Craftsman ratchets
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,259
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From: Florida Hill Country
I have a set of S-K ratchets (20 years) old and newer Craftsman. I made SK rebuild my 3/8 ratchet once becuase they quite making that style.
Most of my sockets are craftsman with some snapon. The reason I like Craftsman is its easier to pick one up or get it replaced. Its tough to find SK dealers anymore and Snapon is Pricey.
Look at crowsfoot sets...Craftsman $37 compared to $137 for S-K, $170 for Mac and I haven't priced snapon lately. I love my 1/2 snapon breaker bar though...no one else comes close on it.
Craftsmans ratchets used to be too short 20 years ago and thats the reason I went with snapon and SK ratchets. My snapon ratchets got stolen and I replaced them with Craftsman since they now have long handled ones. Sears pisses me off though. The only thing keeping me going there is the Craftsman line of stuff.
The bottom line is I buy only American made tools with a warranty. I don't like ruining parts and breaking tools along with my fingers!!!
Enough Ranting
Most of my sockets are craftsman with some snapon. The reason I like Craftsman is its easier to pick one up or get it replaced. Its tough to find SK dealers anymore and Snapon is Pricey.
Look at crowsfoot sets...Craftsman $37 compared to $137 for S-K, $170 for Mac and I haven't priced snapon lately. I love my 1/2 snapon breaker bar though...no one else comes close on it.
Craftsmans ratchets used to be too short 20 years ago and thats the reason I went with snapon and SK ratchets. My snapon ratchets got stolen and I replaced them with Craftsman since they now have long handled ones. Sears pisses me off though. The only thing keeping me going there is the Craftsman line of stuff.
The bottom line is I buy only American made tools with a warranty. I don't like ruining parts and breaking tools along with my fingers!!!
Enough Ranting
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 3
From: Bismarck, ND
Agreed on Craftsman..... I'm happy to own them as "quality" tools. I'm not a professional mechanic, so I'm okay with Craftsman being the crown jewels of my set, save for a couple of Mac's and Snap-On's. This said, I'm not that crazy about carrying back a broken ratchet to get someone else's rebuilt as a replacement. At any rate, I've got to admit..... I've picked up a couple of Stanley ratchets from Wal-Mart as spares / extra's. They've performed flawlessly. Then again, they're only a couple of $$$ cheaper than Craftsman. I guess it all depends on how bad you abuse them, or how much care was used in manufacturing the particular lot we end up getting a sample of.....
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 2
From: WA
I personally havn't had any problems with chaftsmans, I've only had a few tools break and because of the lifetime warrenty, I just go back and get a new one. I do like my older tools a lot more though.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
My first ratchet went bad and they gave me a new one. That one went bad after a while and they had a DIY kit to replace the guts. It worked for years and then last winter I was at the wreckers and my tool bag broke its zipper and the ratchet silently fell out. I looked but someone else now has a long square handled Craftman.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,466
Likes: 4
From: northern kentucky
Has anyone tried the new Duralast tools that Autozone is advertising? I haven't been in the store yet to see them. The Great Neck brand were not that bad a tool set. Not the best either; but definately not the worse.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,259
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From: Florida Hill Country
Originally posted by rywegh
Has anyone tried the new Duralast tools that Autozone is advertising? I haven't been in the store yet to see them. The Great Neck brand were not that bad a tool set. Not the best either; but definately not the worse.
Has anyone tried the new Duralast tools that Autozone is advertising? I haven't been in the store yet to see them. The Great Neck brand were not that bad a tool set. Not the best either; but definately not the worse.
Last edited by rlh; Dec 7, 2003 at 03:26 AM.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 128
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From: (home) Bozeman MT, School - Grand Forks, ND
I've considered getting a couple snap on ratchets that I don't have as craftsman and also getting a snapon torque wrench - but before I do - Does anyone know if snapon ratchets and torque wrenches will fit craftsman sockets? I've heard of ratchets not always fitting sockets of other brands. Anyone have any problems with fit between snapon and craftsman? Thanks
-Aaron Griffith
-Aaron Griffith
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,259
Likes: 0
From: Florida Hill Country
Originally posted by Fordman65
I've considered getting a couple snap on ratchets that I don't have as craftsman and also getting a snapon torque wrench - but before I do - Does anyone know if snapon ratchets and torque wrenches will fit craftsman sockets? I've heard of ratchets not always fitting sockets of other brands. Anyone have any problems with fit between snapon and craftsman? Thanks
-Aaron Griffith
I've considered getting a couple snap on ratchets that I don't have as craftsman and also getting a snapon torque wrench - but before I do - Does anyone know if snapon ratchets and torque wrenches will fit craftsman sockets? I've heard of ratchets not always fitting sockets of other brands. Anyone have any problems with fit between snapon and craftsman? Thanks
-Aaron Griffith
The Craftsman sockets work on the S-K Ratchets too. I never though it was an issue as long as you had the right drive size.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
I have never had a problem with sockets not fitting their intended drive size, -1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, or 1". I have over a hundred sockets of various kinds and multiple wrench brands picked up over the years.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: Over here
Fordman65 what you may have heard was that some people (God forbid) take a hammer to drive on a socket to "make it fit"(metric onto standard etc.,etc.) and in the process peens some metal into the drive hole, I've had to "clean " up a lot of sockets for other people that should not have the tools in the first place.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 2
From: Conway Arkansas
I have seen people that that also Timken
Also some of the cheaper sockets fall off of good ratchets
Its just a poor design and layout
Thats the reason the no-name tools won't fit some of the better ratchets
Also some of the cheaper sockets fall off of good ratchets
Its just a poor design and layout
Thats the reason the no-name tools won't fit some of the better ratchets
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
From: clyde,ny
snap on is truely the way to go,they are expensive but my dealer is at my shop every week and will repair or replace any broken tools no questions asked. the only time ihave ever broken a snap on rachet is by using a cheater pipe.yeah i know old enough to know better but still to young to care!