Craftsman Tools - USA History: Round Head Fine Tooth [RHFT] Ratchets - Rebuild & Discussion

Welcome to the ancillary component of the Craftsman USA Ratchet History Project!
Here we focus on repairing ratchets!
This video features the USA made Craftsman Round Head Fine Tooth (RHFT) Ratchets.
The RHFT ratchet series were made by Easco up until the company was acquired by the Danaher Corporation in the early 1990s.
While these do feature the same basic design as the LL/Butterfly Ratchets (2nd Gen. RP), the Quick Release Ratchets (3rd Gen. RP), and even the Tear Drop Ratchets (4th Gen. RP) from the neck down, the ratchet's head as well as mechanism are completely novel to this specific ratchet. This series shares nothing else with other ratchets other than the I-beam style neck and raised panel handle.
Uniquely, the RHFT series ratchets were launched in 1970 without offering the 1/4" size, where the 1/4" would first be offered in 1971. The Flex head variants were first offered in 1978 only in 3/8" and 1/2" right up until they were no longer for sale. The RHFT series saw its final days being offered in a 2008 Craftsman digital online catalog.
Despite having a 38 year run within the Craftsman timeline, I did not award this particular ratchet with a "longevity" award as I did with the Quick Release (3rd Gen. RP), which had a 26 year run. This is due to the fact the RHFT was offered as a Sears Catalog / online, when it became available, exclusive. The Quick Release (3rd Gen. RP) was actually physically present at Sears stores, whereas the RHFT was not available in stores.
Although these ratchets are very popular among professionals, DIY, and collectors, they don't have the prominence they could have had due to their almost ethereal exclusivity.
RHFT 1/2" has 45 tooth gear w/ 3 tooth engagement per side per pawl (2x pawls are working together at the same time) This affords the 1/2" drive 4 degrees arc swing. RHFT 3/8" has a 41T gear (~4.4 degrees of arc swing) and 1/4" has a 35T gear (~5.1 degrees of arc swing). Among the different sizes, the arc swing increase was negligible.
Given the refinement of the mechanism and the fact that the ratchet has 2 independent pawls working together at the same time, different tooth counts for each respective size ratchet realistically had negligible differences in ease of use from one another.
The Craftsman RHFT ratchet series were known to be as tough as nails, and, for their time, had an extraordinarily refined mechanism. Some owners have said they have NEVER lubed their ratchet in the nearly 4 decades of owning it, and the ratchets still function as if they were new.
These factors, ultimately, are why RHFT ratchets are still so lauded to date, and the reason why their prices continue to climb.
Product numbers for each ratchet:
1/2” = 44977
3/8” = 43781
1/4" = 43187
1/2" Flex Head = 44983
3/8" Flex Head = 42794
Repair kit numbers for each ratchet:
1/2” = 43446
3/8” = 43436
1/4” = 43426
[NOTICE: 3/8" & 1/2" ratchet repair kits work for their corresponding flex ratchets]
If you are interested in exploring the US Patents affiliated with this specific ratchet series please explore the following:
3467231
3532013
Appearance of USA Craftsman ratchets from end to beginning:
Premium Grade Ratchets [Final USA made Craftsman Ratchets]
Thumb Wheel Ratchets
Wrench Socket Series
The Next Generation Thin Profile Ratchets
Tear Drop Professional Full Polish Ratchets
Round Head Ratchets
Tear Drop Ratchets (4th Gen. Raised Panel)
Stainless Steel / Lifetime Ratchets
Wrist Ratchet
Round Head Fine Tooth (RHFT) Ratchets
Quick Release Ratchets (3rd Gen. Raised Panel)
Intermediate Ratchets (2nd & 3rd Gen. Raised Panel Hybrid)
Long Lever & Butterfly Ratchets (2nd Gen. Raised Panel)
1/2” Breaker Bar Ratchet Adapter
Boxhead Ratchet Wrenches (1st Gen. Raised Panel)
Circle U Ratchets
BM / Circle K Ratchets
BE & Circle H Ratchets (Multiple varieties)
BT Ratchet
Craftsman Vanadium Ratchets
C-XX Ratchets [1st USA made Craftsman Ratchets]

[@donaldlemoine1108]

Great Video! Very Detailed! I have a 1/4 drive fro the 70's. Frozen solid. Now that I know whats inside and how this is done, I will try the repair myself. I remember back years ago when you broke one, you brought it to sears and they would do the repair for you. Ahh the good ole days, lol..

[@iFixJunk]

Hey, thanks for posting this. I needed the part numbers!

[@DIYApprentice]

I broke my old Craftsman ratchet a couple months ago while using it like a breaker bar to remove a VERY stuck component on my car. I was not happy to say the least :-( I bought a Dewalt pear-shaped ratchet as a replacement, thinking I'd have to dump the Craftsman, but it doesn't have the same feel. I was ecstatic to find this video that gave me a model number so I could purchase the repair kit :-)

[@87MENGER]

Thanks for showing how to take these tools apart

[@75SakoHunter]

Great video! The bad thing about these ratchets is if you have one that has a damaged or really worn gear the repair kit is useless. I imagine this is why the kits are still relatively inexpensive and easy to find. I found this out the hard way…….😮😊

[@JamesNickersonThePhotoShopGuru]

Awesome 😎

[@nicholassmerk]

Would you know how much those cost when they were new? From what I've seen, there is a 1/2", 3/8", 1/4", a 1/4" with a screwdriver handle and a 3/8" flex.

[@kenhoever8245]

Great video on the fine tooth ratchet. Just acquired a compete set with serial #’s. Have done maintenance on my original and teardrop sets

[@jacobdicken6916]

I have a set I picked up for 7$ at a local

[@613deadbolt]

Great video. What grease do you use in these? I have done some other ratchets with regular grease from my grease gun, and it seems to just gum things up and make things worse.

[@sethbenschoter3168]

Great video! What craftsman sockets were designed for these? I have a 1/2" and just bought the 3/8" and 1/4" versions online. I've noticed that some modern sockets I have tried using with the 1/2" version don't lock into the ratchet. This makes the quick release kind of useless.

[@netwak]

Hello, thanks for taking the time to show this. I had the 1/4 version from a kit my dad gave me. Probably 40 or 50 years old now ha, ha. It was pretty bad, I took it all apart, cleaned it up and it still looks to be in great shape under all the gunk. Unfortunately, I lost one of the ball bearings in the tear down. Do you know if the kit comes with them? Thank you, Jeff

[@Masenko325]

I just purchased one of these, everything seems run just fine other than the selector switch spinning freely. I need to grip the anvil end to get it to engage. Does anyone know the remedy to this?

[@idiggplants]

i pulled out the center bar(the one you push to get the sockets off, and i ended up with another bearing on the bench. not sure where it came from . was hoping you would show that disassembled too. any thoughts? thanks for the vid. thumbs up for sure.

[@singachuotodiy]

very detailed video shot. how you setup your camera?

[@oncewaslost1982]

do you have the kit number for the rebuild kit for the 3/8 round head?

[@PUNKANDGOTH]

i have a 1/4 ratchet that the ball that holds the socket in has gone is there a kit to fix that ?

[@garyjones7198]

I didn't notice while watching your video , but I saw another guy putting his ratchet together and he put it in neutral before assembly and it just slipped right in with no problem... Give it a try and see how it works...

[@johnwohlheter601]

Just got a 3/8's version with no model# so i assume its like 1969-70? Came out of a auction box lot I paid $3 for. Its a little crusty and only turns one direction, but with the help of this video maybe I can get it working again. Thanks for the info. Well made video..

[@oldjarhead1125]

Where do you purchase the repair kit?