Used the Craftsman warranty today.

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I went to Sears today with an old standard Craftsman ratchet that had frozen up. The salesguy cheerfully reached into a toolbox behind the counter and exchanged it for me.I noticed that my broken one was marked USA,=V=. The one that he offered as a replacement was a little different, and was marked USA -VP-. It also had a sticker with bar code that said "refurbished". I had just thought that they would take a new one "made in china" off the shelf. So I was happy enough, but I thought that there may be customers who would object to receiving something other than new.
Has anyone else had this experience?
 
I used to work at sears a few years back and iirc the only item that is refurbished and under the counters are the ratchets since they seem to be the most common warranty item and I suppose since the core can be easily re used. If it was anything else it was pulled off the shelf new.
 
There "unwritten" rule is that they will exchange it for a new one off the shelf if the customer raises a stink. Of course, you did the smart thing and exchanged it for a made in USA refurbished ratchet. The interior components were probably made offshore though just like the junk on the shelf.

On another note, Craftsman tools are dead to me. Haven't bought a single one since they went offshore. They used to proudly advertise that their tools were made in America. Now everything is made in Taiwan/China. If I'm going to buy offshore tools, I'm going to pay offshore prices. Sears never lowered the price of the tools when they took them offshore.
 
They rebuild them you could of probably kept yours and they would give you a repair kit.Sears has been going downhill for some time about everything.But that's common practice for the ratchets if they don't have a rebuild they will give you a new one.Btw some of the professional ratchets they have are of good quality.
 
years back my dad and just about everyone else used craftsman, Me included... These days sears in my opinion is the store i stay away from. They went from the best to really bad
 
A year ago I took a 3/8" drive ratchet in for a warrenty replacement. The guy behind the counter pulled out a repair kit and took it apart and rebuilt it in a matter of 20 minutes or so. He then put a bar code sticker on it and handed it back to me. I ask what about the replacement, his response "We don't issue replacements we just rebuild from this kit". The guy was employed by Sears for about 2 months and said "thats what he was instructed to do on warrenty returns".



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Originally Posted By: bubbatime
There "unwritten" rule is that they will exchange it for a new one off the shelf if the customer raises a stink. Of course, you did the smart thing and exchanged it for a made in USA refurbished ratchet. The interior components were probably made offshore though just like the junk on the shelf.

On another note, Craftsman tools are dead to me. Haven't bought a single one since they went offshore. They used to proudly advertise that their tools were made in America. Now everything is made in Taiwan/China. If I'm going to buy offshore tools, I'm going to pay offshore prices. Sears never lowered the price of the tools when they took them offshore.


+1 to each point.
 
At one time in the past Sears was a quick 20-30 min drive for me. Not anymore, Sears has closed the downtown Chicago location, the Calumet City one along with the one down the street from me. If one of their warrenty tools fail, there's nothing close by.
 
Quote:
On another note, Craftsman tools are dead to me. Haven't bought a single one since they went offshore. They used to proudly advertise that their tools were made in America. Now everything is made in Taiwan/China. If I'm going to buy offshore tools, I'm going to pay offshore prices.



I bought some brand new Craftsman ratchet drives and a few accessories this past weekend, all made in the USA. Also there are some extremely high quality brands that are "offshore". Even Snap-On blends USA and import tools now.
 
The customer get a rebuilt ratchet if its available, otherwise new. The rebuild kit is different for the China one.

If the item is no longer carried then a gift certificate. If its part of a set then its ordered to be shipped to the customer.
 
Yes, I've had the same experience many times. My original mechanic's set was purchased in 1990 and up until around 2007 they all worked flawlessly.

I've since had to warranty the 1/4" ratchet twice, both of my 3/8" ones twice, and the 1/2" one once. I hardly ever use the 1/2" as I have a breaker bar for nuts that require a 1/2" socket.

Once you start to warranty them, get used to going in every 6 months or so to do it again and again and again and again........
 
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Yes, I've had the same experience many times. My original mechanic's set was purchased in 1990 and up until around 2007 they all worked flawlessly.

I've since had to warranty the 1/4" ratchet twice, both of my 3/8" ones twice, and the 1/2" one once. I hardly ever use the 1/2" as I have a breaker bar for nuts that require a 1/2" socket.

Once you start to warranty them, get used to going in every 6 months or so to do it again and again and again and again........


I will ask the guy who actually installs the rebuild kits in the ratchets if he knows why. He probably does 20/week.
 
I bought a 165 piece set back around Christmas time for about $50 with their sales and a promo code. Holiday time seems to be the best and only time to buy tool sets.

The largest ratchet had very sharp/ unfinished edges on it.. even to where I cut myself 2 times while messing with it the night I brought it home. Took it in and showed them the issue and they exchanged it with a refurbished one no questions asked.. That one was Chinese too.

I would raise a stink if one of my American ones was replaced with a Chinese one though. American for American and Chinese for Chinese seems fair to me.
 
I was looking at the 1/2" ratchets tonight. The lowest price one is from China. The next one in price (smooth handle) is from Taiwan and the $80 fine tooth one is made in USA.

The smooth handle one is on sale now and is only $1 more than the one from China.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I would raise a stink if one of my American ones was replaced with a Chinese one though. American for American and Chinese for Chinese seems fair to me.


It seems that they are rebuilding any ratchet that comes in under warranty whether it be an old USA one or newer China one. The problem is that the rebuild kits are all Chinese parts that don't last very long in light to medium weekend warrior duty. All of mine are still USA bodies with Chinese guts.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I would raise a stink if one of my American ones was replaced with a Chinese one though. American for American and Chinese for Chinese seems fair to me.


It seems that they are rebuilding any ratchet that comes in under warranty whether it be an old USA one or newer China one. The problem is that the rebuild kits are all Chinese parts that don't last very long in light to medium weekend warrior duty. All of mine are still USA bodies with Chinese guts.


The rebuild kits are different for the US ratchets vs China ratchets. But I am not sure where the rebuild kits are made.
 
I've only had to replace one Craftsman ratchet, a 1/4" drive one. They got a refurbished one from behind the counter. Both old and new were USA castings, but this was years ago.

I suggest taking the ratchet apart once a year or so to clean and lubricate the mechanism. If you have a snap ring tool, it's easy to take the back cover off and clean out and lubricate the mechanism. I lubed mine with a few drops of ATF. They feel like little well-oiled machines with good lubrication.
 
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