Craftsman Mechanics Toolkit : Which to buy? - Page 2

Mach 1 · 09-27-2001, 11:33 PM

No, as I stated earlier, I have no personal knowledge of canadien cratsman tools.

Im still confused over this "lifetime" and "forever" warrenty.

Arent they the same thing?

I can take back any old craftsman tool cant I? Does it have to be a newer model?

I havent used any "husky" tools, but just from glancing at them on the shelf, they appear to be of decent to high quality.

------------------
1993 GT/AOD
'93 Mustang GT

jimberg · 09-27-2001, 11:49 PM

A lifetime warranty means that it is good for the life of the purchaser. You probably need a receipt to prove you're the original owner. The forever warranty goes with the tool. You just bring the tool in and they replace it as long as Craftsman and Sears exists. If you die and leave your tools to your kid they will also get the warranty. If you were robbed, the thief would get the warranty.

------------------
351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

PKRWUD · 09-28-2001, 04:17 AM

FYI- The "forever warranty" no longer applies to Craftsman ratchets. Well, not the warranty that was in place when I bought mine, anyway. They're guaranteed for life, but not for replacement. If you try to exchange a ratchet at Sears, they will offer you a rebuilt ratchet in it's place. The rebuilt ratchet is one that someone else exchanged recently, and they put new guts in it in the back of the store. This has been the policy for at least 2 years now. The last ratchet I exchanged was a 1/2", button release, with a stripped ratchet ring and the one they brought me from the back looked 5 times worse. It was beaten and bruised, and had some other guy's initials engraved in it. I told them they were nuts. They told me "too bad". I ended up waiting while they rebuilt my damaged one.

As far as Canadian Craftsman goes, if it says Craftsman, it's got a lifetime guarantee at Sears stores worldwide. As far as the ratchets in the pictures above, one of my favorite ratchets is my Craftsman 43796. It's hard to tell, but I believe it's the same as is in the first two pictures. It's got a 42 tooth ratchet ring, which means it's much more precise. I just took the pic below. There are three different American made Craftsman 3/8" ratchets. Farthest back is a 43784 (24 tooth), then a 44811 (36 tooth) and in front is a 43796 (42 tooth). While the back two have the preferred button release, the front one is my favorite for general wrenching. It's the tightest, has the most teeth, and is very well balanced. This is comparable to my Snap-on ratchet.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

Mach 1 · 09-28-2001, 05:26 PM

So your saying all craftsman tools are "lifetime" warranty now?

I have returned several tools to sears, and never needed a reciept.

------------------
1993 GT/AOD
'93 Mustang GT

PKRWUD · 09-28-2001, 11:12 PM

No, that's not what I mean at all. Forget the "lifetime" vs. "forever" warranty. Craftsman tools will always have a no-receipt-needed-forever-and-ever-replacement warranty, but the ratchets aren't being replaced with new ones anymore. They are being rebuilt and redistributed to people who trade a ratchet in. Other than that, if it says Craftsman, and was sold by sears, it's covered.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

PKRWUD · 09-28-2001, 11:33 PM

Check this out: Below is a picture of two of my Craftsman 13mm combination wrenches. The one on top is less than 2 years old, but the one on the bottom is at least 25 years old. They are the same part number, yet they are very different. The newer one weighs 2/10ths of an ounce more, yet has less material in the ends, where you need it. The most surprising difference to me can be seen in the bottom picture. The older one was made in Japan.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

Mach 1 · 09-29-2001, 10:35 AM

Thank you!!! - This is the point I was trying to make, and dont no where any of this lifetime vs. forever nonsense above came from.

------------------
1993 GT/AOD
'93 Mustang GT

jimberg · 09-29-2001, 01:45 PM

It took me a while, but I did find that the Canadian Craftsman has the same unconditional lifetime warranty. Maybe it's against the law in Canada to say something is guaranteed forever since it can only be guaranteed for the lifetime of the company. Truth in advertising or something.

------------------
351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

Rev · 09-29-2001, 03:47 PM

I'd like to make one point here. Thick walls on sockets are NOT better. Cheap sockets and box end wrenches have thick walls because they're made from lower spec steel and thus have be thicker not to crack. The thick ones often won't fit into tight places like the thinner walled high spec steel sockets and wrenches will.Don't get thick walled sockets or wrenches.

Rev

------------------
'66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph
1/4 mi.

09-29-2001, 04:33 PM

snap on rules, that's what i use at work, my craftsman i use at home my only complaint on the craftsman's is the socket wall's wear out faster & i have streched out the end of a few of the wrenche's but just took them back, & got new one's no problem.

------------------

Unit 5302 · 09-29-2001, 04:53 PM

Lifetime in the United States does not always mean for as long as you live. Lifetime has been decided to mean 20+ years in several cases. Take windows for instance.

Snap on is great, I have a few snap on tools, but they were gifts. To me, paying $400 for a torquewrench, or $65 for a long screwdriver is a little nuts for the average home mechanic. In the business, tools are your best weapon to get the job done right, and get it done fast. For a professional mechanic, tools are of utmost importance. That's the only time I would endorse Snap On. Well, I suppose if you had tons of money, too.

PKRWUD · 10-01-2001, 10:58 PM

Rev-
Normally I would agree with you, but the Craftsman wrenches I have bought in the last few years frequently "stretch" when trying to loosen a tight bolt, whereas the older, thicker Craftsman wrenches I have don't. Thin wall sockets are much more handy, and if obtained from as reliable company, are usually stronger than thick walled cheapo sockets.

Take care
~Chris

------------------
Retired Moderator
MustangNet

My site: JimPorterRacing

RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR

HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

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09-27-2001, 11:33 PM	#21
Mach 1 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,866	No, as I stated earlier, I have no personal knowledge of canadien cratsman tools. Im still confused over this "lifetime" and "forever" warrenty. Arent they the same thing? I can take back any old craftsman tool cant I? Does it have to be a newer model? I havent used any "husky" tools, but just from glancing at them on the shelf, they appear to be of decent to high quality. ------------------ 1993 GT/AOD '93 Mustang GT

09-27-2001, 11:49 PM	#22
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	A lifetime warranty means that it is good for the life of the purchaser. You probably need a receipt to prove you're the original owner. The forever warranty goes with the tool. You just bring the tool in and they replace it as long as Craftsman and Sears exists. If you die and leave your tools to your kid they will also get the warranty. If you were robbed, the thief would get the warranty. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

09-28-2001, 04:17 AM	#23
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	FYI- The "forever warranty" no longer applies to Craftsman ratchets. Well, not the warranty that was in place when I bought mine, anyway. They're guaranteed for life, but not for replacement. If you try to exchange a ratchet at Sears, they will offer you a rebuilt ratchet in it's place. The rebuilt ratchet is one that someone else exchanged recently, and they put new guts in it in the back of the store. This has been the policy for at least 2 years now. The last ratchet I exchanged was a 1/2", button release, with a stripped ratchet ring and the one they brought me from the back looked 5 times worse. It was beaten and bruised, and had some other guy's initials engraved in it. I told them they were nuts. They told me "too bad". I ended up waiting while they rebuilt my damaged one. As far as Canadian Craftsman goes, if it says Craftsman, it's got a lifetime guarantee at Sears stores worldwide. As far as the ratchets in the pictures above, one of my favorite ratchets is my Craftsman 43796. It's hard to tell, but I believe it's the same as is in the first two pictures. It's got a 42 tooth ratchet ring, which means it's much more precise. I just took the pic below. There are three different American made Craftsman 3/8" ratchets. Farthest back is a 43784 (24 tooth), then a 44811 (36 tooth) and in front is a 43796 (42 tooth). While the back two have the preferred button release, the front one is my favorite for general wrenching. It's the tightest, has the most teeth, and is very well balanced. This is comparable to my Snap-on ratchet. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

09-28-2001, 05:26 PM	#24
Mach 1 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,866	So your saying all craftsman tools are "lifetime" warranty now? I have returned several tools to sears, and never needed a reciept. ------------------ 1993 GT/AOD '93 Mustang GT

09-28-2001, 11:12 PM	#25
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	No, that's not what I mean at all. Forget the "lifetime" vs. "forever" warranty. Craftsman tools will always have a no-receipt-needed-forever-and-ever-replacement warranty, but the ratchets aren't being replaced with new ones anymore. They are being rebuilt and redistributed to people who trade a ratchet in. Other than that, if it says Craftsman, and was sold by sears, it's covered. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

09-28-2001, 11:33 PM	#26
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Check this out: Below is a picture of two of my Craftsman 13mm combination wrenches. The one on top is less than 2 years old, but the one on the bottom is at least 25 years old. They are the same part number, yet they are very different. The newer one weighs 2/10ths of an ounce more, yet has less material in the ends, where you need it. The most surprising difference to me can be seen in the bottom picture. The older one was made in Japan. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!

09-29-2001, 10:35 AM	#27
Mach 1 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Georgia Posts: 3,866	Thank you!!! - This is the point I was trying to make, and dont no where any of this lifetime vs. forever nonsense above came from. ------------------ 1993 GT/AOD '93 Mustang GT

09-29-2001, 01:45 PM	#28
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	It took me a while, but I did find that the Canadian Craftsman has the same unconditional lifetime warranty. Maybe it's against the law in Canada to say something is guaranteed forever since it can only be guaranteed for the lifetime of the company. Truth in advertising or something. ------------------ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

09-29-2001, 03:47 PM	#29
Rev Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 3,887	I'd like to make one point here. Thick walls on sockets are NOT better. Cheap sockets and box end wrenches have thick walls because they're made from lower spec steel and thus have be thicker not to crack. The thick ones often won't fit into tight places like the thinner walled high spec steel sockets and wrenches will.Don't get thick walled sockets or wrenches. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi.

09-29-2001, 04:33 PM	#30
mustang marty gt Guest Posts: n/a	snap on rules, that's what i use at work, my craftsman i use at home my only complaint on the craftsman's is the socket wall's wear out faster & i have streched out the end of a few of the wrenche's but just took them back, & got new one's no problem. ------------------

09-29-2001, 04:53 PM	#31
Unit 5302 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 5,246	Lifetime in the United States does not always mean for as long as you live. Lifetime has been decided to mean 20+ years in several cases. Take windows for instance. Snap on is great, I have a few snap on tools, but they were gifts. To me, paying $400 for a torquewrench, or $65 for a long screwdriver is a little nuts for the average home mechanic. In the business, tools are your best weapon to get the job done right, and get it done fast. For a professional mechanic, tools are of utmost importance. That's the only time I would endorse Snap On. Well, I suppose if you had tons of money, too.

10-01-2001, 10:58 PM	#32
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Rev- Normally I would agree with you, but the Craftsman wrenches I have bought in the last few years frequently "stretch" when trying to loosen a tight bolt, whereas the older, thicker Craftsman wrenches I have don't. Thin wall sockets are much more handy, and if obtained from as reliable company, are usually stronger than thick walled cheapo sockets. Take care ~Chris ------------------ Retired Moderator MustangNet My site: JimPorterRacing RACECAR spelled backwards is RACECAR HEY !!! Are you ASE Certified ??? If you are, ask me about iATN. The best tool you'll ever have, and it's free !!!