Vintage Craftsman Ratchet

[bjfichter]

I have a vintage 3/8 drive craftsman fine-toothed ratchet in the "v" series #43781. I would like to know when it was made and if I can still get parts (rebuild kit) for it. Does anyone know? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

They sell kits for it on ebay. I like that ratchet
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allen-11908...146?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a62eaf3b2
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90394

I DID NOT create any of this information, just copied it from previous posts, years ago......

Charles



Looking through the Napa catalog I saw they had the RHFT w/ spinner ratchet that Sears apparently dosent have kits for.

Here are the Napa part #'s for ratchets and kits,

1/4 drive ratchet NM-47, kit #10908

3/8 drive ratchet NB-42, kit #11908

1/2 drive ratchet NS-47, kit #12089

I have made a list of all the Round Head Fine Tooth(RHFT) ratchets with the knurled speeder on the bottom, and all the repair kits are interchangeable. I have tried a couple and they are the same. Some of the older craftsmans have a through post quick release design, and that is no longer in use, other wise kits are the same, still available from Sears, Danaher. Also some of the older Easco, K-D ratchets were non-quick release(NQR) and if you get a current rebuild then ratchet will now be quick release. I have seen rebuilds from K-D, Allen, Napa on line, if you cannot get a warranty from either Sears or Danaher. If there are other models that I don't have listed let me know, these ratchets have been in production for 40 years so there may be some odd balls out there. Also added a Ridgid, it is sold with a 960 roll groover to operate it, but is an Allen brand clone, and can be bought buy it self online or through Ridgid. Also another Ridgid sold with a 915 is a 1/2 long handle with a 90 degree bend on the end of the handle.

Allen 1/4 model# 10904, repair kit#10908
Armstrong 1/4 model#10-915, repair kit 10-963
Craftsman 1/4 model# 43187,43178, repair kit#43426 (replaces kit #44682)
Easco 1/4 model#711106, repair kit#10908
K-D 1/4 model#711106, repair kit#10908
Master Mechanic model#T1060(NQR)
Napa 1/4 model# NHT NM-47, repair kit#10908

Allen 3/8 model#11904, repair kit#11908
Armstrong 3/8 model#11-915, repair kit#11-963
Craftsman 3/8 model#43781,42794(Flex),42792(Flex),43788, repair kit#43436
Easco 3/8 model#721109,721413(Flex),721412(Flex), repair kit#11908
K-D 3/8 model#721109,721413(Flex), repair kit#721103(old),11908(new)
Master Mechanic???
Napa 3/8 model# NHT NB-47, repair kit# 11908

Allen 1/2 model#12804,12806(LH), repair kit#12809
Armstrong 1/2 model#12-915, repair kit#12-963
Craftsman 1/2 model#44977.44983(Flex),44944,44973(Flex),44978, repair kit#43446
Easco 1/2 model#731112,731111, 731116(LH), , repair kit#12809
K-D 1/2 model#731111,731116(LH), repair kit#12809
Master Mechanic 1/2 model#T1660, T1661(NQR)
Napa 1/2 model#NHT NS-47, repair kit#12809
Ridgid 1/2 model#70437(LH), 92202 (LH90), repair kit not available from Ridgid, send in for repair.

NQR- non-qiuck release
LH- Long handle non-flex
Flex-Flex handle
LH90- Long handle bent 90 degrees on the end
All other ratchets are quick release, and standard length

**********************

From an old post on the Craftsman board posted by "Adam"
apparently copied from an old chart:

Craftsman Ratchet Rebuild Kit numbers

cCraftsman Ratchet Refurbishing Kits

1/4"

44807 Teardrop-Quick Release 43424
44812 Teardrop-Quick Release Fine Tooth 43424
43187 Round Head-Fine Tooth 43426
43174 Round Head 43425
43186 Teardrop-Quick Release- Obsolete 43427

3/8"

44813 Teardrop-Quick Release-Full Polish 43434
44833 Teardrop-Quick Release-Full Polish-Long 43434
44808 Teardrop-Quick Release-Long 43434
44811 Teardrop-Quick Release 43434
44815 Teardrop-Quick Release-Flex 43434
44834 Teardrop-Quick Release-Flex-Stubby 43434
44835 Teardrop-Quick Release-Flex-Offset 43434
44836 Teardrop-Quick Release-Ergo 43434
44837 Teardrop-Quick Release-Black Oxide 43434
43781 Round Head-Fine Tooth 43436
32794 Round Head-Fine Tooth-Flex 43436
43175 Round Head 43435
43784 Teardrop-Quick Release – Obsolete 43437
44995 Thin Profile teardrop QR ratchet 43438

1/2"

44814 Teardrop-Quick Release-Full Polish 43444
44809 Teardrop-Quick Release 43444
44816 Teardrop-Quick Release-Flex 43444
44838 Teardrop-Quick Release-Black Oxide 43444
44977 Round Head-Fine Tooth 43446
44983 Round Head-Fine Tooth-Flex 43446
43176 Round Head 43445
44985 Teardrop-Quick Release – Obsolete 43447

Obsolete refers to the oil hole in the head model ratchets.

From another thread on this forum

 

[cmandp]

I believe the first patent date was 1969, and I want to say they were sold from 1970 onward. From what I've seen there where at least three different "generations" , if you will. Early ones with the double bar Craftsman logo "=Craftsman=", and "Pat. Pending" on the back of the handle. After that same logo on the front but now with the 1969 Patent date on the reverse. Even later ones dropped the double bar Craftsman logo and read only Craftsman, again with the patent date on the back.

Please do no take this post as law, this information is coming from memory.

 

[bjfichter]

Thanks for the info. Greatly appreciated!

 

[biscuit141]

That is funny you posted this today, as I was wondering the same thing. I have two different generations of RHFT ratchets, and I was not sure which is older. Here is what I have:
43788 - this one has a shaft that pops out the end of the drive when the quick release is pressed.

43781 - no pop out shaft on this one. Just picked up a build kit from Sears for it, just like new.

I wonder which one is older? If I go by model number, then I guess the second one.

 

[John316]

The ratchet with the 1971 patent date is the older one I believe. I believe the one with the part # on the handle came after.

 

[thesilverone]

Yes the first ratchet pictured is older than the second ratchet