Craftsman Ratchet Wrenches

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buck91

buck91

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West Michigan
One of my favorite go to tools is my ratchet wrenches, unfortunately I've noticed over the years that they are becoming more and more difficult to switch direction with, to the point that now I need to turn some in the opposite direction before flipping the lever. Some of them (the troubled ones, I believe) have seen frequent cleanings with WD40/Triflow/LiquidWrench depending what I have on hand after contamination with brake fluid or other potentially nasty fluids. They don't feel gritty and they rotate smoothly, just becoming more difficult to switch.

Right now I'm soaking two trouble makers in a cap full of CLP as I had good results with that on some off brand ratchet wrenches before. Any better ideas? They APPEAR to be non-serviceable though I don't know for sure.
 
The best tools in the world wear out if they're used properly..SnapOn/Facom/Teng/whatever, they all break eventually. Did they come with a guarantee or warranty? If they feel smooth but still dont want to change direction I'd replace them before they give up, everyone knows what a pain in the neck it is when you're halfway through a job and a tool breaks - if you dont have a second car its a taxi or a push-bike to the part-store!
 
They're craftsman.....

Cant you just go to Sears and exhange them under the lifetime warranty?
 
Nine don't have a lever all mine have is flip the wrench over to go the other direction in use mine at work constantly and they have been flawless
 
The lever ones are an angled head. Gear Wrench will replace them too free of charge. Just give them a call and tell them your story of woe.
 
Could be that you diluted the internal lubricant with the WD40 and Liquid Wrench. I just wipe mine down and have used the same ones for years without any issues. Ed
 
You do know that sears dropped the supplier that made the Craftsman brand tools, right? That supplier now makes kobalt. I have 2 old craftsman ratchets bought in the 60's. Still work like new. When cleaning out his garage after my dad passed, I found a craftsman breaker bar that may be nearly as old as I am. Nasty looking, but still works fine. Those old craftsman tools were tough.

Wayne
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Could be that you diluted the internal lubricant with the WD40 and Liquid Wrench. I just wipe mine down and have used the same ones for years without any issues. Ed



I agree. The original lube has been washed away from WD40 and the tool is now dry. WD40 is the worst lubricant. Open the head and pack some grease in it and off you go for many years....or like recommended just go to Sears and get yourself a new one under the warranty and DON'T soak them.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I have dunked (and kept overnight) some of my ratchets in transmission oil.


Thats what i do. Finished with them, toss em in and leave them over the weekend.
 
Some of them come apart with screws, some come apart with snap rings. Disassemble, clean really good, and then use a light grease or lubricating oil. Most times that is all you have to do. Id rather keep my made in America ratchet going than swap it out for a Chinese one.

WD40 is not a lubricant and is likely giving you problems.
 
These are the ratcheting wrenches, no screws or snap rings evident. Would love to get in there to clean and grease but dont see how.
 
I have a spray grease that the solvent dries out of leaving the grease behind. Works good for geting into parts you can't take apart.

ZEP 2000 Heavy Duty Penetrating grease.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
You do know that sears dropped the supplier that made the Craftsman brand tools, right? That supplier now makes kobalt. I have 2 old craftsman ratchets bought in the 60's. Still work like new. When cleaning out his garage after my dad passed, I found a craftsman breaker bar that may be nearly as old as I am. Nasty looking, but still works fine. Those old craftsman tools were tough.

Wayne


We too have some craftsman ratchets from the 1960’s when my dad bought his first tool box. Those old tools are definitely tough, I have personally used the ½” drive ratchet as a breaker bar with a pipe extension (classical tire rotation, clutch replacement, suspension upgrades) when I did not have a breaker bar. Did not hurt the ratcheting mechanism one bit, too bad their quality today is complete garbage.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
You do know that sears dropped the supplier that made the Craftsman brand tools, right? That supplier now makes kobalt. I have 2 old craftsman ratchets bought in the 60's. Still work like new. When cleaning out his garage after my dad passed, I found a craftsman breaker bar that may be nearly as old as I am. Nasty looking, but still works fine. Those old craftsman tools were tough.

Wayne


"That supplier" as in the maker of USA made stuff?

Kobalt is now USA made?

News to me.
 
Kobalt tools are not made in the USA. In fact, like Sears, Lowe's has been on a tool-outsourcing binge. Many of the Kobalt tools used to be made in the USA several years ago. Now, they're pretty much all imported.

Part of the confusion is probably because the last USA made Kobalt tools were made by Apex, the same company that was making the USA made Craftsman tools. USA Craftsman and USA Kobalt tools were very similar.

Apex actually still may be making the new Chinese Craftsman tools.
 
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Kobalt tools are not made in the USA. In fact, like Sears, Lowe's has been on a tool-outsourcing binge. Many of the Kobalt tools used to be made in the USA several years ago. Now, they're pretty much all imported.

Part of the confusion is probably because the last USA made Kobalt tools were made by Apex, the same company that was making the USA made Craftsman tools. USA Craftsman and USA Kobalt tools were very similar.

Apex actually still may be making the new Chinese Craftsman tools.


Lowes has sunk even lower than Sears with their new "Made in India" line. You need to see this trash. HF stuff looks like Snap-On in comparison.
 
My local Ace Hardware had the craftsman ratchet wrenches on sale, I don't need any, but go drawn to the common 10mm. it's the flip style wrench.
I really wanted to buy it, as it would've been only a few bucks cuz I had a $5 discount card.
I couldn't get myself to buy it, the ratchet portion wasn't smooth, it was sticky, it wobbled a bit as I was spinning it.
I wasn't impressed at all.
The AZ Duralast wrenches I have are SO much better in feel & quality. It hurts me to say that.
I'm very careful with my gearwrenches.. just have no idea where to warrant them if they ever broke!
 
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