Torque Wrench Repair???

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mopowers

mopowers

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My old craftsman 1/2" drive torque wrench took a **** on me this weekend and started skipping teeth in the ratcheting mechanism. Any idea on where I can find a rebuild kit? Or would I be better off buying a new torque wrench?

In this picture, you can see some of the strips of metal that came out of the ratchet when I took it apart. This is for a Craftsman 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench (#44441).

Thanks!

downsized_0105151517_zpsf7fb0ac1.jpg
 
I have taken several back through the years and gotten them replaced free. They are considered hand tools. Or were last I exchanged one.
 
Sears will give you a rebuild kit if you take it to the store.
 
Yup! Sears will give you a rebuild kit..... or replace it if a kit is not available.
Rebuilt mine twice, the third time no kit available so they handed me a new one :)
 
Beware of them wanting to exchange a new one for it.
The new ones are made in china.
If they don't have a kit make them order one, the guts are the same as their standard ratchets they are available.
 
Thanks guys. I just figured torque wrenches weren't covered under their warranty. I'll give them a call and see what they say.
 
Buy a Sturtevant beam torque wrench and move in to the uppermost echelon of fastener preload.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I have taken several back through the years and gotten them replaced free. They are considered hand tools. Or were last I exchanged one.
Click to expand...


My sears always gave me the ***** attitude that they were calibration tools and don't apply to the lifetime warranty. Limited, like only 3-6 months or something... max 1 year....

I've got an old one that I use as a "breaker bar/ratchet" because the torque part is bad....


If I ever come back down to your town, I'll bring my broken torque wrenches....
 
Warranty is one year, NOT the basic hand tool lifetime.
The locking ring (plastic) cracked on one of mine.
I talked to a guy at Sears and he says "bring it back", I said "it's out of warranty", again he says "bring it in".
I go in next day and manager of tool area says "How old?", I say 10 years.
He explains their warranty, one year, then tells me "Next time someone asks, tell'em 6 months."!:cheers:
 
Well, crap. Just got off the phone with a couple different Sears stores close to me. Not only did they say they don't warranty them (which I wasn't looking for), but they also don't carry repair kits. I think I need to do a little more online research and see what I find. By looking online, it looks like they use the same mechanisms in the 1/2" ratchets.

I do have another one I can use. I just really like this one because I inherited it from an uncle who passed away.
 
If it's very old (which it sounds by your description) the calibration is most likely off. I understand sentiment but a torque wrench is a very specific item that needs to be accurate or why even use it. Hang it on the garage wall if it's sentimental and get something that's new and accurate (not a harbor freight POS either). JMHO
 
HF may be POS but thay are suprisingly accurate for 9 bucks. Ill use one before a 30 year old craftsman. Where is Rani on this? Does she work in the Sears tool dept. Or is that just where she hangs out? ;-)
 
here's what to do. go in and buy a 1/2" drive rachet. take it home and remove the parts from the head and installed them in your torque wrench. take it back to sears, turn it in broke and they will give you a new one. now you have your wrench fixed and spare parts.
 
fishy68 said:
If it's very old (which it sounds by your description) the calibration is most likely off. I understand sentiment but a torque wrench is a very specific item that needs to be accurate or why even use it. Hang it on the garage wall if it's sentimental and get something that's new and accurate (not a harbor freight POS either). JMHO
Click to expand...

I have another one in the box and I've had this one recalibrated not too long ago.
 
bOb shingler said:
here's what to do. go in and buy a 1/2" drive rachet. take it home and remove the parts from the head and installed them in your torque wrench. take it back to sears, turn it in broke and they will give you a new one. now you have your wrench fixed and spare parts.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. Problem with that is the newer style ratchets use a completely different mechanism and don't interchange. There are some older ones that are similar though; and for those, they sell repair kits for. I'm in the process of trying to find part numbers for similar ratchets and repair kits. The folks at Sears are absolutely worthless. Talked to about 6 people yesterday over the phone. None of them knew anything. Pretty surprising they actually hire these folks really. Oh well...
 
I had an old fine tooth 1/2 Craftsman ratchet laying around and swapped those internals into my torque wrench. The number on the ratchet handle that I used is V-44978. Works like a charm again.

Might be able to find a used ratchet at a flea market of garage sale.
 
I was told by my Sears store that I would have to pay to have mine fixed, so I've never brought it into them. Of course this was over the phone. Maybe I'll just grab it and walk in and see what the kid behind the counter does.. Perhaps I can get a new one.
 
mopowers said:
Talked to about 6 people yesterday over the phone. None of them knew anything. Pretty surprising they actually hire these folks really. Oh well...
Click to expand...

That doesn't surprise me. From my experience with their employees you don't have to have any mechanical knowledge at all to sell their tools.
 
bOb shingler said:
here's what to do. go in and buy a 1/2" drive rachet. take it home and remove the parts from the head and installed them in your torque wrench. take it back to sears, turn it in broke and they will give you a new one. now you have your wrench fixed and spare parts.
Click to expand...

Sneaky, I like it....
 
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