How To: service your craftsman vs-44808 ratchet

MackeyStingray

Well-known member
redline CV2 synth for me. hey, same color :loco

just did it on some old ass craftsman my dad had in his toolchest. similiar condition to the pics skippy posted. doesn't have the same retainer clip so just regular pliers did just fine. ratchet gearing slightly different (did this on a 1/2"). also no washer so some grease seeps out every few revolutions.
 

R6Elmo

Well-known member
good post! I'm going to take my cheap unused shorty 3/8" socket to try my first time, and not the fancier ones ;)

Do ALL of the craftsman rachets have the same internals? Some of the more expensive ones seem to have better gearing...feel?
 

elskipador

elskipador@gmail.com
R6Elmo said:
Do ALL of the craftsman rachets have the same internals? Some of the more expensive ones seem to have better gearing...feel?

not sure on that. the 1/4, 2 3/8's and the 1/2 drive i have are all the same. 1 of my torque wrenches is also the same, but as mackey pointed out the older 1 he did was slightly different.
 

PASTAPWR

Well-known member
Not all are exactly the same. At least not the way you take them apart. My ratchets have two sets of retaining clips. One for the drive mechanism (on the side where the socket goes) and one for the mesh gear (around the direction lever). I had to remove both clips to disassemble the entire ratchet and grease everything.

The clip around the drive unit only holds the drive unit in. The clip around the direction lever holds in the mesh gear and this is where the ball bearing and spring are.

I will do pictures when I do my 1/2" ratchet.
 

MackeyStingray

Well-known member
i guess there are several types of craftsman ratchets. the older 1's (that my dad has), the 1's skippy has and the newer throwaway/replace models.

New throwaways (Left 3/8"), Older 1's (Right 1/2")

1453312-img_0569.jpg


took the new 1 apart and not much you can do to it as far as disassembly goes....

can't take it apart :| at least i'm not exactly sure how to....i lubed it up as much as i could anyway. still feels better but i'd like to really get the grease in there....

1453316-img_0567.jpg


this is what the innards look like on the old craftsman wrench ( this 1/4" is worn out)

1453324-img_0576.jpg
 

thump

Well-known member
las time I did that I spent an hour on my hands and knees hunting for the spring.


spring: Boing
andrew: Fuck!
 

planegray

Redwood Original
Staff member
Thanks Sean, are all mechanics so anal ? (never mind- rhetorical question, anyway who would want you to work on their bike if you weren't "detail oriented" ???)

I use my ratchets a lot (prefer sk though) but don't have that lube problem, since gravity and fumble fingers conspire to land my tools in the wast oil pan regularly !
 

PASTAPWR

Well-known member
Ok. I took apart my 1/2" dirve tonight to show yet another Craftsman style of ratchet.

Elsipador's ratchets seemed to get disassembled from one side. Mine needed to be taken apart on both sides.

Here is a shot showing the circlip holding in the drive unit.
1453842-p1000765.jpg


Here I am using my snap ring pliers to remove the circlip. If you have this kind of ratchet with these clips you can probably get away with using needle nose pliers.
1453844-p1000766.jpg


These are the only three parts on this side of the ratchet.
1453849-p1000768.jpg


Now that only gets the dirve gear out. You still need to maintenance the mesh gear. Turn the ratchet over and you will find another circlip holding on the selector switch. You can probably get this one with needle-nose pliers, but it will be hard.
1453852-p1000770.jpg


This is where the mesh gear is hiding and as on Elskipador's ratchet the mesh gear is holding in a ball bearing and spring.
1453859-p1000771.jpg


A shot of the bearing sitting on the spring in the ratchet head.
1453863-p1000772.jpg


A shot of the ball bearing, spring, mesh gear, selector switch, and circlip. These are the five parts in this side of the ratchet.
1453864-p1000773.jpg


You clean and grease as Elskipador outlined and reassemble.
 
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elskipador

elskipador@gmail.com
the best thing about this thread is that others in the community has stepped forward and shared their experience (sp) for others to benefit from........barf is the best :thumbup
 

PASTAPWR

Well-known member
elskipador said:
the best thing about this thread is that others in the community has stepped forward and shared their experience (sp) for others to benefit from........barf is the best :thumbup

Here, here. :port

But if it wasn't for our bad ass resident experts, such as your self. It is likely we would not have had this thread to begin with.

Couple the resident experts with the others that like to share knowledge and you get a formula for success.
 

F4iChic

Kiss My Arse
PASTAPWR said:


Couple the resident experts with the others that like to share knowledge and you get a formula for success.

I'm pleased you like my cooking threads :laughing



:later
 

engineboy

Well-known member
PhhhTTT!!!:hand

I just go outside and grab a new one off the truck :laughing




















Nice write up Skippy! :thumbup
 

PASTAPWR

Well-known member
engineboy said:
PhhhTTT!!!:hand

I just go outside and grab a new one off the truck :laughing





















Nice write up Skippy! :thumbup

PhhhTT!!!:hand to you buddy boy!

Now that we are armed with this good advice on how to maintain our ratchets we won't be neading to buy as many of yours. Who's :laughing now :twofinger

I don't mean it. I'm just jealous that I don't own my own business and have a truck full of cool tools.:x
 

engineboy

Well-known member
PASTAPWR said:
PhhhTT!!!:hand to you buddy boy!

Now that we are armed with this good advice on how to maintain our ratchets we won't be neading to buy as many of yours. Who's :laughing now :twofinger

:( :cry :cry :cry






















:laughing :laughing
 

daventura

wants you to stop smoking
Everytime I see a Matco Tool truck, I think of engineboy and his new life.
In a year, they(you) must go through a shitload of fuel.
Is that all a write-off as a business expense?
Dumb question...it HAS to be, huh?
:teeth

Did my ratchets at work this week.
They are better than new now.
 

engineboy

Well-known member
daventura said:
Everytime I see a Matco Tool truck, I think of engineboy and his new life.
In a year, they(you) must go through a shitload of fuel.
Is that all a write-off as a business expense?
Dumb question...it HAS to be, huh?
:teeth

Did my ratchets at work this week.
They are better than new now.

I go through about $50.00 of fuel every 2 days. :teeth

And yes, its a write off ;)
 
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