When have you broken a craftsman tool?

[Jim C.]

About 30 years ago, I cracked a 1/4" drive socket (7/16 I think) while working on my car in a parking lot at the college I was attending. I got it replaced for free at the local Sears. About 15 years ago, I broke my 1/2" drive RP ratchet torquing down a nut onto a carriage bolt while building a deck in my backyard. I bought the repair kit for one cent at my local Sears store, fixed the ratchet and still use it today. Most of my Craftsman hand tools are from the early to mid 1980s, all made in the USA. They've held up very well and I have no complaints. That being said, I'm not going to buy any tools made in china. I like Craftsman tools, but I'm not buying from china.

Jim C.

 

[bigbearcraig]

I had on 1/4 ratchet that was defective from the start, but was replaced with no questions asked. I have never broken any of their other tools, but I don't abuse them. I am not a professional though.

 

[kts]

Broke a flex head ratchet with a cheater pipe on it trying to remove a stubborn O2 sensor and I've broken numerous screwdrivers, sometimes the were used as pry bars but more often they bent or twisted trying to remove stubborn flat head screws.

Also had a 13mm socket that was made just too small and wouldn't fit a 13mm bolt but anything else 13mm fit it perfectly. I ended up swapping it out at Sears for one that fit perfectly.

 

[Boiler]

Rounded a couple smaller 12pt sockets and broke a couple 3/8 RP ratchets. Their newest ratchets truly are ****.

If it was 1993 I'd still be a craftsman fan. But their new stuff is China. Two problems with it: it's really expensive for china, and it's not very high qualit. Tons of other value brands I'd rather buy if its not USA. Second the broaching and lobster claw on the new RP wrenches really are that bad.

I think most of the haters feel the same way: you can be proud of the old c'man tools in your box, but as for acquiring new ones, craftsman offers so little compared to almost any other alternative. You can buy equivalent junk for far cheaper, you can buy better for the same price, or you can buy far better for more money.

Also, even if you're happy with them right now, by how much worse they've gotten over the years, what does the future hold? Definitely isn't looking good IMO.

 

[Jehannum]

Broke a 3/8" drive 10mm allen taking the head bolts out of my VG30DETT. A 1/2" drive allen wouldn't fit.

 

[Nickshelby]

Broke a 3/8" drive 10mm allen taking the head bolts out of my VG30DETT. A 1/2" drive allen wouldn't fit.

Would those by chance have been steel bolts inside an aluminum head and block? Seizing tends to happen in instances like that.

 

[jshultz78]

I've busted the teeth on a couple of long flex head 3/8" ratchets tightening up my bearing carrier on my banshee.

 

[DirtRoad]

Recently broke a 1/4 drive ratchet, very upset about it. Been using it for 15 years. I can't bring myself to bring it in for exchange though, wont say USA on it anymore.

 

[Nickshelby]

The majority of my tools are only 6 years old. And most my craftsman stuff is made in USA. When did all of this china outsourcing start?

 

[warmpancakes]

broke a long crowbar when i was a kid trying to open a sewer cap that I didnt realize had been welded shut had to buy dad a new one, wouldnt let me warranty it

 

[west wind]

I'm just curious that with all the bitching and moaning that goes on with craftsman moving some production to china. Especially the entry level ratchets, some wrenches, and sockets.

When have you actually broken a craftsman tool? USA or china made? What was it? And what were you doing?

I personally have 90% of my tools as USA made craftsman tools. With 5% china and the rest kobalt and husky and I have never broken a single tool.

I do anything from maintenance, to engine rebuilds, anything in between.

Sounds like your not working hard enough if you've never broken a craftsman deep socket.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Recently broke a 1/4 drive ratchet, very upset about it. Been using it for 15 years. I can't bring myself to bring it in for exchange though, wont say USA on it anymore.

You can exchange it for a rebuilt usa model or simply get a rebuild kit

 

[NC-Fordguy]

sounds like your not working hard enough if you've never broken any deep socket.

fify.........

 

[ssentt]

3/8" flexhead ratchet taking u-joint caps off yoke....skipped teeth again! I'm sick of c-man ratchets...sick...sick I say...sick!!!!
Me or my boy have been breaking one a month lately.

 

[shampoop]

stripped a 1/4" RP ratchet on a 14mm bolt

also broke the stupid plastic reverse lever on a 1/4 or 3/8" RP ratchet.\

Not me, but my weak old father broke a 1/2" RP breaker bar without a cheater.

FWIW though My 3/8" RP breaker bar didn't break under extreme stress with a big cheater bar. The real test was on the front axle of a old jeep. Broke a brand new low tooth count 3/8" snap on ratchet on the first bolt, offered my $8 breaker bar to my coworker with the cheater and it took them all off. Could not believe it. Heard the first snap and thought it was the breaker bar breaking, rather than the bolt breaking loose.

 

[BK13]

Worn out a couple of 1/4" RP ratchets........broken one T30 Torx Bit, Twisted another T-30 Torx Bit using a hand impact driver......Split two sockets that I can think of.........Broken one hand impact driver bit......broke one CM Pro 90* pick end off. All in over a decade of using almost exclusively craftsman tools.

Whoops, I forgot about Torx. I twisted the end off of about four of them trying to get the diff cover off of the same Jeep. I'm just starting to remember how hard that rig was on tools...

 

[ssentt]

You can exchange it for a rebuilt usa model or simply get a rebuild kit

Been doing a few rebuild kits for my old stuff. Problem with'em though. The new gear teeth are not machined to a point or as much of a point as the originals. They have a flat spot on the top of the each tooth, and pawl and tooth contact is not 100 percent...maybe 60 percent at best. Will they hold as much torque as old gear and pawl? I seriously dought it. I haven't put the test to any I've rebuilt. I just keep breaking my taiwan/china (wherever the hell their made now) made ones and go back for more.

 

[Fordman7795]

Recently broke a 1/4 drive ratchet, very upset about it. Been using it for 15 years. I can't bring myself to bring it in for exchange though, wont say USA on it anymore.

Dont exchange it. Have it rebuilt

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Been doing a few rebuild kits for my old stuff. Problem with'em though. The new gear teeth are not machined to a point or as much of a point as the originals. They have a flat spot on the top of the each tooth, and pawl and tooth contact is not 100 percent...maybe 60 percent at best. Will they hold as much torque as old gear and pawl? I seriously dought it. I haven't put the test to any I've rebuilt. I just keep breaking my taiwan/china (wherever the hell their made now) made ones and go back for more.

The outsourced rp ratchets are an improvement of the last generation of made in usa rp ratchets.

The last generation of usa made ratchets have a rounded area on the pawl where the detent ball will sit. Where as the older made in usa ratchets (aprox vj series and back) and outsourced ratchets have more of a point at the pawl.

It's a easy mod to grind/file the rounded pawls to be like the older usa and outsourced ratchets for better reliability.

IIRC there is a thread on this forum with pictures covering this.

 

[kts]

The majority of my tools are only 6 years old. And most my craftsman stuff is made in USA. When did all of this china outsourcing start?

They've slowly been being phasing in the Chinese made tools last year or so.

I was just at 2 Sears this weekend for the first time in ages and a lot of the wrench sets and ratchets are now Chinese made. But behind many of those were old stock US made. It was interesting to compare the two and finally see 'the lobster claw' open end wrenches that everyone talks about. Yikes they are big.

A 1/2" ratchet I saw was also Chinese and the finish was terrible. The non polished bits looked rough and the sides still showed a lot of machine marks, it looked almost like it missed a final stage of finish work. If it was at HF for a few bucks I'd be OK with it, but not at the price Sears was charging for it.

But now I'm derailing this thread. Time for me to go break some more tools and then post up about that.

 

[davesnothere]

I've broken cman ratchets, sockets, and screwdrivers. Aside from the occasional screwdriver, I don't recall doing anything that wasn't intended with the tools.

 

[ssentt]

The outsourced rp ratchets are an improvement of the last generation of made in usa rp ratchets.

The last generation of usa made ratchets have a rounded area on the pawl where the detent ball will sit. Where as the older made in usa ratchets (aprox vj series and back) and outsourced ratchets have more of a point at the pawl.

It's a easy mod to grind/file the rounded pawls to be like the older usa and outsourced ratchets for better reliability.IIRC there is a thread on this forum with pictures covering this.

Done that for the pawl, but the gear can't be fixed. No matter what you do to the pawl, the gear is cut/machined with a flat spot at the top of the tooth, you can't get 100 percent tooth pawl contact.

 

[zkling]

A couple screwdrivers, hex keys and other misc tools. Nothing real notable. I try to take care of my tools.

 

[Nickshelby]

They've slowly been being phasing in the Chinese made tools last year or so.

I was just at 2 Sears this weekend for the first time in ages and a lot of the wrench sets and ratchets are now Chinese made. But behind many of those were old stock US made. It was interesting to compare the two and finally see 'the lobster claw' open end wrenches that everyone talks about. Yikes they are big.

A 1/2" ratchet I saw was also Chinese and the finish was terrible. The non polished bits looked rough and the sides still showed a lot of machine marks, it looked almost like it missed a final stage of finish work. If it was at HF for a few bucks I'd be OK with it, but not at the price Sears was charging for it.

But now I'm derailing this thread. Time for me to go break some more tools and then post up about that.

See and maybe it's just the area I'm in but for the most part the local sears (Plano, tx) is still stocking alot of USA made craftsman tools. I was just in there the other day browsing around while my girlfriend shopped in the mall.

Sockets (even the laser etched easy o read ones) had USA etched into them, open ended/box combo wrenches (raised panel) had forged in USA on them, as well as every single one of the screw drivers and pliers.

I only just became aware of all of this craftsman china hate since becoming active on this board. So I was pretty surprised when I went into the sears just for shits and giggles. People on the board make it seem like no more craftsman tools are being produced in America anymore.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

brand new sockets broken
3/8 sockets with an 8mm hex
broke enough screwdrivers to switch me over to be a lifetime snap on customer

 

[kts]

See and maybe it's just the area I'm in but for the most part the local sears (Plano, tx) is still stocking alot of USA made craftsman tools. I was just in there the other day browsing around while my girlfriend shopped in the mall.

Sockets (even the laser etched easy o read ones) had USA etched into them, open ended/box combo wrenches (raised panel) had forged in USA on them, as well as every single one of the screw drivers and pliers.

I only just became aware of all of this craftsman china hate since becoming active on this board. So I was pretty surprised when I went into the sears just for shits and giggles. People on the board make it seem like no more craftsman tools are being produced in America anymore.

They aren't being made in the US anymore, the stuff you saw at your store is all old stock. Once that stuff is sold it'll be replaced with Chinese made Craftsman.

(At least for the sockets/ratchets/wrenches, I don't know if screwdrivers will stay US made or be outsourced offshore as well.)

 

[budl]

Dropped a 40 yr old bar type torque wrench and broke the scale off. Also wore out a 45 yr old 1/4" drive ratchet. Both were replaced no questions asked but the ratchet is of obviously lower quality that the one replaced.

New Craftsman flaring tool, broke 1, one had a missing part (original packaging), 3rd one had a broken flaring buck right out of the box. I finally said "just a refund please". Looking for a 50 yr old Craftsman, Proto, etc. flaring tool.

Bud

 

[smith627]

Weekend DIY'er here with all Craftsman hand tools purchased in the 70's and 1980's.
I stripped my dad's long handled 1/2in. ratchet using a 3ft. cheater trying to remove a bushog blade on his tractor. Was too lazy to walk and get the breaker bar. Took it to
Sears and they installed a new ratchet gear. Our only Sears closed its store over a year ago and the Ace Hardwares and Sears outlet stores don't have much of a selection.

 

[Nickshelby]

Overall it seems that most of broken stories I have read were due to abuse or just sheer not using the right tool for the job.

Does anyone know of a definitive list of what's going to continue being produced in the US of A vs what's going to Chinese produced?

 

[tjmonsen5]

17mm sock on a breaker bar trying to remove lug nut.
Worn out two 1/4 ratchets, flat blade screwdrivers, Phillips, vice grips worn out, air ratchets are complete junk. It didn't survive one day of swapping suspension on my car at home. Just blows air now.

 

[egnorant]

3/8 box wrench 12 point cracked when I used it on a square headed bolt on an old grinder.
I kept it because it was perfect for adjusting the rocker arms on my 1959 Austin Healey.

13mm deep 6 point 3/8ths socket on the headbolts on an ******...twice!

Dad's 1/2 inch ratchet finally broke after about 40 years of wrenching so I swapped it last year. Broke the new one on the first nut!

I have a bin that gets the broken tools for warranty and it had a 1/4 ratchet, a couple of 9/16 sockets, even a few 1/4 inch drive deep sockets.

With the exception of the new China built 1/2 inch ratchet, I feel the reason they broke was choosing too light of a tool for the job at hand and the fact that I really don't know my own strength sometimes.

Bruce

 

[Jehannum]

Would those by chance have been steel bolts inside an aluminum head and block? Seizing tends to happen in instances like that.

Nah, steel bolts through an aluminum head into an iron block. They weren't seized, just put in with the strength of an ape.

 

[trainman1385]

I broke a 3/8 ratchet tightening a bolt. I was disappointed, but glad they would replace it. Because so many times things break due to no fault of my own and I have to buy a new one.

 

[Nickshelby]

Nah, steel bolts through an aluminum head into an iron block. They weren't seized, just put in with the strength of an ape.

I only ask because older wrx's are notorious for that. They need head gasket replacements often. But aluminum block and heads with a steel bolt makes it a pain. Something about the different expansions of the metals due to heat and cooling causes the head bolt to seize in there.

 

[Steevo]

I have cracked several Craftsman 1/2" drive deep chrome sockets by using them on an air impact (abuse).
I have broken a few Cman screwdrivers by prying with them (abuse).
I broke the jaw on a Craftsman double-open-end wrench, by hooking a really big box wrench in it and reefing on it (abuse).

I have worn out Cman screwdriver tips, both straight and phillips, through normal use (took years to do so).
I have worn out a couple of Cman RP ratchets, after 25+ years of use.

They don't break under normal use, and they take a long time to wear out if used properly and not abused.

In every case, it was simple to replace them by visiting Sears.

Conversely, I have a bag of broken or worn out Snap-On, Mac and Matco tools that I never seem to get around to dealing with due to the effort required to warranty them.

 

[rhandwor]

I've broken a couple of 1/2 drive sockets with my Proto 1/2 drive long ratchet. On tight bolts they won't hold up. Both of these was on a Ford head. I upgraded to another brand of sockets but still have a few 12pt laying around.

 

[duneslider]

I have broken more snap-on tools than craftsman tools. My friend and I used to break his dad's snap-on stuff then I would run home and grab my craftsman and bring it back to finish the job. We were always doing stupid things when we broke something though. The difference is my friends dad had a tough time getting warranty replacements because the snap-on truck didn't make house calls and he no longer worked at a shop that got visits. I bet his tool box still has broken snap-on tools 20 years later.

I think if you work at a shop that gets visits from the tool man the expensive tools might be worth it for the service you can get but as a regular joe it is very hard for me to buy and warranty the truck tools.

Plus, under normal conditions I haven't broken anything. My other RP ratchets are flawless after more than 20 years of home wrenching. I am sure one of my grandchildren will get them in 60 years and be amazed that there is such a thing as American made tools.

Another big Sears shut down in my area, it had been open 40+ years. I suspect when sears goes under craftsman tools will become a memory.

 

[ajchien]

Had the detent ball on a 1/4 RP ratchet just fall out and roll away when I pushed the QR.

Rounded out the insides of a 1/4 and 7/16 socket while at the same time rounding over the corners of the bolt. Really weird. Soft metal?

Countless phillips 2 screwdriver tips mangled.

 

[Jehannum]

I only ask because older wrx's are notorious for that. They need head gasket replacements often. But aluminum block and heads with a steel bolt makes it a pain. Something about the different expansions of the metals due to heat and cooling causes the head bolt to seize in there.

Expansion plus galvanic action would be a bear. Have WRX owners taken to steel threadserts? That plus some anti-seize (or similar thread lube) could solve the problem pretty handily.

I alleviated the issue by putting ARP head studs in instead of bolts (which then created a whole new issue, since I had to find a deep 12 point socket to install the buggers with!)

 

[Nickshelby]

Another big Sears shut down in my area, it had been open 40+ years. I suspect when sears goes under craftsman tools will become a memory.

I doubt it. I'm sure somebody will buy the rights to craftsman. Where it will be sold, now that I don't know. Could become online only like circuit city did?