lights make taking terrible pics. I've tried with the lights off not much better. I'll try my work camera when I get dressed and can get it from my truck. This pic doesn't show the rhft set in the middle of the drawer. but from bottom left to top is pearhead, then flying V, then lever selector without quick release. Bottom right to top is quick release with oil port, then without oil port. then a modern VJ series. and finally a RHTF in the middle. Hopefully I can get the sockets sets in a better light too most of the original sets are in metal trays.

 

[jonathan75]

The fluorescent lights make taking terrible pics. I've tried with the lights off not much better. I'll try my work camera when I get dressed and can get it from my truck. This pic doesn't show the rhft set in the middle of the drawer. but from bottom left to top is pearhead, then flying V, then lever selector without quick release. Bottom right to top is quick release with oil port, then without oil port. then a modern VJ series. and finally a RHTF in the middle. Hopefully I can get the sockets sets in a better light too most of the original sets are in metal trays.

Your pictures look like they were taking in secret. Like a undercover spy camera reviling the hidden Craftsman collection!

Can you tell me more about the two ratchets on the bottom left? They looks so different from any I remember.

 

[maddawg1952]

pearhead craftsman ratchets from the 1950's thru the early 60's, My father had them in sets he bought from the little Sears store in Downtown Salem Ma. I used them fixing my bikes then eventually he gave me 1 set. I'm almost 62. LOL..... if you liked the ratchets and sockets wait till you see the wrench drawers! You can read more about the pearhead ratchets on ...alloy-artifacts.com under the craftsman v maker subtitle . EDIT here are some better pictures with a real camera.

 

[jonathan75]

pearhead craftsman ratchets from the 1950's thru the early 60's, My father had them in sets he bought from the little Sears store in Downtown Salem Ma. I used them fixing my bikes then eventually he gave me 1 set. I'm almost 62. LOL..... if you liked the ratchets and sockets wait till you see the wrench drawers! You can read more about the pearhead ratchets on ...alloy-artifacts.com under the craftsman v maker subtitle

What I find interesting is that it reminds me of my Craftsman RP 3/4 Ratchet. I took some pictures comparing the USA and Chinese version.

 

[maddawg1952]

yep they had a good idea and kept it for the 3/4" drive, I don't know why they changed it for the v shifter, Though I do like the quick release style too. I can't find any rebuild kits for my old pearheads, so they don't get used too much anymore, my go to is either 1 of the v-series quick release or the RHFT. Which I have several rebuild kits for either of those. In 3 rollaway's, and a set that was in my service truck that I no longer have. Thinking I might just have too many tools. NAH!!!!!!

 

[stage20]

Which initials are you asking about?

V K AC... etc. some ratchets have different lettering. is it a date code or factory code?

 

[stage20]

pearhead craftsman ratchets from the 1950's thru the early 60's, My father had them in sets he bought from the little Sears store in Downtown Salem Ma. I used them fixing my bikes then eventually he gave me 1 set. I'm almost 62. LOL..... if you liked the ratchets and sockets wait till you see the wrench drawers! You can read more about the pearhead ratchets on ...alloy-artifacts.com under the craftsman v maker subtitle . EDIT here are some better pictures with a real camera.

is that electrical wire spun around a pipe to make wrench holders???