Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I have a Craftsman 1/2'' drive ratchet, p/n 44985. Since Sears folded, Ace Hardware and Lowe's have been carrying Craftsman tools.
The ratchet mechanism is stripped. I have brought it to both the above stores, only to be told, ''Oh we don't carry that part number, so we can't replace it.''
When Sears operated, you could pick a new ratchet off the rack, get a receipt for it at $0.00 and go on your way. Sometimes the tool department guy would ask if You minded his repairing your old ratchet. If you said yes, he got out a kit and replaced the guts in less than 5 minutes.

Does anyone know where I can get the repair kits?
I would rather repair this one.

I bought a 9/16 box wrench from Lowes a few months ago -- to replace a wrench that went missing from a work call -- and even though it had the same P/N as my USA-made wrench, it was made in India and obviously of poorer quality.

Lowes gave me a 1/800 number [888-331-4569] to arrange replacement or repair, but I never called.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I am subbed to this Thread.:metal:

I inherited most of my Grandpa's tools.

He was Faithful to Craftsman.

I don't use the ratchets , Because of this issue.

I am tool poor so I can survive:lol:

I would like to see A company Step Up and take over.:metal:

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Anybody ever call 888-331-4569?
[EDIT]
OK. So I called. After going thru a bunch of questions from a Robot, [and it would click-click after each response] I finally got a human, who referred me to Sears at 800-366-7278. There, I talked to a guy, who said they only did appliance repair. Craftsman tools was sold. --I know, I said -- he passed me off to a woman who gave me 800-469-4663 for Craftsman. Also www.Craftsman.com.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

ive got a pile of craftsman ratchets that need repaired/replaced.. i thought you could walk in to lowes and swap em out like sears did...this is sad to hear
i need to get me a whole new socket set, was thinking about all new craftsman..maybe not so much now

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Here in Ontario Canada the Craftsman Ultimate series are guaranteed for life
I take mine to where I purchased , no questions asked and give me a new one

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

a few years back I took a broken ratchet to Sears and they fixed it while I waited. I'm thinking about 8 or 9 years ago.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

So I called 800-469-4663 and got the same Sears phone tree I got at 800-366-7278.
Quite the run around.
Hitting craftsman dot com.
[EDIT]
So I went to the Craftsman website. Under Customer Support I looked up the 1/2 Drive Ratchet 44985.
First I went to CHAT.
A Robot popped up, her name was Taylor.
She asked where I bought it...Sears, I said.
Whar country? ... USA, I said.
She then told me warranty claims were being handled by Sears at 800-366-7278... I said I've been there already, and they sent me here. Sears sold Craftsman...
Get me human, I said.
After a few minutes I got Angel.
After giving her the part number and description, she asked for my name and shipping address.
I was told they are sending me a new Ratchet via UPS. Should come in 2 weeks.

I'll let you guys know if they actually came thru after 2 weeks.

Point is -- Be Persistent -- don't tolerate Robots programmed to save the Corporation's money.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

All of the Sears mall stores closed in my area. They've opened a few of what they call "Sears Hometown Stores", where they sell mostly appliances and home garden tools. The one in my town has a small inventory of Craftsman tools. I took a cracked 1/2" deep socket in there a few months ago, and the guy said I could swap it for a new one if they had it in stock. They didn't have a 1/2", but they did have a 13mm, so I took that.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Yeah. They did that for me too, once.
I'd really like to get my hands on one of those little parts repair kits the Sears Associate used.
Then I could repair my old USA-made Ratchet.

A friend of mine is an aircraft mechanic. He deals with the Snap-On retailer.
Guy drives a big van to his hangar at work, and will swap out the gearset in a ratchet in minutes. But $nap-On is expensive. He says he ''Owes his Soul to the Company Store.''

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

There's a kit on ebay for $35.00 plus shipping

Rick

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I’ve replaced my ratchets at Lowes.
Maybe it was a mistake, but they gave me a new ratchet off the shelf.
It was a totally different style than my old 1/2” drive.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I've been using ebay for repair kits. Before the local sears closed they had quit doing repairs and wanted to swap out my broken USA ratchets for chinese made ratches, and before that when they tried to repair them they lacked the competence to install the correct repair kit (course tooth kit in a fine tooth ratchet). It wasn't worth the hassle so I just started ordering kits on ebay.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

My Lowes wouldn't play ball.
''Sorree, we don't carry that part number...''
I almost tossed it thru their plate glass window.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

That's a bit steep. I wonder how much a new, complete Snap-On 1/2'' Ratchet is retail?

[EDIT]
I looked it up on Evil Bay. With Shipping and Tax it's $43 and change. Gee. I dunno?

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

A guy I was working with at the Arizona Theatre Company today, used to be a Sears associate. He's going to look up some of his old contacts to see if he can get me a parts kit.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Do you have a link?

Never mind. I found it on EBay.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Sad that the Craftsman warranty doesn't work much anymore. The last thing I swapped was a 1/2" breaker bar that couldn't fit sockets without a lot of force. No argument at all.
I usually pick up ratchets at the swap meet for a few bucks and beat on them. It's pretty shocking how many have different names, but the exact same shape and feel...

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I’ve got several old Craftsman ratchets I wish I could get repaired. They are just worn out, but my father/grandfather bought them 40-50 years ago, and even what I was buying 25-30 years ago wasn’t as good a quality

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I figured this would be the case when Craftsman got sold. Sad really but no surprise. I got a couple ratchets that are starting to show their age. The wrenches my dad bought me while I was in college are still going strong though. That was over 30 years ago now.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Same here in Can. craftsman open up again a couple years ago. They replaced mine. Find a Can. buddy and get the phone # and see . or send them up here.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

My local ACE replaced a few craftsmen tools I bought years ago. No questions asked.


Best customer service is from S&K i found a large 1/2 drive ratchet with a broken pin drive on the road .Everything done on line I got a response in two days and the part was at my house 4 days later. I just needed to give them the model # again no question as to where I bought it

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

That's great. I bought a set of SK box wrenches when I first bought my '68 C/10 Stepside in 1973. My truckbed tool box got broken into while I was hanging out in a Country Swing bar in the Late '70s. I thought my SK wrenches were in the 24 x 8 tool box that was missing, but they had fallen deeper into the bin. Allstate insurance insisted I get a Sears Craftsman tool set as a replacement [Sears and Allstate were in the same conglomerate then.]
But I still have my SK wrenches -- 1/4'' thru 3/4'' or 7/8ths. I bent open the jaws on the 1/4'' wrench on some impossible bolt years ago.
Where can I get it replaced? Could you give us the link?

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

New Snapon Ratchet. This is the least expensive ratchet on the truck. Rubber grip, extra long and every other option costs more.
$202.50

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Jeez! My aircraft [A&P] tech buddy sometimes jokes, He paid 3 Grand for a Snap-On Satin Tour Jacket, and they give him the tools free. Professionals need high end tools, and can afford professional prices.
That puts the high-priced EBay replacement part in perspective.
My stagehand buddy, who used to be a Sears Associate looked at my 44895 1/2'' Ratchet and disassembled it for me. Now I have to clean it up.
He's looking up some insider connections and will email me if he gets a contact.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

About 20 years ago, I was working backstage on a Broadway show that was playing in my town. One of the road guys tossed away a Husky 1/2'' Ratchet. I said, ''If you go down to Home Depot, they'll replace it under warranty for free.''
''I don't have time,'' he said.
So I took it down to the Depot a week later, and got it replaced. Free and no questions, no hassle.
Then I tried using it to assemble a little red shelf/cart for my shop. It broke before I was half done. Dealing with 1/4-20 boltsets or 5/16 fasteners did it in. I brought it back -- that one broke. I brought it back again, and it's still in the wrapping as a curio.
Total Asiatic Crap.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

OK! My replacement Craftsman 1/2'' Ratchet came in today. Only 8 Days after placing the online order.
Some notes:
-Made in Taiwan
-UPS Tracking listed sender as Stanley/Black & Decker
-Round handle
-Possibly 64 or 72 tooth [Original was 32 or 36]
-No C-Clip to access the ratchet inside ''guts'' -- I guess when this one's stripped out, you request a new one.

Well that satisfies the letter of the law, warranty contract-wise, so I guess I'm happy.
I compared it to an early USA-made Craftsman 1/2'' Ratchet kept in my truck toolbox. p/n 44809.[The Ratchet p/n 44895, I couldn't find when I had the camera out. Very similar to 809, but the other one has a black direction switch and drop button -- and real C-Clips.]
Pix:

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

That's great that you were able to get a replacement. Where did you go online to order it?

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

As stated in *Post #3, above --
www.craftsman.com
Just be persistant, get past the robot chat NPCs, and ask for a human. Once I got to that stage, after I gave her the old part number and described the type and size of the tool, she only needed my name and address.
The Ratchet got here in 8 days.

[* See also Post #7 to get the website sequence.]

:gmc2:

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Thank you. Did they require you to mail your broken ratchet back to them, and did they provide a shipping label?

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

They didn't want it.
I still have the original USA-made Craftsman 44895 ratchet.
I'm thinking of getting the repair kit, anyway...

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I'm replacing my Craftsman ratchets with Gearwrench.....so far so good.
That being said I still have an old 1/4 drive stripped out Craftsman I can't part with. My dad gave it to me 20 yrs ago and he's been gone for 7 years.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Same, and I'm a tech that needs their tools every day. Hard to beat on the gear wrench quality and the warranty is lifetime as well, plus they are around to get replaced. If I have a sentimental tool from dad or granddad and it fails I just put it in the top drawer to hold on to for posterity sake and buy a new one, for the most part there are much better options out now any ways.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

So I went ahead and bought the E-Bay repair kit. Should arrive on 6 August.
I was also nosing aroung for a repair kit for my other 1/2'' Craftsman ratchet, 44809.
Today, I got an email asking to make an offer to the seller of a 44809 ratchet. Well, I already got one, and it's not broken.
I was only thinking of a repair kit for it in case it does break later, and EBay is sold out. If I do get that parts kit, it won't be until the first one comes in.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Actually, it came on the 3rd.
I put the repair kit parts on the old ratchet, and I like it.
R&R job wasn't too difficult. They do give a detailed green instruction sheet. One trick, my ex-Sears Associate buddy told me about was to save a 1-1/4'' copper staple from a large carton, and use it as a special tool to compress the spring-and-detent-ball inside the handle when putting on the direction selector lever. Pic also shows a loop on the opposite end of the staple. This is good for lasso-ing the ball bearing if it moves off the top of the spring.
Also I lost the small C-Clip holding on the old selector lever. Sprang out, bounced off my T-shirt, and went somewhere into the darkness. It was not on the tailgate. Luckily, the new kit had fresh C-Clips.
The Green Sheet said to use SAE 30 to lube the insides.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Hmmm, I might need to pick up one of those rebuild kits for mine. I kinda wrecked mine after using it to remove every rusty bolt on the bed strips of my 63. The wrench got so clogged up with rust dust from those bolts that I had to take it apart and clean it to make it work again. It hasn't worked the greatest since. Didn't know about the 30 weight, so I might try that as well. Thanks for the tips and tricks and the follow up!

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Yeah, sure. My pleasure.
I most likely would have used a cut-off wheel on a grinder for rusted-on bolts, but you have to see it, to know what works.

My friend had mentioned lube. I assumed that meant red bearing grease. I had the tub ready.
The Green Sheet stated some proprietary Sears lube with a P/N, then said, ''Or use SAE 30 motor oil.''
Which I just happened to have.
Also they mentioned four 1/4'' diameter drops in the big gear case, and two 1/8'' drops on the selector side. But I had already smeared the works with 30 weight and wasn't about to open it all back up.
I could wrap it in a paper towel and leave it on the dash in the summer sun. That should bake any excess oil out.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

I still had most of the boards in place in varying degrees of rot. Didn't have any power tools at the time or a grinder, so I went arm strong on those bolts. If I ever have to do it again on another truck, I'm slicing and dicing with the grinder :lol:

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

The original boards in my '68 C/10 Stepside are 54 years old. When I bought the truck in 1973, the original owner had kept a spare battery in the bed -- passenger side rear. That area had already rotted and he'd tacked on a 2' x 2' aluminum patch over it.
I usually put a fresh sheet of 4' x 8' plywood in the bed and saw off the excess. They last about 5 years in the desert. I've tried linseed oil, diluted. Spar varnish. Urethane. Nothing. They all last about the same. A couple of years ago I was clearing out a resort ballroom of flooring samples from a tile and carpet convention. I was tempted to build up a deck of faux wood planks, all paralled with board joints at places. Looked real, until the sun started warping the linoleum underneath the photo-similated woodlook.
A full scale redecking is in order, but it costs a bunch.

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

That's got to be satisfying to have your ratchet rejuvenated. How do the teeth look on the old unit?

Re: Craftsman Ratchet Repair
 

Just one was galled. The selector lever on the old one had peeling chrome. The replacement Selector was parkerized black.

The kit also included a small scan code sticker -- a barcode and the word ''Refurbished,'' so the Associate could scan the ratchet and keep it in a bin to hand the next customer, if he chose a swap out, rather than a new tool or while-you-wait repair. Or scanning the tag created a Zero balance receipt for the Loss Prevention security people to check you out with.
I left it off.