Mechanics Tools Discussion Board

Replacement socket availabilty

emsvitil — Wed, 18 May 2011 05:03:08 GMT

Got the rebuild kit.

And the current 6mm 6-point 1/4" drive socket as a replacement (different stock number) that's available at the store.

Replacement socket availabilty

emsvitil — Tue, 17 May 2011 09:50:04 GMT

Didn't take much torque to crack the socket, so that wasn't bad.

Landed on my butt when the ratchet mechanism let loose on the 1/2" drive ratchet.......(I was pulling, so no hand damage)

Replacement socket availabilty

GardenTractorMan — Tue, 17 May 2011 03:43:14 GMT

Ouch! Sounds like it hurt.

Replacement socket availabilty

Kevin-Pace — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:42:24 GMT

It looks like a socket that small isn't carried in regular stock within the stores and is a catalog only item. In that instance you have two options.

1. You can call the Craftsman catalog and ask them to facilitate a warranty exchange for you. They'll send you a new one for free and ask you to destroy the old one. 1-(800)-425-8279.

2. Or, you can go to the store and ask the associates to call the catalog and place the exchange order for you. Either way the process is the same.

Replacement socket availabilty

emsvitil — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:59:55 GMT

I cracked my 6mm six-sided 1/4" drive socket trying to remove an exhaust stud (end had hex head for installation/removal). Didn't even extend the handle with a pipe on the ratchet.....

The part (43502) doesn't showup as being available at any local stores.

How do I get a replacement?

Will the local store order it for me?

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

ShadetreeRet — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:57:03 GMT

chris11772, the main thing is that you did get your ratchet replaced and with a better tool as well. That should count for something.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

ShadetreeRet — Fri, 06 May 2011 00:53:23 GMT

Over 50 years here. And that is asking a lot from a 3/8 ratchet. To be honest, I didn't catch that it was a 3/8. If space is limited, a good box end should work. I have used them many times to remove an oil drain plug.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

madgolfer — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:18:15 GMT

Yup, 31 years lol.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

BigMike4511 — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:06:09 GMT

Madgolfer,

The 1/4 inch drive sets are good for small jobs, the 3/8" drive sets are used more than 1/2" drive in many automotive applications. In a heavy truck shop, you will see more 1/2'' drive, but you will also see even larger tools.

I do not know where you have gotten your information, but it is not correct. Of course, you must have much more expertise than someone like myself, who has been in the automobile business for over 30 years.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

madgolfer — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:03:49 GMT

i was going to buy a tool box fri

Chris, check out the wheels on the other boxes in your shop. You will want something that rolls easy and with good locks. Otherwise, locking drawers that won't slide open as the cart is moving. Have a Good day..

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

madgolfer — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:50:46 GMT

BigMike, there simply isn't any situation that would require a 3/8" drive ratchet over either a 1/4" for tight spots or 1/2" for easy access. 3/8" is a great compromise for the average homeowner but not the choice of professional mechanics. Have a Good day, sir.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

BigMike4511 — Thu, 05 May 2011 10:22:03 GMT

Seeing as I have been told repeatedly by Sears employees that the policy is now to give rebuilt ratchets in exchange, I assumed that the customer had been given one of those.

Secondly, I can't count the number of oil changes that I have done in my life, but even if the plug is overtightened, a quality ratchet will not fail when removing it. With many newer cars, if you overtignten the plug enough that it is hard to remove, the odds are that you will strip out the threads in the drain hole. Oil pans are much thinner than they use to be, and are made of softer (lighter) alloys.

If you walk into my shop, and look in any of the mechanic's boxes, you will find 3/8' drive socket sets. In many cases with newer (90's and up) cars there is not a lot of room to work, and the 3/8' drive will fit where a larger ratchet will not.

There is no excuse for the manager failing to honor the warranty. If they are having a bad day, they should not allow that to effect their customer service.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

madgolfer — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:37:12 GMT

Hi Chris, Sears store managers have really bad days too. Seriously tho, you should get a set of 1/2 inch drive ratchets. Not many mechanics own 3/8" socket sets.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

chris11772 — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:52:54 GMT

well it wouldnt have been so bad but it was the store manager that gave me a hard time!!!!

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

Kevin-Pace — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:29:33 GMT

Hooray for breaker bars.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

ShadetreeRet — Thu, 05 May 2011 02:21:46 GMT

Obviously, the complete post didn't print on my screen, because I didn't see where the customer stated that he had received a rebuilt ratchet, he just stated that he had exchanged his broken one.

I sympathize with his problem, I would have been upset with the treatment also. BUT, instead of going elsewhere, the FIRST thing to do is ask to talk to the store manager and explain the situation. If the problem was not solved then other action may be justified.

Big Mike may deal with automobiles, but he has obviously never changed oil too many times. True, most oil drain plugs are not difficult to remove, but there are some which have been overtightened by incompetent workers that can be a real bear to remove.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

BigMike4511 — Wed, 04 May 2011 23:35:43 GMT

First of all there is no exclusion in the warranty for commercial use of hand tools. Any employee that tells you differently is wrong.

The second thing is that Sears is now providing rebuilt "good as new" ratchets for ones that have failed. Your experience shows that the rebuilt item is not as good as a new one. If it was a quality item, it would not have failed with that minor strain.

Sears has decided that the savings by giving rebuilt tools in exchange is worth having unhappy customers. In this case, they lost a $1400.00 sale and a long time tool customer because of the policy and the way that the employee treated that customer.

It is sad to see a once great company deteriorate.

sears refusing to exchange a tool because i used it commericaly to fix a car

chris11772 — Wed, 04 May 2011 22:16:33 GMT

two day ago i exchanged a 3/8 drive hand rachet and today i tried to loosen a oil pan drain bolt and the rachet failed me so after work i went to sears and the manager told me he was out of the rachet and to go to another sears 10 miles away and see if they have it and i explained that i just exchanged it two days ago and then he started to acuse me of misusing the rachet and i said i didnt then he told me he cant exchange it because they dont offer a different one so we argued for a few mins and i got pissed and left went back 5 mins later and a different employee exchanged it for me with the next rachet up with no hassel but the other guy couldnt and it just screwed them cause i was going to buy a tool box fri from there for 1400.00 but now i wont buy nothing there again i will goto home depot

How can I acquire Craftsman ratchet rebuild kits?

brad97 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:28:03 GMT

Thanks, Kevin

Brad

craftsman torque wrench 44597

Kevin-Pace — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 05:05:36 GMT

The digi-torque and audible click torque wrenches are warranted for one year from date of purchase with receipt. Only the old fashioned beam style torque wrenches have a lifetime warranty.

You'll be hard pressed to find a digital or audible click torque wrench on the market with a lifetime warranty at all. Snap-on may still warrant theirs for life but you pay through the nose to get them in the first place. I think their introductory models start at about $300.